A night of good sleep is one of the deciding factors of your baby’s health. If you sleep well during pregnancy, your immune system and brain function improve and growth hormone level gets regulated. It also dictates your shape and size as well as the development of the fetus, so sleep should absolutely be a high priority during pregnancy.  While the poor quality of sleep results in longer labour and is also correlated with a higher rate of C-section deliveries; some strategies can help pregnant women get better sleep. 

Below are some suggestions about the ideal sleeping position during pregnancy:

The ideal position is sleeping on the left side

The National Sleep Foundation suggests that the best sleeping position during pregnancy is to lie on the left side.  When you sleep on your left side, the optimal amount of oxygen and nutrient flow to the baby and this gives more comfort to the mother.

This position also takes the pressure off your liver and kidneys. This also reduces swelling issues in your hands, ankles, and feet. For a more comfortable position, put one pillow between your knees and another below your hips.

What about sleeping on the right side, back and stomach?

So if sleeping on the left side is the ideal sleeping position during pregnancy, what about sleeping on the right side, back and stomach.

• Sleeping on the right side: While sleeping on the right side isn’t necessarily bad; there is a very slight risk of compression issues with the IVC. But mostly it’s just a matter of where you’re most comfortable.

• Sleeping on the back: In the later months of pregnancy, sleeping on the back could put pressure on the back and pelvis leading to backache.  This position could also put pressure on the largest vein (inferior vena cava), and cause low blood pressure, poor blood circulation, hemorrhoids, and decreased nutrition supply for both mother and baby.

• Sleeping on the stomach: Sleeping on the stomach can put pressure on your bladder, which leads to frequent urination. While It is okay to sleep on your stomach during the initial pregnancy stages; once your belly starts to grow, this position could become difficult for you. While sleep can prove challenging at every stage of pregnancy; you can try a range of techniques to improve your sleep quality and help develop a baby’s health.