Laying on the left hand side

[kipper31]

Just wondering how important this is? I am now 34 weeks and finding that if I lay on that side for any length of time my hips hurt and I can't sleep, I am much more comfortable on my right. I also keep waking up on my bakc, I have a dream genie pillow but that doesn't seem to stop me rolling over!!

On your back isn't good but afaik either side isok. You may be waking as you roll on your back and waking as it's not comfy

On your back isn't good but afaik either side isok. You may be waking as you roll on your back and waking as it's not comfy

Hey kipper31, i'm the same 35 weeks with SPD so i can only really lie on my right side with a pillow tucked under my bump and very very often wake up on my back! Wedging a pillow behind me on my left side sometimes helps, you tried that?xx

It's fine - left is best, but right is okay from what I've been told. I try to sleep on my left but can't stay like that all night so spend some time on my right too.

If you're not getting uncomfortable on your back, it's supposed to be less of an issue anyway. I don't now wake up on my back because I really feel it - I get sick and dizzy after a couple of minutes.

I can't lay on either side without severe hip and leg pain, but if I lay on my back I get dizzy. I have resigned myself to no proper sleep for the next 9 weeks.. (I'm 31 weeks now).

My back and leg pain is so severe but my MW says its just one of those things and there is nothing anyone can do. Its really getting me down

You're supposed to lie on your left hand side because your vena cava runs down your right, and lying on your right puts extra pressure on your veins, which can be a problem if you're prone to varicose veins, piles, leg swelling, etc.

But TBH I try to go to sleep on my left and almost always end up on my right, and sometimes on my back. 37 weeks now; can't imagine it much matters any more.

read the posts on SPD, for some excellent pillow advice. Shove them everywhere and take over other halves side of the bed as well!!!
I agree to wedge pillow under your back so even if you roll onto your back, you're wonky.
Go for comfort, being tired is much worse than 'don't sleep on your right' tales.

Midwife told me that so long as I was comfortable that it didn't make too much difference which side I slept on. I was fretting as left hand side was really uncomfortable due to hip pain. She said that you would naturally wake up if you get uncomfortable (presumably if you are cutting off your own blood supply counts too.) Using the dream genie and frequently wake up on my back like a beached whale :-/

Vix206 - your midwife isn't being particularly fair - some physio and stretching will help a lot. It took about 3-4 sessions to work out the worst of my agonies and the exercises and stretching are keeping it under control. If cash is an issue, bring your partner with you and let them get tips - it's basically the mother of all sports massages in the affected areas.

I sleep on my left side, then my right, then my left, then my right, then my left etc etc for the whole night (just can't get comfy) and up at the loo around 4 times a night peeing. 36 weeks pg now and just having to put up with it until baby arrives. Then the sleep deprivation gets worse...

IMO just sleep on whatever side you can get comfy on. I'm using various pillows but makes no odds really - hips very sore no matter which way I lie.