Keep waking up on my back!

[sidehustlin]

I’m 16 weeks and keep waking up on my back. When I realise I turn back onto my side. I always fall asleep on my side so no idea why I turn so much. Nothing I’ve tried helps, even a pillow, I seem to manage to still end up on my back.

I see mixed info online. One midwife has told me I can sleep however I like until 28 weeks, another has said it’s really important to always be on my side. Some websites online claim it’s from the second trimester that this applies so I’m a bit worried about having caused any harm?

The advice is to fall asleep on your side but not to worry if you wake up on your back. You might end up staying on your side as you get bigger as it will be harder to roll onto your back in your sleep. Good luck and try not to worry.

Hey OP. I’m 32+4 and always been a back sleeper however have been told 2nd and 3rd trimester is when back sleeping can be dangerous. I bought a wedge pillow from Amazon for about £20 and it keeps me on my side

It's from the third trimester that you need to stop lying on your back so I wouldn't bother yet. Make the most of it while you can because if you're not a natural side sleeper you'll have sore hips from side sleeping soon enough. I made that mistake in my first pregnancy and was in so much pain by the end. This time I switched at 28 weeks and it soon became uncomfortable to lie on my back anyway because of the weight of the bump so I found myself waking up there less and less. It's also ok to wake up on your back as long as you return to your side.

It’s risky later on when you have a bigger belly, I don’t think you have anything to worry about until 24ish weeks. My consultant told me that there is a proven increase of risk after 28 weeks. I tried to get myself used to side sleeping from 22 weeks onwards, I failed every single night to begin with, but now - 24 weeks - I tend to stay on my side. What I’m trying to say is, don’t worry about it right now, you’re still early on, and chances are that you’ll automatically stay on your side later, partly because you’re getting more used to it if you start to fall asleep on your side, and partly because a bigger belly will make back sleeping/turning uncomfortable anyway.

I wouldn't worry too much. I was having checks on myself/ baby in hospital and quite often asked to be on my back, sometimes for a few hours, that was late pregnancy.

The risk is there after 28 weeks so I wouldn’t worry now. Once you get further along you can get all sorts of pillows which will stop you rolling on back. And guidance says not to worry too much if you wake on your back.

Thank you, I hope you’re right. I just can’t seem to stop myself. But surely if I was uncomfortable I’d naturally turn

I was told by my midwife not to worry. She said that you would naturally wake before any damage was done and to make sure that when you wake you just move to your side again.

You'll be fine

Have you tried a 'pregnancy pillow'? They are u-shaped and its kind of hard to sleep on your back when you're in them.

Thank you, I hope so.

Having been through pregnancy and similar concerns my advice would be persevere with some sort of pillow as if you roll back then you'll still be on a bit of an angle. I got used to going to sleep on my side no problem and would also move about and roll during the night. When your bump gets bigger you'll find lying on your back is more uncomfortable so naturally you won't do it/will wake up etc. Try not to worry about it, easier said than done I know!