Sleeping on your left side

[Jenjen85]

I'm just wondering how bad it is to still sleep on your right side in pregnancy. I'm 18wks and can't seem to stop sleeping on my usual right side. Is this bad? I'll go to sleep on my left side but always wake up on my right. Is it just bad when your further along?

I am 16 weeks with twins and i currently find sleeping on my right sooooo much more comfortable than the left so that's what I end up doing

It's not 'bad' at all. Sleep however you feel comfortable. Lack of sleep is far worse. The benefits of left had sleeping really just extend to a slightly better blood flow and reduced reflux.
Any other risks are considered negligible to none www.nhs.uk/news/2011/06June/Pages/mothers-sleeping-position-and-risk-of-stillbirth.aspx

I slept mostly on my left side throughout my pregnancy. Whenever I rolled onto my right hand side the baby started kicking so I rolled back onto my left. I ended up with loads of hip pain. Also, baby was in the posterior position and I had a long and agonising 35 hour labour that ended in an emergency c section. I sometimes wonder if my sleeping position had something to do with it.

I have been worrying about this also. I keeps waking up on my right or sometimes on my back. I'm 15 weeks so probably not so much of an issue now but it will be later on. My left shoulder is quite weak so it's uncomfortable laying by on LHS. I hope it is OK to lie on the right.

This is just my experience, but I found it really tough to sleep on my left so I continued to sleep on my right. DD ended up being in an awkward position which partly contributed to me having to have an EMCS. I'm not saying my sleeping position had anything to do with her positioning, but I'm definitely going to try harder to sleep on my left this time, just in case!

With pregnancy insomnia, weird nightmares and a constant need to pee - I just bloody sleep any way I can!
Was vaguely aware that left side is supposed to be comfier but not for me and I prefer being on my right side. Same in last pregnancy and no adverse effects so take the 'advice' with a pinch of salt unless you have something specifically picked up by a midwife, consultant or sonographer about your body means you have to be on your left side.

Numerous midwives and a consultant reassured me it was fine to sleep whatever way was comfiest when pregnant with DD. SHE's 14months now and very healthy.

The study that gave rise to the scare stories about sleeping on the right side was small and limited and the evidence didn't prove a link to any risk.

www.nhs.uk/news/2011/06June/Pages/mothers-sleeping-position-and-risk-of-stillbirth.aspx

It's all a bit silly anyway - how are you supposed to police which side you end up on once you're asleep? I wouldn't worry about it.

I wouldn't worry about it for all the reasons pp have said.

I think sometimes we forget to trust our bodies. While medical intervention and research has had a humongous affect on mortality outcomes, pregnancy is still largely dictated by our bodies just knowing what to do.

Agree with frikadela, impossible to control how you sleep, and I'm not sure how much difference it makes.

I try to fall asleep in my left side and inevitably wake up hours later, drooling and snoring on my back. Every single night.

Some people say your sleeping position dictates whether your baby will be back to back, who knows. Aside from setting an alarm every hour to make sure you're in the right position , I don't have an answer!

I wouldn't worry too much about it. Soon you'll be so knackered you'll fall asleep just about anywhere, including mid-feed! (Another big no-no, btw, but something everyone does unintentionally).

It isn't bad at all. Sleep however you're comfortable. Seriously, this is one of those things you can stop worrying about.

If you're lying in a way that the uterus is pressing in anything vital, you will feel it. If you're lying so baby doesn't like it, they will kick the shit out if you till you move.

If you're comfy (and good lord it's hard enough to get bloody comfy in late pregnancy) then all is well.

I sleep on either side ( and sometimes my back) and I'm 28 weeks. No problems at all although I would love to sleep on my front. Belly's a bit big now though!

I'm not sure how much it matters what side you sleep on, but if you are trying to sleep on your left then I've found that using a pregnancy pillow with a back support bit works wonders. I have the DreamGenii but I'm sure there are others available or you could even just use a small ordinary pillow behind your back?

I slept on both sides equally but never on my back as that can cut off blood supply to the baby.

I'm 24wks with twins and it doesn't matter which side I sleep on - one of the girls takes offence and gets very kicky/squiggly....

I definitely can't sleep on my back - I get awful hip/pelvic pain, so as long as I'm on my side (whichever) I'm happy...

Personal preference I think? I'm 39+1 and sleep however I can! Sometimes I can only manage to drift off on my right side... I don't think it really matters? Once or twice I've even slept on my right, but more onto my tummy!

Personal preference I think? I'm 39+1 and sleep however I can! Sometimes I can only manage to drift off on my right side... I don't think it really matters? Once or twice I've even slept on my right, but more onto my tummy!

I saw a physio yesterday and she said you should sleep however you are comfy. If there is reduced oxygen, baby will get everything it needs, and it is you who will be lacking and that will wake you up apparently.

My first pregnancy I religiously wedged myself on the left side with pillows and I totally sabotaged months of sleep because it wasn't my natural sleeping position.

I'm 31 weeks with my second now and sleeping really comfortably on my right but mostly wake up on my back!

I slept on either during recent pregnancy though memoryfoam bed mase both v cmfortable - it was v stiff after a weekend away. I know there are importand blood vessels on rh side but I was never advised to avoid sleeping on it.