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Sleeping position during pregnancy

I have always been a back sleeper. It seems that the recommendation is that you sleep on your left side from around 20 weeks and I'm wondering how the ballyheck to make the transition! I've only just stopped getting up 2-3 times in the night to the toilet and am sleeping so well at the moment Crying  I don't have a bump yet so am generally comfortable at night so was looking for any experience/hints about others who had to make the transition from one sleeping position to another. The specific pregnancy pillows seem quite expensive but I will invest if worth the money. 

Any thoughts? 

TIA. 

Replies

  • I'm a tummy sleeper normally but I bought a 5' bolster cushion a few weeks ago and I wrap myself around it. I'm finding I stay there until I wake (or L appears beside me!)

    It was £5.99 with free cover and delivery from an eBay shop. Worth looking for.

  • Thanks LR and good to know you are sleeping well!!

  • It's guidance though and I think that good solid sleep is more important than anything, and stressing about this stuff (not saying you are, by the way!) is least constructive. I think that when bump is much bigger you might find your back is less comfortable in any case, I did with my first. I tend to drift off on my side then wake on my back, both before and during pregnancy. Personally I wouldn't worry about it but be as comfortable as you can x

  • Funnily enough I was wondering this last night at 4am when I was lying wide awake! I have the dream genii pillow and it's great for stopping me roll over on to my back (although I can't lie, I realllly miss sleeping on my back!) but I prefer sleeping on my right side, and as you said the advice is that left side is best.  Not sure how much of a difference it makes?

    But anyway in answer to your Q, the dream genii works for me, although is expensive (but can be used as a feeding pillow after if that helps justify the cost at all!)

  • I've always gone to sleep on my tummy and woken on my back, never slept on my side. I have a pregnancy pillow and cushions behind me but Im still rolling onto my back and waking up in that position.

  • Counter I'm defo not stressed but kinda think its important to make an effort to do what is assumed safest with limited research and not ignore it because I like my kip (which I do very much!!). I won't beat myself over it and if I wake up on my back then so be it!  Rose I think the left/right thing is to do with where the main veins lie and there are none that get squished on the left hence it considered safest. I did look at the genii pillows but they seem particularly expensive. I might see how propping with pillows go!

  • I usually sleep on my front so found if hard staying on my side. I also have SPD and tried using a couple of normal pillow under my hips and between my legs but it wasn't helping as I woke up in pain every day.

    I bought this v shaped pillow from asda, only £7 and still nice and plump

    m.direct.asda.com/.../Product-Show

    I've slept a lot better since having it and is a food size for using to bf after.

    I tend to sleep on my right side rather than left as its on the left where I get the spd pain so laying on my left only makes it worse. Just sleep however you can get comfy- you move about once you're asleep anyway so will always end up in a different position

  • Advice is apparently not to lie on your back as the uterus pushes on arteries and stops the blood flowing as freely as it should? But I go to sleep on my left side and never wake there. The physio at the hospital advice session said it's preferable but obviously you resting is the most important thing.

    She suggested getting an old pillow, bashing it in the middle tp sort of flatten it a bit then put under your waist so your body is completely supported, there's some pillow under your bump for support and some at your back to hopefully keep you from rolling back.

    You should also lie with your legs stacked to keep your pelvis in alignment rather than in recovery position which twists your body. Again, I do try to but I never wake like that!

  • I'm a tummy sleeper and stayed sleeping that way til it got too uncomfortable. Felt like my bump was going to pop! I started sleeping on my left side from about 25 weeks. I find it hurts my shoulders sleeping this way but there was no way I could carry on on my tummy.

  • I used to fall asleep on my side but wake up in all kinds of positions!

    I started trying to train myself early on if i woke up in the night to roll myself onto my left side.

    Its only recently that I have found i need a pillow to support the weight of my bump whilst im on my side. i just got a pillow from the spare room and wedge it under my bump and cuddle up to it!

  • Thanks all - good to hear experiences of others! Training starts tonight!

  • Sleep how you want to sleep I say. I can't sleep on my left side ever as it hurts my back and hips so it wasn't even an option in pregnancy. My midwife had never even heard of the whole left hand sleeping thing.

  • I found as I got bigger I naturally couldn't sleep on my back as I couldn't breathe! I have a dream genii which I never got

    On with which I'd be prepared to sell on if anyone's interested.

  • I can't sleep on my back anymore, it sends me funny if I lie flat on my back although I'm ok propped up. I used to sleep in the recovery position but I'm avoiding that now as it hurts my hips

  • I was a tummy sleeper but as I got bigger in the pregnancy this obviously wasnt an option, and strangely neither was back sleeping. I literally used to flip from side to side with a pillow between my legs supporting my bump....mustve looked very interesting lol x

  • Knees I'd be interested in the dream genii. Ive been borrowing my friends but she wants it back.

    How much would you want for it?

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