Open
Close

Tranquil sleep. Meaning of the word serene

The sleep needs of newborns are different from those of older children. This article will help you understand your child's sleep patterns and coordinate your daily routine accordingly.

Read, listen more and beware of bad advice

Everyone, without exception, has their own, of course, the only correct opinion on how to solve problems with a newborn’s sleep. The danger for young, inexperienced parents is that this unsolicited (though well-intentioned) advice can negatively impact your parenting skills and, as a result, your normal development your child... unless you meet them head on. The more knowledgeable you are about issues baby sleep, the less likely it is that others will question your decision.

By thoroughly understanding the facts and developing a detailed care plan for your child, you can confidently respond to anyone with the best intentions. wrong advice and advice that should be followed exactly the opposite. So, first of all, you need to wise up and understand the situation! Determine what you should do and why. Read about your problem in books and magazines, attend special sessions in support groups - this will help you understand the essence of the problem and find the right solution.

Newborn sleep: biology

In the first months of life, the child sleeps only when he is tired - no more, no less. It is not in your power to put the baby to sleep when he does not want to, and vice versa - you are unlikely to be able to wake him up when he is fast asleep.

Newborns have tiny bellies. However, it grows by leaps and bounds, which is greatly facilitated by liquid food, which babies quickly digest. Yes, it would be nice to put the little one to bed at the appointed time and not hear a sound from him until the morning. However, when we're talking about about a tiny baby, it's almost impossible. Newborns need to be fed every two to four hours - and sometimes more often.

A good night's sleep

Inexperienced parents are often under the misconception that babies sleep soundly through the night shortly after birth. However, for a newborn, “all night” comes down to five hours. Many (but not all) newborns can sleep undisturbed from midnight to five o'clock in the morning (this does not mean that this actually happens). Yes, this has little to do with your idea of ​​the proverbial “baby’s sound sleep”!

What's more, some babies who sleep soundly at night suddenly begin to wake more often, and it often takes a year or even two for them to regain healthy sleep patterns.

Falling asleep while breastfeeding or bottle feeding

It is natural for a newborn to fall asleep while breastfeeding while sucking on a bottle or pacifier. However, in this case there is a certain danger: if the child constantly falls asleep in this way, he will begin to associate sleep with sucking movements, and over time it will not be easy to teach the baby to fall asleep without a pacifier. This is probably one of the most pleasant sleep associations a child can have. However, a significant percentage of parents who are faced with the problem of putting older children to bed are forced to fight precisely this strong association.

Thus, if you want your baby to fall asleep without your help, it is important to ensure that the baby sucks the pacifier before falling asleep, and not during sleep. If possible, gently wean him off the breast and take away the bottle or pacifier so that he can fall asleep on his own. If you do this often enough, he will learn to fall asleep without a pacifier or breast.

Night feedings

Many pediatricians recommend that parents be sure to wake their baby for feeding every four hours, and most newborns wake up much more often. However, no matter what, your baby will definitely wake up several times during the night. The main thing is to learn to determine when you need to feed your baby and when to just rock him to sleep again.

Here's a secret you definitely need to know. Babies make a variety of sounds while sleeping, from grunting to whimpering to loud cries. These sounds do not always foreshadow the baby's awakening. Even while making these “sleep sounds,” your baby is sound asleep.

Learn to distinguish “sleep sounds” from “waking sounds.” If the baby wakes up and wants to eat, you need to feed him as quickly as possible, and he will calmly fall asleep for a few more hours. However, if the baby “talks” outside, don’t wake him up!

Teach your baby to distinguish between day and night

Typically, a newborn sleeps sixteen to eighteen hours a day, and this sleep is often divided into six or even seven periods. You can help your baby differentiate between nighttime and daytime sleep, i.e. help him sleep longer at night.

During the day, put your baby to sleep in a lighted room where he can hear what is going on around him. At night, try to put your baby to bed in a dark room where no extraneous sounds can penetrate, with the exception of white noise (background soothing sounds). Evening bathing before bed and changing into pajamas will also help you teach your child to distinguish between day and night - gradually the child will learn to perceive these actions as a prologue to sleep.

Signs of fatigue

Learn to understand when your baby wants to sleep and put him to bed as soon as you notice signs of fatigue. A child who is awake when his body requires sleep is an unhappy child. Over time, this will lead to sleep disturbances, making it difficult to establish a sleep schedule. Learn to guess your child's desire to sleep based on the right signs - he becomes quiet, loses interest in others and toys, begins to be capricious - and put your baby to bed as soon as the opportunity arises.

Take care of your own comfort

Do not doubt that your baby will periodically wake you up, so be prepared for this in advance. First of all, relax and don't worry about night feedings. Your constant displeasure and bad mood will not change anything. The situation will improve every day. Before you know it, your baby will grow up - he will begin to walk, talk, and bump into everything... during the day, and sleep peacefully all night.

The section is very easy to use. Just enter the desired word in the field provided, and we will give you a list of its meanings. I would like to note that our site provides data from various sources - encyclopedic, explanatory, word-formation dictionaries. Here you can also see examples of the use of the word you entered.

Meaning of the word serene

serene in the crossword dictionary

serene
  • Quiet, calm, not restless, not embarrassed by anything, going in his own order. Serenity w. peace, tranquility, silence, undisturbed. Serenity m. Serenity w. calm, indifferent, indifferent person

Explanatory Dictionary of the Living Great Russian Language, Dal Vladimir

serene

quiet, calm, not restless, not embarrassed by anything, going in his own order. Serenity w. peace, tranquility, silence, undisturbed. Serenity m. Serenity w. a calm, indifferent, indifferent person.

Explanatory dictionary of the Russian language. D.N. Ushakov

serene

serene, serene; serene, serene serene (book). Undisturbed by anything, calmly calm. Serene childhood. Tranquil sleep.

Explanatory dictionary of the Russian language. S.I.Ozhegov, N.Yu.Shvedova.

serene

Aya, oh; -wives, -wife. Undisturbed by anything, calm. Serene childhood. B. sleep.

noun serenity, -i, f.

New explanatory dictionary of the Russian language, T. F. Efremova.

serene

    1. Not experiencing excitement, anxiety; imperturbably calm.

      Characteristic of such a person.

    1. trans. Not disturbed by anything.

      Not overshadowed by anything.

Examples of the use of the word serene in literature.

And tired serene, the genderless face on its obverse was not Vodalus's face at all.

Oak trees around the court serenely rustled, the azalea thickets were impenetrable, the path covered with colored tiles was visible far away.

She snaked up the slopes of treeless hills, serenely beautiful in summer, despite the harsh severity.

And although Regé-Rudolph has already serenely flourished in Israel, Becher held his accomplice tenaciously in his clutches.

At this time, Leonardo, far from everyone, serenely he was working on a painting that he began long ago at the request of the Servite monks for their church, Santa Maria del Annunziata in Florence, and then, being in the service of Cesare Borgia, he continued with his usual slowness.

The reader, however, having completed the chapter, serenely he began reading another, and having finished it, began to read the next one, and the hawk moths decided that his joke had gone a little too long.

Even Georg, this seasoned predator, who was slowly approaching the important woman, stretching out his nose and sniffing, could not disturb her serene peace of mind.

But this picture is full of dignity serene rural life and your genuine and angry surprise when you heard me laugh at something that would have caused laughter in any court-bred dog, accustomed only to bark at the moon from the yard in Whitehall, completely finished me off.

When I grow up, she told us serenely, - I pluck all the hairs.

They are so delighted serene They fussed around these trifles, That, rejecting caution in vain, Veloso went with them into the distance of the forest.

Mr. Gillespie, savoring it, slowly drank the punch, carefully placed the glass on the table and looked intently at Mr. Shrig, who serenely admired the flames in the fireplace.

The youth and uncaught dissidents instantly grabbed the leaflet, put it in their bosom and accepted serene view.

Stefan's death confused me, and serene the life I led in Ephesus seemed useless to me.

Having circled serene with the gaze of first animals, then children, he turned to Zeb, who was slightly taller than Dorothy.

Although his head was heavy and noisy, everything was completely correct and real: he stood near his sofa bed, looked at Kvach, who was intensely monitoring the instrument readings, saw serenely Sharik lounging in his place, saw Zeta and Miro sleeping, and Ten already awakened.

    dream- peaceful sleep, restless sleep, heroic sleep, deep sleep sound sleep dead dream dead dream an irresistible dream an unrestrained dream... Dictionary of Russian Idioms

    SERENESS, serene, serene; serene, serene, serene (book). Undisturbed by anything, calmly calm. Serene childhood. Tranquil sleep. Dictionary Ushakova. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 ... Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

    serene- serene peace, serene sleep... Dictionary of Russian Idioms

    dream- boundless (Balmont); dreamless (Remizov); thoughtless (Kuzmin, Nadson); carefree (Minsky); soundless (Lokhvitskaya); silent (Sologub); serene (Korolenko, Kozlov, K.R., Frug); crazy (Balmont, Fet); gracious (Corinthian);… … Dictionary of epithets

    SERENESS, oh, oh; wife, wife Undisturbed by anything, calm. Serene childhood. B. sleep. | noun serenity, and, wives. Ozhegov's explanatory dictionary. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 … Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

    Adj., used. compare often Morphology: serene, serene, serene, serene; more serene; adv. serenely 1. Human life It is called serene if it proceeds calmly, without disturbances. Serene happy childhood, existence. |… … Dmitriev's Explanatory Dictionary

    Serene- calm, quiet sleep, uninterrupted by anything scary... Concise Church Slavonic Dictionary

    Aya, oh; wife, wife, wife. 1. Alien to worries and worries; indicating peace of mind. Used condition. B. laughter. B oe facial expression. 2. Proceeding calmly, without worries and troubles; not overshadowed or disturbed by anything. My childhood... Encyclopedic Dictionary

    serene- oh, oh; wife, wife, wife. see also serene, serenity 1) Alien to worries and worries; indicating peace of mind. Used condition. Serene/hearty laughter. B oe facial expression. 2) Flowing calmly, without disturbances and... Dictionary of many expressions

    This article is about a non-academic area of ​​research. Please edit the article so that this is clear both from its first sentences and from the subsequent text. Details in the article and on the talk page... Wikipedia

    - (ind.: peace, bliss). In Buddhism: sacred self-forgetfulness by immersing the spirit in nothingness; removal from everything vain; nirvana or nirvena: the fusion of the Buddha with the highest being. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

Books

  • Give your baby a restful night's sleep by Jay Gordon and Maria Goodavage. Not every baby born sleeps like an angel at night. Most mothers and fathers would give a lot for their baby to sleep sweetly in his crib. Unfortunately, often...
  • Prof.P. RNS. Poems and stories. kids. Evening Tales for Kids, Oscar Wilde. The collection "Evening Tales for Kids" contains light, romantic fairy tales by Oscar Wilde and beautiful illustrations by Emilia Ferez, which are sure to put the child in a peaceful mood and give him…

Another "Mother Teresa" buried her iron nose in the cold bottom of the Atlantic. She no longer heard the screams of horror and groans of the passengers and calmed down forever in anticipation of the slow overgrowing of shells and rusting of the frame. The “bearded boy” walked away from the periscope, satisfied with the work done, and put a tick in the ship’s log, after slobbering on his pencil. "Papa Doenitz" will be pleased!
He stretched with pleasure, stretched his stiff joints, rubbed his eyes and yawned contentedly. However, it’s time to get ready for the road to reunite with “ wolf pack" Another trade caravan is coming and you can’t miss it. The "boys" are certainly tired. But in the end, a raid is a raid, you have to complete it and return to base with your head held high. And there he will be waiting for us, our beloved “Papa,” our “Leo,” as we jokingly call him, always stingy with praise, but invariably pleased with our work. Let Raeder work at the top, it’s his headache. We are on the trade side, and a little on the medical side. What should I do? Teresa doesn’t care about transporting military equipment. Are we crazy and can’t calculate the mass based on the ship’s draft? All live cargo weighs no more than two tanks! And if all the trough below the waterline went to Mom, don’t spoil it? And at what speed does he go to visit Neptune, once or twice? No, guys, we can’t be fucked so easily! So for your stretchers and not so much, you scoundrels, you will bear full responsibility yourself. And so we passed by.

The captain closed his eyes, scratched his beard, called an assistant and gave the order to gather in a “pack.” Then he calmly and serenely took a nap... He dreamed of Emma, ​​his beloved dog and children (which he never had time to give birth to). His sleep will not be long; submariners sleep little. He anticipated the calmly stingy praise of “Papa Doenitz.” And ahead of him awaited a caravan, escort ships, torpedo bombers and, perhaps, a not entirely easy death. But all this would be ahead, in the near and uncertain future, which he cared little about now. He dozed quietly, like a child, like hundreds of passengers of the Red Cross, who had fallen asleep forever in the great waters of the Atlantic, which opened its arms for them spiritually. A virginal smile froze on his lips and the quiet roar of the submarine’s turbines lulled him to sleep with its tender maternal lullaby...

PS:
Karl Doenitz, Grand Admiral. Sentenced by the Nuremberg Tribunal for waging "unrestricted submarine warfare" to 10 years in prison. Released 1 Oct. 1956. Author of three books. Died on December 24th. 1980 He was buried in the village of Aumühl, province of Schleswig, without military honors. Former military personnel and foreign naval officers who came to pay tribute to him were prohibited by the German government from attending. military uniform and awards.

Reviews

I agree, with good care. Another thing wasn’t his conscience tormenting him for the wounded, women and children left at the bottom of the Atlantic? I’ll tell you one story: A former punisher who killed a 6-year-old girl during a purge came to Martin Bormann Jr. for confession. For 25 years he did not start a family or children, and at night he was tormented by nightmares. Borman absolved him of his sins, but the soldier still hanged himself a week later... That's it! Thanks for your feedback. Read the "Biography"...

The daily audience of the Proza.ru portal is about 100 thousand visitors, who in total view more than half a million pages according to the traffic counter, which is located to the right of this text. Each column contains two numbers: the number of views and the number of visitors.

It is a well-known fact that a person spends about a third of his life sleeping. Sleep is essential for restoring strength. IN lately somnology - the medical science of human sleep and its disorders - gets everything greater development, her area of ​​study studying sleep during pregnancy is particularly promising, possible violations sleep and their impact on the baby’s health.

It is quite natural that significant hormonal and physiological changes in the body during pregnancy very often affect such a sensitive, subtle area - sleep. Almost 50% of pregnant women experience sleep disorders, which vary depending on individual characteristics the expectant mother, her state of health, the course of pregnancy, etc. However, here we can speak with caution about pathology, because what under normal conditions is indeed a sleep disorder, during pregnancy can be one of the many mechanisms that prepare a woman for future motherhood and.

There is a time for everything

In the first trimester of pregnancy, the leading hormone is progesterone. It is produced mainly in the ovaries. Increased level progesterone is responsible for the occurrence of drowsiness, lethargy, increased fatigue and decreased fatigue in the expectant mother. Under the influence of pregnancy hormones, a woman’s body begins to prepare for bearing a child. Therefore, in the first trimester, it is advisable to increase sleep time to give the body the opportunity to get sufficient rest. In the second trimester of pregnancy, the function of the ovaries is taken over by the placenta, which forms around the 12th week of pregnancy. Along with progesterone, the placenta actively produces estrogens, which help overcome drowsiness caused by progesterone. However, during this period the belly increases, which forces you to change your usual position during sleep. The uterus begins to put pressure on bladder, causing more frequent urination and the need to get up at night.

The third trimester of pregnancy often becomes a time of sleepless nights. There are many reasons for sleep disorders: it is difficult to occupy comfortable position- your back becomes numb, your large belly makes it impossible to take your usual position - you have to settle down for a long time in order to provide yourself with at least minimal comfort while sleeping. The baby becomes quite active, sometimes kicking painfully with his legs in the area of ​​the liver and diaphragm. The lungs, compressed by the enlarged uterus, make it more difficult to breathe; in addition, the mucous membranes swell somewhat, the tone of the pharyngeal muscles decreases, which can cause snoring. Due to frequent urination, you sometimes have to get up several times a night. A common problem is itchy skin, which makes it difficult to fall asleep.

The thoughts of my cycle

Sleep is a rather complex and not fully understood process. It is not easy for a person to imagine that when consciousness is turned off during sleep, activity internal organs continues, although it may undergo some changes. Central activity nervous system, in particular the brain, in some phases of sleep is sometimes even higher than during wakefulness.

Sleep consists of several successive cycles. Each cycle includes phases of so-called slow and fast sleep. According to the English abbreviation, these phases are called non-REM and REM sleep phases (from English Rapid Eye Movement - rapid eye movements. In the REM sleep phase eyeballs make quick movements that are clearly visible through the eyelids). The cycles last from 90 to 120 minutes; a person experiences 4-6 similar cycles during the night during sleep.

NREM sleep, which takes up most of the “drowsy” time (the REM sleep stage accounts for only 5-10 minutes), is also divided into stages. The onset of sleep is preceded by an intermediate stage - on the verge of sleep and wakefulness - drowsiness. Then the person falls into sleep: consciousness turns off, muscles are relaxed. At this time, changes occur in many biological processes: body temperature decreases by several tenths of a degree, breathing and pulse slow down, blood pressure decreases, levels of various hormones change (the concentration of the stress hormone cortisol decreases, the content of growth hormone increases). As a rule, upon awakening during the phase slow sleep a person does not remember his dreams, awakening is quite difficult, he feels lethargic and drowsy. Gradually, he plunges into deep sleep. Then the stages of slow sleep follow in the reverse order, but the person does not wake up - the turn of fast, or paradoxical REM sleep begins.

During REM sleep, life processes accelerate, breathing becomes uneven, and fluctuations are noted. blood pressure, pulse. At this time, as a result active work central nervous system, a person sees vivid, colorful, emotional dreams that are well remembered upon awakening during this phase of sleep. The paradox of this phase is that the activity of all life processes corresponds to that when a person is awake, but consciousness is turned off, and the direction of the processes is internal.

Why do you need sleep?
Scientists have found that prolonged deprivation of sleep leads to severe physical and mental disorders: fatigue, headache, muscle tremors occur, memory deteriorates sharply, up to short-term loss, hallucinations may appear. This is not surprising, because during sleep the biochemical processes of restoration, accumulation of wasted energy resources, synthesis of a number of hormones and other biologically active substances are activated. active substances.

NREM sleep accounts for approximately half of the total time spent sleeping. The duration of REM sleep varies throughout life: in newborns it is also equal to half of the total sleep time; after birth, the duration of REM sleep decreases significantly, and in adults it makes up about 25% of total sleep.

Dreams and dreams during pregnancy

As a result of significant hormonal changes during pregnancy, women often change their psycho-emotional mood. This is also reflected in the structure of sleep. For this reason, from approximately the second half of pregnancy, a woman begins to see colorful emotional dreams. In addition, dreams are often the result of some experiences, disturbing situations, fear of the future, but are by no means a sign of terrible events. Vivid dreams often torment pregnant women, frightening them with their reality. But, despite the threatening interpretations of dreams from various dream books, it should be remembered that dreams are the result of a bizarre processing in the central nervous system of our emotions, experiences, what was seen, heard, remembered or, sometimes, not even recorded by consciousness - all that fell into the depths of our memory and was strangely synthesized into some images, situations. Many scientists have tried to unravel the nature of dreams. So, according to Freud, the interpretation of dreams is a way of understanding the unconscious in the human soul. Jung believed that a dream reflects what a person lives today and his possibilities in the future. Sometimes people really come to people in their dreams brilliant ideas: for example, in a dream, Mendeleev discovered his famous periodic table of elements.

The dreams of a pregnant woman often reflect upcoming worries, anxiety about the child, his health, fear of future birth, responsibility, fear of not being able to cope with her new maternal responsibilities. Often, expectant mothers dream about water, the process of childbirth itself, and the future baby. With increased impressionability, suspiciousness and emotionality, which is typical during pregnancy, women are tormented by nightmares. The most important thing in this case is to calm down. It has not yet been established precisely and reliably why we see dreams, what their purpose is, what they mean. While expecting a baby vivid dreams- this is the absolute norm, and upon awakening it is better not to exaggerate the dreamed events, guessing their meaning, but to try to forget the dreams that stole your peace. If some events from the dream continue to bother you, share them with a person you trust, who will listen to you carefully without ridiculing you. After such a conversation it will be easier for you to find out the real reason anxiety. In the future, when you go to bed, tune in to pleasant dreams. Ask your husband or someone else loved one wake you up if there are signs of anxiety in your sleep, screams, moans, accompanied by rapid movements of the eyeballs.

By the way, if you share good dreams, the positive emotions received from them multiply.

Sleep disorders during pregnancy
A variety of sleep disorders can be divided into several groups:

  • disorders associated with falling asleep - the so-called starting insomnia;
  • restless, anxious sleep;
  • interrupted sleep with frequent awakenings;
  • Waking up too early with the inability to fall back to sleep is final phase insomnia.
Various sleep disorders during pregnancy occur in 80% of women. In the second half of pregnancy, insomnia is most common. For the expectant mother Uncomfortable posture, pain in the legs, back, heartburn, itchy skin, baby movements, etc. prevent you from falling asleep.

Sleep duration

In one of the scientific experiments it was found that the duration human sleep should be around 10 o'clock. Of course, in our stormy confinement, not everyone can afford the luxury of spending almost half the day on sleep. Modern man V best case scenario sleeps 7-8 hours a day, or even less, and pays for it chronic fatigue, the occurrence of depression, deterioration in well-being and even serious health problems.

In the first trimester of pregnancy, when severe drowsiness develops under the influence of progesterone, it is better for the expectant mother to obey the demands of nature and give the body the opportunity to rest for at least 10 hours. If it is impossible to spend that much time on continuous sleep, a 1.5-2 hour daytime rest is recommended. In a situation where the expectant mother works, she has to struggle with sleep. Strong tea and coffee are not suitable for increasing activity during pregnancy, so it is recommended to increase tone contrast shower, gymnastics for pregnant women, green tea. However, it should be remembered that only 2-3 full-length sleeps can return the body’s “sleepy” debt, for which it is recommended to use weekends.

According to other data, sleep exceeding 10 hours in duration, with waking up closer to lunchtime, is also harmful: it causes a disruption in biorhythms, leading to a deterioration in well-being. It was found that the longest life expectancy is typical for people who sleep 7-8 hours a day. Thus, most likely normal duration sleep patterns are different for each person. History knows cases good rest with a daily sleep duration of no more than 4-5 hours. It has been revealed that in people who sleep little, the slow-wave sleep phase lengthens. It can change throughout life, as it depends on many external and internal reasons. The division of people into so-called “larks” (those who go to bed early and get up early) and “night owls” (those who go to bed late and get up late) is determined genetically, i.e. This is an innate property, although habits developed during life may somewhat change the time of greatest activity of life processes.

The norm for the duration of night rest - 7-8 hours - was derived by superimposing the rhythm of the “internal clock” (the center for determining time is located in the brain in humans and animals) and the time of wakefulness (after a certain time of work, fatigue of the brain structures occurs). When these rhythms are superimposed, the most common time for sleep is determined - from 23 to 7 o'clock; it depends on fluctuations in hormones, biologically active substances, body temperature, etc.


Go away, please, insomnia!

Expectant mothers should be warned against using various sleeping pills. Absolutely safe psychotropic drugs(and sleeping pills are one of them) does not exist: they all penetrate the placenta and have an adverse effect on the fetus, sometimes very serious. In the first trimester, taking such drugs is prohibited; in the second and third trimesters, sedatives and sleeping pills medicines used only if there are serious indications and are prescribed only by a doctor. In addition, drug-induced sleep differs significantly from natural sleep: the relationship between sleep phases is disrupted, with a significant shortening of REM sleep. Often after such a dream a person feels tired, weak, drowsy, without feeling full rest. In addition, the constant use of sleeping pills is fraught with the development of drug dependence, and if they are abruptly discontinued, the occurrence of the “recoil” phenomenon with severe sleep disturbances, nightmares, and frequent awakenings.

Therefore, during pregnancy it is necessary to use all non-drug methods of combating insomnia and, if possible, avoid the use of medicines. The fundamental point in the prevention and treatment of insomnia in expectant mothers is compliance. In the second - third trimesters of pregnancy, it is better to refuse nap. You can't completely deprive yourself physical activity; Its optimal types are gymnastics for pregnant women, as well as walking at a slow pace, shortly before bedtime.

How to overcome insomnia during pregnancy?
Relaxation exercises, which are taught to expectant mothers in schools for pregnant women, contribute to general relaxation, calm and falling asleep quickly. The main task of relaxation is to gradually relax the whole body in time with slow rhythmic breathing (exhalation is approximately 2 times longer than inhalation). Feel how pleasant bliss covers you, how your arms and legs fill with heaviness and warmth. Draw tranquil landscapes in your imagination: a sunny meadow, the chirping of grasshoppers, the singing of birds, a quiet surface of water, a light breeze - in general, whatever brings you peace.
Aromatherapy helps a lot. You can use a pillow filled with dry herbs of mint, lemon balm, hop cones, juniper, oregano, pine needles, chamomile flowers, immortelle flowers, rose petals (the pillow should be placed nearby, inhaling the light aroma of the herbs filling it). Essential oils These plants can be added to a warm bath to promote relaxation. However, before taking a bath, consult your doctor: in some situations this procedure is contraindicated. If you are allowed to use aromatic oil, remember that 1-2 drops are enough for a bath.

The air temperature in the bedroom should not be higher than 21 °C. The air in the bedroom should be fresh, so the room should be ventilated if possible. To prevent dry air, which has a detrimental effect on the mucous membranes, humidifiers are used. Ionizers enrich the air with light negative ions, bringing its composition closer to mountain air. The expectant mother should be comfortable sleeping place: a pregnant woman should not be cramped, the bed should not be very hard or overly soft, a comfortable pillow should be chosen under the head. Bed linen should be made from natural materials that are sufficiently hygroscopic (absorb moisture) and breathable. It is better to avoid spectacular synthetic fabrics. Bed linen should be changed at least once a week.

Pillows that are placed under the head, neck, between the legs, and support the back can help a pregnant woman take a comfortable position. There is a special large shaped pillow for pregnant women that allows you to get most comfortable. The expectant mother is recommended to sleep on her left side: it is in this position that placental blood circulation improves, large vessels and organs located behind the pregnant uterus are not compressed, as a result of which kidney function improves, swelling decreases, and nutrients and oxygen reach the fetus better.

What's stopping you?

For pain in the back and legs, a massage of the lower back and calf muscles, which can be done by the husband, will help. To massage your legs, it’s a good idea to use gels or creams that normalize the tone of the veins - these vessels have to experience increased load. If you have leg cramps, you should consult your doctor: you may need additional calcium supplements. And an ambulance in such a situation is next measure: should be pulled towards you thumb legs cramped, simultaneously rubbing, kneading, pinching it calf muscle. Gymnastics for pregnant women is a good prevention of such unpleasant phenomena.

To get rid of skin itching, which develops as a result of stretching of the skin, it is necessary to lubricate the skin of the abdomen with special creams for pregnant women. They increase skin elasticity, promote hydration and nutrition, and prevent the formation of stretch marks. Another annoying problem that interferes with normal sleep is heartburn. Row physiological changes during pregnancy - muscle relaxation, compression of the diaphragm by the pregnant uterus, changes in the position of internal organs - contribute to the appearance of heartburn and discomfort in the epigastric region. Limiting or completely eliminating spicy, salty foods from the diet, late dinner (4 hours before bedtime), use special drugs, reducing acidity gastric juice(only with the recommendation of the treating doctor) will help get rid of this unpleasant phenomenon. A number of doctors recommend eating for dinner protein products(dairy products, cheese, meat, fish), rich in tryptophan - natural component, reducing the excitability of the nervous system. According to the advice of other experts, a pregnant woman’s dinner should consist mainly of carbohydrate foods that are quickly digested (vegetables, fruits, flour products). Thus, best choice There will be a light dinner, including yoghurts, fermented milk products, fruits.


Frequent urination is common during pregnancy. It often causes night rises, interrupted sleep. This is due to the pressure of the enlarged uterus on the bladder. Therefore, to reduce the load on the urinary system and reduce the number of times you get up at night, it is necessary to limit fluid intake 4-5 hours before bedtime.

Very noticeable movements and jolts of the baby in the womb can also interfere with the mother’s ability to fall asleep. Try changing the position: sometimes the baby calms down when changing position. In addition, various thoughts and experiences can contribute to insomnia. In such cases, natural sedatives(they have a mild soporific effect on both the mother and the baby in her womb). A glass of warm milk, a decoction of chamomile flowers with the addition of a spoon of honey has a sleeping effect. Teas made from lemon balm, thyme, mint, lavender, motherwort infusions, and valerian help to calm down and fall asleep. The juices of some vegetables also reduce the excitability of the nervous system: pumpkin, beets, turnips. You can add 1 teaspoon of honey to the juice and take the resulting mixture 3 times a day. However, daily consumption of honey by a pregnant woman is not recommended due to the high likelihood of developing allergic reactions in the baby's future.

Don't worry if, despite all your efforts and following all kinds of recommendations, you still can't fall asleep. The duration of sleep cycles is 90-120 minutes, so after this time the body will take its toll and you will fall asleep - the need for sleep is absolute for all living beings. And the time you have can be spent looking at photographs, listening to pleasant music through headphones (so as not to disturb anyone), and knitting. Set yourself up that everything will be fine - and that’s exactly how it will happen! After childbirth, rarely do any mothers complain of problems falling asleep.

Good night to you and your baby!

Yulia Lukina
Therapist, Ph.D. honey. sciences, researcher
State Research Center
preventive medicine of Roszdrav
Article provided by the magazine "9 months" No. 01 2007

Yulia Lukina