Posted: 1. April, 2011
Tips to help you sleep include:
- Eat a healthy, wholefood diet with plenty of unrefined, complex carbohydrates (such as wholegrain cereals, brown bread, wholewheat pasta, brown rice) plus fruit and vegetables for vitamins and minerals. Avoid hunger, as this will make you more alert – but avoid rich, heavy, fatty meals in the evening.
- Avoid substances that interfere with sleep such as caffeine (coffee, tea, chocolate, colas) and nicotine – a warm, milky drink just before going to bed will help you to relax. Hot milk is better than hot chocolate, which contains some caffeine.
- Try to take gentle exercise during the day, as active people sleep better.
- Take time to unwind from the stresses of the day before going to bed – read a book, listen to soothing music or have a candlelit bath.
- Get into the habit of going to bed at a regular time each night and getting up at the same time each morning.
- Set a bed-time routine such as brushing your teeth, bathing and setting the alarm clock to set the mood for sleep.
- Make sure your bed is comfortable, and your bedroom warm, dark and quiet – noise and excessive cold or heat will keep you awake. A temperature of 18 – 24°C (64 – 75°F) is ideal.
- If you can’t sleep, don’t lie there tossing and turning. Get up and read or watch television for a while. If you are worried about something, write down all the things on your mind and promise yourself you will deal with them in the morning when you feel fresher. When feeling sleepy, go back to bed and try again.
- Drinking a soothing herbal tea is often all that’s needed for a good night’ s sleep. Choose ones containing gentle herbs such as limeflower, lemon balm or rosehips. NB Avoid teas or supplements containing fennel, passionflower, cinnamon, camomile oil or hops during pregnancy.
- Relaxing homoeopathic remedies include:
1. Coffea 6c: if your mind is over-active
2. Nux vomica 6c: for sleeplessness leaving you irritable and unreffeshed
3. Arnica 6c: if you are overtired and can’t get comfortable
4. Take the dosage recommended on the label half an hour before going to bed; repeat every half hour as necessary.
- Aromatherapy oils that can induce sleep and are safe to use during pregnancy include: Mandarin, Lemon, Sandalwood or Neroli oils. NB Lavender or Camomile oils are often recommended for insomnia, but should not be used during the first 3 months of pregnancy – use sparingly in later pregnancy and avoid totally if there is a history of miscarriage.
After following these tips, you should enjoy a much better night’s rest. Once your baby is born, you will delight in once more being able to sleep on your front or back. For at least the first few months, however, your sleep will be broken by night feeds. Interestingly, if you breastfeed research shows that producing milk hormones help you to sleep better after waking in the night than if you give a bottle-feed.
Another excellent tip is to use a Bed-Side-Bed. This cot has an adjustable base and a removable side and acts as an extension to your own bed. It lets your baby sleep at the same level as you, making it easy to tend to him and breastfeed him in the night without getting out of bed.
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Stuerposted: 05. Apr. 2011: 9:10 pm
Morning sickness is often one of the 1st signs of pregnancy and is often associated with nausea and vomiting. This is really a typical symptom of pregnancy in which a woman suddenly has a severe reaction to the smell or taste of foods that have no effects on them prior to acquiring pregnant. It can occur at any time of day, but sometimes it may be easily solved with some crackers along with a glass of warm water.