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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

Sleeping on back while pregnant

8 replies

Bizawit · 22/05/2021 23:23

Just wondering how dangerous it is really, and at what gestation do you have to stop? I find sleeping on my side soo uncomfy and it’s soo hard to sleep when preg anyways 😭 plus I often roll on to my back in my sleep. I’m only 13 weeks right now, but I remember being terrified of this throughout my last pregnancy and it really made everything worse as I would constantly wake up on my back in a stress... just interested in others thoughts really.

OP posts:
TheLovleyChebbyMcGee · 22/05/2021 23:25

Its only an issue in the 3rd trimester, so your fine for a while yet!

Greybeardy · 22/05/2021 23:42

You’ll know when you need to stop because it’ll make you feel flipping awful lying flat. In hospital we tilt everyone past 20 weeks. The physiological problem is that the weight of the baby compresses the blood vessel returning blood to your heart so it makes you feel faint (and often sick) and that may reduce the blood supply to the baby.

Muststopeating · 22/05/2021 23:48

I believe there are a number of studies that link it to stillbirths (sorry). However, definitely not an issue for you for a good while. And i believe the biggest issue is going to sleep on your back, not rolling onto it in the night.

Agree with a PP though, I am physically incapable of lying on my back when very pregnant, makes me feel dizzy and awful. (And I had a BMI of 22 pre pregnancy so it is just the weight of the baby causing it).

It does suck, there is no comfy way to sleep when pregnant, especially when your hips are giving in and your pelvis hates you! Love love love the pregnancy pillow I have this time (Dream Genie first time was a total waste of time so didn't bother with DC2).

MyGrassIsBrowner · 22/05/2021 23:51

Highly recommend a pregnancy pillow for starters! I'm 20 weeks at the moment with baby no.2 and sometimes end up on my back, but it causes me horrific lower back pain so I swiftly turn over. When you start to get big the weight of your belly makes lying on your back really uncomfortable anyway, at least it did for me! Congrats by the way! X

TiptopJ · 22/05/2021 23:54

I'm sure I've read a few times that the risk is mainly if you fall asleep on your back rather than role over in your sleep. I found sleeping with a flat pillow to the side of me really helped so when I rolled it gave me some support and stopped me going complely flat on my back

Chanel05 · 23/05/2021 07:56

I think the guidelines are from 28 weeks onwards. I slept on my side from 20 weeks through my own paranoia.

LaMadrilena · 23/05/2021 09:45

I still find sleeping on my back the comfiest,and I'm 40w today! Like you it's really uncomfortable staying on my side, we've got quite a hard mattress and my shoulder and hip are really feeling it. I put a thick, soft, folded blanket on my side of the bed to cushion me a bit more, and that's helped. I've got a banana-shaped pregnancy pillow too, but didn't find it as useful as others did.

BertieBotts · 23/05/2021 09:52

It's not dangerous, that is outdated advice which has changed.

If it's restricting blood floow it will cause you to feel lightheaded in which case you will instinctively roll over onto your side. If you feel fine then there's no problem at all.

It was only ever a theoretical risk and further research shows that it is self correcting. So don't worry.

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