sleeping on back during pregnancy

[caedmyn]

This is the weirdest thing.  Normally I am a straight side sleeper, but for some reason when I'm pregnant I wake up on my back all the time.  This didn't happen with my first baby but has started in the first trimester with the others.  I don't know why I worry about it as I haven't had any kids yet that were brain-damaged due to lack of oxygen from me sleeping on my back, but I'm 23 weeks pregnant and wake up on my back almost every night so I'm worrying again.  Does anyone else do this?  If baby really wasn't getting enough oxygen it would affect me first and I'd wake up, right??

[LilyTiger]

You can sleep on your back as long as you are comfortable.  Your lower limbs would fall asleep and you would start having difficulty breathing well before anything could happen to the baby.

[1babysmom]

I agree, your body is really good at telling you when you need to move.  I end up on my back a LOT while asleep when pregnant, but I also get to feeling really uncomfortable if/when I need to move.

[cabbitdancer]

I find myself on my back an awful lot now that I'm pregnant, too, and it has really weirded me out, as I, too, am normally a side sleeper. I actually find that I'm more comfortable that way, since my arms like to fall asleep, these days, when I sleep on either side. I've been told that, as long as I am still comfortable on my back, everything should be okay.

[MaineCoastMama]

Does anyone else find their hips are sore when side sleeping? I'm abt 13 weeks and this is a recent development. I'm wondering if there is any strategic leg positioning or pillow adjustment that can alleviate this.

[scruffy too]

Originally Posted by MaineCoastMama 

Does anyone else find their hips are sore when side sleeping? I'm abt 13 weeks and this is a recent development. I'm wondering if there is any strategic leg positioning or pillow adjustment that can alleviate this.

I find that a pillow between my knees helps my hips.  Or I throw one leg across the body pillow.

[kaliki_kila]

I wedge a pillow behind my back when I fall asleep on my side.  I always wake up on my back, but the pillow is propping me up a little bit, keeping me from being flat on my back.

[Sol_y_Paz]

I slept on my back and stomach almost exclusively during pregnancy.  I didn't know it was bad until I read it somewhere in the 1st trimester and asked my high risk doctor about it.  The doctor said it doesn't matter as long as I am comfortable.  My body would tell me if something was wrong.    

[sweetestday]

I have been the same way through all my pregnancies. My MW assured me that as long as I don't wake up with tingly legs, the baby is just fine. 

[cabbitdancer]

Originally Posted by MaineCoastMama 

Does anyone else find their hips are sore when side sleeping? I'm abt 13 weeks and this is a recent development. I'm wondering if there is any strategic leg positioning or pillow adjustment that can alleviate this.

My hips hurt, and my arms start to go to sleep, when I side sleep. I really should grab another pillow for between my knees, but I keep forgetting. :P

[MaineCoastMama]

I tried the pillow between the knees (actually, my penguin Pillow Pet my hubby bought me for Christmas last year!) and it did the trick. No sore hips, although my new pillow regimen, I guess I'm kinda pushing him off the bed a little!

[HonkyTonka]

I asked my doc about the whole sleeping on your back recommendation and he laughed because he said there has never been any evidence to show that back sleeping could pose a problem. Someone hypothesized that the weight of the uterus could constrict that vessel and cause a problem, and all of a sudden it was "don't sleep on your back!".

[lovely89]

i agree im 24 weeks pregnant & find myself waking up on my back. i recently had an ultrasound in which i was told baby is ok. so i think u should talk to your dr.

[cabbitdancer]

Originally Posted by HonkyTonka 

I asked my doc about the whole sleeping on your back recommendation and he laughed because he said there has never been any evidence to show that back sleeping could pose a problem. Someone hypothesized that the weight of the uterus could constrict that vessel and cause a problem, and all of a sudden it was "don't sleep on your back!".

Thank you for this! My yoga instructor was totally against my continuing the class while pregnant because "wouldn't you just prefer to be safe?" It's a class of which we spend the majority on our backs, so her concern stems from that, and I just wanted to roll my eyes. Fine, I won't attend your class anymore, then! It was a big disappointment, though.