Let’s talk sleep while pregnant. If you’re newly pregnant or in the first trimester you are hopefully getting lots of peaceful sleep and wake up rested (although, instead the mornings are not much fun for many…). For most pregnant women sleep gets tricky at some point, so keep these notes for later when you might need them. 

One of the first things I realized I needed was a full body pillow – I had a u-shaped one like this. That was a total game changer! I actually started using mine quite early, as soon as I had the slightest bump, as I felt it was so comfortable to rest one leg on it, kind of hug it, which gives the tummy more space. This is my tip number one!

Later, in the second and third trimesters I started struggling with waking up in the night because I was uncomfortable (my hips were often the culprit, lying on your side the whole night can be really hard on the hips) and I would toss and turn endlessly. Sometimes towards the end of the pregnancy, I’d get up in the middle of the night to watch Netflix and eat a massive bowl of yoghurt as I was constantly starving (no wonder I gained 45 pounds, but that’s a different story…!) But, I did discover something that really helped me get back to sleep and that was meditation tracks designed for sleep. I will link a few for you here: 

- Pregnancy mediation for relaxation and sleep (YouTube) – great for general relaxation or falling asleep; tailored for pregnancy 

- Boring history for sleep (Spotify) – stories that are interesting but told in a way that you won’t be able to stay awake for long! 

-  Meditation audio for getting back to sleep (YouTube) – this soothing voice will help you drift right off! 

Also, pro tip: don’t forget to set a sleep timer – available both on Spotify and YouTube – so the audio turns off after a certain amount of time. 

These tips, combined with keeping your room cool and avoiding fizzy drinks or heavy food before bed should go some way to help you get some good sleep! Also keep those heart burn tablets handy just in case 

I’m excited that so many have found my book Preparing for a Baby useful, and I’m hard at work creating a new book in the series – Letters to Baby. Stay tuned! 

Speak soon,

Liz