Sleeping rumour.....................

[Jemma7]

Hi all,

Have heard a rumour that you shouldn't sleep on your back whilst pregnant.
Anyone else heard this? Aparently has somethin to do with the umbilical cord.

On a similar note, I heard a rumour that you shouldn't sleep on your side... Maybe we should just play it safe and sleep sitting up!

I think there's a major vein running down your back and the weight of the baby can compress it. At least this is the rumour I heard I also think your left side is, for some reason, better to sleep on than your right. Another rumour.

Hi Jemma7, I expect someone else will confirm, but I think its because the weight of the uterus and baby in later pregnancy can press on one of the large blood vessels in the abdomen. They recommend that you lie on or tilted to your left, as the blood vessel is on the right hand side of the back of your abdomen, IYSWIM. Whether lying on your back really has any practical problems is another question; I couldn't lie on my back at all because of heartburn so slept sitting up for months!

Just found this on another site:
'Supine hypotension' is a condition in which a heavily pregnant woman may feel faint when lying flat on her back. In this position, the inferior vena cava (a large vein running along the back that returns blood to the heart from the lower body) may be squashed between the uterus and the bones of the spine. If the flow of blood through this vein is reduced, the woman may feel faint. At the same time, the baby may also feel the effects of a reduced blood flow and his or her heart rate may change.

There can be some problems with dizziness when lying on your back because of the pressure from the bay etc. but my doctor, and all the midwives I've asked, say that (unless you are high risk for some reason) you should sleep in whatever position is comfortable for you!!

I was told at my pregnancy yoga classes that you shouldn't sleep on your back after 30 wks because of the weight of the baby on your spine (reducing oxygen supply etc.). Also I was advised to sleep on my left side to get the baby in the correct postion for birth. I did worry a lot about this at the time especially if I woke up to find myself on my back. I'm 29 wks with my second and have been making the most of being able to sleep on my back, next week will be the start of some very uncomfortable nights!

There is a theoretical problem, but in general I think sleep any way you feel comfortable unless lying on your back makes you feel faint. If it does then don't do it!

I think it is only a problem for the babe during labour, when they have so many other stresses acting upon them as well and reduced blood supply from a compressed vena cava may be one insult too many....