back sleeping

dreadiemama · January 2013

Even though I fall asleep on my side, a lot of times I wake up on my back. I think I toss and turn a lot in my sleep and I wake up AT LEAST a few times for potty/food breaks. I'm not sure how serious it is then... I'm 15 weeks and do have a bump.

My normal sleeping position is stomach and that's not working out anymore for obvious reasons =/

Do you have any suggestions on how to force side sleeping? Or is sleeping on your back really bad at this stage? My mw hasn't said anything about it yet. But that might just be because it's common knowledge?

sparkymcgeee · January 2013

Unless your doctor says otherwise you can sleep however you're comfortable. I sleep on my stomach, back and sides throughout the night.

ASmallWonder · January 2013

Your body will actually alert you if you're getting to a dangerous point. You'll wake up and change positions.

darian4 · January 2013

Hi. Put a pillow between your knees while on your side. It will keep you from rolling over. If you sleep on your back, put a pillow behind your knees. It takes the stress off your lower back. This comes from my chiropractor.

Majette · January 2013

I used to sleep on my back. I'm 22 weeks and my body no longer let's me sleep on my back. I think the trouble breathing was my last hint.

PrimRoseMama · January 2013

If you are in a troublesome or safety compromising position you will wake up. Until you are well into 2nd trimester you don't have to worry if you wake up on your back. Later, when your bump gets bigger you will not be able to breathe on your back. So you will wake up briefly to correct it.

Until then work on going to sleep on your side and don't stress how you wake up. You can't force side sleep when you are out.

Aisham28 · January 2013

I would start out on my side but always end up on my back because I would get huge thigh cramps if I slept on my side. I was told not to sleep on my back or belly by my doctor and that the left side is the best for sleeping so I tried to do that as much as possible but I really dont think it matters all that much. When I was in labor they had me on my left side and my LO actually got worse. They had to switch me up to bring her heart rate up. So who knows what is really good or not!

BelhurstBride · January 2013

elmoali:
Your body will actually alert you if you're getting to a dangerous point. You'll wake up and change positions.

Agreed.

Last time around my OB told me it's really not an issue until much later in pregnancy, not an issue for everyone, and you'll definitely know it if it's a problem for you.

trudibell · January 2013

I make kind of a retaining wall of pillows to avoid this, so even if I end up rolling onto my back I'm still kind of inclined one way or the other. It also helps for when I'm rolling onto my belly to support my bump and has seemed to help my back!

TheyCalledHerKate · January 2013

I forced side sleeping by using a snoogle. It was the only way for me.

sometimesdee · January 2013

I end up removing the pillow from between my knees while asleep. I often end up on my belly still.

Trillion28 · January 2013

Ive been worried about the same thing. I'm trying to train myself to sleep on my side by putting a long pillow between my knees and a pillow behind me so I do not roll over. For the most part it gives me alot of support and piece of mind. Ive ended up on my back a couple times but overall it helps.

mandeesmiles · January 2013

I'm 24 weeks and I still sleep on my back. I'd rather sleep on my side but when i do baby kicks and causes some slight pain until I change positions! The only thing that really concerns me at this point about back sleeping is pinching my sciatic nerve and having it cause my legs and ankles to swell.

musicalsilver · January 2013

elmoali:
Your body will actually alert you if you're getting to a dangerous point. You'll wake up and change positions.

This. I'm still sleeping on my sides, back and stomach - I figure my body will tell me when I should start worrying about it.

dreadiemama · January 2013

Thanks ladies! I'm surprised that some of you can still sleep on your stomachs so late! If I am on mine for more than 15 minutes it starts to feel really weird and hurt. H was almost doing a happy dance the other day ago because I wanted a back massage but couldn't lay flat longer than 5 minutes.

skio · January 2013

Don't force anything, sleep how you're comfortable. My OB told me that I would know it if back sleeping was causing any harm and not to worry.

I'm 19.5w and sleep on my back often.

Schell2013 · January 2013

I was a back sleeper my whole life. Then I got pregnant and started to train myself to sleep on my sides. My pregnancy book what to expect when your expecting says, " If you wake up on your stomache or back just roll on your side, and don't worry about it." It also says when you get too big it becomes uncomfortable to sleep on your back and it is totally true I am 23 weeks and I cannot sleep on my back anymore, I feel like I can't breathe cause everything is pushing down. It got much easier at about 19-20 weeks and found that I wasn't waking up on my back anymore. Get a pregnancy pillow or a body pillow and prop yourself up so it makes it harder to roll on your back.

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