Sleeping for Two: Sleep Changes During Pregnancy

    by Cari Nierenberg, Live Science Contributor Being pregnant can be a tiring experience for a woman’s body. Both the physical discomforts of pregnancy as well as the emotional stress of this major life change can cause sleep problems and keep a mother-to-be awake at night. Feeling exhausted is a common complaint during the first and third trimesters. But women might be caught off guard by how worn out they feel in the early months of pregnancy. “A lot of women are totally surprised by how fatigued they feel during the first trimester,” said Kathy Lee, a professor of nursing at the University of California San Francisco, who has studied how pregnancy affects sleep. Women know about morning sickness in early pregnancy, but many first-time mothers say they had no idea about how tired they often feel at this stage, Lee said. Sleeping for two Similar to the advice that a pregnant woman should be “eating for two,” health professionals should also be emphasizing the importance of “sleeping for two” during prenatal visits, Lee told Live Science. One reason is that pregnancy can affect both the quantity of sleep a woman gets as well as the quality of it. As their body changes and pregnancy discomforts make it more difficult to fall and stay asleep, mothers-to-be should spend at least eight hours in bed each night so they can get at least seven hours of sleep, Lee recommended. Researchers have found that not getting enough sleep d...
Source: Cord Blood News - Category: Perinatology & Neonatology Authors: Tags: babies brain development Cord Blood medical research parents pregnancy stem cells Uncategorized affordable cord blood banking cerebral palsy cord blood banking fees cord blood treatment for Leukemia cord clamping due dates heal Source Type: blogs