Calling all back-sleepers

[Pastnowfuture]

I sleep on my back and need help to stop. I'm only 12/13 weeks but have had the need to sleep on my side reinforced by every medical practitioner I've met so far. I haven't had a great time in my first trimester with HG and bleeding so I've met quite a few!

Trying to get to sleep on my side at night causes me to toss and turn for hours as I'm simply not comfortable. I could deal with this but the frustrating thing is I always wake up on my back!!!

There are so many pregnancy pillows out there that I don't know which one to go for and they are not exactly cheap so I want to avoid wasting money. Could any fellow back-sleepers tell me what worked for them?

I know it's not want you want to hear, but just keep at it and you will get used to it and in the habit of doing it naturally. In both my pregnancies, I started trying to sleep on my side quite early on and kept waking up on my back regardless, but I just turned back to my side every time. I'm 36 weeks now and it's been a long time since I last awoke on my back.

Not much advice on the pregnancy pillows, unfortunately... I use a long sausage shaped one, tucked between my knees to keep my hips level, because I find my PGP is worse if I don't do that. But I certainly don't find it makes sleeping any more comfortable, I'm afraid (if you want to switch from your left side to your right or vice versa, it's a pain having to move the pillow as well!)

Heavy U shaped Pregnancy pillow - I needed something that stopped me laying on my back while also supporting my hips.

They advise to sleep on your left... however I cant sleep on my left and never have been able to whole pregnancy as it hurts my right side too much.. I sleep on my right but always wake up on my back and just turn back over.. there is nothing you can really do about moving in your sleep. If you wake up then just turn back on your side. Once you get alot further on it will be too uncomfortable to sleep on your back anyway because bump will be too heavy.
I have no advise regarding pregnancy pillows I actually think they are a waste of money to be honest when normal pillows will work. Just prop them under yourself to try stop you rolling back over. X

You need a U shaped pillow
And you tuck it in behind your back and under your bump and between legs so you can’t go anywhere.
I don’t think you have to start yet though. Wait a bit and then it will probably be more comfortable anyway, even though NOTHING is comfortable anymore

The left/ right research has been updated and any side is good now

@Pastnowfuture I feel the same as you! i'm a back sleeper and always wake up on my back :(
i started sleeping on my side from the minute i found out i was pregnant, i'm now nearly 14 weeks and still wake up on my back!
I just go back to my side when i wake up. Just a pain as i don't sleep well on my side!
I was given a maternity pillow from a friend and that was ok but hard if you toss and turn :(

I would recommend a theraline pillow. It makes you feel as if you are on your back but are actually on your side. I love it... And when I am away my husband steals it from me.

A friend of mine lent me her pillow and it's been a lifesaver. It's big and looks like it's fairly expensive new but honestly it has saved me as a former back sleeper! I started getting hip pain after I "popped" around 22 weeks or so and this pillow has all but eliminated it.

www.amazon.co.uk/QUEEN-ROSE-Pregnancy-Maternity-Replaceable/dp/B06XKYCHD1/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=queen+rose+pregnancy+pillow&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1572021595&sr=8-5

I’m a back sleeper and have struggled with using a pregnancy pillow. I just pop a normal pillow in between my legs and have one up against my back. The advice is clear that it’s absolutely fine if you wake up and you’re on your back, just roll back over onto your side again. What counts is what position you fall asleep in, as this tends to be the one that you stay in for the longest. It can take a bit of practice but you’ll get there and the key thing is to not let it become something that causes you stress. Yes, the research is there which shows that it can cut the risk of stillbirth but again this is still extremely relative and depends on At what risk your pregnancy is in the first place and other individual factors. For what it’s worth, I’m 33 weeks pregnant and though I’ve managed to get to sleep on my side (any side is fine) I do still wake up on my back most nights and my baby is definitely fine and loving kicking me in my ribs at all times! Try not to worry too much about this and be kind to yourself :)

I've always been a back sleeper, but since my first pregnancy it's changed mostly to side-sleeping. I'm now almost 30 weeks pregnant and find myself sleeping on my back every now and then.
A pillow (esp between your legs) is good - I don't use a pregnancy pillow.
Sleeping on your back WILL get more uncomfortable as your bump grows so you'll naturally try and change position over time. Don't worry about sleeping on your left or right for now!

This is something I've found difficult with both pregnancies. I wake up on my back a lot in the night, i mentioned it to my midwife and she just said to turn over as soon as I wake up. I did have a pregnancy pillow in my last pregnancy that I was hoping would stop it but I just ended up throwing it on the floor in my sleep so I havent bothered this time. I have no advice as like I said, I've found jt difficult too but the midwife didn't seem concerned when I mentioned it to her, I'm sure I remember her saying that your body would wake you up before anything serious happens

I used to be a back or a front sleeper, and from about 10-12 weeks I kept trying to go to sleep on my side (but would always wake up on my back).
I got a dreamgenii pregnancy pillow at about 18 weeks which has helped and has also reduced some hip pain. I've figured out a way to position it so that I've tricked my brain into thinking I'm on my back but really I'm on my side 😅
I've also found it easier to be on my side as pregnancy has progressed because it's actually uncomfortable to be on my back and have the baby squishing me now!!

I'm sure I remember her saying that your body would wake you up before anything serious happens

If this were true, there wouldn't be a link between sleeping on your back and stillbirths.

@PowerslidePanda apologises, I wasn't saying that it's fine to sleep on your back . I just remember the midwife said that to me a few years ago, so she was basically saying.. don't go to sleep on your back but if you wake up in that position don't panic just turn back onto your side. Hopefully my post didn't come across like I was saying it's fine to sleep on your back

I don't think u need to worry about it yet but it's wise to start trying to sleep on your side. I'm in 3rd trimester and sometimes wake up on my back that's when it does become an issue with the weight on your organs. You can't help how u move in ur sleep though.

I am a tummy sleeper, was still sleeping on my tummy way too often almost at 3rd trimester. Always fall asleep on my side through. I still sometimes wake up in a strange half side half tummy position, not even sure how it's possible with s big bump 🤷🏻‍♀️

Bought a pregnancy pillow, big u shape and found it awful, it had great reviews but I've given up with it. Don't like how it goes round your neck so I cldnt use my normal pillow and it took up most of the bed!

I've also heard that you'll usually wake up before anything happens. I thi k it's because if you crush the vein then it affects you as well as the baby.
I used a u shape pillow it helped, but I was always waking up on my back and turning to the side. God knows how long I'd slept on my back for! I used to panuc every time I woke on my back. This time it's the same, I keep waking on my back. It's out if my control so u do my best.

You are fine for now, it’s the 3rd trimester they don’t recommend it. It’s to do with babies weight on an artery or vein (I forget which). I’m a total side sleeper when not pregnant but annoyingly tend to find I’m often on my back when I wake up in pregnancy! I have a wedge shaped, quite solid cushion like a block of cheese & I stick it behind my back (also stuck it under my bump in later pregnancy) .. stopped me rolling so much! I never much got on with pregnancy pillows, mostly just used normal ones to get comfy!

I slept sitting propped up on pillows. It was better than trying to sleep on my side. I’d roll from one side to the other trying to get comfy but it never worked.

Get PGP that makes it so painful to sleep on your back you just won't do it!

But seriously, I've used a u shaped pregnancy pillow and then have a long pillow on top of that to support my shoulders as well as I found otherwise I'd fall back onto my back.

Even though there's no reason not to sleep on your back now I'd start trying to go to sleep on your side so it becomes a habit and you're not struggling with it when you're much bigger and more uncomfortable.

I'm a back sleeper all my life as well, well until 2 weeks ago. I'm 12 weeks today, and using dream genii pillow, but I found it's still too harsh on my legs, do I use the pregnancy pillow to keep me on the left position and another pillow between my knees for softness. It works so far. I also have legs cramp quite early on (even back sleeping) , having banana before bed and during the day helps.