How I've been able to sleep while pregnant
During this last trimester, I've been craving sleep. When Harlee goes down for her nap or for the night, I just want to snuggle in my comfy bed and sleep.
However, as the last trimester goes, I must get up 4-6 times each night to pee, and each time I do, my mind stays awake and makes lists of all the things I haven't done, haven't organized, haven't prepared for the baby, haven't done for work, or home, or menial tasks that need to be tackled in general. Also, there is a person growing inside of me and really compressing my insides, making it difficult to breathe - that feeling of suffocating in your own body is not exactly pleasant.
The first thing I did to attempt a better night's sleep was purchase a maternity pillow. This pillow is amazing and provides support under my belly (because you know you just want someone to hold it for a few minutes while you try to get comfortable), and prevents me (for the most part) from rolling onto my back. I'm a back sleeper, so sleeping on my side night after night feels like a punishment without this pillow... and even so, my hips hurt from sleeping on my side.
Even though the pillow helped the comfort level, I still was having a tough time falling asleep at night, and falling back asleep after my many bathroom breaks sometimes took put to three hours! I ordered some amazing, certified pure essential oils, and knew there had to be something perfect in the kit. From the first night, I experienced such a difference! Dabbing a respiratory blend on my chest before I go to bed helped me breathe easier, and some lavender and/or a calming blend on my pillow or behind my ears helps me relax enough to fall asleep quickly. Diffusing the oils is a bonus, and really promotes relaxation at night - no more 2-3 hours of trying to fall asleep after waking up for my middle of the night bathroom trips! For the hip discomfort, I've been using a soothing blend, which I've found eases those obnoxious joint aches. This new bedtime routine has worked wonders for me - what a blessing to be able to have a decent night's sleep at 37 weeks pregnant!
If you're interested in any additional information on these heaven-sent oils, I'd love to hear from you and help you with a better night's sleep as well!!