Stomach Sleepers

lmudra

How is everyone sleeping?  I'm a stomach sleeper and I'm starting to not feel comfortable On my tummy.  I'm finding that mostly night is just me struggling to find a comfortable position.  Any tips?  I'm about ready to go buy one of those ugly Lay-Z-Boy recliners!!!

BellaO21

I had to stop sleeping on my stomach a few weeks ago (I'm 17+2 now)... I was able to fall asleep on my back or side lying (with pillows between my legs to level out my hips)... but now apparently I'm at the point where I'm not supposed to sleep on my back. The snoogle pillow has been a life saver for me... although last night I couldn't get comfortable no matter what 

n0soup4u

I am a stomach sleeper. I have found that kind of side laying my belly portion while still facing my chest down works the best. I prop my leg and belly on top of a body pillow. It;s a combo of belly and side sleeping.

lmudra

I need to get a body pillow apparently, what does everyone like?

danij0

I'm a stomach sleeper. I rest my belly on a small pillow while laying on my side to fall asleep. I sometimes wake up on my back which I know isn't good, but I don't consciously do it so I'm not sure how to avoid that. I really don't like pillows that much in general so I'm not sure if I'll end up getting a pregnancy pillow.

shmarpler

I'm a stomach sleeper. I had to adapt to side sleeping when I was pregnant DD. While nursing I still couldn't sleep on my stomach. I'd finally started to be able to sleep sleep on my stomach again and I found out I was pregnant. I cried. Side sleeping makes my neck and shoulders hurt, and I ended up needing chiropractic care last time.  My SO got me the boppy pregnancy pillow. It helps, but you could probably just use extra pillows to get the same effect.

meilay

I had to stop stomach sleeping around 15 weeks (18+4 now) and I want to sleep on my stomach more than I want to drink a beer, eat sushi or salami, or take Excedrin when I have a headache. I've switched to side sleeping and trying to manage the back pain is not working out so well. I'll be investing in some big ass pillows soon.

amberp1528

I have always been a back sleeper not a stomach sleeper but weeks ago my doctor said I couldn't sleep on my back anymore which was upsetting because I have been getting horrible leg cramps at night while sleeping on my side I've used a snuggle and pillows in between my legs and I still can't seem to go a night without gut wrenching leg cramps

MrsCaliRN

itsfine said:

I am a stomach sleeper. I have found that kind of side laying my belly portion while still facing my chest down works the best. I prop my leg and belly on top of a body pillow. It;s a combo of belly and side sleeping.

This is exactly what I do! I think of it as a transition to complete side-lying which will need to happen as LO continues to grow. Andplusalso, if you haven't heard this already: lying on your back isn't such a hot idea either. This is basically how the third tri looks:

Kylieslip24

I have a snoogle and it's a lifesaver!! I think height matters though. My tall sil never liked the snoogle. So I don't know? I'm 5'1

jennas312

I used to only fall asleep on my stomach and no pillow. I haven't slept on my stomach in months. I go between sleeping on my side with a small pillow between my legs to sleeping with a snoogle pillow. My husband got me the half one. I alternate between sleeping with it open on one side or closed. Instead of half stomach half side, I find myself doing half side half back. Either way I wake up a bunch. I hate waking up to pee as it is let alone not being able to sleep
Fathers should have to wake up with the infant as we are already sleep deprived. Hahahahaha

acrose0226

I'm also doing what @itsfine is doing -- sorta side/sorta stomach.

I totally miss sleeping on my stomach. But not as much as I miss sushi -- or lox!! -- like @meilay, or as much as I miss having a glass of red wine while I'm in the kitchen cooking up a feast on a Sunday afternoon. Oh the sacrifices I am making for this baby....and in 13 years when they hit puberty, they'll want nothing to do with me! 

sls

Snoogle + rolled up towel for the space between my waist and bed (which I used prior to becoming pregnant because I have back problems)

I might start using a pillow for my head because I'm having random shoulder pain only on one side that seems to be related to the head part being too smushed.

jennas312

As I'm sitting on the couch lying on my back....we can do that right? Or should i be sitting up?

alm52386

I usually sleep on my side all curled up but it's more and more uncomfortable to bring my legs up that high. I'm partially on my stomach sometimes I guess. I find myself waking up on my back a lot more than I used to. I asked the nurse about this at my last appointment and she said to not worry until it is uncomfortable. I was going to get a wedge or something but I switch sides all night so that might not work. 

MotherofDragons

19 weeks here and it's still comfy on my stomach. Poor baby. 

I went on my belly for a long time with son. Some nights my husband would flip me out of fear (thanks, dude.) 

I gradually propped myself with a pillow, hiked ny hip ip, and then fully went to my side by the end. 

wifeinraleigh28

I also sleep exactly like how @itsfine described. I use my snoogle to help get me into a comfortable position. I'm finding though that I still get a decent amount of leg pain at night. But at least I'm getting sleep now.

lmudra

Thanks for all the input ladies!
One more question- when do you start feeling like it's difficult to get a good breath in?  I maybe ate too much for dinner tonight and now I'm feeling a little winded.  I'm 17+3.  Is that normal?

silliegirlie143

@lmudra I started having trouble with getting a full breath as soon as my stomach got round and uncomfortable (late 2nd tri last time?). One thing that was a HUGE help for me was to change to bras without underwire. I found the constant pressure from the wires was making it worse.... also making my heartburn worse!

I just went to target and grabbed a bunch of cheapy nursing bras. They were super lose and did nothing for my figure, but who really cares about having a perky rack at that point?!?! 

Edited for spelling

sls

Feeling out of breath started a couple weeks ago for me (maybe 16 weeks?) but I've got twins in here. Definitely having trouble with stairs already. >.>

joannabergeron

I'm not a belly sleeper but it's been uncomfortable sleeping for a few weeks now, I have to put a pillow under my stomach while lying on my side and I also get leg cramps so I lay on my back for a few minutes, and then turn back to my side

for my first pregnancy I started feeling like I couldn't catch my breath later in pregnancy and I was bigger, maybe late 2nd trimester start of 3rd. I haven't felt it yet but I remember that being one of the worst feelings in my pregnancy (besides round ligament pain  )

lmudra

Thanks again, guess I need to make sure I don't get over full when I'm eating bc that's the o my time I notice having a hard time catching my breath!

brooklynmama718

I use a pillow between my legs. I alternate long pillow with mini snoogle. The snoogle is cumbersome to maneuver even though it's the smaller type because I move around a lot.

shmarpler

jennas312 said:

As I'm sitting on the couch lying on my back....we can do that right? Or should i be sitting up?

Some nights that was the only way I could fall asleep with DD. They say not to, because it may restrict blood flow, but when you're belly is huge, you do what you have to do. I'd prop myself up on pillows to fall asleep, but my right leg would also fall asleep and wake me up. Then I would roll to my side, snuggle with my pillow pile, and go back to sleep until my heartburn woke me up again. I would have to continue this all night long. It was a nasty cycle.