Many women are surprised to learn of the many different and challenging side-effects of experiencing pregnancy. A woman’s body goes through many amazing changes when she becomes pregnant and some of those are surprising at first. Obviously women expect to be uncomfortable by trying to sleep with an expanding belly, but there may be many other unexpected nighttime issues. Many people joke about not sleeping when the child is born, but pregnancy brings its own host of sleeping problems.

Leg cramps at night: Changes in nutritional needs, dehydration and the rapid weight gain of becoming pregnant may often be reasons for cramping leg muscles during the night. Many women suffer from unexpected bedtime calf cramps. There are a number of cures for charley horses, but be sure to check with your primary care professional before using them. Calf muscle cramps may occur at any period during the pregnancy, but they are most commonly experienced in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy.

Digestion issues: The intestines and other bodily organs are being pressed together to make room for the expanding baby and that tightness often affects the digestive system the most. Pregnant women can not always be able to get much relief from heartburn and constipation issues because some drugs designed to alleviate these symptoms are not pregnancy safe. It’s no surprise that many women should have problems with digestion during pregnancy.

Frequent urination problems: Pressure against the urinary system and increased pressure on the kidneys can cause some women to urinate three to six times each night. There is some debate over how much being pregnant contributes to bed wetting. Some expecting women suffer through one or more infrequent nighttime bed wetting episodes during their pregnancy. Almost all pregnant women experience an increased need to urinate much more often than they are used to.

Expecting women should be ready for sleep difficulties by their physicians in advance. Many doctors advise expectant women to sleep with padding around them for comfort and to sleep on their left side to help alleviate some of these sleep issues. Various sleep problems will come and go during the length of a pregnancy, and not all women suffer from the same sleep challenges.

For many women being pregnant is a wonderful time, but it’s also important to take good care of your health. Speak regularly with your doctor if you have any of the above sleep issues. There is help available for adult bed wetting.