If you’re pregnant, you WOULD want to be extra careful about what you do including using a weighted blanket. After all, you now have a little life growing inside of you!
Here is what you need to know about using weighted blanket during your pregnancy…
Are Weighted Blankets Safe For Pregnancy?
Sleeping with weighted blankets during pregnancy is perfectly safe.
There are no research studies that have shown that weighted blankets can cause any harm to pregnant women. Also, there is no research data showing a weighted blanket can hurt the growing baby inside of you.
Sleep Problems During Pregnancy:
There are many reasons why you can’t sleep well during pregnancy.
- Heartburn and indigestion: This can make it difficult to fall asleep at night, because you may need to get up several times in the middle of the night for a glass of water or an antacid.
- Night sweats and hot flashes: Due to hormonal changes, some women can experience night sweats and hot flashes which can make it difficult for them to fall asleep.
- Shortness of breath:This can be a result of the extra weight you are carrying around due to your growing baby bump. As your baby grows, it pushes your diaphragm up against your lungs. This can make it difficult to take deep breaths, which can lead to shortness of breath when you are trying to fall asleep.
- Restless legs syndrome (RLS): About 25 percent of women in pregnancy will experience restless legs, which is a condition that causes an uncontrollable urge to move your legs.
- Urinary frequency: As your baby grows in size, it compresses your bladder which can lead to the urge to urinate more often. Pregnant women often have to get up several times in the night to go to the bathroom, leading to poor quality of sleep.
- Back pain and leg cramps: Pains and aches can keep you up at night, and is especially common in the third trimester.
- No comfortable sleep position: It’s hard to get used to not being able to sleep on your back during pregnancy. You can’t sleep on your back after the first trimester because it can slow blood flow to your baby. As this can reduce the amount of oxygen and nutrients that reach your baby which can lead to serious health problems for both mother and child.
Most women experience at least one symptom above that makes it hard for them to have quality sleep. Weighted blankets can help!
Benefits Of Weighted Blanket During Pregnancy
1.Improves quality of sleep
Weighted blankets can provide deep pressure touch therapy. It is a type of sensory input that can be very calming and relaxing to the nervous system.
Weighted blankets cause the release of happy hormones in the brain like serotonin and dopamine. Serotonin in turn leads to production of melatonin which is a sleep hormone.
2.Alleviates Stress and Anxiety
Women who are pregnant can feel more restless and on-edge than normal. These could be due to physiological and hormonal changes but also the discomfort of having to grow a baby for 9 months in your tummy!
Weighted blankets can help to provide a sense of safety and security for pregnancy anxieties by feeling more grounded by the extra weight. This has been shown to reduce cortisol which is a stress hormone. Less stress means more rest!
Weighted blankets can also help with indigestion which women are often troubled with in pregnancy, making it hard to have quality sleep.
3.Sleeping in the right position
As mentioned earlier, pregnant women often can’t sleep on their back after the first trimester because it can slow blood flow to your baby. It is recommended that you try to sleep on your side.
This can be a HUGE struggle to those who are back sleepers. So you tend to toss and turn at night unconsciously to get comfortable.
A weighted blanket can help you stay in one position the entire night without having to worry about moving around.
4.Improves aches and pains
Weighted blankets have been shown to help with chronic pain. This can be very beneficial to pregnant women as they are often troubled with back pain and leg cramps at night. It can help to ease the tension in these muscles and provide some relief. This can lead to better sleep for you!
5.Relieves Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)
Restless legs syndrome can cause an uncontrollable urge to move your legs at night, which can keep you up. Weighted blankets can provide deep pressure stimulation that can help reduce RLS symptoms.
6.Reduces pregnancy swelling
Pregnancy swelling is very common and it is not pleasant at all. A weighted blanket can help to improve circulation by applying pressure on the body which can reduce swelling in ankles, feet and legs. This can also relieve varicose veins that often make it hard for pregnant women to sleep.
7.Avoid Sleeping Pills
Due to disturbed sleep, many often try prescribed sleeping pills to help them sleep better. However, these can have side effects that are for the baby. It can also cause unwanted drowsiness to mothers. Weighted blankets can be a natural and safe way to get a good night’s rest without having to worry about any side effects.
8.Cool down your hot flushes
Hot flashes can be very disruptive to your sleep. They can make you feel extremely uncomfortable and sweaty, especially in the summer season. A cooling weighted blanket can help to reduce your body temperature and prevent overheating.
Importance of Sleep During Pregnancy
It is important that you sleep 8 hours a day during your pregnancy.
A pregnant woman’s body is going through a lot. Pregnancy hormones are making you crave weird things, your belly is growing and changing shape, and those pesky aches and pains from carrying around the extra weight can make it hard to fall asleep at night.
Studies show that a huge percentage of women in pregnancy don’t get enough sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, to have a healthy pregnancy, you should aim for at least seven hours of sleep every night. But many are only getting six hours or less of sleep per night.
Growing a baby is hard work, and you need all the energy you can get. It also does not help that in the first trimester, the surge of progesterone can make you feel sleepy and tired during the day.
Sleep is crucial during pregnancy. Lack of sleep is one of the risk factors to health problems for both mum and baby.
Sleep helps reduce the risk of developing health problems such as gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and high blood pressure. It can also have a positive effect on your mood, pregnancy symptoms including morning sickness and back pain. Also it can benefit you by helping you deal with stress more easily. Finally, restful sleep can promote healthy fetal development.
Best Weighted Blanket For Pregnancy
The best weight for a weighted blanket in pregnancy is around ten percent of your total body weight. So if you weigh 200 pounds, the ideal weight for a pregnancy-safe weighted blanket would be 20 pounds.
As the weight is evenly distributed, you do not need to worry about having too much of the total weight centered on your tummy.
The only downside with pregnant women sleeping with weighted blankets is that they are not used to a heavy blanket. Rapid hormone changes during pregnancy may cause sweats and flashes.
Many pregnant women find that cooling weighted blankets are amazing to counter their hot and sleepless nights. These are made of light, breathable material which ensures better ventilation and keeps you cool all night.
One of our favourites is the Zonli Cooling Weighted Blanket.
Take-Home-Messages
You’re pregnant, uncomfortable, and very tired because you haven’t slept for daaaays. There is just one thing that can fix all these problems: weight blankets.
A weighted blanket is safe to use during pregnancy. It can help to promote a good night’s sleep, relieve pain and aches as well as reduce stress and anxiety. All of which can have a positive impact on both mother and child during pregnancy!
If you are still not sure if a weighted blanket is for you, then be sure to consult your medical professional.
