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Original poster

Do you sleep on your left?

29 replies

Cafeaulait27 · 12/07/2021 16:54

I’m 27 weeks and have been lying on my side to sleep since the first trimester. I decided to get into the habit early as I’m naturally a front sleeper and I am finding it a bit easier now.

I have a pregnancy pillow but I do get pain in my hip on the lower side, so I have to regularly switch sides throughout the night.

Is this safe?

I know the advice says to sleep on your left side but it would be unbearable for me…

OP posts:
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Horehound · 12/07/2021 16:55

Yeh do t worry about it!

Horehound · 12/07/2021 16:55

Don't*

BrilloSolar · 12/07/2021 17:00

God no, I just slept any way I possibly could

Rumples · 12/07/2021 17:01

I sleep on both sides because one side all night just isn't comfy.

edgeware · 12/07/2021 17:03

This has proven to be not true; research it if you like. You need to move around as your body is telling you it wants to, listen to it.

Chelyanne · 12/07/2021 17:03

I usually prefer my left side to sleep on but I have to swap sides a lot or my hips become extremely achy/stiff (spd). It's not fun turning over in bed though.

DisgruntledPelican · 12/07/2021 17:04

I changed to sleeping on my left but from about five months onwards I would wake in the middle of the night with achy hips, by third trimester I had to sleep in a chair sometimes as I couldn’t get comfortable lying down, it was awful. Sleep any way you can manage, I think.

MyGrassIsBrowner · 12/07/2021 17:14

I'm nearly 28 weeks with baby no.2. With no.1 I slept anyway I felt comfortable, and I'm doing exactly the same with this pregnancy. I often sleep on my back too and have had absolutely no issues. Dont sweat it, at this point there's absolutely no reason to suffer! X

Garman · 12/07/2021 17:46

Of course it's safe, sleep whatever side is comfortable.

sarah13xx · 12/07/2021 17:54

I lie on either side. I just try to make sure one bit of the pregnancy pillow is gripped between my legs and the other bit is in close against my back so I don’t roll over flat during the night

shivawn · 12/07/2021 18:26

Yeah I sleep on both sides.

Squibble84 · 12/07/2021 18:31

I sleep on both sides however I often wake up on my back even with a pillow behind me! If I’m having bad hip pain, I sleep in an almost sat up position propped up by pillows.

Changechangychange · 12/07/2021 18:39

I managed to lie on my front throughout mine, and had no issues. As long as you aren’t flat on your back I don’t think it really matters.

Rosieposy89 · 12/07/2021 18:45

I am more comfy sleeping on my right so that's what I'm doing.

ElderMillennial · 12/07/2021 18:54

I slept on both sides as I had pain in the hips and legs during the night

I just avoided sleeping on my back

Nat4392 · 12/07/2021 21:16

I’m a front sleeper usually too so I found this hard! I tended to alternate between sides as constantly lying on one side just started to ache. If anything I slept on my right side more.

Sheisfee · 12/07/2021 21:20

I try to stay on my left but I usually wake up on my front (35 weeks) or on my back. I can’t go on my right as it gets difficult to breathe and my heart races!

WheresMySnackPack · 12/07/2021 21:23

On your back or front is not meant to be good but either side is fine.

girlmom21 · 12/07/2021 21:24

I normally end up sleeping on my back and snoring really loudly Grin

Sweetpea12 · 13/07/2021 00:07

I’ve slept on my right side whole way through my pregnancy as I have a lipoma on my left leg that I can’t lie on. I usually wake up on my back though and I can’t wait to sleep on my back again when the baby arrives Smile I think the advice is just there some side sleeping positions are so uncomfortable especially towards the end of pregnancy

Original poster
Cafeaulait27 · 13/07/2021 07:41

Ok thank you all 🙂 I will continue switching sides!

Can’t wait to sleep on my front again once baby is here!

@Changechangychange how did you manage throughout?! I think I’m mostly scared of ‘squishing’ the baby if i sleep in my front x

OP posts:
AnonymousXXIX · 13/07/2021 07:47

I normally sleep on my back and really struggling to do anything about this... I can't lie on my side in the evening due to heartburn... then try to turn over in the night... and then always wake up on my back again. I heard left side is better than right, but at this stage, I'll take any side....

expectinglittlebear · 13/07/2021 08:51

I have been trying to get in the habit early on too, as I am a front sleeper too (with one leg bent up) usually. I mainly sleep on my right side, as I find the left side uncomfortable for some reason. Although I do tend to switch sides throughout the night. Most times I will wake in the middle of the night on my back though, and then have a mini panic and get back on one side as quick as possible haha!!

bookwitch13 · 13/07/2021 16:11

In regards to sleeping on your back, I read somewhere… maybe Tommy’s or NHS… not to worry if you wake up and you have ended up on your back!

Apparently the position you fall asleep in, is where you will spend the longest until you wake up. Something to with REM patterns etc. So when you fall asleep on your side, but wake up on your back it is likely you have only spent a minimum time on your back! So don’t worry about it and just move on to your side again Smile

Aranciata · 13/07/2021 17:05

I usually sleep on my side, get comfortable and don't move all night (according to DH anyway).

Since about 9 weeks I have been having awful hip pain every night. I have to turn over and change sides regularly and was planning to buy a soft mattress topper as our mattress is quite firm but not sure if it will actually help.
I've never been able to sleep on my back or front.
I'm very tired but not sure how much is just standard pregnancy and how much is the disrupted sleep every night.
An enormous pregnancy pillow has arrived today so will see how that goes.