Lying on your back during pregnancy

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YumYum Posts: 482
I have such a habit of sleeping on my back and wake up this way. I heard that it stops the oxegen to the baby when lying on your back in the last months of pregnancy, is this true. I have poor hubby on alert if I roll over on my back. YY
MissieGold Posts: 1124
I googled and came up with this. Hope it helps. [quote:2ze2hu1o]Although there's no real harm in sleeping on your right side, lying on your left side is actually good for you and your baby: It improves the flow of blood and nutrients to the placenta and it helps your kidneys efficiently eliminate waste products and fluids from your body. That, in turn, reduces swelling in your ankles, feet, and hands. If you train yourself to sleep on your left side early on, you'll have an easier time falling asleep when your belly is bulging later. During the second half of pregnancy, avoid sleeping on your back, a position that puts the full weight of your uterus on your spine, back muscles, intestines, and the inferior vena cava (the vein that transports blood from your lower body to the heart). Back-sleeping can also put you at risk for backaches and hemorrhoids, inefficient digestion, and impaired breathing and circulation. Lying on your back in the second and third trimester can also cause changes in blood pressure. For some women, it can cause a drop in blood pressure that can make them feel dizzy; for others, it can cause an unwanted increase in blood pressure. [/quote:2ze2hu1o] I keep pilows at either side of me to keep me in position,. I alternate between left and right side as its too sore to stay on the one side all night. I used to be a belly sleeper but cant do that now :o0
Bubba Bump Posts: 348
I'm a belly or back sleeper, never usually sleep on my sides. I got one of those V Shaped Support Pillows in Argos for €8.99 - I sleep with it in a kind of L shape - put it between my legs and the other bit I snuggle up to. It seems to stop me from rolling over onto my belly or my back.
fire fly Posts: 1241
I got a bump support pillow in mother care to try and keep me on my side as I am a back sleeper too! It worked aswell!
ginger nut Posts: 5989
to any of you sleeping on your back still - by the time you reach the last stages of pregnancy you won't be able to sleep on your back as it gets so uncomfortable - difficulty breathing etc. having said that sleeping on your side gets difficult too.....
mammybean Posts: 10364
anytime a nirse saw me on my back in hospital they would give out to me, and then tell me to lie on my left side. i wasnt sleeping on my back but the odd time when i was tying to get comfortsble it was the only position that would work
Blackbird Posts: 5135
I queried this a while ago. It's just come up in the book during the fifth month. The advice seems to be avoid it if possible but I often wake up on my back as well so it's hard to avoid it when you're asleap. I think it's more important to sleep on your side when you're bigger. It's just started getting uncomfortable for me to sleep on my tummy now so I'm trying to adjust to my side but it's just not as comfy and snuggly!
oirish Posts: 1541
In the last week i've been crippled with back ache - have started sleeping with three pillows leaned against each other and I bought a wedge pillow (its not very high or anything, but nice and firm, I put it just under my right side and start off either on my back reclined and almost sitting but comfy with all my pilows or on my left side and the wedge prevents me rolling complely on my back. The back ache is easing up since I started this.