“Get your sleep now before baby comes.” I am sure every pregnant woman has heard this advice multiple times. 

But when your hormones are all fuddled and your bump is growing by the day, it’s not always so easy to get that good night sleep. 

Getting that Zzz….

Sleep is important for many reasons, and whether pregnant or not, lack of sleep can cause some health issues. I have written a detailed article about the importance of sleep and what happens when we don’t get enough of it here, so you can read up on it if interested.

Having a healthy sleep hygiene improves immune and brain function. And getting that shut-eye is especially important during pregnancy as sleep regulates growth hormone levels. This hormone dictates your shape and size in addition to the development of the baby.

Why is sleep so important during pregnancy?

Poor sleep during pregnancy has been linked to longer labor and even some pregnancy complications and it could even influence how baby sleeps once out of the womb.

In the first trimester progesterone levels increase and this can cause some drowsiness, making this hormone responsible for your new found love of naps. I for one was napping every single day in my first trimester. 😊 But as hormones and even our blood flow changes, they can cause some difficulties with sleep.

As your belly grows it becomes more of a challenge to find a comfortable position and waking up at night as you twist and turn can become the norm. Frequent bathroom night visits, accompanied by really vivid dreams, add on to the challenge of falling back to sleep in the night.

How to get sleep better?

The best thing I did to drastically improve the quality of my sleep is to get a pregnancy/breastfeeding pillow. These things are so incredibly comfortable, they snug in nicely around your body and support your belly, hips and spine. Ever since I got mine, I am sleeping so much better, it is such a game changer!

But not every pregnancy pillow is good for you. 

I did a lot of research to find the perfect pregnancy pillow for me. Most (if not all) pregnancy and breastfeeding pillows are stuffed with synthetic materials or plastic pearls. They oftentimes need to be aired out for at least two days to decrease the number of toxic fumes they release. And even then, I don’t consider them safe or eco-friendly, and they are really not something I’d snuggle with every night or put my baby in later on. 

I was so happy when I discovered the pregnancy and breastfeeding pillow from Minky Mooh! It is made in Germany and the filling is made out of Kapok. Kapok is a totally natural fiber made out of kapok tree (also known as plant down). The fibre is also coated with a water-repellent wax layer, which causes moisture to be conducted to the outside, thus creating a healthy and dry bed climate.

It contains no synthetic materials and remains fluffy for a long time. This filling is then covered in an organic cotton cover. The perfect solution for a cozy and snugly pillow that you will have no issue snuggling all night and using as support to breastfeed your baby!

I noticed that with time the filling tends to move around a little, and the points where you put the most pressure on get a little less fluffy. But by re-arranging the fillings and fluffing up your pillow it will come back into place. And if you need more filling, you can order it extra, which is a great option! 

After using this pillow for the past few weeks, I can highly recommend it! It is so comfortable, that I think it can be a great investment whether pregnant or not.

Note:

Use my discount code PLATEFULNUTRITON at checkout to get 10% off the products at Minky Mooh!

If you purchase any products from the links I provided, I will get a small commission.