How important is it to sleep on your side at 16 wks?

Does anyone know if it really matters that I sleep on my side at 16 wks? I read somewhere (I think americanpregnancy.org) that by 16 wks it is very important that a woman be sleeping on her side rather than her back. But I find it very difficult to stay on my side throughout the entire night and find that it is only when I'm on my back that I really get any rest. Does anyone know if I can hurt the baby by doing this?

[mamaof6]

Hi. I was wondering the same thing!  Sorry I dont have an answer but I will be watching this thread!  LOL Hope we get some answers :) Thx for posting this!

[nsrchofbaby]

LOL no prob! Now we wait...The funny thing is, I used to have to sleep on my side to sleep comfortably until I heard that I HAD TO and then everything went nuts. Haha. I guess it's all in my mind. :)

[mamaofonetrying42]

Sleeping on your left side will increase the amount of blood and nutrients that reach the placenta and your baby.

[mamaofonetrying42]

So you will not "hurt" your baby for sleeping on your back, its just better if you dont!

[louieforlaughs]

hey,
i also ran into this in my readings. both the books i'm reading said the same thing on the same week...you must not sleep on your back. now, i slept on my tummy for a long time cause it wasn't uncomfortable. but then it did bother me so i ended up on my side or back. then i read the do not do this in my books and put a pillow under my knee and one behind me. thankfully hubby was okay with all this. i found that the pillow behind me fell off the bed a lot. however, it did train me not to sleep on my back completely, but half way. its only been a week and i find i am okay with sleeping on my side...even though i was most comfy on my back or belly before.  you can train yourself, its just a few days of tossing and turning. its a good idea to start sleeping on your side cause baby is now big enough to squish some of your major veins and this can cause lack of blood flow to yourself and the baby.
try the pillows and see how that works. i think you can buy special pillows out there called snuggies or something, but that might help you too.
good luck!

[nsrchofbaby]

Thank you so much :)

[nsrchofbaby]

Thanks for the tip. I'll try the pillow thing. I'm sure it's just a matter of getting used to and now that I understand the reason for it, I'll have no problem adjusting. :)

[leighanne143]

it is thought that when you sleep on your back, your heavy uterus cuts off a main artery underneath.  but like other information says, women slept on their backs well before this and nothing happened.

i am a back sleeper and have struggled with sleeping on my sides.  the doctors will say left side is preferbale but my doctor said if i can only get comfortable on my right, then sleep on my right.  i often wake up in the middle of the night on my back and just turn over.

[kikicoates78]

Thank goodness I am a side sleeper! I tend to roll kinda on my belly though sometimes I wake up with pains in my tummy if I lay that way for long! I also read that laying on your back affects blood cirulation to the baby.

[tea_berries]

I guess I was forced to sleep on my side at this stage..  Its really hard for me to sleep on my back these days because I feel out of breath.. maybe the baby weight and all are squishing some of my organs that makes it hard to breathe.  

Sleeping on the side thing helps  increase nutrient flow to your baby while asleep.. I Place a pillow on my back like a wedge when I sleep on my left side and it stops me from going back to my normal "sleeping on my back position".  It just helps me stay where I am in case I fall asleep and unconsiously lie on my back.

[Super_sally888]

Hi,

i think you will roll over if you're uncomfortable.  It is a very personal thing and women have gone through history not worrying what position they're sleeping in and having normal healthy babies.   Pregnancy has become such a science that we're all lectured about what we should and shouldn't do so much, and forget about common sense....

I reckon Sleep in the position you're most comfortable in.  If you can sleep on your side do, but if not, don't worry too much about it.

I'm 33 weeks now (and my tummy is not huge, rather just spread out).  I used to worry about sleeping on my back, but still find it is the most comfortable position for me... so if I wake up on my back and am comfortable i stay there.  It's hard enough to sleep now, so I'll take it in whatever position I can get it. :)

[honeybear56]

Im a tummy sleeper and i slept on my tummy till i was about 22- 23 weeks. But now i have no choice but to sleep on my side(s) and sometimes i actually roll a little more on my tummy then i want to and the little stinker kicks my BUTT. LOL. But after a while it becomes inevitable to sleep on your side, cause your tummy gets so big. And to be honest im almost 35 weeks and i STILL have a hard time sleeping on my side. I toss and turn all night. And i wake up with pains all over, NO FUN.

[michelle_rusty]

just wanted to add along with honey bear . i am also a tummy sleeper and im 28 weeks and it doesnt bother me nor hurt the baby. so i will continue to sleep on tummy till i no longer can... sleep in the postion that is confortable for you and ur lil bean.....

[justice6920]

I had the same question for my doc when i was about 16-18 weeks.... he told me that i can sleep on my back as long as its comfortable for me.... he said that my body will let me know when its no longer safe or comfortable to sleep on my back.... I am currently 28 weeks and still wake up and find my self on my back!

[LauraB78]

I give supersally's post 2 thumbs up!!

I mostly sleep on my back still, I wake up that way no matter what I try and I NEED to get rest.. Pregnancy has become way too much of a "science." Makes for some craziness!

[BooMommy06]

You should sleep on your side, sleeping on your back will increase the pressure on your back and organs.  It's healthier to sleep on your side than your back.  What I had to do to sleep comfortably was put my bed up against a wall, prop a pillow behind me and one under my belly and sleep using the wall as support.  The one thing I figured out during my pregnancy is that they will tell you a million things and although it is VERY important to follow your doctors orders during your pregnancy, you also need to find your own groove.

[debgunn23]

i try to sleep on my side but i only get rest on my back. Now that im bigger (23 weeks) my back hurts SOO bad when im on my side. Pillows dont work so i end up on my back.