[MyFullHouse]

<p>is supposed to be best.</p>
<p>So why would sleeping on my left side cause some pretty major swelling in both of my hands lately (37w+)?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I've prefered to sleep on my right through most of this pregnancy, but I've always flipped at least once each night.  I've limited the time on my left because it was resulting in some carpal tunnel issues.  Now it's gone beyond just that to swelling that even dh has noticed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I have no other swelling issues at all, save for the rare days I spend too much time on my feet.  Being a lazy sahm, I usually manage to spend plenty of time on my rear. ;-)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I have an appointment on Tues, where I'll be sure to mention it, but figured I'd ask here in the meantime.</p>

 

[DanielleT]

<p>I don't know what would cause the swelling but I do know that sleeping on your left is the preferred side for best circulation however you don't "HAVE" to sleep on your left...they just suggest that you don't sleep on your back...i spend my nights tossing from the left to right and sometimes i find myself even sleeping on my back (oops!)</p>

 

[myk]

<p>sleeping on my left side doesn't work that well for me either, for different reasons. if the right side works best for you, i see no reason to force yourself to do otherwise. as long as you don't spend much time flat on your back i doubt there would be any problem.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>no idea about the swelling.. it may be coincidental, but if it's not, switch it up and carry on </p>

 

[~adorkable~]

Wow i wonder if the large vein that most folks have on the right side of thier spine, you might have on the left? That would be so strange. I have a fussy left hip area and so can't sleep all the tome on that side, i go back and forth all night usually switching when I come back from my billion bathroom trips.<br><br>
I keep asking folks if there is any "silent" issues about sleeping on my right side, or would I notice if it was causing issues? I'm amazed at how any medical folks I ask this of never seem to answer it. They say well left is better. <i>"Duh, I know but can I do both? Or I'm I going to find out only later that I have been cutting something off and doing damage I never felt???"</i> well do you best to sleep on the left, they say. Yeah I've had this talk with more than one person, it's infuriating!<br><br><br>
My gut says we would know if we were hurting ourselfs and you seem to have a issue with your left side so if I were you I would see how the right worked out. If it was a silent issue I think there would be a larger public education canpain about avoiding the right side "even if it felt fine"<br><br>
Every once in a while depending on my babies position, I do feel funky pretty quick when I roll to my right, since that does happen sometimes and i always listen to it and move back, when it feels fine I am going to keep assuming it is ok to do at those times.

 

[MyFullHouse]

<p><br>
 </p>
<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>~Adorkable~</strong> <a href="/community/forum/thread/1283267/sleeping-on-left-side#post_16090331"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a><br><br>
Wow i wonder if the large vein that most folks have on the right side of thier spine, you might have on the left? That would be so strange. I have a fussy left hip area and so can't sleep all the tome on that side, i go back and forth all night usually switching when I come back from my billion bathroom trips.<br><br>
I keep asking folks if there is any "silent" issues about sleeping on my right side, or would I notice if it was causing issues? I'm amazed at how any medical folks I ask this of never seem to answer it. They say well left is better. <i>"Duh, I know but can I do both? Or I'm I going to find out only later that I have been cutting something off and doing damage I never felt???"</i> well do you best to sleep on the left, they say. Yeah I've had this talk with more than one person, it's infuriating!<br><br><br>
My gut says we would know if we were hurting ourselfs and you seem to have a issue with your left side so if I were you I would see how the right worked out. If it was a silent issue I think there would be a larger public education canpain about avoiding the right side "even if it felt fine"<br><br>
Every once in a while depending on my babies position, I do feel funky pretty quick when I roll to my right, since that does happen sometimes and i always listen to it and move back, when it feels fine I am going to keep assuming it is ok to do at those times.</div>
</div>
<p><br>
I'm really wondering where MY anatomy comes into play and where the BABY comes into play, because I've had 4 other babies, and this never popped up with any of them!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I'm definitely going to make it clear to my mws that it has me kind of freaked out.  I'm birthing in a hospital that has been pretty darn welcoming to all birthing styles, but I know I've always been told to get on my left side (if I'm in bed) whenever a baby has taken more than a slight dip.  Well, what if the left really is bad for ME, or THIS particular baby?!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It's so weird.</p>

 

[starbyfar7]

<p>i dont know.. but i know that for me, sleeping on my left all the time sucks. often times at night i'll switch to my right side or to be honest, i'll even lay on my tummy <span><img alt="bag.gif" src="http://files.mothering.com/images/smilies/bag.gif"></span> kinda half way on my left side.. which is actually the most comfortable.</p>

 

[~adorkable~]

<p>i lay nearly half on my belly no matter the side, i find it overwhelmingly the best way to settle in, i really doubt that it bothers anything. remember that water unlike air does not compress at all, so the volume of your uterus does not shrink when you lay on it, it certainly could reposition i assume, but i figure the babies would just move with it. if i was really swishing one of them they would let me know, their kicks and wiggles are pretty strong!</p>

 

[the janet]

<p>I've never liked sleeping on my left side, even pre-pregnancy. If I start off on my left, I inevitably end up on my right. Lately, I've woken up nearly flat on my back...and I'm 37 weeks! I don't wake up b/c my body is telling me to rotate...I just happen to find myself in that position when I need to get up to pee or if the alarm goes off. The only reason why I'm not too worried about it is that it's happened a number of times and so far the kid is just fine, squirming and prodding like normal.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I don't know if sleeping on my left causes more swelling but it does make me more uncomfortable...maybe it's <strong><em>too</em></strong> much circulation, if there's such a thing?</p>

 

[smeep]

<p>I flip around all the time. Generally speaking, you will feel the discomfort if it's really affecting circulation (I sleep on my left side pretty fine, but even leaning back in a chair let alone laying down on my back makes me feel nauseous and restricted). I sometimes find that propping my belly a little with blankets or a pillow helps a lot with the discomfort...I don't know if it would help with your issue, but it's worth a try!  </p>

 

[Stayseeliz]

<p>Is sleeping on your right side a big deal? I start out on my left and switch back and forth all night. It hurts to only sleep on my left side!</p>

 

[MyFullHouse]

<br><br><div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>Stayseeliz</strong> <a href="/community/forum/thread/1283267/sleeping-on-left-side#post_16093229"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a><br><br><p>Is sleeping on your right side a big deal? I start out on my left and switch back and forth all night. It hurts to only sleep on my left side!</p>
</div>
</div>
<br><br><p>Nope!  Sleeping on my right side is generally just fine.  I mean, I do get the urge to flip after a while - there's only so much my right hip can take, lol.  But, other than the need for a break, there's no major discomfort or swelling or anything else on my right.  And, as a bonus, it gives me a better view of the TV. ;-)  But more than 10 minutes on my left is miserable and puffy.</p>

 

[AngelKissedKids]

<p>Great article from the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada that refutes any need to worry about only side lying during pregnancy, stating that lying on your back produces no fetal compromise, and only the minority of women who feel faint in that position should actively avoid it.  I don't feel faint and find myself sleeping on my back for the majority of the night.  This article helps put my mind at ease about it (although I always try to fall asleep on my side if at all possible).  Hope this might help others who have been worrying about it too.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="http://www.sogc.org/jogc/abstracts/full/200710_Commentary_1.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.sogc.org/jogc/abstracts/full/200710_Commentary_1.pdf</a></p>

 

[Stayseeliz]

<p>I knew side sleeping was generally preferred and they wanted me to stay on my left side when I was on bedrest for preeclampsia with my last pregnancy. But I didn't realize left side sleeping was that preferred. I can't just do one side. My hip and leg hurts too much after too long in one position.</p>

 

[homestyle]

<br><br><div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>crystalcm</strong> <a href="/community/forum/thread/1283267/sleeping-on-left-side#post_16093302"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a><br><br><p>Great article from the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada that refutes any need to worry about only side lying during pregnancy</p>
</div>
</div>
<p><br>
Thanks for that article! I am rather happy to toss out the side-sleeping advice/scare stories altogether. </p>

 

[~adorkable~]

<p>that is a great article, i am going to print it out and give it to my OB that still hassles me about sleeping on my left side. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>from what i read in it, if it does not feel wrong it is overwhelmingly ok to do. and in the end having the most options gives us the largest chance to get some much needed rest.</p>
<p>this jives perfectly with my experiances of finding a handful of select angles that feel funny and strained (mostly for me this is some mid angle straight on my back) and those and only those angles i avoid doing out of common sense. the rest is free game as long as they continue to feel restful and normal.</p>

 

[EllisH]

<br><br><div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>crystalcm</strong> <a href="/community/forum/thread/1283267/sleeping-on-left-side#post_16093302"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a><br><br><p>Great article from the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada that refutes any need to worry about only side lying during pregnancy, stating that lying on your back produces no fetal compromise, and only the minority of women who feel faint in that position should actively avoid it.  I don't feel faint and find myself sleeping on my back for the majority of the night.  This article helps put my mind at ease about it (although I always try to fall asleep on my side if at all possible).  Hope this might help others who have been worrying about it too.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="http://www.sogc.org/jogc/abstracts/full/200710_Commentary_1.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.sogc.org/jogc/abstracts/full/200710_Commentary_1.pdf</a></p>
</div>
</div>
<p> </p>
<p>Hurray - another piece of unfounded advice out of the window! <br>
 </p>

 

[Maurine]

<p>I can't remember where I read it, but I did hear that sleeping on your right side puts some pressure on your liver.  Of course, I don't think that's a dire situation.  For me (I've had some liver issues)...it might be enough to make me want to sleep on my left side when I can.  But I don't plan to stress about it.  It's a little early for me to be thinking about it, but I've enjoyed reading this informative thread!</p>