Just how bad is it to lay on your back?

bananers · December 2012

I read that you shouldn't lay on your back starting around the second tri since your ute is heavy enough to smush your veins and cut off circulation to you and the baby. I'm 20 weeks and my hips have been killing me lately and sometimes my back is the only comfortable position I can find. It still feels fine, so do you think it's one of those things where I should just listen to my body and I'll know when it's time to stop laying on my back?

I have my next doctor appointment on Tuesday and plan to ask her then. Just curious if anyone had looked into this already in the meantime.

rkrichey · December 2012

I always start out on my side but then when I wake up, I'm on my back. I'm never sure how long I've been like that but so far it hasn't been a problem. It happened when I was pregnant with DS, too. I think when I was more towards the end of my pregnancy with him, it really did become uncomfortable to lay like that so I would end up staying on my side more. Ask your doctor but when I asked mine he made it seem like it wasn't that big of a deal.

JuddandJessica · December 2012

I think everyone says different things. My doctor told me that was rather outdated information unless you are currently in labor and having an issue. He said that I could sleep in any position that was comfortable and I would be able to tell if I needed to move.

emeraudecephiro · December 2012

My OB said as long as I wasn't going numb, to sleep how I was comfortable.

JuddandJessica · December 2012

That being said, he said he thought all the hype about positioning was mostly a marketing ploy unless that is literally the only way you are comfortable.

PhoenixBritt · December 2012

I was told by my OB that I would wake up from numbness in my legs if it was really a problem. I go to sleep on my side every night and sometimes wake up on my back. I have also had really bad hip pain for about nine weeks and I bought a Boppy total body pillow and it has helped a lot with the pain and staying on my side.

SciChick · December 2012

I've read the reason it's not suggested to lay on your back is because there is a vein delivering blood to you and baby and when we lay on our backs it can cut off the flow. I am not as far along as you so I have been sleeping on my back. I have tried to lay on my sides but it's weird because it hurts for some reason to lay on my sides, especially the left, which is supposed to be the best side to sleep on. In the past couple of weeks it's gotten a little better so I'm hoping that it will stop as I get further along.

tdmd09 · December 2012

You would lose your circulation before the baby would, so your body would tell you when to move. I lay on my back sometimes (it's the most comfortable position for my hip pain) and just move when it gets uncomfortable.

Cherry1111 · December 2012

My Dr never told me not to sleep on my back, but I did try to stay on my sides as much as possible. Do you have a good supportive pillow? I bought a Snoogle and it has been a lifesaver for the past 16 weeks or so. I don't think I'm going to want to give it up post pregnancy!

luvmyducks · December 2012

My OB said that if I was comfortable than the baby was fine. I did try really hard to sleep on my side though during the last month or so bc I read some article (a very small study so I know it is not reliable) where they polled moms who had a stillbirth and there was a higher number of women who did not sleep on their side that had a stillbirth. Again, I know there wasn't any reliable research, but it just made me a little extra paranoid so I tried to sleep on my side all the time.

Gregermis · December 2012

hey lady... congrats on being 1/2 baked!!!!!!!!!!

mrssoprano · December 2012

My OB said not to sleep flat on my back but that I could use a body pillow behind my back to lay halfway on my side/back. It works pretty well.

Allycat11 · December 2012

The rule I follow is that your body will tell your when it is time to stop. Laying on my back became uncomfortable before laying on my belly did. I still lay on my back sometimes, I just prop myself up with more pillows so that I can breathe.

cdnbird11 · December 2012

My OB told me to sleep propped up, which I find way more comfortable now. I've been having lots of sciatic & round ligament pain, and sleeping on my back hurts like hell, but my legs fall asleep if i lay on my side (go figure). Sleeping with a few pillows has made sleeping much, much more comfortable, and I don't worry about cutting off blood supply to anything (legs, baby, etc). It's a much more peaceful sleep.

Mmm79 · December 2012

I have never been told not to sleep on my back. At almost 26 weeks, I haven't noticed any pain or discomfort in sleeping n that position, though I know that throughout the night I shift from side-to-side and sometimes onto my back. I'm guessing when it becomes uncomfortable to do so, I'll stop.

HoolahZinger · December 2012

My OB told me that my body will adjust in my sleep if I need to move (so try not to worry). The ironic this is I never sleep on my back but these days have been waking up on my back. I guess my body isn't too concerned yet Wink

Shaungela · December 2012

My OB said to sleep how im comfortable.

MJM3108 · December 2012

Ditto pretty much everything PP said! I was a stomach sleeper pre- pregnancy, and adjusting has been difficult. I fall asleep on my side and wake up on my back all the time. It has only recently started becoming uncomfortable for me to be on my back, so I have started putting a pillow behind me so that if/ when I roll onto my back, it's only part way, which is much more comfortable. I have found this also relieves some of my hip pain!

Want a personalized experience?

Just how bad is it to lay on your back?

Re: Just how bad is it to lay on your back?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards