Sleep struggles are not uncommon with a growing bump however many unlucky women experience varying degrees of insomnia in pregnancy.
If you’re one of the unlucky ones, start by reducing or eliminating caffeine from your daily ritual. You should also avoid large dinners and opt for easily digested meals and snacks at the end of the day. About an hour before bedtime, get your body moving with 20 minutes of moderate intensity exercise such as a walk or yoga class. Some gentle stretching may also do the trick if your body is feeling fatigued.
Avoid the urge to jump online, check emails and even watch TV within the hour before bed. Exposing yourself to artificial light suppresses the production of melatonin, the hormone that controls sleep and wake cycles.
Instead, opt for a warm bath with a few drops of lavender oil, complimented by a cup of chamomile tea. Try some deep breathing or meditating to help calm your mind and lastly, don’t burn the midnight oil.
Research suggests the optimal time to go to bed is between 10pm and 11pm, when both your body temperature and the level of cortisol (stress hormone) starts to drop in your body.
For more information check:
- With your GP and/or obstetrician, maternity care provider.
- Sleep Health Foundation
- 10 Tips for a Good Night Sleep
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Paternity and Partner Leave
Since early 2011, Australia has had a Paid Parental Leave scheme. This allows eligible working parents to get paid for up to 18 weeks when they take time off work to care for a new baby or recently adopted child.
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Driving and Seatbelt Safety During Pregnancy
Driving during pregnancy can present a unique set of risks - it pays to be as informed as possible about the facts.
Currently in Australia, there is no recommendation for pregnant women to stop driving. And it’s not illegal in any Australian State or Territory to drive during pregnancy. The same road rules apply to all drivers, pregnant or otherwise. But pregnancy itself is not a reason to stop driving.
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Is it Really Safe to Exercise in Pregnancy?
Our understanding of exercise in pregnancy + postpartum has come a long way in the recent years, and we are much more likely to treat the “normal” pregnancy as a normal physiological process – not a disability.
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Postpartum Exercise: How to Return Safely after Pregnancy and Childbirth
Exercise in the postpartum period is helpful to regain your shape, increase your energy levels, lift your mood and give you the strength required for your new job of mothering.
Your new role will involve a lot of lifting, carrying, pushing, getting up from chairs and the floor, and holding for feeding.
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Recovering from Pregnancy and Birth
After the birth of your baby there is a period of healing and physical adjustment from the effects of pregnancy as well as from your labour or delivery.
During pregnancy, there is increased pressure on the pelvic floor from your growing baby, placenta and extra fluid.
Paternity and Partner Leave
Driving and Seatbelt Safety During Pregnancy
Is it Really Safe to Exercise in Pregnancy?
Postpartum Exercise: How to Return Safely after Pregnancy and Childbirth
Recovering from Pregnancy and Birth
