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1st Trimester
1. Lethargy and Fatigue throughout the day. This could lead to excessive sleeping during the daytime which will result to restlessness at night
2. Tender breasts – Due to changes in hormones in preparation for milk production, the breasts get larger and tender.
3. Frequent Urination
4. Morning sickness – not entirely limited to mornings. This may happen any time.
5. Mood swings – extreme changes in emotions that may vary from anxiety to over-excitement.
2nd Trimester
1. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is commonly experienced by pregnant women which is characterized by consistent heartburn. This usually gets worse at night.
2. Nasal congestion or the clogging of the nose may disturb your sleep
3. Nightmares and dreams are often present in this semester
3rd Trimester
1. Around 15% of women develop restless legs syndrome (RLS) in their third trimester of pregnancy.
2. Due to the pressure applied to the bladder by the growing baby, more trips to the bathroom will be necessary.
3. Back, shoulder and hip pain will be prominent due to the heavier and larger belly.
4. Pelvic area will be painful in preparation for delivery.
Side Effects:
· 50& and 80% suffer from back pain during pregnancy
· It would get harder to breathe as the baby grows and applies more pressure on the diaphragm and lungs.
· Heart rate increases to pump more blood
· 30% of women start snoring during pregnancy due to swollen nasal passages
· 97% of women wake during the night after pregnancy
The relationship between sleep and labor
“ A recent study conducted to find out the relation between the quality and amount of sleep and the labor hours have concluded with some interesting findings. The study proves that pregnant women, who got less than six hours of sleep on an average in their first trimester, had to spend about 29 hours in labor. On the other hand, women who got more than seven hours of sleep delivered after an average of 17-17.5 hours in labor.”
· 78% of women experienced more unstable and disturbed sleep during pregnancy than at other times
· A good night sleep is proven to reduce the risk of complications at birth.
· 20% of women are likely to undergo caesarean section and had longer labor duration
Sleeping Tips
· Avoid caffeine and Sugar
· Drink enough fluids
· Eat a light snack before bed
· Take a warm nice bath before bed
· Set the bedroom temperature cooler than normally
· Make love to your partner if you’re in the mood. This is proven to help you sleep better.
· Ask for a massage from your partner
· Relax and meditate. Breathing exercises and mild stretching helps your body cool down and relax.
· Quiet music, minimum lighting
· Avoid heavy meals and spicy food to prevent heartburn
· Sleep as you normally do
· Take naps during the day
· Channel your emotions into art – write, read, play music, draw, and paint.
· 83% of women who exercise regularly have better sleep than those who don’t exercise
Don’t sleep on your back
Don’t sleep on your front
Don’t sleep sitting upright
Sleep on your side.
Sleeping aids
DO NOT TAKE ANY SLEEPING PILLS, even the herbal kind especially without the advice of a health provider.
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