When is the right time to stop sleeping on your back?

babykasper · December 2015

Don't know if there's already a thread for this... Sorry if there is, couldn't find it.

When is the right time to stop sleeping on your back??? When I sleep on my sides, my arms and shoulders fall asleep and then hurt the next day. Support pillows don't make it better or easier. At this point I'm sleeping on both sides and my back at least once throughout the night. But I know there's a specific point during pregnancy when it's not supposed to be safe to sleep on your back anymore. Any idea of when that is?

countrygrl5533 · December 2015

The issue is flat on your back not your back in general. Just use a couple pillows to prop up your head and shoulders.

kbrands7 · December 2015

Right around 20 weeks is when the uterus is large enough to potentially put pressure on the vena cava-- it'll wake you up. As @countrygrl5533 said, if you prop yourself either up some, or alternatively to the side a bit, it's not a problem.

Last pregnancy my doctor recommended that I put a pillow behind my right hip to encourage left-side sleeping. It also allowed me to shift my weight towards my back without being flat. The left side is a bit better than the right because then pressure isn't being put on the liver by the uterus all night long and it's generally a little healthier for blood flow.

Bluejay3030 · December 2015

My doctor is pretty lenient with this rule and says that sleeping on your back for at least part of the night isn't likely to cause harm, and that your body will let you know because it normally gets pretty uncomfortable to sleep on your back as you get bigger. The general rule is what @kbrands7 said, though.

Using pillows under you as the others mentioned is a great way to still be comfortable without being flat.

Pascal86 · December 2015

I'm 17 weeks today, and sleeping flat on my back just got uncomfortable in this past week. Not like impossible, but enough so that I don't want to do it. My hips have been getting sore from sleeping on my sides all the time though, so it's kind of frustrating.

valerie4786 · December 2015

I just asked my Dr this question this week...I'm a side sleeper anyhow but I lay in bed for a while reading/bumping/facebooking/etc before bed and she said if you start feeling lightheaded & nauseous then it's time to adjust because if I'm feeling that way so is baby. She explained it as a bowling ball pressing down on a major vein. She also recommended propping myself up with pillows to offset the pressure.

camillaandcarson · December 2015

I sleep on my stomach. I still do. My doctor told me as long as I am comfortable I can keep doing that until it becomes uncomfortable. I would assume the back is the same?

babykasper · December 2015

Thanks guys! I'll be 18 weeks on Tuesday and I'm not uncomfortable on my back yet. But on my sides... Super uncomfortable! Lol so I guess I'll have to figure out how to prop myself up in th coming weeks.

avidkeo · December 2015

When it gets too uncomfortable. I

I was still sleeping on my back part time when i was full term with DD. If your baby compresses your blood vessels, you will wake up and roll over. Just dont do drugs or drink to the point you are semi comatose (which you shouldn't be doing anyway!) and you will be fine.

JoMunson · December 2015

I always thought the whole sleep position thing was stupid. How long would it take you to notice someone was choking you in your sleep? Like PP have said, if you start feeling lightheaded or weird just shift your position.

JessicaB0627 · December 2015

I'm still sleeping on my stomach at 19 weeks. I'm hoping to get a couple more weeks out of it too. I have found myself laying on my back a couple times though, but I'm not uncomfortable so I'm not worried. It will get extremely uncomfortable down the road and you'll know then not to even try.

PYLWhammy · December 2015

I'm 18 weeks and end up on my back for at least some of the night.. I'm just too uncomfortable in other positions! I'd read that I should stop in the second trimester, but I'm trying not to worry about it.

sosweet487 · December 2015

I was reading "The Panic Free Pregnancy" (a great book if you haven't read it) and here is his take on sleeping on your back.

"Anyone who suggests that it's dangerous to sleep on your back is talking utter nonsense. Not even the tiniest shred of evidence suggests that sleeping on your back is dangerous. If it were, women would probably have humps. Nature wouldn't leave something as important as a successful pregnancy to chance. When you lie flat on your back late in pregnancy, the blood flow to the fetus is slightly decreased. On the other hand, when you stand on your head, blood flow to your brain is increased, but that doesn't mean standing on your head makes you smarter. Changes in blood flow when you change your position are normal. The baby gets all the blood it needs regardless of your position. Many women do find it uncomfortable to lie on their backs in pregnancy simply because of the size of their belly, but this is a matter of comfort, not safety."

He does say that there are some rare cases in which sleeping on your back might be best avoided, but otherwise, sleeping however you're comfortable is fine. Right now I go back and forth between sleeping on my back and side. I sleep on my back until I am uncomfortable and then switch to my side.

babykasper · December 2015

@sosweet487 that's interesting considering this week for me on this very app, is all about when to stop sleeping on your back! Lol funny how different doctors/professionals opinions are on the topic!

I think I'm going to stick with as long as I'm comfortable!

southerngirlgetsfit · December 2015

I'm sure you'll get varying answers, but my doc said 20 weeks. Which I just so happen to be today

Pillows will help though! Best thing to do is to confirm with your doctor.

ETA that my doc said it's nothing to freak out about if you wake up on your back...but that's probably why you'll wake up to begin with. Your body will be telling you it's uncomfortable.

rlworzalla · December 2015

I was never a back sleeper until I got pregnant. Now I find myself waking up on my back all the time. I haven't asked my doctor about this but it seems the 20 week mark is when I should stop, especially since my left arm is continually going numb when I do...

bchildrn · December 2015

You should try not to be completely flat on your back after 20 weeks. While that book says it doesn't matter, I work in anesthesia and when we monitor our patients we don't let them lie flat. Measurable decrease in blood flow can occur. We just use a small roll to prop them to the left and free up the vena cava. Honestly I've noticed that when I lie flat I get nauseous and the minute I move sideways it goes away. Mostly attributable to decreased blood flow.

avidkeo · December 2015

bchildrn said:
You should try not to be completely flat on your back after 20 weeks. While that book says it doesn't matter, I work in anesthesia and when we monitor our patients we don't let them lie flat. Measurable decrease in blood flow can occur. We just use a small roll to prop them to the left and free up the vena cava. Honestly I've noticed that when I lie flat I get nauseous and the minute I move sideways it goes away. Mostly attributable to decreased blood flow.

I appreciate the fact you are coming from a professional point of view, and it backs up my original point. Your pts are not able to correct their position because they are unconscious. In regular situation,most women will wake up and change positions long before blood flow becomes an issue.

khochanadel · December 2015

My doctor told me to stop back sleeping now (17 weeks with twins) and recommended the snoogle. It gets here Wednesday - I hope I can sleep a little better!

kp90 · December 2015

I started training myself not to sleep on my back a few weeks after I found out I was pregnant because I knew it would be a hard habit to break. I find myself always wanting to lay on my back though because I've had terrible hip pain the past few weeks. When I need to lay on my back I just prop myself up with some pillows.

JoMunson · December 2015

I thought it was all a bunch of junk until last night when I dreamed I was choking and I woke up totally flat. The snoogle does help me sleep at an angle comfortably- and I'm usually a flat sleeper.
I just try and think of where my uterus will be. Even the slightest angle should help you to not restrict blood flow.

Charissadeats · December 2015

This thread made me go out and buy a maternity pillow yesterday.

I must admit - best night of sleep in a long time.

DH is jealous - I think I will go get him one as well

yogahh · December 2015

I didn't read any of the replies so apologies if this is redundant..
I never knew I was a back sleeper until pregnancy!! DH is really worried about me sleeping on my back and keeps poking me to roll over.
He got me a sleep pillow for xmas and the last few nights I have been on my side. #success

Moral of the story... I suggest a sleep pillow.

yogahh · December 2015

charissadeats said:

This thread made me go out and buy a maternity pillow yesterday. I must admit - best night of sleep in a long time. DH is jealous - I think I will go get him one as well

I'm getting DH one too! He has a bad back and sleeps with a pillow between his legs. I think this would be perfect for him!

missnc77 · December 2015

I'm a stomach sleeper, but I've been trying to at least switch to my side in the middle of the night since I only can fall asleep on my stomach. In the last 4 weeks though, it's getting more and more uncomfortable for me to sleep on my stomach because it feels like someone it putting so much pressure on it. I'm finally now getting to the point where I can even fall alseep on my side, but I'll still wake up after attempting to roll onto my stomach. I've heard sleeping on your stomach is bad for your back in general (not pregnancy related), so I'm hoping training myself to finally sleep on my side will be a permanent thing.

babykasper · December 2015

So I had an appointment today and I asked my doctor! She said it's more important to get adequate sleep and be comfortable while sleeping than it is for anyone to specify exactly how you should be sleeping! She told me that in some rare extreme cases (particularly extreme overweight women) might reduce some blood flow, but she states all in all there is absolutely no harm to baby if I want to sleep on my back or if I end up sleeping on my back. She said its harmful to be exhausted if I'm not sleeping. So for me... I'm going to be comfortable! And will continue sleeping on my back!

She also said... The only ones who she worries about are stomach sleepers... She said eventually they get to a point where they physically can't do it anymore (sleep on their stomach) but even before that, she says stomach sleepers could potentially be putting baby in danger.
Just an FYI... Seems this subject has lots of mixed views! Lol

sosweet487 · December 2015

babykasper said:

So I had an appointment today and I asked my doctor! She said it's more important to get adequate sleep and be comfortable while sleeping than it is for anyone to specify exactly how you should be sleeping!

Yep! That was what I was told by my doctor as well.

khochanadel · December 2015

Well my OB told me to stop back sleeping but my perinatologist gave conflicting advice. He said what pp have similarly said - however you feel most comfortable is how you need to be sleeping. And he said 'left side is best' mantra is hogwash, citing a study he did during fellowship.

I'm still enjoying my snoogle though!

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