Pregnancy is a challenging and exciting time for a woman. Sleep is one of the important aspects of pregnancy. Quality sleep, be it a catnap during the day or a restful sleep at night, is essential both for the mother and the baby. But with a little one growing inside, getting proper sleep is not always possible. So a pregnant woman sleeps in many positions to get comfortable. But certain sleeping positions can be risky after 28 weeks of gestation. Read below to learn more about sleeping positions, pregnancy pillow benefits for better sleep, and more:
The Best Position during Pregnancy
As mentioned earlier, certain positions, like sleeping on the back, can be quite risky after 28 weeks of pregnancy. That is because when you sleep on your back, the inferior vena cava experiences the weight of the uterus, leading to compression of this vein. When that veins get compressed, it can lead to preeclampsia, low birth weight, reduction of fetal development and may even lead to stillbirth. Similarly, sleeping on your right is risky as it compresses the aorta, an important artery. So what is the best sleeping position for pregnant women, and what are the pregnancy pillow benefits? Read on to learn about it.
Left-side Sleeping is the Best Sleeping Position
Experts say the best sleeping position while pregnant is sleeping on the left side. This is called the lateral decubitus position. It is a position of sleep which is between sleeping on the back and sleeping completely on the left side. Achieving this position can be a little tricky without props, but pillows may help you get and sleep in this position.
What is a Pregnancy Pillow for Sleeping?
Pregnancy pillow for sleeping are special pillows that are made to provide better support to places that affect you when the belly and the baby inside it are growing. These pregnancy pillows help reduce leg cramps, pelvic stiffness, and back pain. It also reduces insomnia symptoms, as cramps, stiffness, and pain are usually the main cause of insomnia during pregnancy. These pillows are designed in such a way that it reduces the pressure points that get created between the legs, behind the back or under the abdomen. The pregnancy pillow benefits are that it fits into the spaces that cause pressure and reduces pain in such areas.
Pregnancy Pillow Benefits
One of the obvious pregnancy pillow benefits is that it supports the body and helps sleep better. Some of the other uses of pregnancy pillows are:
- Helps in the proper alignment of the hips, back, and neck during sleep.
- Enhances blood circulation
- It helps both legs remain parallel to each other and reduces pressure on the pubic bone and the hips.
- If you are not used to sleeping on the left side, it helps you get adjusted to that new position of sleep.
- It prevents from rolling to the back accidentally during sleep.
- Conditions of nasal congestion, heartburn and leg cramps are common during pregnancy, which gets reduced with the use of pregnancy pillows.
Best Maternity Pillows of 2023
Having learned about the pregnancy pillow benefits. These best Maternity Pillows of 2023 can be categorised based on the following:
Innerfill
It can be of two types; The firm memory foam pillow and the adjustable and soft polyfill pillows.
Shape
The pregnancy pillows are of many types depending on the shape. Some of them are as below:
Wedge-shaped pillows and their uses
These offer support to targeted areas like between the knees, under the stomach, behind the back, etc. It also prevents accidental rolling during sleep.
U-Shaped pillows and their uses
These offer equal support to all parts of the body. Placing these pillows helps to keep the hips and the legs parallel and also keeps the back aligned. It offers great support to the neck too. You can also use the C shaped neck support pillow for better comfort.
Contour or C shaped pregnancy pillow uses
Like the U-shaped pillows, the C shaped pregnancy pillow uses are that it helps to keep the back aligned, the neck support, and hips and legs parallel to each other. It provides ample support to the belly too.
Outer cover material
These types of pregnancy pillows can be made of bamboo fabric with a cooling effect, organic cotton or synthetic fabric types of pillows.
Pregnancy Pillow used for Complications or Changes during Pregnancy
Back pain
There are many bodily changes during pregnancy, like expanding belly, growing breasts, and loosening or stretching of ligaments, joints and muscles. These affect balance and gravity and which can lead to pain in the back and shoulders. While these bodily changes are a necessity to accommodate the growing baby, paying attention to your sleeping posture by keeping the back straight with the use of a C shaped pillow for back pain as it helps.
Sciatica in Pregnancy
It is a radiating pain that starts from the lower back and moves past the buttocks to the legs and the toes. This happens due to the pinching of the sciatic nerve caused by a vertebral bone spur or a herniated disk. During pregnancy, relaxin, a hormone, is produced in high amounts. This is to relax the ligaments and prepare the pelvis for childbirth. But because the ligaments relax, it becomes loose; there is a shift in the sciatic nerve, and it gets pinched, causing radiating pain from the hips down. To reduce this pressure and also for proper alignment of the pelvis, place a pillows for support in pregnancy under the belly and below the legs.
Heartburn
This is another common problem faced by pregnant women where the acid and the food move back to the oesophagus. That leads to a burning sensation in the stomach and the throat. Additionally, as the pregnancy progresses, the uterus expands, the stomach gets bigger, and there is more pressure on it. Use a wedge pillow under the back to reduce the symptoms of heartburn.
Pelvic pain
A huge percentage of pregnant women experience this and can remain even after a few months of delivery. To reduce it, place a C-shaped neck and back support pillow under the abdomen or between the knees to ease the pressure on the lower back and hips.
Night sweats
It is common in the first and third trimesters and is because of a rise in temperature because of increased blood flow and changing hormones. Use pillows and bedsheets that are breathable and made of natural fabrics like bamboo or cotton.
Pregnancy pillows: When to start using them?
Usually, the end of the first trimester is the time when there is an increase in discomfort because of stiffness in the back, neck and shoulders. Pregnancy pillows’ benefits can offer targeted support and ease discomfort. So the best time to start using them is either at the end of the first trimester or the start of the second. But make sure to use the best pregnancy pillow for back pain to get optimal support.
For expectant mothers and recent mothers, pregnancy pillows are a great purchase. They offer comfort and alleviation from discomfort brought on by pregnancy. To meet the unique requirements of each woman, a wide range of shapes, sizes, materials, colours, and styles are offered. Women who are expecting can select from full-body pillows to smaller ones that focus on particular body parts like the back or abdomen. You can find a pregnancy pillow that meets your needs and aids in a better night’s sleep during this unique time in your life by learning more about the various kinds that are offered.
No Comments