Fighting the urge to sleep on my right side- should I?

[Nosy]

I am 35 weeks pregnant, and lately I can sleep best on my right side. Sleeping on my back is definitely out because it makes me feel faint within seconds. I know the left side is better for the placenta to get nutrients to the baby and better for baby positioning (according to spinningbabies.com), but I can't seem to get comfortable on the left. The baby currently is head down and prefers the right side of me (with spine running along my side), though he/she will occasionally move from the right to the middle and put his/her head lower down.

Should I stop obsessing about trying to sleep on the left side? Any tips on making it more comfortable or any idea why the right is more comfortable for both of us?

Thanks!

[kchoffmann]

I'm a big believer in listening to your body. If it is more comfortable, then so be it. I say don't fight it. If you really want to, though, I find using a body pillow to sling my right leg over and hug helps, as does a pile of pillows (or DH) behind me for support.

[boycrazy]

Just read something about how it is not ideal to sleep in that side but also not the big DEAL we have heard it to be. Basically the article said that if you wake on your right side not to panic...just try not to be there all night.
O was so worried about this with my first . Now I'm like however I can get some sleep is the best position for me :lol

[Hollin]

I figure that babies have been being born just fine for thousands of years before anyone had any clue which side was the best to sleep on. I change sides throughout the night and just try to get comfortable!

[danav]

Um...I don't believe I've ever heard that sleeping/laying on your right side was not ok. Can someone explain why?? I understand about not sleeping on your back because of the pressure the weight of the uterus can place on the major blood vessels behind it, and I understand that lying on your left side is beneficial because that position offers the most efficient blood flow to the uterus and baby, but what is the negative about the right side?

I flip back and forth between right and left about every 2 hrs or so during the night. I could not possibly lay on one side the whole time - even propped with pillows, my joints start to ache if I don't change position!

[Panthira]

I found sleeping on my right side during this particular pregnancy is more comfortable, so I've been doing it without concern. My midwife actually got a better heartrate from the little one while I was turned on the right side than the left side (the heartrate slowed down just a little while on my left side), so there may be a reason you feel more comfortable that way.

[Spring Sun]

I slept on my right side almost every night. Well, right and then left and then right and then left...because my hips were in so much pain. I think it is perfectly alright and my son was healthy and happy and alert when he came out!

[vegetalien]

what everyone else said.
if it's damaging, your body will tell you.

personally i often get just as "funny feeling" or nautious (kind of out of breath, or heavy-feeling, hard to explain) when i sleep on my LEFT side, but not on my right. but then occasionally i'll get that same feeling on my right, too. so, i've given up and just try to stay comfy and listen to my body, which means i move around a lot in my sleep.

rowan

[alegna]

Sleep however you're comfortable.

-Angela

[hunnybumm]

ITA with everyone else, listen to your body, it will tell you how you should be sleeping. :)

[kir]

Listen to your body.

My left-side twin is anterior, right-side one is posterior. As a result (at least, I think this is the reason) sleeping and lying on right side is more comfortable for me!

I've heard the left-side position is also good for helping your liver, ease the pressure on it or make it easier for it to work...not really sure ... that never made a lot of sense to me, but I do it when it's comfortable.

[JAL]

I have been more comfortable on my right side also.
My midwife told me that she just went to a conference where they were told that lying on the right side may actually increase blood flow vs the left side but the left side is better for digestion.
I say however you are comfortable!

[Jennifer Z]

I am more comfortable on my right side most of the time too. I also have an external motivation though...when I am on my left side, my almost 4 year old takes it as an invitation to nurse in his sleep if his hands find my breasts as he sleeps. He has been night weaned for YEARS at this point, and nurses between 0-2 times in any 24 hour period normally. If I am on my right side, his hands only find my back and I just feel little warm hands, or he will lay with his back to mine when he gets cold and needs to warm up. Plus, when the baby is born, she will be on the outside, and I will be on my right side to nurse her. I have always been more comfortable on my right side, which is why I moved him to the middle when we were night weaning. I didn't want to suddenly start facing him during pregnancy, only to turn my back to him when the new baby was here...might create some ill feelings.

[amygoforth]

I'm more comfy on my right side, too. I seem to get more indigestion and reflux when I'm on my left. So I flip from side to side throughout the night. I mentioned this to my MW, who said it wasn't a big deal -- to listen to my body. Baby has been in an excellent LOA position and moving vigourously for weeks, so I don't think sleeping on the right is a big deal.

[MamaFern]

i flip from right to left sides in the night at least a few times. if i sleep on one side all night my body just aches and my hip that im lying on falls asleep. ive also never heard of sleeping on the right side as a problem..id say listen to your body.

[MrsMoe]

I slept on my right side (my personal preferred position) as well as the left most the pregnancy and baby and I are fine. :)

[zjande]

My baby is in the same position as yours & I usually find the right side more comfortable to sleep on. I flip back & forth all night.
I say don't worry about it! :)

[alexsam]

I agree with the "do what feels right" people. Like someone said, babies have been (and are being!) born totally healthy without the mother ever hearing this little gem. I'd concentrate on the "real" things you can do- get enough rest, eat well, move around, etc.

[beachcomber]

Should I stop obsessing about trying to sleep on the left side? Yes. Unless your care provider has expressly told you to sleep only on your left side because of blood pressure, etc., there is no reason to force yourself to sleep in a way that's uncomfortable for you. It's just another of the great myths purported by the morons who wrote "What to Expect When You're Expecting".

[tiffer23]

I sleep how I'm most comfortable. I do try to stay off my back, of course, but past that, I'll sleep any way. I think it's more important for you to get a good nights sleep than be on a certain side.

[Jenivere]

I've slept on my right side all my life. I do try to sleep on my left side and sometimes I manage to but I figure getting a good nights rest is much more important than which side I sleep on.

[InnieTurnedOuttie]

Most pregnancy books i've read say sleep on the left side to promote better circulation. Back to Eden however suggests sleeping equally on left, right and stomach, which is something i've been doing naturally throught pregnancy. I especially find some creative ways to sleep on my tummy in the middle of the night that are very comfy. I let my body guide me and it enables me to sleep well.

[NewMomNicole]

I go from side to side all night - sleep is just too prescious right now for me to get caught up in the details. I also have allergy/sinus problems so sometimes I can breathe better (or AT ALL) on one side or the other.

[Zhlake]

I am a labor nurse and I saw a study once showing that the blood flow is nearly equal when mom is laying on her right or left side. The left side was a bit better which is why left is considered ideal.

For me, I always tried to start on my side (I didn't care which side it was) but I always slept on my back for the majority of the night. It is just the naturally position for me. I didn't feel faint or weird in that position so I didn't worry about it too much. If I woke up on my back, I just flipped to the side. But I know 90% of the night I was probably on my back.