Laying on your left side

MamaSquishyB · July 2016

Does anyone else have trouble laying on your left side at night? I know it's the recommended position, but it's so uncomfortable for me. It makes my whole side ache, like I'm creating pressure sores. It doesn't hurt to lay on my right side. I'm usually a side or stomach sleeper, so the last few weeks have been especially difficult, even with a body pillow. Any suggestions?

CRich15 · July 2016

I honestly prefer my right side as well. I think both are fine as long as you aren't laying on your back or stomach. I would ask your doc if you're overly concerned.

steminist · July 2016

Sleeping on your right side is less favorable than your left for digestion issues, but it's still considered a "good" pregnancy position. I asked my OB about sleeping a while back because I'm having trouble staying off my back, even with body pillow, and she said in the end as long as you don't have pain, lightheadedness, or other negative symptoms, then the benefit of a good night's sleep usually outweighs everything else.

MamaSquishyB · July 2016

I can't lay on my back either! It triggers restless legs syndrome. :-/

tinypikachu · July 2016

You are fine on your right side. I injured my left shoulder in the second tri because I'd been trying so hard to sleep on my left side. My doctor asked me why and answered with me "because that's what everyone tells you, right?". He said I'm fine sleeping on my right side, so I do, almost exclusively. He told me that as long as I'm comfortable and not on my back or front, that's all that matters.

Bibliobebe · July 2016

I sleep most of the night on my right side but I do alternate from right to left. I will very occasionally wake up on my back. I was a back sleeper before being pregnant and it took me a while to get used to side sleeping. The only way I'm comfortable sleeping on my side is to sleep in one of the Miles Circuit positions, with one leg totally straight and the other knee up at a 90 degree angle, propped on a pillow.

Image: https://tlcdoula.weebly.com/uploads/1/9/2/3/19232719/691948.jpg

I find that particular position really really comfy. It keeps your hips open and also gets a little bit of the weight off your side. It's also good for baby positioning. Also, in this position, I don't need a pillow stuffed behind my back like I did before.

If you keep a pillow on both sides of you at night then you won't have to change your pillows over when you switch from left to right side, which is nice.

mom2adoodle · July 2016

My nurse midwife said the same @AlwaysAuntNeverMom !

Except sometimes I find myself kinda on my side/front, like leaning towards belly sleeping but not exactly. I haven't had any weird symptoms with it so I'm assuming it's fine? Anyone else?

tinypikachu · July 2016

@mom2adoodle I do that too! I don't worry about it as long as I don't have any pain on the belly when I wake up. TBH, sometimes my belly aches when I wake up on my side, it feels like I need a pillow under it to support it, but not when I wake up like you described.

eightynine · July 2016

I'm more comfortable on my right too, for some reason. Before pregnancy I was a side sleeper... Either side. Now of course the left seems not as comfortable.

vampirina · July 2016

@mom2adoodle i totally lean on my belly - both sides! baby doesnt like it and always squirms a bit before settlong down but its super comfy for me and it's not painful in anyway. If i over lean or my pillows are too firm it becomes obviously painful and uncomfortable so i figure as long as it's comfy it's okay!

Jillybear82 · July 2016

I sleep on both sides. I alternate through out the night most nights. Lying on my right side is more likely to cause heartburn, so some nights I favor my left side more. I sleep with a pillow between my legs, and I have one that I place in front of my belly when I am facing the inside of the bed, since my hubby is a bit of a restless sleeper.

mrsvoorhees-2 · July 2016

@Bibliobebe this is the position I sleep in! I didn't know it was all fancy and had a name. I sleep this way because I'm a stomach sleeper and this is the closest I can get to that. I also sleep on my right side because my fan is on the right and I like it blowing in my face haha

PSUBecky23 · July 2016

Lie how you're comfortable. Your body will tell you if you shouldn't be lying a certain way.

JennM205 · July 2016

@Bibliobebe This is exactly how I sleep too! And for the same reason as @MrsVoorhees - it's the closest to belly sleeping that I can get. What a genius idea to have a pillow on each side! I never thought of that...and rolling over in general is hard enough, forget having to lug the pillow back and forth each time too! Definitely trying that!!

RedMar · July 2016

I often wake up, laying on my back. I try like heck to sleep on my left side as well, but sometimes my ear hurts from being smashed into the pillow. I'm with @Bibliobebe as that's one of my fave positions to fall asleep in. What happens in between then and when I wake up is a total circus I'm sure

camichael84 · July 2016

PSUBecky23 said:

Lie how you're comfortable. Your body will tell you if you shouldn't be lying a certain way.

This is my motto. The only way I don't end up laying occasionally is full on my belly because that is never comfortable (not that I've even tried in months).

asht · July 2016

I usually go back and forth all night as my hips hurt super bad. However lately it's pretty much just my right because baby has her head in my left side causing more pain then usual.

RG1 · July 2016

I sleep on my back most nights. Maybe that should be my FFFC lol. Like @jabreen, my OB said a good night's sleep is most important, so however you are comfortable. My understanding from my OB is the left side sleeping position being the best position came from a study that hooked up monitors to women in different positions and measured blood flow. The left side had the most blood flow, then the right side, then the back had the least amount. My OB said there has never been any evidence of a baby being harmed by the mother sleeping on her back, and as long as you aren't waking up lightheaded or with other symptoms, its fine. Our umbilical cord is a 2 vessel cord meaning its missing an artery which can sometimes lead to slower growth because of less blood flow, but all growth scans have shown him measuring on track so I don't think sleeping on my back restricts blood flow as much as people make you think it does. To tie this back in to your question, I think its totally fine to be on the right side!

ETA: obviously my one experience with my baby growing properly might not apply to everybody. I'm just saying that we have an "issue" that can already restrict blood flow and then I'm also sleeping on my back which can restrict blood flow and baby seems to be growing fine.

nativetexan512 · July 2016

I alternate between left and right sides in my sleep because my arm and shoulder will fall asleep and hurt after a while. I'm up to 5 pillows to feel comfortable - pregnancy pillow, wedge pillow under my head to stay slightly elevated and help heartburn, pillow between my knees, and then 2 regular pillows opposite the pregnancy pillow. My husband thinks its hilarious and it takes me a few minutes to get free and go to the bathroom at night, but I am sleeping ok so it's worth it!

mhilpisch10 · July 2016

@Bibliobebe That is how I sleep !! This is my third pregnancy in as many years and I even sleep like that when I'm not pregnant now haha! I usually sleep on my right side, and switch to my left when I start to go numb and will occasionally wake up on my back.

sareej521 · July 2016

I sleep more on my right side and my back with a pillow under my one leg and hip. Sleeping on my left side seems to feel like I'm suffocating and has been that way for months but now my right side keeps popping ribs out, sleep is getting tough! Doesn't help we're living in our camper these days haha

erinmarie86 · July 2016

throughout the course of the night i will sleep on my left side, right side, and even my back. I'm just trying to sleep comfortably because we need our rest! regardless of what position i'm in my upper body is propped up pretty decent (i have like 5 pillows under me). I think even though left is recommended as the best...i don't think there is any damaging position (except maybe laying on your belly...but who can do that this far along??)

KimmySchmidt · July 2016

Pregnant or not, I almost always sleep on my left side. Someone on my old BMB asked this same question and I was surprised to see I was such an odd duck. I thought it might be a fluke, but here I am again.

Does no one else typically sleep on their left side? Could this have to do with the fact that I'm left handed?

MojieJo · July 2016

I usually sleep on my left side, too.

I'm right-handed, for the record (although I was a leftie until I started school and learned to write).

MamaSquishyB · July 2016

I'm glad I'm not alone. I can't wait to get this baby out so I can sleep on my stomach again!!

LizC216 · July 2016

I've always been a side sleeper and favor my left side pregnant or not.

I'm right handed, but my mom swears I was meant to be a lefty. She thinks school forced me into being a righty.

ruemcclanahan · July 2016

I always sleep on my left side

rn1stbae · July 2016

I sleep in about 85 positions a night now....

sometimes a tuff a flat pillow under my belly to support it too, but most the time I'm on either side leaning towards my stomach with my bottom arm edged between my hip and belly, kind of supporting it. Pre preggo I slept on my left side. I wish I could sleep in child's pose....my back is so tight.

rn1stbae · July 2016

Or sleep on a bed on my belly with a hole cut out for it. That would be amazing.....

sareej521 · July 2016

@RN1stBae use an inner tube for the pool, even just for stretching out your back! Belly fits in the hole perfectly! I tried sleeping that way the one night because I'm very much a stomach sleeper but ended up really stiff the next morning but for just relaxing and stretching out its fantastic

Laying on your left side

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