We all need quality sleep to function properly during the day, but it gets even more important when you're pregnant. The irony? That's also when sleep gets harder. With a lot of nighttime activity in the womb, you can get less sleep at a time when you need more sleep. A recent Reddit thread also shows many moms-to-be experiencing the same, leading to more fatigue during the day. I spoke to several experts to see why this tends to be a common experience among expectant parents, and they shared some tips on how to get a restful night's sleep.
Why fetuses move more at nighttime
Sleeping may feel tough during pregnancy but there are ways to make the experience better. Getty Images
Chances are, during the evening hours, you're starting to unwind from the day. But if you're pregnant, you may notice your fetus does the opposite and starts to become more active during this period. "This could be because, during the regular day, the moving and swaying of a person's normal actions soothes the baby and helps the baby rest," says Dr. Susan Crowe, an obstetrician-gynecologist and clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology in maternal fetal health at Stanford Medicine.
Dr. Ila Dayananda, an obstetrician-gynecologist and chief medical officer of Oula Health, says that during the day, the motion of an awake and moving parent might have a calming effect on a fetus. Another theory is that, during the later part of the day, especially when the pregnant person is reclined, the fetus may have more room to move around. The fetus may also become more active at nighttime because of lower blood sugar levels or Dayananda's other theory: "There's also the belief that the fetus is establishing its own circadian rhythm and is in the process of discovering the difference between day and night," she said.
Dr. Andrea Desai, a maternal and fetal medicine specialist at University of Maryland Medical Center, agrees: "As the fetal organs nervous system develops, they develop their own circadian rhythm, as in their sleep-wake cycle, and pattern it just like we have."
The good news is fetal movement in the evening is a positive sign of your baby's well-being. Keeping track of your baby's movements is a helpful way to prevent stillbirth or determine if there may be something wrong. The American Pregnancy Association recommends you keep track of their movement starting at 28 weeks (or the beginning of the third trimester).
The goal is to choose a time of day you know your fetus is most active (often at night) and to count up to 10 movements in a span of two hours. "There is no right or wrong time to feel movement and every pregnant patient will learn what to expect along the way, with guidance from their doctors," Desai says. "Kick counts are a tool for pregnant patients to use at home to reassure themselves of their baby's movements if they are concerned that the movement is less than they expect it to be," she adds.
All that fetal movement can sometimes make for an uncomfortable experience. I can definitely vouch for this as I've been jabbed plenty of times in the ribcage and experienced double kicks from my baby. On the other hand, for some people the movement isn't so much the issue at bedtime, but the extra pressure on their bladder is. This can lead to more visits to the bathroom throughout the night, which also disrupts sleep in its own way. If this is your predicament (and as long as you aren't dehydrated), try to cut back on liquids two to three hours before bed.
What you can do to improve your sleep
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