Sleeping on back...helppppp!

[rattigan]

I have always slept on my back and its been a really hard habit to break during pregnancy but i have managed by wedging myself in with lots of pillows (haha). For the past few weeks though i keep finding that somehow in my sleep in manage to move the pillows and then ill wake up flat on my back but feeling as though i havent been breathing properly. I cant describe it, sort of like i need to take a few breaths of air to feel like im breathing normally again. Is this a pregnancy thing or am i developing some kind of sleep disorder!? Im 27 weeks. Are there any other ways to stop myself from sleeping on my back! Ive tried wedging myself into my partner too but he moves even more than me so thats no good!

Advice is to sleep on your side (preferably left), when you lay on your back baby puts pressure on the blood vessel that runs back up to your heart which makes you feel dizzy and faint. So it's a pregnancy thing!

Not sure what else to suggest, unless you get something like this - we have these in my pregnancy relaxation class and they are v. comfy.

When are you supposed to stop sleeping on your back? I'm 26+2 and still do. Whoops.

I'm not sure if there is a specific date that it's recommended you stop to be honest. If you're passing out on the bed maybe call it a day

You're not supposed to sleep on your back beyond 15 weeks. If you have any tingliness in your limbs etc you really shouldn't be sleeping on your back. I use an L-shaped pillow but I agree it is really difficult to stay in one position. The problem I have is that it squashes my ears so I keep having to flip over to give my ears a break!

Old trick for stopping you sleeping on your back (to prevent snoring originally)...
Sew a tennis ball into the back of your Pj top!

Yes odd but really works.

Good luck

I think you will be fine, I am sure I have been told it is after 30 weeks that you really need to try to sleep on your side. Even then I don't think it matters THAT much if you sleep on your back for a couple of hours.

Pillows and tennis ball sound like a good plan.

I'm finding it hard too at 33 weeks but how bad can it really be.......?

I am 36 weeks and most of the time I have to sleep on my back - I have SPD and so lying on my side is often painful (I haven't been able to lie on my left side since 14 weeks). You have to be careful as the added weight of your uterus can press on an artery and make you pass out - but the MW suggested if I start feeling faint to pile up more pillows so I am a bit more upright. The breathlessness is due to your uterus pushing up your lungs, or something like that (I have the same problem) - again you can solve it by propping yourself up a bit more. Just don't worry about it (unless you find you are actually passing out!!) and sleep where you are most comfortable - its difficult enough to find anywhere comfortable in pregnancy anyway.

Lying on the left side is supposed to make the baby turn the right way round for birth so if you can manage it this is supposed to be best, but I always figure you can control what position you are in when you are awake but not when you are asleep.

2 MW's I've spoken to about sleeping on my back were both very much 'whatever'. One went on to explain that it was about mum passing out while on her back, but unless you are a really heavy sleeper you'll wake up if you are about to pass out.

I don't know because I can't sleep at all now.

I was also told don't sleep on your back from 30 weeks.

If you do want to, you can put something under your right hip to raise it a little, this relieves the pressure on the blood vessel.