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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Positions to Sleep (or not!) In

12 replies

GeorginaA · 09/12/2003 08:30

I'm having a real problem getting to sleep now (I'm 16wks pregnant), and I was hoping for some advice.

The issue is that the position (pre-pregnancy) I usually fell asleep in was lying on my tummy or on my back. Tummy is obviously out now! Lying on my back means I don't wake up with chronic backache so I've always aspired to falling asleep on my back, but am I right in thinking there's some reason you shouldn't sleep on your back when you are pregnant? Is it a really serious reason?

It's just that try as I might, I can't get comfortable on either side... it just feels wrong and I'm spending hours awake getting more and more irritable. When I do dose off I later wake up and I've moved to my back naturally in my sleep (or I try to move onto my front into my sleep, which wakes me up immediately!) If you aren't supposed to sleep on your back for some reasons that harms the baby, I'm getting a bit worried that I'm not going to have much conscious control over that (which again, doesn't exactly help my getting a decent rest).

Any ideas?

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Hayls · 09/12/2003 08:44

I don't think you need to worry about it too much but I was told that the reason you shouldn't sleep on your back is because it can restrict the blood supply to the baby and can make you light headed when you get up. I had the same problem as I normally sleep on my back (now 33 weeks) and the best way I've found is to lie on my side and wedge a cushion under my back as well as between my knees. This stops me from turning fully over onto my back (although changing sides can take a while !) It also seems to help backache. Dh doesn't have much room in the bed though! I seem to remember also reading somewhere that if you wake up on your back not to panic because at least you've managed to get some sleep!
HTH

lazyeye · 09/12/2003 08:44

I think I was told not to sleep on your back once you get farily big (don't know when that is for you!) as the pressure can reduce the bloodflow to the uterus - think you are lying on a major artery. The best position is on the left side -like the recovery position - giving max flow to the baby. All very well, but when you are struggling to sleep anyway I think you just have to do your best. Cushion btwn the knees helped for me in later stages.

I think my doc said not to worry if you end up on your back, just turn yourselve over if you can and try again. Good luck pet.

Ghosty · 09/12/2003 08:59

I think that at 16 weeks there is no real problem with lying on your back but I would try to get used to sleeping on your side if I were you Georgina ....
When you are heavily pregnant the weight of the baby constricts blood vessels and it isn't good for you or for the baby.
I am now almost 33 weeks pregnant (snap Hayls ) and it doesn't matter what position I sleep in I still wake up throughout the night ... SPD gives me gip when I turn over, and I often need to go to the loo ...
Luckily my favourite position (even when not pg) is on my left side which I have heard is the best for blood flow to the placenta and also helps to prevent the baby from going posterior ....

aloha · 09/12/2003 10:39

I feel certain that if babies really suffered if mothers slept on their backs, there would be a hell of a lot of damaged babies about.

Crunchie · 09/12/2003 10:42

Well I slept on my tummy until I was about 20 weeks!! Then I slept on my back until about33 weeks and lastly I couldn't sleep like that, since I couldn't get up again, I ended up on my side. Sleep whichever way is comfortable. Sleeping is more important than not IMHO

Cavy · 09/12/2003 10:47

I think that you just know when it's no longer ok to sleep on back or tummy. I slept on my back until 6 months in my previous pregnancies, when suddenly it just didn't feel right any more. Maybe I wouldn't have got as far as 6 months sleeping on back, but my bumps still aren't very big at that point.

handlemecarefully · 09/12/2003 10:54

You can get special cushion type seems to support your bump etc when sleeping on your side which makes it a tad more comfortable. Available from the Blooming Marvellous catalogue.

These 'cushions' can also be used to support the baby when breast feeding after you have given birth.

I'm currently still sleeping on my back a bit (and feeling guilty as I know you shouldn't) at 21 weeks....however not really big yet. I think Cavy is right that your body somehow tells you when this is no longer appropriate (I experienced this with my first pregnancy...)

StressyHead · 09/12/2003 11:43

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Original poster

GeorginaA · 09/12/2003 12:03

Thank you all for the suggestions

I have to say that I loathed the "Cheese Wedge" cushions in the last pregnancy - just never got comfortable with them! I'm toying with the idea of one of those full body cushions but they seem quite expensive and I'm not sure where dh is going to sleep StressyHead, I did wonder too about propping myself up more upright (that would put less pressure on the artery wouldn't it?) as I could probably sleep like that in later pregnancy comfortably but not have to lie on my side. I certainly like propping myself up on the sofa (and dosing off too) like that at the moment!!

I think I'm veering towards the "listen to your body and just get sleep anyway you can" suggestions at the moment, sounds good to me

OP posts:

prufrock · 09/12/2003 12:08

Georgina the full body cushions are wonderful. YOu just wrap yourslef around them. And they are good for propping up baby afterwards, and for support whilst bf. Mie is my top ever pregnancy buy.

morocco · 09/12/2003 12:21

I make a little nest of pillows around me - one each side and two at the top and kind of curl into those - did it last pregnancy too - some 'nesting' instinct!! really no room at all for dh though but my snoring drove him into the spare bed at month 7 last time anyway (secret hurrah - more space for me!)

udar · 09/12/2003 17:52

As a stomach sleeper I've found it really difficult too. I bought one of the v pillows from Argos for about £7 and propped it up on a normal pillow so that my heart is higher than the baby which sorts out the blood flow problem. It has taken a bit of getting used to but it means I can sleep on my back or sort of cuddle one of the sides so I'm half on my side, leaning towards my front as my body is in the v inbetween. It is also quite handy for those lower back massages when my dh is kind enough to give them, I lie on my stomach propped up with pillows like a false bed with the bump in the v on that pillow so there is no weight on it.

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