Restless Nights

Answers to Common Sleep Concerns During Pregnancy

By Jacqueline Rupp

It's after midnight, an hour past your scheduled bedtime, and you're still fighting to find a comfortable position to sleep. If the backaches weren't enough, the pain of heartburn has also set in. If you could just get to sleep... Then again, after you finally doze off, it will probably be only a few hours before you'll have to roll out of bed for your first of many nighttime trips to the bathroom.

The nine months of pregnancy are full of physical changes that affect every aspect of your daily life. And the changes aren't just reserved for the waking hours. Sleep profoundly changes during pregnancy. In fact, according to the National Sleep Foundation's "Women and Sleep" poll, almost 80 percent of pregnant women surveyed complained of sleep disruptions.

Here we answer 10 of the most common sleep-related questions. You might not be able to sleep like a baby, but with help, you might sleep a little easier.

In the first and second trimesters of pregnancy, frequent urination is usually caused by increased progesterone (the pregnancy hormone) in the body. By the third trimester, the expanded uterus limits the amount of fluid the bladder can hold, which equals more trips to the bathroom.

Dr. Kryger suggests not drinking a lot of fluids before bedtime, but he also cautions women to make sure they stay hydrated during the rest of the day. "Drinking water is very important to the health of both mother and baby, so don't try to limit your intake of fluids," he says. "However, if a woman is going to the bathroom an awful lot of times both day and night, then she should consult her doctor. This could be a symptom of a more serious condition, such as diabetes or pre-eclampsia."

Want to see more?

• Sleep Deprived? Join the Club! A First-time Mom Tells It Like It Is
• Who Needs Sleep? 8 Reasons to Get Fewer Zzz's
• In Search of Slumber: Sleep Solutions for Moms-to-be of Multiples
• Talk about it!