Does it matter what side you sleep on??

[Claire5517]

I'm 37 weeks tomorrow and am finding it difficult to sleep (obviously heat not helping). I read that the best side to sleep on is your left side, but every night over the last week I've woken up as my left leg (especially by hip) has gone dead. Does it matter if you sleep on your right side? I can sleep for a good few hours on either side and don't toss and turn so can't really say 'oh it'll be ok for 20 or 30 mins'.

[AnythingNotEverything]

I think it's more important that you get some quality sleep. But I keep waking up on my back in a panic!

[Greenoes]

Lying on your left is because baby presses on your aorta if you're flat or on your right side. If you're normally fit and healthy with no heart problems/circulation problems it will be fine

[Claire5517]

I've somehow trained myself out of that one! The amount of times I woke up panicking as well was ridiculous!

[Claire5517]

Thanks Greenoes :)

[ByHecuba]

Remembering the dead hip! I also got an attractive bumpy rash there.
Basically had to sleep in a nest of pillows to spread the weight and (sometimes) avoid the tingly hip.
One of the best things about giving birth was being able to lie on my front again afterwards

[Claire5517]

Yes I cannot wait to sleep on my front!!!

[Gerty1002]

I think sleeping on your right just makes your heart work that little bit harder than if you lie on your left - it's lying on your back that's the real worry with compressing a blood vessel.

If you need to lie on your right to get a decent sleep I think it's fine - I've been doing it for months as my hips and shoulders ache like mad otherwise.

[crazykat]

I didn't know about the blood
vessel being compressed if you lay on the right as well as on your back, I just read it was better to lie on your left.

I had to lay on my right side for the last few months of being pregnant with DD2 as every time I laid on my left side she would kick like crazy till I turned over. She's still an awkward little monkey now at 2.5yo.

[Smerlin]

I asked my midwife about this and she said lying on right or left is fine as long as you don't lie on your back

[PoppettyPing]

Apparently switching sides between left and right is good for baby's positioning. Sleeping on your right doesn't compress the blood vessel, only lying flat on your back for a long time.

[flipflump]

I keep waking up on my back, having started of on my left. I am propped up with pillows so not completely flat. Should I avoid this? Especially as I'm in 3rd tri?

[Sunflower1985]

Combination of body pillow and wedging up against DH has helped me. I'm up to pee at least three times a night now so I do a stint on my left, then right, then left. Otherwise I ache with hip and rib pain. 37 weeks now and lying on my back for any length of time hurts, so that's good for keeping in the right position.

Ah I miss my front.

[Lydia161290]

I sleep both left and right. At 39 weeks I think I've lost the will, just as long as I sleep! I keep off my back though. Baby seems fine either side and stays sleeping when I turn from side to side.

[CryingGivesMeAHeadache]

I start off on my left but always wake up on my front. Hoping when my bump appears that will stop as i'm always worried im squishing the little bean.

[SeriousStuff]

They do advise the left but I'm having really bad rib pains on my left side and I also find it harder to breathe that way, so I always end up on my right!