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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

How to sleep on left hand side

22 replies

JoyJoyJoyJoy · 15/07/2017 20:02

I'm finding it so hard to sleep on my left. I've got a big maternity pillow and fall asleep on my left hand side kind of cuddling it, which is comfy. But then I wake up half way through the night with my shoulder or thigh/knee hurting and can only stop them hurting by rolling onto my back. I think to myself 'Aah just 5 min', then fall asleep, then wake up hours later on my back and freak out about it.

Do others have the same issue? What do you do??

Also what's worse for the baby - on the back or right hand side?

OP posts:

tootsieglitterballs · 15/07/2017 20:11

Certainly not the correct / factual / best advice , but in my last pregnancy, and this one, I've found the position also know as 'however the heck I can get to sleep' works best!

In all seriousness, I'm a fight hand side sleeper, however I try my best to at least fall asleep on my left, knowing I will wake up on my right or on my back. If I can fall asleep on my left, I feel at least I'm trying 🙈

Sorry, that's no help at all!

ScotsLamb · 15/07/2017 20:12

Advice now seems to be sleep however you can. Your body will wake you or move to prevent you hurting yourself or baby.

Oysterbabe · 15/07/2017 21:36

Yeah I never worried about it.
I'm 18 weeks and still sleeping on my front while I still can.

RoganJosh · 15/07/2017 21:38

If you google it seems to be that sleeping on your back might make you feel a bit funny, that's all.
www.parents.com/advice/pregnancy-birth/my-pregnant-body/can-i-still-sleep-on-my-back-while-im-pregnant/

user1493413286 · 15/07/2017 21:40

I had the same issue and the midwife told me that your left side is better than your back. Do you put your maternity pillow between your legs? I used a normal pillow under my bump and between my knees or shifted it so my left leg was straightish and my right leg was bent on top of it for when I got uncomfortable.

user1493413286 · 15/07/2017 21:41

Sorry I meant right side is better than back and left is the best as you've said.

Original poster

JoyJoyJoyJoy · 15/07/2017 21:49

At the moment I'm putting my knees onto the maternity pillow as well, as I found that for some reason having the pillow in between both knees gave me that weird leg pain

Maybe I could try one straight one bent though? About to start the next experiment! ;-) Did you feel a straight left leg helped against leg pain, or stopped you rolling onto your back?

OP posts:

Scentofwater · 15/07/2017 21:54

I ended up sleeping sat upright because lying on my side became agony, plus heartburn didn't help. By 7 months I didn't care left or right I was just desperate to sleep!

Lots of separate pillows so you can wedge them all around seemed to help more than one big one.

ememem84 · 15/07/2017 22:13

I'm the same. I was told by my gp to sleep on the left. But even if I fall asleep on the left I always shift about.

Spoke to midwife on Tuesday and was told that yes left is best but as long as I'm sleeping it really makes no difference. Whatever's comfortable and allows me to sleep and rest.

I make a conscious effort to go to sleep on me left but only once this week have woken up in the same position - Tuesday after aquanatal swimming I was bloody exhausted I didn't even move.

user1493413286 · 15/07/2017 22:23

I think I found that the one straight leg one bent one took the pressure off my hip and meant that if I rolled over it was more of a conscious decision. I was shown it in pregnancy yoga so I think it must be a good position for your own joints etc

ArgyMargy · 15/07/2017 22:32

I have never heard of this. Yet another ridiculous load of nonsense. Sleep however you like.

MamaG1980 · 15/07/2017 22:35

I wedged a pillow behind me so I could lean on that and pretend I was on my back

RNBrie · 15/07/2017 22:40

This advice is outdated!! You can sleep any way you like as long as you feel well and comfortable.

Its like the soft egg debacle all over again.

You can sleep however you like, you can eat lion stamped soft eggs (British eggs haven't had a salmonella problem since the 1990's), you can even eat Stilton (it's too dry for listeria to survive in).

Enjoy your pregnancy

Bobbiepin · 15/07/2017 22:45

I asked my mw the same thkng this week. She told me we haven't evolved this far for sleeping on our backs to be dangerous. If something wasn't right you would wake up and move before any damage was done. The left vs right thing is because most women tend to have their placentas on the right side but not everyone is average.

As for the pillow thing, I've found putting a small fairly thin pillow between my thighs rather than me knees is helpful, even eases sciatica when I'm on the sofa until I stand up again

Basically, trust your body and get some sleep whilst you can

tootsieglitterballs · 16/07/2017 07:56

Oh yes - another vote for one leg straight, one leg bent 😊.

Also, depends on what side of the bed you sleep on, but if on the left, try putting the duvet in between your legs too - not only do you get the amazing coolness having one leg out brings, but it keeps you in that position a bit more as it's harder to get out of!

Original poster

JoyJoyJoyJoy · 16/07/2017 08:28

Thanks, all! I think I need a bit more practice - this night was horrible again Basically any position is getting uncomfortable really. I'll try to put all your suggestions into practice. MamaG that's a great idea, I'll try that. user Thanks - I'll make sure to ask in my yoga class too!

OP posts:

SpringtoSummer · 16/07/2017 09:10

I went to an antenatal class with a physio and she showed us a few options (and also said it would be fine anyway). The one that worked best for me was a pillow behind my back.

WorkingBling · 16/07/2017 09:15

The sleep on one side o my thing makes me so angry. We are actual people. Not machine-incubators. Sleep in any way yoga can becausedleep is more important than not sleeping. Please.

Mum2oneds · 16/07/2017 19:54

Just being nosey. As only 6/7 weeks. But what's the reason for not certain sleep positions. When I had DS 11yrs ago I wasn't told not to sleep in any particular way. I'm a belly, sprawled out sleeper...but obviously won't once I'm big x

Lemondrop99 · 16/07/2017 20:22

It's to do with the weight of the uterus pushing on a major artery. Lying in your left side is supposed to maximise oxygen flow to the baby.

This came up at my NCT class tonight and the course teacher said

It's an ideal. Do it if you can
It's more important to get comfortable and actually get some sleep
If the existence of the human race depended on all pregnant women only sleeping on their left hand side....we probably wouldn't have got this far!

So don't agonise over it

Original poster

JoyJoyJoyJoy · 16/07/2017 20:34

Thanks a lot for sharing this info here!! Xx

OP posts:

Blondeshavemorefun · 16/07/2017 23:48

Honestly don't worry

I always slept on my back and then fretted as everyone says sleep on side ideally left

I got worried as would always wake up on back

Mw and big cheese consultant reassure me that it's fine to sleep
How you want and what you find comfy

So if that's back then not a problem

If you had difficulty in breathing etc with baby weight you will wake up and roll over

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