Why is sleeping on my back bad?

[Charingcrossbun]

I'm struggling as have always slept on my front without pillows and now , at 22 weeks, I can't. I read on here a few days ago someone worried about waking up on their back. I know that when you are further along the weight of baby can press on a nerve but surely I would feel that?

Is it ok to sleep on my back as long as I stop when it becomes uncomfortable?

The weight of the baby & bump can press on something (an artery? not sure) and make you feel light headed apparently, but at 22 weeks not sure if it's an issue - it wasn't for me and even now at 38 weeks I still occasionally end up on my back. I can defo feel the lack of oxygen now if I do it though. It's suggested that you try to train yourself to lie on your left side, but try not to worry about it too much! Being comfortable and listening to your body is important...

I've always worked on assumption that if you're pressing on a nerve/reducing blood flow, you'll feel it and wake up. Both times (now 38weeks with dc2), you get to a point where its seriously uncomfortable. If I lie on my back now, it feels like I'm being crushed by a two ton elephant within about 2 seconds!!

You'd know if you had a problem with this - I really struggle with it and I wake up if I do roll on my back as it makes me feel sick and dizzy.

I believe it's the vena cava (Mmm, Cava...sorry, I digress) ie the main vein that returns blood to the heart, that can be compressed if you lay on your back for too long. As others have said, this can make you feel icky and I think, may possibly reduce oxygen flow to the baby if you do it for long enough.

So yes, definitely best avoided once you start getting big. But I read on some website (can't remember if it was a reputable one) that you shouldn't panic if you go to sleep on your side and wake up on your back - you've probably just woken yourself up because your body has figured out it's time to turn over.

I've always thought if it was that dangerous there'd be a belt or something to wear that'd stop you laying flat on your back.
I'm sleeping on my back quite a bit. I just wake up that way. I asked my midwife last time and she said it's only really a problem for very overweight ladies.

I don't think it's dangerous otherwise surely all our HCP would be talking to us about it?? Neither my GP, Midwife, Sonographers or Consultant has ever told me I can't lie on my back. I spend loads of time on my back, like when I'm lying on the sofa watching TV etc. I'm pretty sure I sleep on my back too. We are made to lie on our backs for our scans and a lot of women are flat on their backs during labour so I really can't see it can be that risky.....

WW, in general, it's better not to be lying on your back in labour. Scans only take a few minutes so are not quite the same.

OP, if you can learn to sleep on your left hand side, it can encourage your baby into a better position for birth; lying on your back may be more likely to lead to a back to back presentation.

OFP

Positioning baby.

I go to sleep on my side and roll over onto my back in my sleep. I must wake up 10 times a night on my back. I am sure it's my body waking me up to move! It's annoying though.

Doctrine - I've had 5 scans so far, 3 of which took over 30 minutes and no concerns were raised. Unless as someone said it is more of a concern for overweight women? Or is it considered more dangerous the further into your pregnancy you go? I'm only 20 weeks and so far none of my team have ever raised the issue with me. I'm seeing my midwife in a few weeks so I will ask her to clarify it for me

It can be dangerous, but it really depends on the individual I think. I'm not overweight by the way and was even less overweight in my last pregnancy and have suffered with it both times - it must just be the positioning of my womb/vein. In extreme cases it does lead to foetal death BUT you would know if you have it.

I did recently read an article in a medical journal drawing attention to a lack of knowledge of this (believe the correct term is something like 'supine hypotension') amongst sonographers and midwives and how few of them consider it when examining patients.

You don't need a belt or anything btw - just a cushion or something under your right hip to raise it 45 degrees. I sleep with a pregnancy pillow behind my back/right side.

Further info:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aortocaval_compression_syndrome

www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1078817408001065

If I lie on my back too long I start to feel sick, dizzy and anxious. It's enough to wake me up at night. It started from about 20 weeks this time!

Ww, I think it's ok to sleep on your back until four months anyway.

I'm currently 20 weeks so made an super special effort to remain on my side last night I didn't even lie down on the sofa whilst watching Slumdog Millionnaire despite being really tempted

Baby was mega active last night too so was tossing and turning anyway!!

I think it's ok til about 26-28 weeks when the baby gets big enough to compress the vena cava. Depends on each individual really & how big you are, how big the baby is and how it's lying. I've been sleeping on my back with no problems until a week or so ago (27 wks now) but started to get breathless and feel sick on my back, so that was my cue that's its not ok for me anymore.

Yep, it really depends on your individual reaction. The point is, apparently, you would know by your body's reactions if you had to stay off your back.
BTW, everything I've read seems to suggest it's fine to lie on your back propped up by pillows/ cushions, e.g. when watching TV. My aunt told me she slept propped up and on her back to avoid gastric reflux. So don't worry too much about it - enjoy being able to back-lie while your body can still tolerate it :)

I had a weird experience yesterday evening and wondered if it was related to this topic?

I walked into my living room and flopped back down on to my sofa, not in a lying down position but very near it and about 5 seconds later I went really peculiar. The television started moving, so did the table, it was like everything was moving backwards and forwards and was in slow motion. I felt so, so dizzy!! I stood up straight away and about 5-10 seconds later I felt absolutely fine again - well, shook up and sweaty palms but the dizziness had passed It really scared me actually.
I have never experienced it before and wondered whether it was because my position on the sofa had affected my blood flow....