How to NOT sleep on your back

pomegranite09

Okay, I know that after the first trimester we're not supposed to lay or sleep on our backs. I flip sides in my sleep, and a lot of mornings I have been waking up on my back (I think it's because it helps with the back pain). Any ideas on how to nip this habit before 2nd trimester hits?

lcarp203

I am not sure. Truthfully this one has me worried too as I am either a stomach or a back sleeper. I have done a little research and I think a lot of women use body pillow.

thegoodpotato

Your body will wake you up if you're lying on your back. It apparently affects your blood pressure. I told my midwife on my second time around that I was paranoid and how I had woken up lying on my back a bunch of times. She said that's a natural response, and your body wakes you up.

krispy83

My OB during my last pregnancy told me to not stress about it, that if there was a problem, I would wake up.  There is a vein (vena cava) that can potentially be compressed when you lie on your back.  Doesn't necessarily happen in every position on your back, I think it's just at a certain angle.  Anyway, if that vein is compressed and it starts to mess with your blood pressure, you naturally wake up so you can shift positions.

I used a wedge pillow to support my belly and kept a pillow between my knees and tried to sleep on my side most of the time, but my back and hip pain was so bad by the end that I slept on my back some as well.

CatLadyTX

It is a very natural move, once your uterus grows, to sleep on your side. You will likely find that it is much more comfortable, especially if you use a pregnancy pillow. Toward the end, my hips hurt too badly to sleep on my side, so I would prop myself up or sleep in the recliner.

starrynight1658

I agree with PP that once your body can't handle it comfortably, you just stop doing it. I continued to sleep on my stomach and back until about 20 weeks last time, and am continuing to do so this time. There's plenty of time to be uncomfortable while sleeping, so why start now?

amt0312

You don't have to stop sleeping on your back that early on....I slept on my stomach until it was no longer comfortable to do so (around 20-22 weeks). You will adjust and get used to it at that point because you have no other choice. And I still found myself on my back many times up until I gave birth. No biggie. Don't make yourself needlessly uncomfortable now!

JessicaxLynn87

With my first pregnancy, I would often wake up on my back and immediately panic wondering how long I had slept on it. I am a natural tosser and sleep in any kind of position. I don't know how to not sleep on your back.