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In Search of Slumber

Sleep Solutions for Moms-to-be of Multiples

By Lyn Mettler

Sleeping and pregnancy. An oxymoron, right? Especially with twins. Well, maybe not. With a little understanding, a few pillows and some tricks of the trade, you may be on your way to a better night's sleep.

An expectant mom's sleeplessness is caused by a variety of things, many of which are exacerbated during a twin pregnancy. Laura Favin, a licensed massage therapist in New York City, has three clients who are currently pregnant with twins. "I really see a significant difference in the way the pregnancy is taking its toll on them," she says. "I think it's just a little bit harder for women carrying twins and triplets."

One of the most obvious differences is the larger belly. "That beached whale feeling is not conducive to relaxing and falling asleep," says Holly McArthur, a 36-year-old mother of twins from Nicasio, Calif.

"Women pregnant with twins have enlargement of the womb earlier," says Dr. Charles Farris of the Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans, La. "The womb is bigger earlier, which causes pressure in the upper part of the abdomen more quickly."

While there's no way to make you smaller, using a few pillows and laying in a different position can help take the pressure off of your belly. "Sleeping position is improved by laying to the side rather than on one's back," says Dr. Susan Sprau, a professor of medicine at UCLA. "Using pillows to support the legs, arms and side may also help."

McArthur agrees. "Pillows, lots of them, are the key to getting comfortable enough to sleep," she says.

Another mother of twins, 35-year-old Stephanie Seiler of Brier, Wash., found that using a pillow between her legs while sleeping on her side worked until about her 7th month. After that, she found the only way she could doze off was to sleep on her back propped up by several pillows so she wasn't supine – or flat on her back – which can be bad for babies and Mom.

Want to see more?

• Exercise Your Way Through Pregnancy
• Yoga: An Ancient Practice for Pregnancy in the Modern World
• The Art of Prenatal Massage
• Shiatsu: A Healthy Balance
• Talk about it!

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