You only have a few weeks to go until your baby arrives, and if you’re like I was, you’ve probably got six loads of baby laundry going through the wash for the second time, a list of 25 things for your husband to clean and organize, a wet mop in one hand, and a feather duster in the other. That’s in addition to the vacuuming, scrubbing, and organizing you did last night until 3am, right?
Unfortunately, all that hard work and preparation commonly referred to as “nesting” is robbing you of precious sleep. Nothing is more important right now than getting your rest, because in a few weeks you won’t remember what sleep felt like. That’s a promise!
Taking time to sleep is the easy part. It’s likely you’ve already quit your job if you have one, and your family is more than willing to help around the house right now. Getting comfortable enough to fall asleep and stay asleep is another matter. Here are a few things you can try to make sleeping easier.
Recline: Instead of fighting with fifty pillows in the middle of the night, kick back in a comfy recliner and sleep at a 45 degree angle. Sleeping on your side is even harder at the end of pregnancy because your belly is so heavy, it can cause pain in your sides from tugging on your supporting ligaments and muscles. Sleeping in a recliner can not only relieve back pain and ligament pain, but can help with acid reflux as well.
Roll Right: If the recliner is not an option and you must sleep in your bed, you’ll notice that rolling over is one of the toughest bedtime tasks. You can only lay on your left side for so long, and flipping from your left to your right is not only difficult, but downright painful sometimes! Try this: instead of rolling over the usual way (swinging that belly over you like a sack of flour), roll up onto your hands and knees and then back down to the other side. This eliminates the need to lift and support your belly while you roll, because it is swinging beneath you while you change positions. It looks funny, but trust me, it feels much better!
Drink Your Water Early: Avoid hanging out in the bathroom all night by drinking your 64 oz of water a day in the earlier hours instead of at night. Try not to drink anything a few hours before bed. Frequent trips to the bathroom are common in late pregnancy, but if they are happening in the middle of the night, they are disrupting your much needed sleep.
Take Time to Stretch: Carefully stretching our your muscles before your hit the sack will help your body to relax and release tension, allowing you to get comfortable and fall asleep faster. Stretch out your back, arms and legs, moving slowly to avoid pulling a muscle, which is easy to do during pregnancy.
Set out Snacks: Set a snack by the bed in case you wake up in the middle of the night starving. If you have to rummage around the kitchen and prepare a snack in the middle of the night, it will be harder to fall back asleep. Crackers and breakfast bars are tasty ways to fight those midnight cravings. Just try not to get crumbs all over your sheets!
You may think sleep is difficult now, but take my advice: once your precious bundle arrives, sleep will be a luxury you barely remember, so enjoy it while you can!