Can't sleep on my side

[1wokeuplikethis]

I'm 18 weeks and have been forcing myself to sleep on my side as I'm a back-sleeper by preference.

But I wake up so many times- aching shoulders/hips/back and automatically lay on my back because it's so comfy, but have to catch myself before nodding off.

Is there any comfy way? I recall hating this in my first pregnancy and got a long body pillow. Maybe I should get one of those again.

I bought a V pillow from Dunhelm mill. What a godsend. I use it all the time. It props you up and supports your elbows and back. I used it between my legs and under my legs during the last stages of pregnancy.
Hope all goes well. It is so awful not getting a good nights sleep.

Another one for the v pillow here. At the moment I stretch mine out to run all the way down my back, even if I topple over in the night (another back sleeper here) I'm still propped up on one side so ok to sleep.

Just sleep on your back, there is no earthly reason why you shouldn't.

What's wrong with sleeping on your back?

Sleeping non your back can effect the blood flow to baby as the weigh of baby on nerves and vessels in spine I think. I have a damaged spine and can't sleep on my back anyway but was always a tummy sleeper and still find myself sleeping on my tummy at night and I'm 26 weeks. Try those pillows people have said. X

Sorry google it the baby presses on the Vena cabs the main vein that carries blood back to your heart

I've bought the dream genii and it's helping me stay off my back. I'm 18 wks and been told to avoid sleeping on back if possible

Nonsense. Sleeping on your back has never been shown to have any detrimental affect at all. There is a theoretical affect on blood flow but practically its nowhere near enough to change how you sleep.
99.9% of pregnant woman around the world have never heard of such a thing, and there is no noticeable affect.

There's some (not massive amounts) evidence that in some women the incidence of still birth is higher in back sleepers. It's a multifactorial effect, and it's small (very small). There's usually at least one or two other predisposing factors as well, so that back sleeping can at most be a very small contributory factor to a stillbirth.

When you lie on your back, the weight of the womb can lie on the vena cava. This can lead to reduced venous return from the lower body and can contribute to things like swollen legs and in some cases dizziness. You'll know if it's happening because you'll feel dizzy if you lie on your back.

It's not something you should be freaking out about. If you're horribly Uncomfy on your side, sleep on your back. If you're getting dizzy or have badly swollen legs, try your side. The evidence isn't rock solid, or even semi solid, and the effect is, for most women, pretty small.

I find it Uncomfy to sleep on my back so I don't. If it was similarly Uncomfy to sleep on my side I'd never get any rest, so I'd be on my back! Sleep how you're comfy - you'll feel it if you're in a position that's not doing you good.

I find it uncomfy to sleep on my side (sore shoulders) but bought a long pregnancy pillow off amazon that goes between my knees (so supports the hips) up round and down my backso i stops me rolloing over. BUT i do sort of lie half on my side, half on my back to ease shoulder pressure.
Other thing that REALLY helped is putting a sheepskin under the bed sheet beneath me, i guess a memory foam mattress topper would work the same if your prepared to spend a bit for a good nights sleep.

I have to sleep on my side as I have the dreaded SPD and I had damaged my shoulders before becoming preggo. Having said that I find it almost impossible to sleep on my left side (apparently its better for circulation although I don't understand how??) And I wouldn't be able to sleep on my back either (I'm finding it hads enough to breath as is lol) x

Also I've taken to smuggling my sofa cushions into the bedroom to ensure that I am properly propped up - my poor dh is getting about 3 inches of bed at the moment bless him x

I'm a back sleeper, but in the later stages of pregnancy I found myself waking up short of breath and dizzy. I bought a massive U shaped pillow and it really helped keep me on my side. I loved it (I've kept it and get it out when DH is away or if I'm sick).

Propping yourself up with a pregnancy pillow is really comfy - get one with an under bump and lower back support and it really does help the sore hips!

Sheepskin is a good idea - I've got a massive 15 tog duvet doubled up under the sheet to lie on and that is a big help.

Really, the key is to lie how you're comfy. You'll notice if you're dizzy/short of breath etc.

Double the theory behind the better circulation thing is that the womb naturally tilts to the right as it gets bigger, which can press on the vena cava. The vein itself is slightly on the right hand side (we are delightfully asymmetrical under the skin!) so lying on your left takes the weight off.

However, we are all different and there's no point forcing yourself onto your left if it's not comfy!

Yeah I am one to stay on the cautious side: not sleeping on back, not drinking too much caffeine, packing in the fags (wild! I know) and I spluttered at the 99.9% statistic being casually flung in there.
However, two things now from creating this post: 1) I am definitely going to buy a body pillow again. I remember loving it so much last pregnancy, but I did have SPD, had put on 5 stone and couldn't breathe on my back....
And 2) while it feels comfy to sleep on my back (as in not making me breathless) maybe I will relax a bit more over it.

I used a v pillow. One side in between my knees and one under the bump. I found weeks 18-25 the hardest to sleep, heavier I became easier I found side sleeping. That said I prefer sleeping on my back and often did, especially when I began having heart burn and acid reflux.

I'm 20 weeks and a tummy sleeper. Bump lets me know when he's had enough of it. I try and sleep on my side but I can't get comfortable unless I use so many pillows that OH has to sleep in the other room. I then find I wake up loads. I figure side sleeping will become easier the more necessary it is so have given up worrying so much.

Skipton I know you often have some good research on these things. What have you found about this if you don't mind me asking? I normally have to sleep on my back because of back problems, and have been trying to sleep on my side because I'm pg, but now my back is so sore I'm back on it!

From what you're saying, if I'm not feeling uncomfortable or dizzy on my back then it's probably ok, but I'd love to read a study if you've found one. Thanks.

I took the attitude I move in my sleep, so no way to control it. I was given a pregnancy pillow, and it got thrown out of bed at some point the first few nights, so it was returned to donator practically unused. I tried not to go to sleep on my back, but if I rolled in the night, not much I can do about it, so I didn't worry.

Gosh I have had loads of healthy DCs and slept on my back with all of them propped up with a V pillow, because of heart burn.
The research is very limited and I don't think it is very relevant. It was too small a sample and how can you expect post partum Mothers to remember how they slept? FFS

I sleep on my side anyway but have spent ALOT of time watching telly whilst on the sofa on my back. I've never been told anything about these risks by my midwife so I'm presuming it's all pretty unsubstantiated.