January 2011 Moms

Help! Sleeping on my back

The past several nights I have woke up several times to fnd myself laying on my back.  I've tried laying pillows behind me so if I do roll onto my back I'm not laying flat, but I tend to throw those off the bed in my sleep.  I always fall asleep on my left side and I have a body pillow to snuggle with and make myself comfortable, but I always end up on my back.  I've heard ppl say that you will get umcomfortable after so long and that should cause you to wake up but everytime I wake up I'm (surprisingly) not uncomfortable at all.  I was just wondering if anyone else has any helpful hits about how I can avaid laying on my back. 
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Re: Help! Sleeping on my back

  • What's wrong with sleeping on your back?  I have heard that the side is better for circulation, but there isn't anything wrong about sleeping on  your back...
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  • i actually asked my midwife about this today, because like you i always wake up on my back, it happened with DD too.  she said that for now it's not that big of a deal to lay on your back, it's when you're further along 8-9 months that it really matters, because you don't want to cut off any circulation to the baby.  but she said that as long as long as you're propped up back is ok.  and like you said you'll know when to roll over, mainly because you'll start to feel light headed and dizzy.  i usually try and keep a pillow propped up behind me when i lay on my side.  although, it seems like LO doesn't like me sleeping on my sides and moves the pillow in my sleep.  if i remember right, when i was 8-9 months i would wake up on my side more than my back. 
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  • I usually go to sleep on my side, with a pillow between my knees and another wedged right behind me, to prevent me from rolling onto my back.

    I do this because I feel like I'm suffocating when I'm on my back.  If I felt fine, I'd be fine with it.  My doctor has always told me that my body would let me know when I shouldn't be doing it anymore.

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  • imageKerryHS:
    What's wrong with sleeping on your back?  I have heard that the side is better for circulation, but there isn't anything wrong about sleeping on  your back...

    you have a main artery that runs down the middle of your belly and the bigger you and baby get the easier it is to block the circulation and it slows blood flow to baby and you.  

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  • My ob (who has been in practice for almost 40 years) told me I could lay however I was comfortable and just to listen to my body as it would send signals if I needed to rearrange myself. 
  • My Dr. really wasn't concerned about it at all, although she said even just propping up the right side of my butt (like with a folded towel) would give enough leverage to take the pressure off.  She also indicated that this is more of a concern for pg women that are overweight- she didn't really go into details so I don't know what the reasoning is for that. 

    I will say I have woken up on my back a few times (without any propping) and my hand will be asleep.  I'm taking that as a cue that my circulation isn't doing great and make sure to switch to my side.

  • Like pp's said I would not be too worried about it.  Your body will tell you when its time to move.  As long as your getting sleep...that is the important part!

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  • I have to sleep on my back due to pelvic seperation. I have a massive wedge pillow behind my back that keeps me semi-sitting up. That sucker is too unweildy to toss of the bed in the middle of the night.
  • I end up on my back at times, but I rotate so much that I'm not worried about it.
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