Back pain from side sleeping

[fairgame84]

I'm usually a front sleeper pre pregnancy but side sleeping now and I'm struggling with back pain.
I'm sleeping on my right because it's worse on the left.
I don't know what I'm doing wrong but I'm getting pain across my lower back and under my ribs and in my right waist area. I'm guessing I might be twisted in some way.
I've tried a pillow between my knees and behind me and I've also tried the mamas and papas pregnancy pillow but nothing seems to help.
I'm fine while I'm sleeping but as soon as I wake up the pain kicks in.
I'm only 21 weeks so still got a long time to go.
Any tips please?

Get a Anna Pregnancy Pillow from Natal Comfort. I am a stomach sleeper and it was a game changer in my pregnancy. They are also great for explaining why those pains happen in your hips when you sleep on your sides. I am sure if you send them a msg asking for advice they'll be happy to help. The website is natalcomfort.com/

Go for a massage to ease the existing pain and then maybe change your support pillow situation to give you a bit more support.

Definitely get a pregnancy pillow. It will really help with the back pain

Thankyou so much this looks like what I need!

Scrap that its £150 and you can't sleep on it all night, it's just for naps 😩

I got one like this, was brilliant. Used it after I'd given birth aswell to help with feeding and you can unzip part of it which is handy

www.amazon.co.uk/Kolbray®%EF%B8%8F-Shape-Pregnancy-Pillow-Orthopedic/dp/B08P54W4RJ/ref=mp_s_a_1_9?crid=NY44GX2MKWV7&keywords=pregnancy+pillow&qid=1655013594&sprefix=pregnancy+pillow%2Caps%2C118&sr=8-9

Following this as I am exactly the same (except Ive always been a left hand side and back sleeper haha!) I got a pregnancy pillow and unfortunately for me that hasn't made any difference at all (I hope it does for you) but I'll be following for any other tips or suggestions. I'm getting to the point of considering sleeping on the sofa propped up by cushions to see if it helps!

@Allanxiousarentwe
It's awful. We've swapped bed sides and i slept on my left all night but I'm in so much pain on my hip bones, shoulders and even my ear from pressure points.
I'm not overweight, my bmi is 23, so I shouldn't be this bad with pressure area pain. I think maybe my mattress is too hard so we're looking at a mattress topper now or maybe an air mattress on the floor.
I got in a really comfortable position with the pregnancy pillow but its only when I wake up for my 4am wee that I realise how much everything hurts and then I can't get back to sleep l.
I can't do another 18 weeks of this.

Hello, following despite it being 2023! Wondering how anyone got on. and if there are any other front sleepers out there to commiserate with. I'm 21 weeks and its already a nightmare. As you say, thinking about another 4 months of this may break me. Doesn't help that I have 22 years of episodic chronic insomnia. I'm finding this lack of sleep and discomfort so triggering. and its so sad, as I get off to sleep fine. My usual 'new' pattern of asleep by 12, up at 6 with aches has just been superseded by waking at 4 now. And with no ability to get comfy or back to sleep. I can't nap in the day either (never have been able to). I can just feel the insomnia related anxiety rising in me and tbh I feel very panicked about having an insomnia flare up. They're an absolute nightmare and a total bust of mental health. Let alone trying to function AND grow a healthy human at the same time. I'm staggered that pregnancy works and I'm like, how have we not evolved to make this less appalling? Anyway - overtired rant over!

Ps -I have a huge U shaped peg pillow. It's only served to irritate me as everyone loves them, but as someone wrote on this forum a while back its like wrestling a crocodile. Or trying to sleep in a dinghy.

I got the mamas and papas pregnancy pillow, the one that around £40.
We put the bed up against the wall. I straightened the pregnancy pillow and put that against the wall and then slept with my back against it.

It did get better over time. DD is now 14 weeks and I'm naturally sleeping on my side pain free. I tried to go on my front but my boobs are too big from breastfeeding.

I have struggled with this too - pillows didn't really help but getting the odd pregnancy massage has!