Lying on my back to sleep. 4 year old sleeping on my stomach. Is it really that risky?

[RedBlackberries]

Just reached the third trimester and I know the advice is to lie on you left side but I just can't sleep like that. I always wake up on my back or almost on my front. Plus poorly dd is in bed with me and likes to sleep propped up on me. I try to discourage her from sleeping on the bump but then I wake up and she is. I'm not too worried because the little man is always kicking away but just wanted to know what other people do. Google just said the risk is very small and is because of a blood vessel being squashed.

I asked my mw the other week about laying on back. She said about the main artery / oxygen supply would make me go dizzy as being crushed. But also the baby.. Which is often why they kick. More laid on back as they are unhappy and would be like they are struggling to get oxygen. Sleeping on my left is so uncomfortable and I only get a couple of hours a night. I now mainly snooze sat up on sofa.. I'm not taking risks now I know that. Also caught the end of a radio article saying that there's an increase risk of still birth if sleep on back.. But I didnt hear the full story..
Have u tried a pregnancy pillow to help sleep on side. I personally didn't get on with one. But I find a normal pillow stuffed behind my back when laid on side keeps me in that position, and I can feel support on my back... May be worth a try x

They say it's more important that you go to sleep on your side than end up waking up still on your side as apparently the position you go to sleep in is the position you spend longest in? I certainly do my best to sleep on my side due to big campaign recently about reducing risk of stillbirth but invariably wake up on my back.

I have a small pillow between my knees and it helps a bit but I'm a back sleeper and am 30wks with dc2 so I feel your pain. My dc1 also likes to hog my bed!

Tommy’s have just started a campaign around not sleeping on your back in the third trimester. Studies have shown that it can disrupt the blood flow to the placenta increasing your chances of stillbirth.
www.tommys.org/pregnancy-information/sleep-side/sleep-side-research-behind-campaign

It does increase your chance of a still birth. Personally I wouldn't risk it.

Thanks for the advice. I make an effort to fall asleep on my left side. I think it all goes wrong when dd comes in and sleeps across me .

It sounds lots more serious than I thought if there's a campaign now. FWIW I've never woken up on my back feeling dizzy so that's good.