laying on back during pregnancy

[bessie26]

so they say you should avoid laying flat on your back for "extended periods of time" - how long is this? 5min? 30min, 2hrs????

I also read somewhere that it was ok to lay on your back if you lay at an angle - what kind of angle? 10deg? 45deg? 90deg?!

I have a facial on friday & am wondering how much I have to worry about being flat on my back for 1.5hrs!

Apparently you (we) should try and sleep on your side (pref LHS) because it maximises blood flow to the baby. I did a bit of research about whether it was important because even if i fall asleep in that position, i wiggle about so much that i won't stay there for long.
And as the advise was that its more beneficial to have a good nights sleep in any position than a disturbed night on your left hand side. So I have just tried to sleep comfortably.
I wouldn't have thought an hour and a half would be anything to worry about.

I asked my consulatant about this last week. He said not to lie on my back for more than 10-15 minutes.

I think I have read somewhere that it is ok to lie at an angle of 15 degrees. Will see if I can find a link.

Oh oh... I found a marvellously picture in my book that shows how you can still lie on your back comfortably and why it's ok. It really is a fantastic book. I love silly picture, I'm a big kid really :)

If only there was a way I could share it with you... it is rather good... hmm.. thinking

The angle is 15 degrees.. my physio told me when I complained that lying on my side hurts.

Not sure about lying on back - had to lie on stomach at 37 weeks, with twins, for x-ray (in the days of steam pregnancy) - not to be recommended. My DD's came out very angry!

Lying on your back

From the book "YOU Having a baby"

Thanks Catherine, I'm going to be getting the spare pillows out tonight so I can lie like that! I've got so many cushions and pillows in with me already that there isn't really room for DH!

Cantsee I can't imagine lying on my tummy now at 25 weeks with just one baby in there! That sounds like a very unpleasant experience!

Depends how far gone you are. Think you are fine up to about 6 months. Tell the Facial person...they'll know what to do.

That is a good picture. Its making me worried about oxygen starving my baby. I'll have to dig out a load of pillows tonight & give it a go.

I read somewhere that the "don't lie on your back" theory emerged after a study of women who had been given epidurals in labour - it was noted that when they were on their backs their bp dropped and they complained of being lightheaded. Hence the advice that it was bad for mother/possibly baby. However, that was women who had been immobilised by an epidural - for a normal woman, if lying on your back made you feel faint/dizzy, your body would naturally tell you to change position (or you would wake up slightly and roll over if asleep). I wouldn't worry about it. You spend plenty of time on your back at mw/scan appointments, after all. Personally I start out sleeping on my left side and always wake up on my back - no idea how much time I spend on my back in the night but I'm fine and so is baby!

Lurcherlover speak perfect truth. And it is also true that lying on your back is the best way to ensure that you get backache as you are straining your pelvis forward but your spine backward. Not a good mix.

Bessie, how pregnant are you? I think it is only a problem from about the 4th month onwards.

I try not to lay on my back, but I often wake up in the morning and I am on my back but feeling fine. My best mate spoke to her midwife about it, and the midwife said that you will automatically shift if it starts being a problem, whether you are asleep or awake. So I wouldn't worry too much, but if you are awake and laying on your back but feel weird, then move position...

A friend told me that lying on my back would cut off the blood supply to the uterus. Cue me, googling frantically and phoning the midwife, in fear for the baby's life. When she had stopped laughing, she said that the extra weight does put a bit of pressure on the blood vessels but all it will mean is pins and needles in your feet or you feeling a bit dizzy.

No lying on your back / only lie on your left hand side rules - another way to make pregnant women feel shit about themselves!

I agree with all the others that if you're comfortable on your back, then nothing is wrong - you'll feel dizzy and breathless long before you hurt your baby.

I had a facial at about 30 weeks. The lady just adjusted the bed to raise the head end - you don't need to lie completely flat for a facial

Ladies, thank-you for all your replies. I am only 14wks, but I have a facial every month, and do yoga a couple of times a week, so was very interested to get specific info from marrow and to see the pic catherine posted (thank-you so much for scanning that in ) as I can not only get the facial lady to tilt the bed a bit, I'll also be taking a rolled up blanket to yoga to prop myself up with so I can continue to enjoy the relaxation session at the end .

For those of you talking about sleeping... during my last pregnancy a friend recommended I got one of those funny shaped pillows & found it to be very comfortable (although TBH a pillow inbetween the knees probably would have done the trick) Will be sending DH up into the loft to find it this weekend!

First pregnancy I slept on my back until the end, this pregnancy haven't been able to sleep on my back from about 15 weeks as it makes me feel nauseous. YOU will feel any ill effects before the baby does so don't worry.