5 Tips for a good night’s sleep while pregnant

Pregnancy brings a whirlwind of exciting changes, but it can also come with its share of challenges, especially when it comes to sleep. Between a growing belly, more trips to the bathroom, and various pregnancy symptoms that might arise, a good night’s sleep can be difficult to come by. But getting quality sleep during each trimester of pregnancy is essential for your health and well-being. To help you get the restorative rest you need, we put together our favorite pregnancy sleeping tips. 

Movement is essential

Generally, staying active can help relax your body, calm your mind, and lift your mood—all excellent benefits when battling pregnancy insomnia. It’s no secret that stress can keep you up at night, which is another big reason why getting regular exercise is a must. Prenatal exercise is also essential for staying healthy and preparing your body for labor. We recommend taking regular walks, going for a swim, or registering in workout classes like gentle pilates or prenatal yoga. Talk to your doctor about what exercises are right for you. For more advice on how to stay active during your pregnancy, take a look at our health and fitness during pregnancy blog with prenatal fitness specialist and Mom, Betina Gozo.

Establish consistent routines

Establishing a consistent bedtime routine can be helpful for improving your sleep during pregnancy. When you go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, your body has an easier time settling into a natural rhythm, allowing you to wake up feeling refreshed. Try to maintain regularity in both your morning and evening routines, but especially in your pre-bedtime activities—what you do to unwind can play a significant role in the quality of your sleep. To maintain consistency in your nighttime rituals, we recommend practicing relaxing activities you enjoy, like lighting candles, reading, or taking a warm bath. These practices can help set the stage for a peaceful, restorative night's sleep and also set the tone for a smooth labor.

Invest in a pregnancy pillow

Because sleeping positions while pregnant tend to be more limiting, we recommend investing in a pregnancy pillow like this one or this one early on for comfort and support. With their unique shape, pregnancy pillows are designed to help support various pregnancy sleeping positions, including the recommended side-sleeping posture. By providing cushioning for the belly, hips, and back, a pregnancy pillow can help ensure that you're lying in a way that reduces strain on the body. As the baby grows, the extra weight can cause discomfort in your back and hips, especially when sleeping on your side. Having this gentle support can relieve pain and make it easier to sleep through the night.

Limit late-night snacking

Late-night snacking can contribute to pregnancy insomnia. While it’s important to eat regularly throughout the day to replenish nutrients and maintain energy, do your best to avoid eating at least three hours before bed. This will give your body the time it needs to digest properly. When you do eat closer to bedtime, try to limit anything that takes longer to digest, such as meat, beans, or nuts. These simple changes in your eating habits can help you reach higher quality, more restful sleep.

Managing pregnancy insomnia while traveling

Managing pregnancy insomnia while traveling can be especially challenging, as both the physical demands of pregnancy and disruptions of travel can make sleep elusive. To ease the struggle, try adjusting your sleep schedule ahead of time to better prepare for travel exhaustion. For example, you can gradually shift your sleep and wake times a few days before your trip to help minimize jet lag. If you’re anticipating a long travel day, be proactive by scheduling rest breaks before you leave, allowing time to recover upon arrival, and taking naps during the journey whenever possible. Planning ahead like this can help you stay rested and reduce the impact of travel on your sleep. If you're looking for some additional tips on traveling, check out our blog on how to travel while pregnant and discover creative ways to ease the journey!

While sleep may be challenging during each trimester, taking these proactive steps can help improve sleep quality as your body continues to adapt to the changes of pregnancy. We hope these tips for navigating insomnia during pregnancy make these next few months more comfortable. At Doona, we want to help you make parenting simple. That’s why we’ve created the best car seat stroller combo, the Doona Car Seat and Stroller which transforms from a car seat to a stroller in the click of a button; and Liki Trike — the most compact folding toddler trike on the market that grows alongside toddlers with five modes of use.