There is a popular belief among pregnant women that sleeping is beneficial to their unborn baby. Basically, pregnant women were encouraged to rest and sleep as much as they can to be sure that their baby would grow and develop properly. But is this really the case? Does sleeping during pregnancy really help the baby form in a healthy way?
How to help develop the healthy baby during pregnancy?
Developing a healthy baby during pregnancy requires you to take certain steps to ensure the best environment for your unborn child. There are various ways how you can help develop a healthy baby during pregnancy.
Prenatal Care
The first step that you should take to develop a healthy baby during pregnancy is to get regular prenatal care. Prenatal care is the appropriate steps you make to take care of your and baby’s health while you are pregnant. It is important to get prenatal care early on in the pregnancy and to continue to get it throughout the pregnancy.
Regular prenatal care helps to ensure that you can identify any potential problems before they become more serious. During prenatal care, you should expect to have your weight monitored, to receive ultrasounds and to be tested for any potential health issues. In addition, you can consume prenatal vitamins that are specially formulated to provide you and your baby with important vitamins and minerals that are essential for healthy growth and development.
Practicing good hygiene
Washing hands regularly and avoiding contact with people who have contagious illnesses can help prevent the baby from getting sick.
Following a Proper Diet
Another important step that you should pay attention to for proper baby growth is to eat a balanced and nutritious diet. By following this step you help to ensure that the baby receives the necessary nutrients to grow and develop properly. Eating a balanced diet also helps to ensure that you receive the necessary nutrition for your health and well-being. Examples of healthy food include dairy products, whole grains, food rich in high protein and carbohydrates, fats, vegetables and fruit, and so on.
Stay Hydrated
Drinking plenty of water is essential for both you and the baby. It helps to ensure that the child is getting enough amniotic fluid, which surrounds your baby during pregnancy, to develop properly. Aim for around 1,5 to 2 liters of water per day.
Doing Exercises
It is also necessary for you to exercise regularly during pregnancy. Exercise helps to keep you healthy and to reduce the risk of developing any medical conditions. Exercising regularly also helps to reduce stress and to improve overall mood.
Avoiding Harmful Substances
Additionally, expecting mothers should avoid any potentially harmful substances during pregnancy. This includes alcohol, cigarettes, and certain drugs. These substances can have serious and even life-threatening effects on the unborn baby.
Beware of Unnecessary Medications
Talk to your doctor about any medications you are taking and avoid taking any unnecessary medications during pregnancy.
Manage Stress
Stress can have a negative effect on both mom and the baby. It’s important to find ways to effectively manage stress during pregnancy to ensure a healthy pregnancy.
How does sleep help the baby grow in a proper and healthy way?
Pregnant women with more sleep have healthier babies.
The evidence suggests that sleeping during pregnancy may have some beneficial effects for both you and the baby. Studies have found that pregnant women who got more than seven hours of sleep per night during their pregnancy were more likely to have babies with higher birth weights than those who were sleeping less. This is because sleep helps the mother to regulate her hormones and maintain a healthy weight, which helps to ensure that the baby receives adequate nutrition.
Pillow Pregnancy ensures comfort and support both for future mum and the baby.
Pillow Pregnancy provides support for your body, by helping to reduce sore points and stimulating better sleep without being often awake at night. In addition, the pillow fixes you in a lying side position, that is preferable than on the back, ensuring better blood circulation from the heart to your developing baby. If you are searching a comfortable pillow pregnancy, that fits your body, you can visit our pillow pregnancy collection.
Get advice on sleep during pregnancy.
Nevertheless, we find it important to mention that the duration of sleep needed during pregnancy will vary from person to person, and the most appropriate way to do is to address a doctor or midwife to determine the best amount of sleep for you.
Baby's development largely influenced by rest.
Moreover, getting enough sleep helps your baby’s brain and organs grow and develop. We should also mention that sleeping during pregnancy helps boost your baby’s immune system. During sleep, your body produces hormones that help your baby’s immune system to fight off infections and illnesses. The hormones also help the baby’s body to develop properly.
Without doubts, a good night’s sleep helps your baby’s overall development. A baby’s development is largely influenced by the amount of rest it gets. When you sleep, your baby gets more rest and this helps to ensure that it develops properly.
Quality sleep boosts baby's growth.
The quality of sleep is also important. During pregnancy, your body needs to be in an optimal state for your baby’s healthy growth. If you are not getting quality sleep, it can lead to a decrease in baby’s growth and development. If you are having difficulty sleeping, read our article to learn how to sleep when pregnant, where you will find the ways to help improve your sleep quality.
Sleeping aids pregnancy stress reduction.
In addition, proper sleep when you are pregnant can help to reduce your stress levels, which is important for the baby's development. High levels of stress hormones can pass through the placenta, which can lead to premature labor, low birth weight, and other complications. Therefore, sleeping can help to keep your stress levels in check and ensure the baby is growing and developing properly.
Dangerous pregnancy conditions avoided with sufficient sleep.
Furthermore, if you sleep well during pregnancy, there can appear a little risk of developing particular pregnancy-related complications. Studies show that pregnant women who get more sleep are less likely to experience high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia, and gestational diabetes. These conditions can be dangerous for the baby, so it is important to get enough sleep to help prevent this from happening.
Get more sleep to prevent postpartum depression.
Finally, adequate sleep can help to reduce the chances of having postpartum depression. According to studies, pregnant women who are sleeping properly are having little risk to experience postnatal depression after they give birth. This is important because postpartum depression can be detrimental to your mental health and may also have a negative effect on the baby's development.
In case your sleep is disturbed because of the consequences of the baby's development, especially because of hip pain, we suggest you to read our article that explains you how to sleep with pelvic pain during pregnancy.
Conclusion
To sum up, there are a variety of ways for providing optimal conditions for the proper growth and development of an unborn baby. However, out of all these proposed techniques, the most critical aspect is ensuring that you receive the necessary rest. Appropriate sleep is essential for your baby's health and wellbeing. By following these key steps, you can help ensure that your child is provided with the best opportunity at a healthy and joyful life.
SOURCES
National Health Service (NHS), Overview - Postnatal depression, 4 August 2022
MedlinePlus, Hormonal effects in newborns, National Library of Medicine (NIH), 2 February 2021
Muglia, L.J., Benhalima, K., Tong, S. et al. Maternal factors during pregnancy influencing maternal, fetal, and childhood outcomes. BMC Med 20, 418 (2022).