1. Cuddle With a Body Pillow
During the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, doctors discourage women from sleeping on their stomachs or backs. Only side-lying positions are recommended, but these can often put uncomfortable pressure on the hips or back. The use of a body pillow that cushions both your head and your knee joints can be a good solution to the problem. Without going to the effort of getting an actual body pillow, you can simply substitute one fluffy pillow under your head and one between your thighs and knees for the most comfortable side-sleeping posture.
2. Lather on the Lanolin
Many women also complain that itchy, stretching bellies keep them up at night. While the stretching is a natural result of a growing fetus, you can ease the itching by applying generous coats of lotions with lanolin, vitamin E or coco butter. You can even try calamine lotion if you have intense nighttime itching.
3. Raise Your Head to Reduce Heartburn
Nightly heartburn and the accompanying acid taste is a particularly agonizing part of pregnancy for some women. You can try to stave off the heartburn with over the counter antacids, but you may also have to start out sleeping in a semi-upright position to let gravity aid your body in keeping the acids down.
4. Reduce Leg Cramps With Water and Stretches
Unfortunately, these uncomfortable muscle spasms happen most often at night for pregnant women. To prevent cramps and protect your uninterrupted sleep, make sure to drink plenty of water during the day to keep your bodily fluids from accumulating in your legs. Keeping off your feet as much as possible in the sunlight hours will also reduce the fatigue in your legs that can cause cramps. You can also try gently stretching out your calves by flexing your toes before you go to bed to get a more restful night's sleep.
