Sleeping on your back when pregnant

[fancytiles]

Advice here... I'm 25 weeks and know you not meant to do this but pre pregnancy I only ever slept on my back so it's my default position. I always make sure I go to sleep on my side but whenever I wake up in the morning I'm always on my back which scares me as I am obviously moving into that position overnight and have no idea how long I've slept like that. I'm jus worried as I've read it can cut off the blood supply :( have tried wedging myself in with pillows and everything. DH wakes up before me for work and always puts me back on my side for another hour or so but I could have been on my back for most of the night

My physio while pregnant told me you’ll feel the effects of the cut off blood supply before it harms you or the baby. She only warned if you were a heavy sleeper to try a u shaped maternity pillow between your legs or a cut tennis ball up your top so your uncomfortable on your back and will roll back over.

That is reassuring! Tennis ball is a good call, will try that one! So hard to break a habit of 30 years

I'm 35+3 and finding it so difficult to avoid sleeping on my back. I am getting horrible back pain sleeping on my side and rolling onto my back is the only thing that will relieve it.

Pretty sure but double check Tommy’s when they did the research said as long as you go to sleep on the left it’s fine as that is generally what you will spend the longest in and it doesn’t matter so much what position you wake up in

As long as you go to sleep on your side, then waking up finding yourself on your back isn't a problem, just turn back over. It's because we remain in the position we go to sleep in for the longest which is why side sleeping is recommended. You'll wake up well before any danger to baby if you do end up on your back.

Thank you for all your responses, good to know you stay the longest on the side you fall asleep on. Do you know why the left side is better than the right?

I know people are trying to reassure the OP, but mis-information on this topic really bothers me....

My physio while pregnant told me you’ll feel the effects of the cut off blood supply before it harms you or the baby.

You'll wake up well before any danger to baby if you do end up on your back

If this were true, how do you explain the fact that stillbirth rates are twice as high in women who sleep on their back?

OP, I've found in both my pregnancies that by making a conscious effort to turn onto my side whenever I wake, I do gradually end up on my back less and less often (started pretty early this time because it's twins - I'm now 30 weeks and hardly ever wake up on my back any more).

Try a pregnancy pillow. The dream genie is really good

I seem immune to pregnancy pillows but will check out the dream genie! Thanks for the reccos :)

The actual research behind the advice suggests that there may be a link between stillbirth and women who sleep flat on their backs without pillows. That certainly may be the case in countries where women often sleep on the floor / ground eg pregnant women from India/China have always been advised to sleep on their left sides.