Second trimester sleeping

Sleep in the second trimester

In this article

• What can disturb sleep in the second trimester?
• How can I get a good night’s sleep during the second trimester?

If you’re having trouble sleeping in early pregnancy, there's a good chance things will improve now that you've reached your second trimester. By now, your body is adjusting to pregnancy and you may not feel as exhausted as you did in the first trimester. But the second trimester of pregnancy may still bring its own sleep problems, including heartburn and leg cramps at night. Here’s how to cope.  

What can disturb sleep in the second trimester?

While sleep should come easier now, you may still experience the odd disturbance at night. Leg cramps can start, although they’re more common in the third trimester.

You may also experience strange dreams or nightmares, sometimes about your baby or labour and birth. This is completely normal, but if you’re worried, talking about them with your partner, friend or a midwife can help.

You may also notice that you’re suffering more from a blocked or stuffy nose (rhinitis of pregnancy) during the night, which can make it harder to get enough sleep.

You may still be suffering the occasional bout of nausea during the night too, although this often gets better in the second trimester, usually between 16 weeks and 20 weeks.

As your pregnancy progresses, you may also get a touch of heartburn and indigestion during the night.

Most women feel their baby move for the first time between 16 weeks and 24 weeks. Your baby may have a pattern of movement that’s more active in the evenings, or you may simply be more aware of your baby’s squirms and kicks when you’re settling down for the night.

Aside from these pregnancy sleep busters, your hormone levels are stabilising and so resting should be easier as a result. Your womb (uterus) has moved up out of the pelvis, taking the pressure off your bladder. This means you should have fewer night-time trips to the loo, although some women do find they need to wee more throughout their pregnancy.

Finally, it's quite normal to toss and turn, worrying about becoming a parent. As your bump grows, your baby may become more real to you, bringing home the realisation that you're going to be responsible for a new little person.

How can I get a good night’s sleep during the second trimester?

These pregnancy sleep tips will help you curb heartburn and wind down at the end of the day, so you can get more sleep in the safest way possible.

Reduce heartburn and indigestion

A big meal just before bed may make you more prone to heartburn and indigestion. This can be especially problematic at night, because lying down makes it easier for your stomach acid to find its way up into your throat.

You may be able to reduce heartburn at night by eating smaller meals during the day and avoiding any food in the last three hours before you normally go to bed. Cut down on drinks that contain caffeine and avoid rich, fatty and spicy foods too.

You could also prop your head and shoulders up a little when you go to bed. This may help to stop stomach acids from coming up while you sleep.

Smoking can cause indigestion. If you smoke, it’s important you stop, for your health and your unborn baby’s health. Here’s how to get help if you have trouble quitting smoking.

Alcohol can also cause indigestion. Experts can’t be sure exactly how much alcohol, if any, is safe during pregnancy. That’s why they agree that the best advice is to avoid alcohol completely while you’re expecting.

Switch to sleeping on your side

Sleeping on your side may be more comfortable for you than on your back or front as your bump grows bigger. It’s also best for your growing baby, as it helps the flow of blood and nutrients to the placenta.

From 28 weeks of pregnancy, falling asleep on your back can raise the risk of stillbirth, so it’s a good habit to get into sleeping on your side now.

You may have heard that sleeping on your left side is better than sleeping on your right side. This may be because one small study found that women who slept on their left side halved their risk of stillbirth, compared to women who slept on their right side.

However, this hasn’t been seen in larger, more recent studies. That’s why most pregnancy health experts, including the NHS, recommend that women sleep on whichever side that’s most comfortable. So don’t get too anxious about which side to choose as you drop off.

To get comfy on your side, try supporting your bump with pillows and adding an extra pillow between your legs. This keeps the pressure off the muscles around your hips and pelvis. You may want to buy a specially shaped pregnancy pillow to help support your bump.

If you wake up in the night and find yourself lying on your back or front, just turn over to your side again to go back to sleep.

How to sleep comfortably with your bump

See how to use pillows to support your bump and find a comfortable sleeping position. More pregnancy videos

Get into a routine

Try to go to bed and get up at the same time every day. Although the occasional lie-in may be tempting, especially after a disturbed night, it can disrupt your body clock and make it harder to drift off at night. Sticking to a schedule should help your body to naturally feel more tired at bedtime.

Wind down at the end of the day

Take some time to relax as bedtime approaches. Avoid exercising for about four hours before bed, to give your body a chance to wind down.

As bedtime approaches, have a bath, a warm milky drink, or read a book – whatever helps you to relax at night. Doing the same things at the same time each night may help to train your body to recognise when it's time for sleep.

If you find yourself worrying at night about your pregnancy or impending motherhood, jot down the anxieties that are keeping you awake. Discuss them with your partner, a friend, or a healthcare professional. You may find this keeps your fears in perspective, or helps you to find practical solutions for things that have been preying on your mind.

Try a relaxation technique

There are some simple techniques you can use to help calm your mind and relax the body. Progressive muscle relaxation has been proven to be effective at helping to bring on sleep. It works by tensing, and then relaxing, groups of muscles in your body, alternating between your right and left side. Here’s how to do it:

• Start by tensing and releasing your hand and forearm muscles, first on one side and then on the other.
• Repeat with your upper arms, face and jaw, chest and shoulders, tummy, thighs, and so on until you reach your feet.

Mindfulness, deep breathing and visualisation techniques can also help you to relax. You could listen to a relaxation exercise before bedtime, or do some light yoga stretches. You can also try saying some affirmations before going to sleep, to create a positive mindset and help you de-stress.

Make your bedroom a sleep sanctuary

If you're in the habit of reading, watching TV or using your phone in bed, try to stop if you can. Sleep experts recommend keeping your bedroom just for sleep and sex. In the evenings, switch off any electronic devices around an hour before bedtime or switch screens to night mode. The light from your phone or tablet can disrupt your sleep.

If you wake in the night and can't get back to sleep, don't lie there tossing and turning. Get up, go into another room and do something relaxing, such as reading or listening to soothing music. Then, when you’re feeling sleepy again, go back to bed.

More sleep during pregnancy tips:

• Is back pain keeping you awake at night? Find out what to do.
• Tried-and-tested: mums reveal which sleep solutions worked for them.
• See how other pregnant women cope with tiredness during the day.
• Find out if it's safe for pregnant women to take over-the-counter medicines or herbal remedies.
• Is lack of sleep affecting your mental health? Check out the symptoms of depression in pregnancy.

References

Brusie C. 2016. Natural ways to clear up rhinitis of pregnancy. Healthline. www.healthline.com [Accessed March 2021]

Cronin RS, Minglan L, Thompson JMD, et al. 2019: An individual participant data meta-analysis of maternal going-to-sleep position, interactions with fetal vulnerability, and the risk of late stillbirth. The Lancet. 10:49-57. www.thelancet.com [Accessed March 2021]

Marcin A. 2020. What are the best sleeping positions when you’re pregnant?. Healthline. www.healthline.com [Accessed March 2021]

NICE 2020a. Nausea/vomiting in pregnancy. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Health Topics. www.cks.nice.org.uk [Accessed March 2021]

NICE 2020b. Insomnia National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Health Topics. www.cks.nice.org.uk [Accessed March 2021]

NCT. 2018. Leg cramps during pregnancy: how to avoid them www.nct.org.uk [Accessed March 2021]

NHS. 2018a. Common health problems in pregnancy. NHS, Health A-Z. www.nhs.uk [Accessed March 2021]

NHS. 2018b.Insomnia. NHS, Health A-Z. www.nhs.uk [Accessed March 2021]

NHS. 2018c. Vomiting and morning sickness. NHS, Health A-Z. www.nhs.uk [Accessed March 2021]

NHS. 2018d. Your baby’s movements. NHS, Health A-Z. www.nhs.uk [Accessed March 2021]

NHS. 2019. How to get to sleep. NHS, Health A-Z. www.nhs.uk [Accessed March 2021]

NHS. 2020.Indigestion and heartburn in pregnancy. NHS, Health A-Z. www.nhs.uk [Accessed March 2021]

NHS. 2021. Tiredness and sleep problems. NHS, Health A-Z. www.nhs.uk [Accessed March 2021]

Raynes-Greenow CH, Gordon A, Qiushuang Li et al. 2013. A cross-sectional study of maternal perception of fetal movements and antenatal advice in a general pregnant population, using a qualitative framework. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 13:32 [Accessed March 2021]

Stacey T, Thompson JMD, Mitchell EA, et al. 2011. Association between maternal sleep practices and risk of late stillbirth: a case-control study. BMJ 14:342:d3403. [Accessed March 2021]

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Sleep during pregnancy | Pregnancy Birth and Baby

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How much sleep do I need when I am pregnant?

When you’re pregnant, you need more sleep than usual. However, your sleep isn’t as deep and refreshing as usual while pregnant. You’ll wake more often throughout the night. You need to sleep as much as you can.

But, getting more sleep isn't always easy. It can be especially difficult if you have work, other children, or other responsibilities. To get enough rest, it can help to:

• have a daytime nap
• rest as much as you can during the day
• go for a walk in the late afternoon or early evening
• avoid tea and coffee before bedtime
• relax before bed by taking a bath, reading, listening to music, watching TV, or having a backrub
• go to bed earlier than usual

How do I sleep safely during pregnancy?

When you’re pregnant, and as your baby grows, sleep can become a problem. But it’s important to be well-rested, so you are ready for your baby’s arrival.

The position that you sleep in is also important for your baby’s health.

From 28 weeks until your baby is born, be sure to sleep on your side. Whether you are taking a quick nap on the couch or going to bed at night, sleeping on your side is best.

Lying on your back puts pressure on major blood vessels. This can reduce the flow of blood to your uterus, and restrict your baby’s oxygen supply. This can affect their heart rate. Research suggests that this causes a higher risk of stillbirth.

Stillbirth can occur from many different factors, some which can’t be controlled. But research shows that sleeping on your side can reduce the risk of stillbirth by half.

You can sleep on your left or right side. To make sleeping on your side easier and more comfortable, bend your knees. Then, put a pillow between them. You can also put a pillow under your belly for support.

Usually, the position you fall asleep in is the position you will stay in overnight. However, movement in sleep is normal. If you wake and find you’ve been asleep on your back, turn onto your side. If it happens a lot, put a pillow behind your back to make rolling on to your back more difficult.

What problems might I have when sleeping during pregnancy?

From the first trimester of pregnancy you may experience:

• temperature changes
• morning sickness
• the need to pass urine more often
• leg cramps and lower back aches
• nightmares and more frequent dreams
• congestion
• snoring
• indigestion

These troubles can disturb your sleep and may vary throughout your pregnancy. Because of this, the main challenge you may experience is tiredness. There are ways to manage these things, to help you sleep better.

Morning sickness

The nausea that comes with morning sickness may keep you awake. You can reduce this nausea by keeping full. During the day, eat bland snacks such as crackers.

Frequent urination

Going to the toilet more often during pregnancy is normal.

The baby can press on your bladder. And hormones in the late stages of pregnancy can relax your pelvic floor. Pelvic floor exercises will help you manage any 'leaks'. They will also help you to avoid continence problems in years to come.

Keep hydrated during the day, but don’t drink too much before bed.

The frequency of your need to pass urine at night might increase as your pregnancy progresses.

However, if it hurts to pass urine, talk to your doctor.

Leg cramps

Leg cramps can also disrupt your sleep. It’s not really understood why leg cramps happen. But, there are a number of things you can do to ease them, such as:

• stretching your calf muscles
• being active during the day
• drinking plenty of fluids

Back pain

You might find your back aches more at night. If you can, try to avoid heavy lifting, housework, and long periods of standing. Rest during the day with your legs up if you can.

Disruptive dreams

Some women have more dreams than they would normally. They may also have unusual dreams or nightmares. Sometimes it can be related to stress, or it could be due to inconsistent sleep.

Try to stick to a regular schedule and maybe try different sleep positions or use a pregnancy pillow. If you are having dreams that are disturbing you, it can help to:

• talk to your partner or a friend
• consider seeing a counsellor

Congestion and snoring

Due to hormonal changes as your pregnancy progresses, you may get a blocked nose and feel stuffed up. Saline nasal sprays can help.

Some people start to snore for the first time in their lives while pregnant. Keeping a healthy diet and not putting on too much weight can help ease this.

You might find it comfortable to sleep with your head raised. You can use pillows for support or raise the head of your bed slightly. This can reduce your snoring.

Indigestion

Heartburn is common in pregnancy. This is because your growing baby can press on your organs, leading to reflux. This can keep you from resting.

Sleeping with your head raised and supported by pillows can also help ease the pain. Try to also avoid overeating, and foods that are:

• spicy
• acidic
• fried

See your doctor if heartburn is causing you severe discomfort, or if you have other symptoms such as:

• swelling of your hands, feet, or face
• headache
• distorted vision

Are there any sleep aids that might help?

A pregnancy pillow might help you get comfortable. They come in many different shapes and sizes. You should be able to find one that suits you.

Generally, pregnant women are advised not to take sleeping tablets.

Who can I talk to for advice and support?

Whether you are experiencing common pregnancy problems or more serious sleep disorders, anxiety or depression, you can get support from a range of professionals and services. These include:

• your midwife or obstetrician
• your doctor
• Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Speak to a maternal child health nurse

Call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby to speak to a maternal child health nurse on 1800 882 436 or video call. Available 7am to midnight (AET), 7 days a week.

Sources:

Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.

Last reviewed: July 2022

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