Lying on back - advise me please

[bushymcbush]

I'm 25 weeks and have a big bump. Also suffering with SPD which makes lying in bed very uncomfortable on my hips.

I am desperate to lie on my back sometimes but I have been told twice - once by my GP - that it's not a good idea because it can cut off blood supply to the baby.

Is this true? Does it count if I lie slightly propped up (so not completely flat)?

I'm not sure but am also mighty confused with the advice to only lie on my left side. All fine when drifting off, but I wake up either on my back or right hand side. Also 25 weeks.

I thought that lying on the right side could interrupt supply to baby, but lying on one's back would only result in hindering your own circulation resulting in dizziness etc.

I found this article quite helpful... i always used to sleep on my right side but i sleep on the left side most of the time now (i think!).
I know one of the main vein/arteries runs down your right side, down your right leg and up your back so if you lie on it, it can reduce blood flow to important areas and also explains why my oedema is worse on the right hand side!

www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/antenatalhealth/sleep/safe-to-sleep-on-back/

Lying on your back is surely not that good for the SPD. I went to an antenatal physio session and was told that it was definitely not a good plan, and that I should prop myself on my side in a certain well aligned position with the help of about ten pillows. It does help actually.

Your body will move you if you are cutting off your own circulation in any case so perhaps that is why you are waking up on your side. If you are still comfortable on your back then it will be safe, but it's better to get in the habit of side sleeping as you will need to soon enough.

it's also worth noting that from about 32 weeks-ish i've not been able to sleep on my back anyway as the bump itself is just too heavy and it's really uncomfortable! sleeping on my side without 2 extra pillows is also impossible. i'm 39 weeks now and cant remember the last time i had a proper good sleep! at least its all good practice for when baby arrives :)

It can get v uncomfy being on your back as your bump gets bigger as it pushes on your blood vessels when you lie dead flat, so see how you feel when you do it for ten minutes. You'll soon know though. You may find it feels OK for short bursts though not to sleep all night. If you want to try semi on your back, stick a pillow under your right buttock so you're slightly tilted onto your left side.

Thanks everyone. V useful advice. It's not that I want to sleep on my back all night - more that it provides temporary relief from hip pain when I've been lying on my side for too long.

I've been finding it very hard to stay on my left hand side, I usually drop off and doze on my left but roll over to my right to properly fall asleep.

I don't sleep on my back but when dozing in bed in the early morning I do like to be on my back, as DD usually wakes up and starts kicking whichever side I'm lying on....i just try not to do it for too long, or bend my knees so I'm not lying totally flat.

Have a magic pillow on order and can't wait for it to arrive. A week sleeping on spare beds at my parents and PiL has left me feeling so stiff and sore, being back in my own bed (which has an orthopaedic mattress) was heavenly. The pillow should be the icing on the cake, I hope!