While being a mother is one of the best things in someone’s life, you have to cope with many difficulties during this journey. Getting a night of good sleep may become harder than before when you are pregnant, especially when your fetus is big.
You always want to find yourself in a comfortable sleeping position, and finally, you get it while sleeping in a recliner. But you may wonder: can I sleep in a recliner while pregnant?
Don’t worry too much! Sleeping in a recliner is generally safe for a pregnant woman. Still, we want to illustrate more in detail not to miss any important information about this topic.
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Why is Sleep Important During Pregnancy?
Sleep quality is vital for both woman and fetus. Pregnant women who lack sleep may run a risk of developing pregnancy complications. These health issues may include high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, and long labor.
Sleep can boost your immune system and make blood vessels restore themselves. This is crucial for the fetus as well. It ensures the fetus could get enough support from the mother.
Therefore, making a pregnant woman sleep better is crucial, and a recliner is what she always looks for.
Health Problems A Pregnant Women May Have While Sleeping
As we said, you have to face an array of discomforts during pregnancy. You may develop some health problems that you have never had before. These conditions could affect your sleep negatively.
Sleep apnea
Your partner may tell you that you snored loudly last night, but you don’t snore before pregnancy. Do you feel tired after waking up? This is quite common for pregnant women, and you have likely developed sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that occurs when your breathing is interrupted while sleeping. As your uterus grows, it will limit the lung’s function, but your oxygen consumption increases when you are heavy with child. In addition, the increased fluid retention in capillaries could narrow the airway in the throat, making breathing even harder.
The interruption of breathing could lead to the lack of oxygen which is harmful to the fetus. When treating sleep apnea, people often use positional therapy. You need to sleep on the side or slightly elevate your head. Some people with sleep apnea like to sleep in a recliner because they can quickly achieve these positions while laying on it.
Acid reflux
Acid reflux is another common problem for a pregnant woman. Our hormone level changes during pregnancy and relaxes the muscle between the esophagus and stomach. This muscle act as a valve between these two organs, and if it doesn’t work, the stomach aid will go back to the esophagus.
Sometimes you will get a feeling of heartburn, and acid reflux is the culprit. Sleeping in a more upright position could stop the acid back to the esophagus thanks to the help of gravity.
You can use pillows to prop up your head or sleep in a recliner to keep the acid down.
Restless leg syndrome
Restless leg syndrome often happens in the elderly, but it is common to see in pregnant women. It is an urge to move legs when you are relaxed. This will lead to sleeplessness while pregnant. This may be related to iron deficiency.
Best sleeping positions during pregnancy
You should consult your doctor about this subject, but in general, sleeping on the side is recommended once you get to about 20 weeks. You can find a lot of information that advises you to sleep on the left side. However, sleeping on the right side is perfectly OK.
Sleeping on the back while pregnant is risky, especially at the second or third trimesters, as the weight of your growing baby will decrease the circulation of a major blood vessel called the Inferior Vena Cava (IVC). This compression causes insufficient blood in the heart, which will be pumped back to the adult and fetus.
You can see what a certified nurse said in this video below：
But is it OK if you sleep elevated on your back? It is generally safe if you sleep in a mostly upright position in a recliner.
Is it safe to sleep in a recliner while pregnant?
Yes. It is usually safe to sleep in a recliner during pregnancy as long as you don’t lay flat on the recliner. Plenty of women feel comfortable sleeping in a semi-sitting position while pregnant, and that’s what a recliner can do for you.
You can set a semi-sitting position and sleep on the side in a recliner. We should also put enough pillows to get enough support for your body.
By sleeping in a recliner, sleep apnea and acid reflux conditions will likely be improved, which will benefit you a lot for yourself and your baby.
Sleeping Better While Pregnant
Except for sleeping in a recliner, there are a few ways to help you sleep better while pregnant.
Doing some exercises is always great for pregnant women to improve sleep quality. But remember, don’t do it before you go to bed.
If you suffer from restless leg syndrome, talk to your doctor and see if you need any food supplements.
Besides, buy a few pregnancy pillows and remember to put some pillows between your knees. It will make your body more comfortable while sleeping on the side.
Bottom line
So the answer to “can I sleep in a recliner while pregnant” is generally yes. Sleeping in a recliner in a semi-sitting position or on the side could not harm yourself and your baby. Actually, it could even help treat sleep apnea and acid reflux which are common during pregnancy. One thing worth mentioning is that you need to get yourself some pillows to make you sleep in a recliner more comfortable.
It would be best if you asked your doctor before moving to a recliner for sleep.
