When should you stop sleeping on your back?!

[SarahBenC]

I'm 17 weeks pregnant on friday and keep reading that I should be practising sleeping on my side as sleeping on your back can be bad for both myself and the baby. Then some book say it's ok just try to avoid it and some don't mention it. I keep waking in the night panic stricken because i'm on my back! I'm confused!! Good or bad? and at what stage?!

Hiya!

Same dilemma here! I'm sure my book says that it's not advisable from 20 weeks (I'm nearly 23), however I ALWAYS end up on my back regardless of what position I actually fall asleep in. Asked MW about it and she said that if any sleeping position is bad for the baby, he/she will basically kick the living crap out of my internal organs until I roll over! Most helpful tip i've seen so far is that a pillow (or whatever) placed under the right side of your back will help alleviate the pressure on the vital arteries etc - apparently it's being flat on your back that's the issue... sweet dreams!!

Thank you, thats great. Supportive pillows here I come!

I regularly ended up on my back and also read that lying on your right side wasn't great either. MW said the same thing to me, that if it wasn't good for me or the baby I would be so uncomfortable that I would have to move anyway. Sleep in whatever position you find comfortable. It's better to get some sleep than to worry what the books say! As you get further on you'll probably find it difficult to breathe on your back and that's the time to stop doing it!

When you get big enough for it to really matter (heavy weight pressing on big vessels and reducing blood supply to placenta / making you feel funny) you will probably only be comfortable on your side anyway. What a bloody joke, actually you won't be comfortable in any position and won't be able to sleep at all so it won't be a problem [bitter twisted and knackered emoticon]

Hiya i am 28 weeks pregnant and i find it so uncomfortable sleeping on my back and if i do roll over onto my back during the night my baby soon lets me know. I shouldnt worry to much the main thing is that you get some sleep at night while you can!!!

Sleep on your back for as long s it is comfortable. If you feel sick or dizzy, then that's the end of sleeping on your back until the babe arrives......!

My NHS book says from 'late pregnancy' (although an NCT one I read said from 12 weeks!) I asked my midwife, who said after 30+ weeks ish, but not to worry if you wake up & find yourself on your back - as other people have said, if it's uncomfortable & likely to cause you problems, you will likely wake up.

If only it were as easy to carry on sleeping on your stomach when you're pregnant...

I found a way of sleeping on my belly of sorts...i prop up a pile of big pillows into a heap with a hole in the middle and nestle the bump in it! Sort of works, for a while...

just not tonight .

Do not panic. I am not sure you can stop actively yourself from sleeping on your back when you are actually asleep, just don't make a point of it as you go to sleep and turn if you wake and find yourself ther, but do not stress if it happens when you sleep. You will wake up soon enough, as baby gets quite heavy! As I am finding at 4am...along with hiccups and moving about continuously...