Sleep Position

[MrsJaneyp]

Hey all

I'm currently 24w+5 and am having difficulty sleeping. However what's freaking me out more is every time I wake up i seem to be laying on my back.
Obviously we aren't supposed To be on our backs so was wondering if there are any tips on how to stop it.
I have a pregnancy pillow and that helps in the main but not all the time

Any help or advice would be amazing

Jane

put a pillow behind you, when you roll over you won't be flat on your back

If it makes you feel any better I’m 32 weeks and still wake up on my back all the time, it’s not something that can be helped!

Thanks guys that makes
Me feel better been stressing a little about it

I think the advice is not to sleep on your back after 16 weeks.

I have a huge pregnancy pillow between my legs and it makes ir really difficult to roll over :) It's a faff when I change sides from left to right, but I do it consciously when I wake up and dont end up on my back.

I was worrying about this recently (as I keep waking up on my back) and the NHS website says:

Don't worry if you wake up on your back – the research looked at the position women fell asleep in, as this is the position we keep for longest. If you wake up on your back, you can just turn over and go to sleep again on your side.

Made me feel better anyway.

I wouldn't do it on purpose, but the midwife told me to try not to worry about it if you wake up on your back. She said it would make you feel pretty poorly before it affected the baby.

I thought it was around the 28 week mark you have to watch it, but I might be wrong.

If you put a pillow between your legs it’s difficult to end up on your back.

Thanks all. @MonaLisaDoesntSmile I have a massive pregnancy pillow too and I do struggle with the rolling over because of it. I can't work out of that is contributing to my disruptive sleep patterns

What a pp said - lying on your back will make you feel bad before it does anything bad to the baby. Just roll over when you wake up - this really isn't worth panicking about.

Hi OP, I love sleeping on my back and have found the same as you that from time to time I wake up on my back still. I am now 27w though and as sleep gets more and more uncomfortable and I get more in the habit of sleeping on my side (and all the faff that comes with turning to the other side 🙈) Im finding it happens less and less.

The rest of the advice on this thread is also reassuring and my midwife also told me don't worry if you wake up on your back, just turn over.

Its not worth stressing about as you obviously know the rule and the reason why and are doing your best please try not to worry (and I will too )

@Christmastree43 thanks for your comments. I think that's half my problem I have always liked sleeping on my back!!!

It's been a difficult go to position to break

Totally agree! When I do wake up on my back and am half asleep I absolutely relish it for that second til I make myself roll over! I also love sleeping on my tummy which is no longer really possible.

If you also like sleeping on your tummy I've found a good compromise is something like in this pic pinched off Google!

I am also planning to try the pillow behind my back and pillow between legs as suggested on here as think I could do with a bit of extra support anyway.

I have also thought if we wake up when we turn onto our backs as a sort of alarm! So it's not like we're spending all night asleep on our backs unaware, but our subconscious is waking us up when we know we're on our backs and shouldn't be perhaps?

Don't stress. When you wake up roll back over onto your side, this is all you can do.