Feeling Restless During Pregnancy
Posted: Tuesday, March 16, 2010
by Laura McKeever
Maternity Bliss
Trying to relax during pregnancy can often feel like an uphill battle. Despite reaching the point of physical exhaustion, you may find that you can't stay still and wind down, let alone sleep.
Why do we feel restless during pregnancy?
Your bladder may be one aspect of pregnancy that is leaving you feeling restless. We all know how difficult it is to ignore that urge to go the toilet, but why do we need to make repeated trips to the little girls room during those golden nine months? During early pregnancy our body sees a dramatic increase in blood flow, this also increases the amount of fluid that passes through our kidneys, which in turn leads to needing to urinate more often. Your increased metabolic rate will also be making your kidneys work harder and when you reach later pregnancy the weight of your uterus against your bladder will make you feel ‘the urge’ quicker.
*You may also find that bump is a night owl. Your baby will doze away in your womb all day whilst you are rocking him with your movements, but when evening comes and you start to relax, baby is up and ready to party. During your second trimester, this isn’t so bad, as the flutters and kicks are so small that you can sleep through them, but later on you may feel as if he is practising martial arts in there.
*Your mind is busy. With a pregnancy comes lots of extra worries. You are preparing for the birth, the baby, breastfeeding, sleeping arrangements, hospital bags, home birth kits…it all mounts up and no matter how much you try to ‘clear your mind, it just does not happen’
*Pregnancy ailments such as constipation can also keep you awake, constipation will make your digestive system work over time, even in the evenings, which in turn keeps you awake.
*Your legs could also be giving you bother. Restless leg syndrome and aching legs can both leave you feeling unable to rest.
*Nausea and heartburn are two other big bug bears.
Exercising to battle your rest demons.
Exercise can be a great way to battle sleep demons at any point in your life, including pregnancy. Don’t worry, I’m not about to suggest you take up kick boxing or marathon training. Instead, try to just incorporate a daily walk. Taking a small walk each day with your partner or children is a great way to incorporate extra family time in to your day, it can help burn excess energy, relieving you of the restless pregnancy mind. A short walk in the evening may also be able to relieve you of those aching legs, can provide temporary relief for restless leg syndrome and can get your digestive system moving.
Drinking to battle your rest demons.
Of course I mean of the alcohol free kind, you are pregnant after all. Staying on top of your water intake can increase stool movement, relieving constipation. Ensuring you do not drink too much tea, coffee or cola is essential, diuretics can play havoc with your toilet habits. You may also want to consider restricting the majority of your fluid intake to the day time and curtailing excessive evening drinking, that way you can ensure you do not to urinate too often during the night.
Spiritual Relaxation Techniques:
Many women find that sleep hypnosis will help them battle their pregnancy sleep demons, there are books, cd’s and even I-Tunes downloads that can instruct hypnosis novices on mastering the methods. Of course, for those who are Christian sleep hypnosis is not an option. Instead taking some time out before bed time to meditate, reflect and pray will allow for you to clear that busy pregnancy head.
Whilst falling to sleep you may also want to incorporate focusing techniques that steer you away from those busy thoughts. It would be useless to tell you to ‘clear your head’ that just does not work, there will still be something there. Instead focus on counting backwards in 7s from a thousand or walking through a countryside setting. Focusing techniques remove you from your busy thoughts and can allow you to fall asleep faster.
Changing your diet can help:
Avoid excessive sugar. It isn’t just children that respond badly to high levels of sugar, it can leave you feeling restless during the day and in the evening. Try and curb that chocolate habit too. Whilst we are all aware of what drinks contain caffeine, not many of us pay much regard to the caffeine content in our favourite chocolatey indulgences. Sugar+caffeine= NO SLEEP! Of course you should allow yourself treats, but you may want to consider dropping that bumper sized bar of dairy milk you eat each day. Sugar and caffeine can also leave you peaking and crashing during the day, making your nausea worse.
Increasing your fibre will have your digestive system flowing smoothly. It will relieve you of pregnancy constipation. Eat a bowl of fibre rich cereal in the morning and switch all your white carbs to brown. It should work wonders!
Try eating small meals frequently instead of three large ones. Again this rests your digestive system, and it will also reduce heart burn. You may also want to battle heart burn with some Gaviscon. Gaviscon can be consumed in abundance during pregnancy without causing any harm to your unborn baby, and it acts as great heartburn relief.
Complimentary therapies:
Adopting the use of complimentary therapies (with the permission of your midwife or doctor first) after the first trimester can help alleviate those pregnancy niggles that are leaving you feel restless.
Homeopathy and aromatherapy are two fantastic, natural ways to rid yourself of pregnancy complaints. Aromatherapy is particularly great for relaxing.
Change your daily habits:
Try taking your bath just before bed time to relax. When you go to the loo press on your bladder to empty it completely. Buy a maternity pillow to support that bump and help you adopt a comfortable sleeping position. Sleep on your left side for easier blood flow. Just changing some of your daily habits can help with pregnancy restlessness alone!
Remember, you don’t have to just resign yourself to 9 months of feeling restless. Trying the above techniques can work wonders.
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)I have been having endless problems with restlessness. Not just sleeplessness, but generally just restless. It's like something is chasing me!!!!
On the one hand I feel like unpacking and re-packing cupboards and on the other hand I just want to sit down and do nothing, but I can't do that!
Because when I do sit down to relax, I feel like I'm wasting time! Think I'm losing my mind.
I am 34 weeks pregnant with my 2nd. And don't recall feeling like this during my first pregnancy!
This is the strangest feeling I have ever had!
Could this be hormone related? If so, which one of the thousands of raging hormones is causing it?
I have heard about the nesting instinct. Could it be that? And how soon before labour starts can this instinct kick in?
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