Sleep on your back if thats how you ate most comfortable! There is no reason you cant. Yes later on in pregnancy there is a slight risk when baby gets bigger, but you will wake up before that becomes an issue!
I hate it when people say you can't sleep on your back because its just fearmongering!
THANK YOU!!!! I keep waking up on my back and every time I am worried I suffocated the baby since it apparently blocks oxygen? I never knew I was a back sleeper until PG.
I found that when it started to become less than safe to sleep on my back (really, it's just 3rd trimester) it also became uncomfortable. I just propped up a bit on pillows and solved the whole issue.
Married: 1/2008 ~ DD#1: 3/2012 TTC #2: Started 4/2014 BFP 7/30/15 MC 8/3/15 BFP 9/4/2015 EDD 5/16/2016
Disclaimer: I work in a medical field but am not an expert. This comes from my own knowledge and reading during my first pregnancy because I am a back sleeper. For those who are worried or curious, the "concern" around sleeping on your back is that it can compress the main vein returning blood to your heart from your lower limbs. This wont deprive baby of oxygen, but "can" cause blood to back up.
BUT its like when you fall asleep on your arm. Your body senses within seconds that there is a concern, you wake up and/or change positions. Its your bodies defence mechanism,and happens long before any problems occur. Also at this stage baby is not big enough to compress the vein, its a concern in the 3rd tri when baby is much bigger.
It is an issue if you have taken drugs/alcohol and have passed out and your body cant wake up, so dont drink till passing out!
If you sleep best on your back, sleep on your back. I did through my entire pregnancy, i just found i shifted position more often for comfort. I also second the pillow behind your right side to sleep slightly tilted to the left - the vein runs up slightly to the right of your midline.
Angel baby June 2013, DD born 22 April 2014, BFP 10 Sept 2015 - Due 22 May 2016
I never slept on my back until I got all those massive back pains during pregnancy weeks ago. Now it's the only comfortable position for me (sort of, I still wake up from the pain, occasionally).
So perfect timing, right?
Also: I am incredibly emotional and I get aggressive and angry as fast as a lightning bolt..... I feel like I'm in super - defense mode! And I can't even control it!
Oh god yes I SO hear you on suddenly getting angry and aggressive.
Yesterday I was feeling unbelievably crappy -- heartburn, gas, nausea, godawful fatigue, worse than I ever felt during the first trimester -- and I went to the store to pick up some fruit because that was all I could stand to eat. Stupid me, I went right at 6 pm, and OF COURSE the place was jampacked with slow, inefficient, dawdling shoppers who brought their whole entire families to help with pre-Thanksgiving shopping.
I elbowed some poor woman out of the way to get to the citrus stand. To be fair, I don't even feel that bad about it, because she was about to straight-up bash into me with her cart, but still. I have never in my life ever even dreamed of literally elbowing someone out of the way. But I did it yesterday.
Then I was like "hmm, I really do not need to be out in public right now, do I" and got my fruit and spent the rest of the day safely locked up on the couch making sad cow noises.
I'm loving second trimester. No more three hour naps after work, my skin is looking really great, and I don't have random aversions to food-which means black tea is back in style! My whole first trimester I was really sick so I was on a unisom/b6 combo. I went off it around week 14 and felt great for about four days and then totally threw up, so I went back on it. I started having trouble sleeping so I went and got a pregnancy pillow and I'm sleeping better. Plus I've got a little bump! Mine is one of those from boobs to hips bump but it's there and I'm loving it! I'm soaking this all in since first tri wasn't so great and I know third will be tough.
Oh god yes I SO hear you on suddenly getting angry and aggressive.
Yesterday I was feeling unbelievably crappy -- heartburn, gas, nausea, godawful fatigue, worse than I ever felt during the first trimester -- and I went to the store to pick up some fruit because that was all I could stand to eat. Stupid me, I went right at 6 pm, and OF COURSE the place was jampacked with slow, inefficient, dawdling shoppers who brought their whole entire families to help with pre-Thanksgiving shopping.
I elbowed some poor woman out of the way to get to the citrus stand. To be fair, I don't even feel that bad about it, because she was about to straight-up bash into me with her cart, but still. I have never in my life ever even dreamed of literally elbowing someone out of the way. But I did it yesterday.
Then I was like "hmm, I really do not need to be out in public right now, do I" and got my fruit and spent the rest of the day safely locked up on the couch making sad cow noises.
hahahhaaaa.... I feel you! I am sometimes scared of myself... Our real estate lady doesn't speak to me again, (we've had issues with our rental property and I have handled it in an angry-pregnant way...) She only deals with DH right now....
I have also had massive troubles with my health insurance (I have a German insurance, but live in Australia) and it got to the point where I could not deal with them anymore, that's how angry they made me (they've been messing with me for months now, regarding the pregnancy and payment of bills). It's like i am aggressive for two paired with a weird overprotective instinct that's kicked in.
If i feel like this now, what'll happen if someone will ever be mean to my child? I'll end them :-)!!! hahahaha
Absolutely feeling you with the lower back pain and irritability. Everything irritates me right now! I got into such a bad argument with my mother (who was visiting for the holiday) that she stormed out and drove off -- and we just don't fight like that. Everything she said or did made me unreasonably angry. The only person I can stand right now is my husband, and I'm not sure how long that will last!
2nd trimester lies! Maybe that comes from people who are really sick in the 1st and in comparison the 2nd is paradise. But so far I know no such thing. Still tired, headaches bad, random mid section pains preventing me from standing when I want, and constant back pain. Sleep is worse because of the pains, still tired. Only eating has improved. I don't know how emotional I'm actually being as everyone reacts to everything I say as if I'm being emotional pregnant lady. Uh no, you're just getting on my dang nerves. Lol. I will say my fuse is much shorter and the explosion lasts longer. Which is hilarious that my husband wanted me to go out on black friday/thursday. Ha! I'd be in jail for murder. All this is harder to deal with as movement is not there so no confirmation on baby being well until Monday check up and the upcoming u/s in two weeks. This baby better be a world changer. Fyi: writing post is also irritating as it takes forever to make sure I'm making sense. I am smart I promise.
I am so happy that I saw this post... I have had the worry about the baby being died, so I am always looking at my pee to make sure I don't see blood. But I agree with most of the moms there not much difference for me from the 1st to 2nd trimester.
I am still constantly tired, but I am excited when I am not making myself stay up till 9 and I just stay up. Headaches actually started to get worse once I hit 14wks. But I still am not hungry when I do have a craving my DH will get it for me and I haven't gained but a few pounds.
I just hit 16wks this week and I think I have felt the baby, because it didn't feel like gas. I also have been constantly thirst and I pee so much but I still feel like I don't get enough water in and I typically get over 100 oz of water. And Leg cramps and back pains are no joke that is for sure! I would love to sleep through a whole night without having to get up to go pee or keep moving around to get comfortable, I know here in 24wks it will be all worth it. And heartburn!!!! Why?!?!? I am thankful that it doesn't come everyday but geez when it does come
Disclaimer: I work in a medical field but am not an expert. This comes from my own knowledge and reading during my first pregnancy because I am a back sleeper. For those who are worried or curious, the "concern" around sleeping on your back is that it can compress the main vein returning blood to your heart from your lower limbs. This wont deprive baby of oxygen, but "can" cause blood to back up.
BUT its like when you fall asleep on your arm. Your body senses within seconds that there is a concern, you wake up and/or change positions. Its your bodies defence mechanism,and happens long before any problems occur. Also at this stage baby is not big enough to compress the vein, its a concern in the 3rd tri when baby is much bigger.
It is an issue if you have taken drugs/alcohol and have passed out and your body cant wake up, so dont drink till passing out!
If you sleep best on your back, sleep on your back. I did through my entire pregnancy, i just found i shifted position more often for comfort. I also second the pillow behind your right side to sleep slightly tilted to the left - the vein runs up slightly to the right of your midline.
Thanks for this!!! I've tried just letting my body sleep naturally but my mind keeps waking up out of fear so I rarely get a good nights sleep. I suppose risk of sleeping on back is better than sleep deprivation lol
I'll try to ease my mind a little more and let my body sleep how it wants to.
I'm feeling like a huge whiner. I'm gassy, nauseous, food disgusts me still (except for chocolate cake and waffles which is so unhealthy). The smells at both my jobs are awful. I'm exhausted yet have interrupted sleep every night. I have my very first eye infection ever in life and its freaking unbearable today. The crap in my eyes is gross and they weep and seal at night when I do sleep. :-(
Oh second trimester, I still have hope for you...maybe soon!
Now that the 1st tri symptoms have lessened a bit (not completely gone, much to my dismay) but there's no bump or movement going on yet, I hardly feel pregnant at all. And the magical energy and glow are nowhere in sight either.
For the moment DH and I are trying to get through this phase of anxiously awaiting my next OB appointment by focusing on the fun part of preparing for the LO's arrival: telling our friends and family, discussing names, imagining what future holidays will be like with a child, trying to guess what he or she will look like... It feels less hypothetical to do so now than it did a couple of months ago, but the lack of feeling pregnant still makes it hard to believe sometimes that this time next year we'll have a little baby around.
I'll add and say thank you, I feel less like a freak! I was nauseous from weeks 7-14 and it was spontaneous. I woke up and bam, food aversions and a constant baseline nausea that got worse when it was time to eat again. Did I mention I was rarely hungry? The nausea went away last week to be replaced by extreme fatigue. What energy, what glow? Turn that glow down so I can sleep! Lol
I'm 15w4d & Second Trimester has been a breeze! (sorry to all that are still suffering).. Besides sore nips, all other symptoms have diminished.
However, bc nothing is ever that "easy", one new symptom that I have is light-brown tinted discharge. No cramps, no pain & thank Gd No red!!
My Doctor said it is "old" residual blood and not a concern. To make sure, as well as ease my mind, he did two Ultrasounds this week, where I got to see the baby. It totally helped as I too had that "Not Feeling Pregnant" feeling!
Still, I can't wait to feel those little reassuring kicks!
I am having a much harder go at it in the second tri. I have been experiencing awful headaches. My dr. prescribed me Florecet (sp.?) yesterday, so we'll see if that helps. You always hear about morning sickness, or swollen ankles or back pain for pg symptoms. I never realized headaches would be a symptom, much less something that would really knock me out. I've left work early, missed out on Thanksgiving day and other things because of these headaches
**TMI alert** On the bright side, I have noticed that like PP, I'm not worried about spotting anymore. I used to be scared to look at the TP after wiping. That's eased up a bit.
I waddled a few days ago after a really big dinner at a restaurant and didn't even realize it. My husband was like knock it off! and I was like what? He said you're not big enough to be waddling like that yet. oops. I've noticed I'm more tippy now with my balance too. and my skin is super itchy, but in the winter my skin does dry out so I bought a couple of kinds of lotion..
Same here, I had thought I would be so much relaxed by end of first trimester. But no! Little anxiousness for the baby being alright is still there. Though my nausea has reduced after second trimester started but I am still not feeling that hungry, not even my regular appetite is back yet! I had put on only 3-3.5 pounds in first trimester and the weight is still stuck there. Hoping everything is fine and I start feeling big soon
I've been feeling anxious again about whether or not the baby is alive in there. My next US is Dec 9 for the anatomy scan. But I have a check up Nov 25 which I'm hoping they will use a Doppler and at least listen to the HB or something!
Second tri hasn't been any different from first tri for me. No MS but some waves of intense nausea and headaches. Also, holy itchy nipples! Ugh! It's so bad!
I also loveeee going to bed at 9-10pm BUT it's so hard to sleep on my side constantly and I'm always waking up to make sure I'm not on my back which is friggin annoying!
Sleep on your back if thats how you ate most comfortable! There is no reason you cant. Yes later on in pregnancy there is a slight risk when baby gets bigger, but you will wake up before that becomes an issue!
I hate it when people say you can't sleep on your back because its just fearmongering!
THANK YOU!!!! I keep waking up on my back and every time I am worried I suffocated the baby since it apparently blocks oxygen? I never knew I was a back sleeper until PG.
In my experience (with DD and so far with this LO...I've always been a stomach sleeper or partial back sleeper), you will actually feel the sense of not breathing well when sleeping on your back when you're not supposed to. I guess the best way to explain the feeling is it feels like someone is literally sucking the breath out of your mouth or nose. There's no way you can sleep through that. Also, I don't know if it would help but I've gotten to where I will put a pillow long ways behind me so I can relax into it and it almost gives me the sensation of partially sleeping on my back. Does this make sense? I feel like I know what I'm trying to say but coming off as a loon.
ETA: If I'm not mistaken, I believe if you sleep somewhat elevated it is safe. Just throw some pillows under your head.
Been married since 2009. Unicornuate Uterus (yes I menstruate glitter) Several MCs DD born 2013 (our miracle "you can't have babies" baby!)
I want to know where this mythical energy burst is that all the books talk about.
Me too! I'm almost 18 weeks and, while I'm not sleeping as many hours, my endurance is practically nonexistant. Three hours out and about is enough to do me in for awhile, whereas I used to be able to easily pull 8-10 hour days out and then do an intensive workout in the evening.
Re: 2nd tri expectations vs reality
I found that when it started to become less than safe to sleep on my back (really, it's just 3rd trimester) it also became uncomfortable. I just propped up a bit on pillows and solved the whole issue.
Married: 1/2008 ~ DD#1: 3/2012
TTC #2: Started 4/2014 BFP 7/30/15 MC 8/3/15 BFP 9/4/2015 EDD 5/16/2016
BUT its like when you fall asleep on your arm. Your body senses within seconds that there is a concern, you wake up and/or change positions. Its your bodies defence mechanism,and happens long before any problems occur. Also at this stage baby is not big enough to compress the vein, its a concern in the 3rd tri when baby is much bigger.
It is an issue if you have taken drugs/alcohol and have passed out and your body cant wake up, so dont drink till passing out!
If you sleep best on your back, sleep on your back. I did through my entire pregnancy, i just found i shifted position more often for comfort. I also second the pillow behind your right side to sleep slightly tilted to the left - the vein runs up slightly to the right of your midline.
Yesterday I was feeling unbelievably crappy -- heartburn, gas, nausea, godawful fatigue, worse than I ever felt during the first trimester -- and I went to the store to pick up some fruit because that was all I could stand to eat. Stupid me, I went right at 6 pm, and OF COURSE the place was jampacked with slow, inefficient, dawdling shoppers who brought their whole entire families to help with pre-Thanksgiving shopping.
I elbowed some poor woman out of the way to get to the citrus stand. To be fair, I don't even feel that bad about it, because she was about to straight-up bash into me with her cart, but still. I have never in my life ever even dreamed of literally elbowing someone out of the way. But I did it yesterday.
Then I was like "hmm, I really do not need to be out in public right now, do I" and got my fruit and spent the rest of the day safely locked up on the couch making sad cow noises.
My whole first trimester I was really sick so I was on a unisom/b6 combo. I went off it around week 14 and felt great for about four days and then totally threw up, so I went back on it.
I started having trouble sleeping so I went and got a pregnancy pillow and I'm sleeping better. Plus I've got a little bump! Mine is one of those from boobs to hips bump but it's there and I'm loving it!
I'm soaking this all in since first tri wasn't so great and I know third will be tough.
Fyi: writing post is also irritating as it takes forever to make sure I'm making sense. I am smart I promise.
I am still constantly tired, but I am excited when I am not making myself stay up till 9 and I just stay up. Headaches actually started to get worse once I hit 14wks. But I still am not hungry when I do have a craving my DH will get it for me and I haven't gained but a few pounds.
I just hit 16wks this week and I think I have felt the baby, because it didn't feel like gas. I also have been constantly thirst and I pee so much but I still feel like I don't get enough water in and I typically get over 100 oz of water. And Leg cramps and back pains are no joke that is for sure! I would love to sleep through a whole night without having to get up to go pee or keep moving around to get comfortable, I know here in 24wks it will be all worth it. And heartburn!!!! Why?!?!? I am thankful that it doesn't come everyday but geez when it does come
Thanks for this!!! I've tried just letting my body sleep naturally but my mind keeps waking up out of fear so I rarely get a good nights sleep. I suppose risk of sleeping on back is better than sleep deprivation lol
I'll try to ease my mind a little more and let my body sleep how it wants to.
Home, healthy & happy
~ A., A. & L.J. - our family is complete ~
However, bc nothing is ever that "easy", one new symptom that I have is light-brown tinted discharge. No cramps, no pain & thank Gd No red!!
My Doctor said it is "old" residual blood and not a concern. To make sure, as well as ease my mind, he did two Ultrasounds this week, where I got to see the baby. It totally helped as I too had that "Not Feeling Pregnant" feeling!
Still, I can't wait to feel those little reassuring kicks!
DS: Born 5-17-16
ETA: If I'm not mistaken, I believe if you sleep somewhat elevated it is safe. Just throw some pillows under your head.
Been married since 2009.
Unicornuate Uterus (yes I menstruate glitter)
Several MCs
DD born 2013 (our miracle "you can't have babies" baby!)
First Pregnancy
Second Pregnancy
- BFP: 09/11/2015
- EDD: 05/25/2016
Baby Born04/15/2016
PGAL