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21 Weeks Pregnant Chalkboard + Sleep Solutions

By Kate Horney

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How far along? 21 Weeks

Maternity clothes?  I have a couple of cute “maternity” workout tanks (Thanks, For Two Fitness) but I think they’re gonna be lone rangers for awhile- spring/summer is just so convenient for being pregnant! All you really need is a bella band & some cute dresses! 🙂

Best moment this week:  Celebrating Mother’s Day this week while being pregnant AND having my other little guy to hold was so sweet.  I’m absolutely love with Jackson… And I can’t wait to hold the little one on the way! What a sweet blessing it is to celebrate the gift and calling that God has given to me in motherhood. Is it easy? No! But with every diaper I change, every meal I make, every sleepless night… My prayer is: “Thank you that I get to.

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Miss Anything? I’m a stomach sleeper, so as my belly grows, I do miss sleeping on my tummy.  I’m still sleeping fairly well (I blame chasing a toddler around all day while growing another human for my ability to crash at 9pm) but I’m definitely using the snoggle more and more to get comfy between my (many) bathroom trips. 

Movement: I love the feeling of Baby H #2 moving. I get a huge smile on my face every time I feel him kick and I can’t wait for Jackson & Patrick to feel him squirm!

Food cravings:  When I was pregnant with Jackson I had a really strange cabbage addiction… but so far with this pregnancy, nothing too crazy has come up. I have been loving our fresh picked strawberries (think: multiple times per day) and CHEESE & all things cheese sound pretty darn good every second of every day as well, but aside from that, I’ve just been enjoying the usuals. 

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Looking forward to: Patrick too Jackson out to shoot his first rifle this weekend.  He was THRILLED to do this with daddy and it was so sweet to watch them bond over “boy” stuff.  I CAN’T WAIT to add another messy, muddy, gun-loving boy to the mix!

 Biggest Struggle:  SLEEP!  I am anticipating some serious sleep deprivation when baby H #2 makes his arrival- so for now, I’m trying to sleep as much as possible while I still can.Buuuut if you’re a mom, you know that it’s almost as hard to get a good night’s sleep during pregnancy as it is when you’re a new parent.  
 
Aside from frequent trips to the bathroom during the night, I haven’t had to deal with too many of the common pregnancy sleep stealers.  I’m grateful that heartburn, leg cramps, restless leg syndrome, etc. haven’t made an arrival.  I know that as my  uterus flattens my bladder, storing an entire night’s worth of urine becomes mission impossible, AND to make matters (and the bathroom runs) worse, my kidneys (which have to filter up to 50 percent more blood than usual) are putting out more urine than they ever did before (I’m also peeing for two, if you didn’t know) so I’ve come to terms with the potty trips, and I’ve found that my biggest sleep solution is simply to get comfy. 
 
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Solution:  Finding the right sleep position is key to sleep as well as possible (in between bathroom trips).  I’m a stomach sleeper, so my favorite sleeping position definitely out of the question, but I’ve already read that back sleeping isn’t advised after the first trimester, since being flat on your back can put unnecessary pressure on your most important and overworked blood vessels.  
 
So… that basically leaves us pregnant mammas with one option: sleeping on our side. (Left side, if possible, as that makes things just that much easier on your circulatory system).
 
I’ve made side sleeping comfortable using this motto:  “There’s no such thing as too many pillows.”  I like to use a pillow to prop myself up, to rest between my legs, and squeeze under my side as well. If at first (or second, or third) you don’t succeed, don’t sweat it (though since you’re pregnant, you probably will already be sweating — so turn the thermostat down some more)… add more pillows, move around, and try again. (Or get a snoggle– I’m serious, they’re the best). 
 
And in addition to the pillow tips (that’s definitely #1), here are a few more ideas that help me and may help you as well….

 

4 More Tips for Sleeping While Pregnant:

  • Avoid caffeine after noon. I LOVE my morning coffee, but no matter how busy I get in the morning (And how many times I have to heat and reheat that darn cup) I always make sure to cut my coffee off by 12pm.
  • Get your recommended water (my goal is 1/2 my body weight in ounces), but taper off at night. Drink if you’re thirsty, but don’t down a 16-ounce water bottle right before bedtime.
  • Exercise regularly- during the day or early morning if possible. (I’m a sucker for 5am #beyodnfitlife workouts!) A daily workout or walk will help you sleep better, but if it comes too close to bedtime, it could actually sabotage sleep (exercise is energizing).
  • Have a light snack before hitting the hay to keep midnight hunger pangs at bay. Include protein and a complex carb (think a scoop of protein powder mixed in some oat bran) or decaffeinated tea.  Stay away from sugar, which will give you an energy boost when you least want one, and then leave your blood sugar levels wobbly during the night. 

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P.S. Are you a fellow pregnant mama?  

Healthy babies come from healthy moms!  

Your baby is a REASON to make a healthy choices priority… not an excuse for why you can’t!

If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to a FIT PREGNANCY, join us over at the BeyondFit Life Club where I upload all of my personal workouts (100% safe during pregnancy) and share all the best fit mom recipes, tips & tricks!