Sleeping questions

[riley10]

I'm 18.5 weeks and when I first found out I was pregnant I started trying to sleep on my left side (I'm a back sleeper) to get use to it.  Well, I always end up on my back or my shoulder or arm falls asleep - its so uncomfortable.  So now I have to sleep almost sitting up because from what I've read they say not to sleep on your back.  I sleep with about 5 pillows behind me to prop me up - almost like I'm sleeping in a recliner.  This position isn't that comfortable either - but I'm getting sleep most of the time.  Have any of you ladies had difficulty with sleeping positions?

[tobbeyj]

I started off being concerned about the whole sleeping thing and was talking to DH's mom about this too. When they she was preg with DH, she said that they knew nothing about all of this stuff. The way I see it is that we know we should sleep on the left side....but really have we ever heard of bad things happening to moms if they dont? I try to start on left and then end up waking up on my back and even on my belly sometimes. I figured that I am going to have sooo little sleep when baby comes that I am not going to be overly worried about the whole sleeping thing right now. That is just how I rationalized it over the last few weeks and Im sticking to it. I understand that sleeping on my back is bad, but I think my body will react and tell me when its time to shift. Not sure how anyone else feels about this...but sometimes all this new information puts such added stress on us. Why cant things just be as simple as when our parents were our age??

[adgal]

Oh yes, this has definatley been a problem for me.  I have actually given up sleeping on my left and mostly sleep on my right side.  I bought something called a Snoogle (bought it at Baby's r' Us).  I sleep with that in front of me and a body pillow in behind my back...honestly, best purchase I have made in this pregnancy.  It has made a huge difference.  Now, I still wake up through the night (mainly to go to the bathroom) and yes, I still flip over on my back, but I am sure it would be far worse if I did not have my little "system" in place.  Good luck and I hope you get some sleep soon!!

[rubyinparadise]

I'm 25 weeks and I get a lot of hip pain when I sleep for too long on one side or the other. I'm going for a pregnancy massage today because I'm pretty sure that some of it is muscle tension. But yeah, it's not the most comfortable, even with my body pillow. I end up sort of halfway on my back, but propped at an angle.

From my prenatal massage training, what I was taught is that in the 2nd trimester it's still ok to lie on your back but to have the right hip slightly elevated so that the weight of the baby is not bearing directly down on the abdominal aorta, which limit the blood supply to your own lower extremities.

[Ecologic]

I am 18 weeks but I don't have this problem as I always sleep on my side, with my arm between 2 pillows under my head - can't stand having my arm touch my head and I like to be elevated! You could try 2 pillows as well...

PS: why is it bad to sleep on the back when you're pregnant??

[allie_44107]

Hi-I am having the same issue.  I am almost 20 weeks and I have a hard time getting comfy.  I have been trying to sleep on my left side but always wake up on my back.  Have you tried a body pillow?  I asked for one for xmas and I have read they are wonderful