Can't sleep while pregnant? 9 fixes that actually work

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"Sleep while you can," everyone says. Then you get to 30 weeks and realise you can't. In the pregnancy forums we read for this guide, getting comfortable in bed was the problem that came up most, often in threads with well over a hundred replies from mums trading tips at 3am.

The good news is that most pregnancy sleep problems have a physical cause, and physical causes usually have practical fixes. Here's what works.

Why pregnancy wrecks your sleep

It's rarely just one thing. A growing bump pulls on your lower back and hips, hormones loosen your ligaments, progesterone relaxes the valve at the top of your stomach (hello, heartburn), your blood volume rises by up to half so you run hot, and your baby sits on your bladder. Add a blocked nose and leg cramps and it's no wonder you're awake.

1. Learn to love side-sleeping

From 28 weeks, the NHS advises going to sleep on your side, because research has linked sleeping on your back in late pregnancy to a higher risk of stillbirth. Either side is fine. If you wake up on your back, don't panic. Just roll over.

Side-sleeping only feels natural if your body is supported, which is where pillows come in.

2. Put something between your knees

This was the single most repeated tip. A pillow between your knees keeps your top leg level with your hip, which takes the twist out of your pelvis and lower back. If you have pelvic girdle pain, it can make the difference between a sore morning and a bearable one.

3. Choose the right pregnancy pillow

• U-shaped full-body pillows support your back and front at once, so you can roll over without rebuilding your nest. Best if you change sides a lot, but they take up a lot of bed.
• C and J-shaped pillows wrap around one side of you. A good middle ground for smaller beds.
• Wedges are small and tuck under your bump or behind your back. Great for travel or if you only need a little support.

Shop the editPregnancy pillows6 products, chosen for sleep, back pain, pelvic & hip pain

4. Prop yourself up for heartburn

If reflux keeps you awake, gravity is your friend. Raising your head and shoulders, with a wedge pillow or by lifting the head end of the bed, helps keep stomach acid where it belongs. Eat your last proper meal two to three hours before bed, and keep plain snacks for late-night hunger. If heartburn is constant, a pharmacist can recommend remedies that are safe in pregnancy.

5. Cool the room down

Lots of mums described waking up drenched. Keep the bedroom cool and ventilated, swap to breathable cotton or bamboo bedding, and put a quiet fan by the bed. A lighter duvet tog makes a big difference in the third trimester.

6. Clear a blocked nose

Pregnancy rhinitis is common and can last until birth. It's caused by extra blood flow swelling the lining of your nose, and it often brings on snoring. A cool-mist humidifier, saline spray and drug-free nasal strips were the fixes mums recommended most.

7. Make night-time loo trips less disruptive

You can't stop needing the toilet, but you can make it easier to fall back to sleep. Drink plenty earlier in the day and taper off in the evening. Use a dim, warm night light rather than the big light, so your brain doesn't think it's morning.

Shop the editSleep & night comfort6 products, chosen for sleep, heartburn, overheating

8. Calm restless legs and cramps

If your legs won't settle or a calf cramp wakes you, stretch your calves before bed and flex your foot towards your knee when a cramp hits. Our guide to swollen feet, cramps and restless legs has much more.

9. Lower the pressure

Some nights you'll be awake no matter what. Get up for a bit, read somewhere dim, and nap when you can. Exhaustion in pregnancy is real, and you're not failing at anything.