Is it dangerous to sleep on your back?

[Sparky0207]

I cannot get comfy on my side and have been sleeping on my back but have just read an article in a magazine saying its dangerous for the baby - is this true? Never heard it before

 

[nervouspains]

I asked my mw this yesterday- she said as long as you place a flat pillow under the right side of your back, so you are slightly lifted on one side, its fine.
Apparently there is a vein that runs down the right side of your back, and if too much weight is put on it, it can cause you dizzyness and make you feel light headed, it doesnt really affect the baby.
Other then that, she said there is no reason not to lie on your back or on the right side xx

 

[WW1]

I've heard that later on the weight of baby can push down on major blood vessels. However, I think you'd know about it as it'll make you feel rubbish! It might be worth starting on your side (left is best apparently) but if you turn onto your back in the night don't worry about it.

I've not been able to sleep on my back for some weeks as it hurts so I'm sure your body will tell you if it's a problem.

I'm very jealous by the way - I love sleeping on my back!

 

[memysonand3]

im having triplets and i sleep on my sides because if i dont i cant really breath but my nurses said that it is supposed to be bad but that i would know and that it isnt too big of a deal

 

[Kota]

it's true about the vessel thing, but thing is, you're more likely to wake up cause the body is uncomfortable from the pressure on it before anything happens, hence allowing you to change positions.
as for the right/left side thing, while the left side is marginally better for blood flow, it really is only marginally. so if you are forcing yourself to sleep on the left hand side but finding it so uncomfortable that you aren't actually sleeping properly, then you're better off finding the position that you are most comfortable in and going with that. Not getting enough sleep is going to be worse for you and bubs then sleeping comfortably on the right or your back if thats where you find you get good quality sleep.

 

[Tegans Mama]

As long as sleeping on your back doesn't make you feel dizzy or breathless you're fine to sleep on your back.

 

[bigbean]

as long as you can sleep...this this the most important thing...

I had a time where I just could sleep on the left side... by now I am twisting and turning... or not get any sleep as LO decides to be active at night

the vessle thing is true though I was feeling dizzy one day at work the doctor there told me that LO has just decided to be comfy and wanted to snuggle up tothe vessle... which left me with no blood in the brain... but apart from that

you need to be comfy

 

[QTPie]

I try to sleep on my side as much as possible (start off that way and normally stay on the same side for 3+ hours before turning on to the other...). I quite often wake up on my back and turn back onto a side.

I think that if you were compromising your blood/oxygen supply (to the baby and you), then you would wake up and move: many women (over the years) have slept on their backs without harming their babies...

BUT it is also believed that sleeping on your back increases the risk of a "back to back" baby... if you sleep on your side, then the baby is MUCH more likely to nestle his spine onto that side. In fact, the two women I personally know (recently pregnant) who insisted on sleeping on their backs throughout pregnancy, BOTH had lengthy, tough "back to back" labours... I would REALLY like to avoid that! It may not be a sure thing (i.e. if you sleep on your side, you may still go "back to back"), but it is worth a try...

Can't wait to sprawl on my back/stomach (guilt free) after the baby is born...

QT

 

[tootsy1987]

I was wondering this too as im finding it extremely difficult to stay on my sides now, the pains i get it my hips then down my legs is immence through the night, i normally take a 10 mins break on my back but thought it was really bad for u so i have been perservering on my side, now i know its ok i shall be having an hour or so on my back if the pain gets too bad... altho whenever im on my back i do that pillow thing and lodge it under the right side so im on a slight tint! omg its getting soo hard the further u get xxxxxxxxx

 

[Emma1980]

i always wake up on my back, i just cannot lie on my hips anymore, far too sore! i figured my body would tell me if it was doing any damage

 

[Dream.A.Dream]

I keep waking on my back too, I just turn myself back onto my side again when I wake up xx

 

[DueMarch2nd]

It can cut off oxygen to the baby but usually you would notice first. Just have a pillow to prop up your head or side.

My problem is I always laid on my tummy before and since that is impossible, I lay on my side but I know that the right side can be harmful too and even though I know logically that the baby would probably be fine because women will have been laying on the right side for generations, I still feel horrible. So I am stuck on my frickin left side all the time

 

[Noodles]

The vein that is being referred to is your vena cava vein.

'Lying on your back can cause problems with backaches, breathing, digestive system, hemorrhoids, low blood pressure and decrease in circulation to your heart and your baby. This is a result of your abdomen resting on your intestines and major blood vessels'

Your body is very good at letting you know when something is wrong so if you were restricting the baby's oxygen it would wake you up and therefore make you roll back onto your side. Remember that sleeping on your back is still better than not sleeping at all, so try going to sleep on your left side with a pillow at the base of your back. That way if you do roll over in the night you won't ever be flat on your back and therefore won't be putting too much pressure on your veins.

 

[toseland13]

i sleep on my back most of the time and i havent had a problem yet!

 

[billybump]

I sleep on my front, my back or my side if I'm comfy and sleeping that means baby must be fine too. At 38 weeks ive no problems, he's in perfect position., starting to engage and has a strong heartbeat. Trust your body.

 

[bigbloomerz]

My MW told me that sleeping on your back isnt advised as it can cause blood flow, trapped nerve problems, which ive noticed as a few times when ive woke up in the night after sleeping on my back my arm has gone dead or ive got pins and needles in my legs lol.
I try to sleep on my left hand side as much as possible, supposed to squish less of your vital organs! xx

 

[summerarmahni]

i have read and heard a lot about not sleeping on your back so i tend to sleep half on m side half on my belly, with my leg stuck out lol xx

 

[emalou90]

JUST AN UPDATE FOR YOU ALL


i read this thread yesterday and thought to myself, i've not wanted to sleep on my back for ages (which is my usual sleeping position) and last night

I COULD NOT STOP MYSELF FROM STAYING ON MY BACK
haha i slept terribly though and kept waking what seemed like every 5 seconds!
xxx

 

[Kota]

It can cut off oxygen to the baby but usually you would notice first. Just have a pillow to prop up your head or side.

My problem is I always laid on my tummy before and since that is impossible, I lay on my side but I know that the right side can be harmful too and even though I know logically that the baby would probably be fine because women will have been laying on the right side for generations, I still feel horrible. So I am stuck on my frickin left side all the time

Lying on the right side is by no means 'harmful' so please don't concern yourself with that, the studies that have been done show that while the left side is the 'best' its only a marginal difference over the right hand side.

 

[emalou90]

i alternate sides left until it hurts, then right until it hurts then left/right/left/right x