SLEEPING ON MY BACK

[luboo]

Hi!
I'm 28 weeks pregnant and know I mustn't sleep on my back but every now and then I wake up in the night and find myself doing just that. I'm really worried I'm going to damage the baby... Anyone got any thoughts? Or am I worrying unnecessarily?

Don't worry, it'll be fine. I've found myself doing that through out all my pregnancues and all my kiddies are fine. You won't wake up like that when your tum's bigger because it will just be too unconfortable!!

Thanks Kittywits!
That's reassuring.

Hiya did not know you could do any damage sleeping on your back just to say that with my DD2 I slept on my back a lot and she ended up being OP at labour which hurt!! With DS3 I was encouraged to sleep on my left side to avoid this, once I got used to it I could not sleep any otherway and he was the right way up when I went into labour.

Of course you cant help it if you are turning in your sleep.

Toady, what's OP?

OP just means the baby is lying with their back to your back.

I am 39 weeks and still lie on my back for some o the night

I think laying on your back just makes you light headed as it reduces the bloodflow. Im 39 wks preg and still occasionally lay on my back as you get fed up on you side all the time.

I heard than sleeping on your back you can rest on a nerve (vena carva..???..btw I'm no medical bod..!!) and restrict blood flow to the baby. With dd I was so owrried about this as allI ever did was sleep on my back. I spoke to my gp who told me in no uncertain terms that this was false. He assured me that no damage could be done to baby by how you sleep (obviously on your tummy is not ideal..! ) DD is now 1 and no problems.!

Just be lucky and appreciate the sleep you can get now as it's won't last for much longer..! After the next 1-2 months you will not get a good nights sleep for the next......... 18+ years..! .

www.homebirth.org.uk/ofp.htm - why cant i do links, any help anyone, OP means 'occiput posterior'(basically like Wallace says back to back or a stargazer) some useful tips on how to have Optimal Foetal Positioning' in other words best position for you to labour comfortably and to birth on the above website if you want to have a look.

I had no idea about sleeping on your back being harmful!
I slept mostly on my side though as ds was huge and bump always felt 'too heavy'!