Sleeping positions

[Danielle9608]

I know you are suppose to sleep on your left side because it is better for blood flow, and every night I try to fall asleep on my left side but every night I wake up on my back. I am a back sleeper and not a side sleep so I must roll over in my sleep. Should I be concerned about this? I know it becomes unsafe to sleep on your back later in pregnancy, but I am afraid I wont be able to help it once I am asleep. I am thinking about trying a pregnancy pillow that will keep me propped up. Has anyone tried this and had luck?

[FutureKelley]

I have always slept on either my back or stomach and have constantly woke up on my back throughout this pregnancy, even when using a pregnancy pillow. My doc. said don't worry about it, it's not that much of a concern and assured me if something was wrong, my body would let me know. I always fall asleep on my side though and switch sides throughout the night when I get up to use the bathroom. In the beginning, I had bruises on my hips from sleeping on them so much. :(

[FFC]

I have a hard time staying on my left side as it makes me crampy. I roll over a lot during the night though and more often than not I catch myself mostly on my back but kinda twisted. I used to have the left side of the bed which forced me to sleep on my right up until last week. Now I have the left side and I haven't been sleeping as well because I'm not used to it.

[ikkin510]

My body always "woke me up" when I ended up rolling on to my back in my sleep. I would wake up feeling a tightness in my tummy. As soon as I rolled on my side I would be fine again. I normally slept on my right side though since I can not sleep on my left side for long periods of time without having pain in my arm the next morning.
I also used a body pillow and tucked it behind me. That kept me from rolling on to my back.

[KMS]

That's what I was going to say, Nikki! I totally wake myself up when I end up on my back somehow. You get to a point where it is just not comfortable to be laying flat on your back and you'll change positions naturally. I have a pregnancy pillow that I hug and it also wraps in between my legs and then I put a regular pillow behind my back.

[Heywie]

I had the same problem in the beginning, too. You can always put a pillow under one hip to keep it propped up a little bit and you won't pass out! I have been staying on my sides more lately, but have to switch all throughout the night because my hips kill me when I lie on them too long.

You can also use pillows to prop yourself on your side and not allow you to roll over. Like the others have said though, you'll wake up uncomfortable if you are on your back and shouldn't be. Your body knows!

[uptowngirl]

I am just going to second (or third, or fourth, or whatever!) what everyone else has said. Your body will tell you if you are laying in a way that isn't good - if I roll onto my back I usually wake up right away because I get dizzy and a little nauseous.

I am a back sleeper, and I never thought I'd be able to get comfortable sleeping on my side, but I have found that a combination of my body pillow and a few regular pillows keeps me propped up and pretty comfortable. I ended up stealing the foam egg-crate thingy that we had on our guest bed and folding it in half and putting it under the sheet on my side of the bed to give my hips and shoulder a little more padding, since I was waking up sore from laying on my side. Now our bed looks all lumpy and we have (I kid you not) EIGHT pillows on it, but at least I am comfortable!

Also, sometimes when I just HAVE to lay on my back, I fold the body pillow in half and lay on it like a wedge so I am on my back, but kind of sitting up a little bit, and I've actually slept pretty well that way a few times.

[savepaws]

I also think your body will tell you what to do. I am a tummy sleeper but I can't even remember the last time I slept on my tummy. Ever since getting pregnant I just automatically stopped doing it. I'm so used sleeping on my sides now, its just what my body does at night. Its harder to sleep on my stomach when DH in bed with me since our bed is so small, and now that I have the whole bed to myself, I wish I could enjoy a night sleeping on my stomach!

[FFC]

I also think your body will tell you what to do. I am a tummy sleeper but I can't even remember the last time I slept on my tummy. Ever since getting pregnant I just automatically stopped doing it. I'm so used sleeping on my sides now, its just what my body does at night. Its harder to sleep on my stomach when DH in bed with me since our bed is so small, and now that I have the whole bed to myself, I wish I could enjoy a night sleeping on my stomach!

I used to love sleeping on my tummy!!! Now if I try that it feels like I got a rock going through my belly and my boobs can't handle it LOL.

[aznative371]

I never sleep on my back but when I was in my third trimester I would wake up every night on my back no matter what I tried to do to stop it. I finally just gave up. I can tell you my son in totally healthy.

[lize566]

I agree with what the others have said...try propping your self up with a pillow behind you. Personally, the pillow in front doesn't work as well for me. I have tried and tried to sleep on my left side (especially with my BP) but can't seem to do it. I usually sleep on my right side or on my stomach. I haven't had any trouble sleeping on my stomach, yet. Hopefully it's okay for the baby since it seems to be the only way I can sleep good!

[FFC]

I don't remember exactly what happened, but last night I woke up twice with a HORRIBLE pain in my chest like in the middle between my boobs. I ended up sleeping like cr*p because it happened to me twice and I was afraid it was going to happen again. I *think* it happened when I was on my side, so I'd roll onto my back and get a tummy ache, then have to go back to my side again. :irked: