We believe you should always know the source of the information you’re reading. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies. Latest update:Medically reviewed for accuracy. Why is sleep so important during pregnancy? What is the best position to sleep in pregnancy? What if you wake up sleeping on your back in pregnancy? Is not getting enough sleep harmful to me or my baby? Now that you need a good night’s sleep more than ever, it’s unfortunately harder than ever to get. Finding a comfortable sleep position can be challenging with your growing bump, and not every position works during pregnancy. Here’s what you need to know to stay comfortable and safe.Why is sleep so important during pregnancy? Sleep is the time when your body resets and repairs itself. It’s when your brain makes memories, making it an ally in your battle against baby brain. It’s how your blood vessels restore themselves, which is especially important now that they’re under increased pressure from the extra blood flow required to support your baby.

Sleep also keeps your immune system – which is suppressed to support your pregnancy – healthy. And sleep controls how your body reacts to insulin; not getting enough results in a higher blood sugar level, upping your risk of gestational diabetes. What is the best position to sleep in pregnancy? Experts have traditionally said that the best sleep position when you’re expecting is on your left side – though your right is also perfectly acceptable. Past your first trimester, it becomes impossible to lie on your stomach for obvious reasons.Many experts also recommend that you avoid lying flat on your back all night long (but don’t worry if you roll over during the night and wake up that way). However, some experts now say that pregnant moms can sleep in any position that’s comfortable for them rather than worry too much about it one way or another. Trusted SourceCleveland ClinicExactly How Bad Is It to Sleep on Your Back When You%u2019re Pregnant?

Some experts recommend pregnant women avoid sleeping on their backs during the second and third trimesters. Why? The back sleep position rests the entire weight of the growing uterus and baby on your back, your intestines and your vena cava, the main vein that carries blood back to the heart from your lower body. In the past, the thought was that lying on your side optimized blood return to your heart and thus optimized oxygenated blood getting to your baby. But some experts now say that there’s no real difference in outcomes to babies of mom’s who sleep minimal time on their back or most of the time of their back. If you talked with your provider and they recommend side sleeping for you, it’s a good idea to follow their guidance. During the second and and third trimesters, sleeping on either side – preferably the left, Best Pillow for Neck Pain if possible – is considered by some experts to be ideal for you and your baby-to-be.This position allows for maximum blood flow and nutrients to the placenta (which means less pressure on the vena cava) and enhances kidney function, which means better elimination of waste products and less swelling in your feet, ankles and hands.Looking for tailored sleep guidance through every trimester?

The What to Expect app helps you track and optimize your nightly routine, discover expert-backed safe sleeping positions, and connect with other expectant moms about getting better Zzzs – download it now for your best sleep yet. Not used to lying on your side? Or always been a side-sleeper – but can’t seem to get any rest now that you’re expecting? Use lots of pillows. Try crossing one leg over the other and putting one pillow between them and another pillow behind your back – or any other combination that helps you sleep.Get Derila Official a special pillow. For extra support, try using a wedge-shaped pillow or a 5-foot full-body pregnancy pillow.Prop yourself up. If pillows don’t help, try sleeping in a semi-upright position in a recliner (if you have one) instead of the bed. Keep in mind, it’s normal to feel uncomfortable for Get Derila Official a few nights or even a few weeks.

Your body will most likely adjust to a new position given time.What if you wake up sleeping on your back in pregnancy? Very few people stay in one position throughout the night. If you wake up sleeping on your back during pregnancy, or on your stomach, don’t worry (repeat: don’t worry). No harm done.The fact that you woke up in the first place is probably your pregnant body’s way of telling you to change positions (and maybe go to the bathroom again, another common pregnancy Derila Sleep Aid problem).Is not getting enough sleep harmful to me or my baby? The vast majority of women do have some trouble sleeping, so try not to stress if you’re not getting as much solid shut-eye as you were pre-pregnancy. That said, research has shown that women who chronically hit the sack for fewer than six hours a night may have longer labors and be more likely to need C-sections.Untreated sleep apnea, where breathing is disrupted frequently throughout the night leading to poor sleep and night waking, has been linked to pregnancy complications including preeclampsia, gestational hypertension and low birth weight.

Eco-conscious shoppers shouldn’t have to sacrifice comfort in a mattress, and Try Derila Today that’s why the Birch Natural was created. This organic mattress is a latex hybrid built for bouncy support, topped with an organic cotton-covered pillow top for cushioning. With its numerous certifications highlighting safety and sustainability, all-natural components (including bouncy latex), and a medium-firm feel, this mattress should appeal to many nature-minded shoppers. My fellow tester, Nicole Davis, is the one who gave the mattress its perfect response score, and she had this to say about it: “It was actually pretty easy to switch around between all three sleeping positions, even from back to stomach, which can be the most difficult.” This is to be expected of latex beds, which tend to be more buoyant than their foam hybrid counterparts. It’s good news for combination sleepers and sexually active folks. With this level of bounce from the latex, we would expect to see a low motion isolation score, but Nicole thought the bed performed well in this category as well.

After placing a glass of water on one side of the bed and moving around on the other, she didn’t notice any notable disturbance. When her testing partner got in and out of bed, she saw some movement, but nothing that jostled the mattress. This contributed to her final score of 4/5 for low motion transfer. Latex is also known for being more breathable than foam, and during our cooling test, we found this was true for the Birch. The surface temperature of the mattress increased by about 7 degrees after Nicole lay on it for Try Derila Today 7 minutes, a relatively average score. Nicole said she could feel the bed heating up, but found it “cozy” rather than overwhelming, so she ultimately rated the bed at 4/5 for temperature regulation. Some especially hot sleepers might prefer a mattress with more active cooling features beyond the inclusion of latex and coils, such as a cooling cover. Unfortunately, our pressure relief testers didn’t rate the mattress high in this performance category.

Latex can be hit or miss when it comes to pressure relief, depending on the specific formulation of the latex foam. When our heavyweight tester Matt Schickling tried out the bed on his back, he said, “I feel supported, but I am feeling a bit of pressure buildup on my lower back.” All of our testers rated the pressure relief in the back- and side-sleeping position at an average 3/5. This means it might not work best for these sleepers, especially if they’re on the smaller side. However, the lifted feeling most stomach sleepers are likely to experience on this mattress should be appealing. Want a softer latex mattress? Consider the Avocado Green, which has the option for an even plusher pillow top. Otherwise, read more in our Birch Natural mattress review. There is a swath of pillow-top mattresses out there, including the dozens we’ve tested. Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe Cooling – Brooklyn Bedding’s Signature Hybrid is featured on this list, but the brand offers many hybrids with pillow-top designs.

The Aurora Luxe Cooling is yet another model, a bouncy, breathable hybrid with more high-end features than the Signature Hybrid. However, it’s quite a bit more expensive, but if it fits your budget, we definitely think this mattress is worth every extra penny. Bear Star Hybrid – Another pillow-top hybrid offered by the Bear brand is the Bear Star Hybrid, just a step below the Elite Hybrid featured on this list. I tested out this mattress myself and found it to have a more medium feel with a comfortable amount of sinkage. I think it’s great if you’re looking for a luxurious-feeling hybrid, especially if you sleep on your back. It scored well across the board, except in pressure relief, which means it may not be the best choice for side sleepers who want a pillow-top mattress. Titan Plus Elite – If you’re looking for a luxury pillow-top that’s built for bigger bodies, you might like the Titan Plus Elite by Brooklyn Bedding.

This is their most upgraded model in their Titan line, featuring a cooling pillow top and industrial-strength coils. It may be a tough pick for budget shoppers, but my fellow staff writer Kenny Timper sleeps on one every night and swears by it. Pillow top mattresses are known for offering plush comfort, similar to what you might find in a high-end hotel. However, they are not all built the same, so we prioritized three key testing categories when selecting the best of the best pillow-top beds. Pillow-top mattresses can sometimes be too cushy, as they may sag along the edges. This can be a negative for individuals who like to spread out or those who rely on the bed’s perimeter for getting in and out. This is why, in our search for the best pillow-top mattresses, we tried to find beds whose edges held up when we put weight on them.