can u sleep on ur back?

[nadinetd]

hi
is it okk to sleep on my back i got told u cant because of the cord or something but i cant sleep on my right as i have problem with my hip and if i lay on left then it goes numb i have woken in morning on my back before and panick i am harming baby? im 27 weeks thanks x

The reason you aren't supposed to sleep on your back in later pregnancy is due to the vena cava, this is the vein that carries blood from your legs back to your heart, in later pregnancy your enlarged uterus can restrict this blood flow sometimes causing lightheadedness etc. This vein runs down the right hand side, so ideally it's best to lie on your left. HTH x

i asked my mw about the laying on your left/right thing and she'd never heard of it!

maybe you could try sleeping slightly propped up so you're not flat on your back?

right, that makes sense i guess, i do go to sleep on left but wake up on my back at times, i have 3 pillows to sleep any way as i have asthma and it helps me sleep (what a drama queen eh) thanks x

I have read that lying on your back can compress your main artery and cause dizziness or reduced o2 levels in the blood. I could be wrong and I'm not sure at what point this becomes an issue.

My midwife told me not to stress about this and just do whatever made me comfortable.

You may find as you get bigger that side on is more comfy - lots of pillows required!

My consultant said this was nonsense. Thank goodness as I sleep on my back and my right-side most of the time!!

I spent ages training myself to sleep on left as instructed by various books, then started waking up with hip in agony. Midwife said it's fine to sleep on right as well, also to sleep on your back if your back is propped up. Other thing she suggested, which is working really well for me, is to prop one hip up with a pillow. Even this centres the weight away from the vena cava. Anyway, it does seem to be a real thing, but not as big a thing as some of the books make out.

I was never told about 'how to sleep' whilst pregnant. I would generally lay on my side though as it was uncomfortable to lay on my back.

it does compress a major artery as you get bigger ,which can make you dizzy and faint..so for that reason, best to sleep on your side, if you can, but won;t harm baby if you sleep on your back