Pregnancy is such an occasion in a woman's life in which many changes occur in her body. There are problems ranging from getting up, sitting, eating and drinking to sleeping and waking up. The mother-to-be cannot even sleep as per her wish. Many times it happens that one spends the whole night only due to anxiety because one cannot get rest in the right position.
Doctors forbid sleeping on the back and stomach only in the second trimester of pregnancy. But do you know that there is also a correct sleeping position for pregnant women?
Obstetrician-Gynecologist (OBGYN), and infertility specialist Dr. Tanushree Pandey Padgaonkar has shared things related to this on Instagram. She has also talked about the correct sleeping position where we should sleep properly.
Why is sleeping on the back and stomach prohibited?
According to DrTanushree, sleeping on your back puts a lot of pressure on your back. Due to this, your spinal cord presses the cells present at the back. This is normally fine but can reduce the oxygen flow of the child. This is the reason why doctors forbid sleeping on the back from the second trimester of pregnancy i.e. the fourth month itself.
Similarly, sleeping on the stomach can be even more dangerous for the child. Besides the oxygen flow being very low, it also causes difficulty in the formation of essential organs. In such a situation, sleeping on the stomach will harm the baby and the mother-to-be will also feel pain in both the back and stomach. As the fetus grows in the uterus,
What is the right sleeping position for pregnant women?
According to DrTanushree, you should sleep on your side during this period. In such a situation, the oxygen flow of your body reaches the child properly. You should also take care that you do not feel any pressure in your stomach.
It is also not comfortable for pregnant women to sleep on their side. In such a situation, you can correct your sleeping position with the help of a pillow. You can place a pillow between your legs or place a pillow under your foot. This will provide support to your back and your work will also be managed easily.
Which side would be better to sleep on?
It depends on your comfort. One can sleep on either the left or right side. Yes, it would be better to sleep with the support of a pillow in the last trimester. The reason for this is that when the child's weight increases, the heart finds it very difficult to pump blood to you and his body. In such a situation, the weight of the child puts pressure on the largest cell (inferior vena cava). This cell pumps blood from our heart to our legs.
In such a situation, if there is pressure on it, then the right amount of blood and oxygen will not reach the child. In such a situation, as the baby's weight increases, you should prepare to sleep on your side with the support of a pillow.
What to do if you are having difficulty sleeping?
If for any reason you experience difficulty sleeping or experience severe pain in the stomach and back, then it is important to seek medical advice. You talk to the doctor and tell him about your problem. If you feel pinching or any kind of prick, you should also inform the doctor about it.
