Maternity pillows! Who has one for sleeping and why can't you sleep on your back?!

[bubbles_cymru]

Does anybody improvise with normal pillows how d'ya all sleep?!

 

[Boomerslady]

I sleep on both sides, with a normal pillow under my bump & sometimes under my boobs.

It seems to be working for the moment (I had the best nights sleep last night, I didnt wake up once, so no pee breaks for me!) it was quite funny having to run to the loo this morning though!

I know some people get restless legs, so put a pillow inbetween thier legs too...I did this for a while but it didnt help me.

I've found the 1 pillow under my bump enough to a. stop me rolling onto my belly, and b. support the extra weight.

I've just bought a V pillow for when BF but I may use this in 3rd tri when bump gets bigger.

Oh and sleeping on your back...not sure why not, something to do with blood flow......I do occasionally if I'm having a bad night, and my arms/sides get too sore.

 

[jenny82]

My maternity pillow has spent most of it's time on the floor :/ its too big for our bed!

I've started using a pillow either side of my body although this week has been a nightmare for sleeping. Can't get comfy and end up waking up on my back anyway...

 

[apple84]

My doctor told me that sleeping on my back was fine as long as it isn't uncomfortable, but I've still been laying mostly on my sides just to be safe. I've just started putting a normal pillow between my legs. I haven't changed anything else.

 

[Rachaela]

I have just continued to sleep normally with no extra pillows, might consider putting a normal pillow under my bump cause im starting to get sore on the right side, feels like a pulled muscle or something. x

 

[QTPie]

Does anybody improvise with normal pillows how d'ya all sleep?!

I have a body pillow, but found it too restrictive... so reverted to normal pillows... I try to sleep on my left side with EITHER my left leg straight and my right leg bend and supported by the regular pillow underneath OR both legs slightly bent and the pillow in between. I can't sleep in that position all night and sometimes switch to my right side, sometimes on my back, I was still waking up on my tummy (sometimes) up until early last week (that is getting tougher and tougher to do).

I woke up last night, uncomfortable, from sleeping on my back too - had to get up and walk around. Maybe because my bump is going through a growth spurt? I have a friend who is over 30 weeks pregnant and can ONLY sleep on her back (she does it with a pillow propping her up and her legs hooked over her OH - to remove the pressure from her back).

The most important thing is to find some way to sleep comfortably... (this varies for everyone). For me, that is lying on my side with a pillow under/between my legs (to reduce the pressure on my belly). But I can't be too restricted - need to be able to move.

Good luck
QT

 

[bubbles_cymru]

hmm i haven't been able to lie on my belly for a cpl months now and wake up on my side or back! As long as the pillows aren't a "must" to have! The worst thing i'm suffering with are restless legs or jumpy legs as my mum calls them lol!

 

[ks_girl]

Youre spose to sleep on your sides because sleeping on your back puts alot of pressure on your insides (can cause hemorroids),and reduces blood flow. Left side in preferable, though either is better than back or belly. Though -no harm done- if you do wake up and you are on your back or whatnot. I sleep with a chunky pillow on both sides if DH isnt here. And if he is, then a pillow on the side opposite of him.

 

[Tilly]

I think in later stages of pregnancy, sleeping on your back can put pressure on the aorta - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aorta I never worried about it, once it's too uncomfortable.. you soon realise. I can't lie on my back without feeling breathless and claustrophobic now.

I sometimes put a pillow between my legs, but it's getting increasingly more uncomfortable (although im a bit further along!).

 

[QTPie]

Youre spose to sleep on your sides because sleeping on your back puts alot of pressure on your insides (can cause hemorroids),and reduces blood flow. Left side in preferable, though either is better than back or belly. Though -no harm done- if you do wake up and you are on your back or whatnot. I sleep with a chunky pillow on both sides if DH isnt here. And if he is, then a pillow on the side opposite of him.

Although this is the later stages (after about 26/30 weeks) and most people wake up if they are uncomfortable anyway... Most MWs now recommend just making yourself comfortable: if it is wrong for your body (i.e. constricting blood flow), then you will feel it and move off your back...

QT

 

[redpoppy]

I sleep with lots of pillows and cushions and figure out whats comfortable as the night goes on.

usually pillow under the head, pillow to have against my body (as I used to be a front sleeper and have been training myself for YEARS to sleep on my side or back) a pillow plus cushion between my legs.

I've been told as I get further along I'll need one behind my back.

The reason sleeping on your side (and pref. left) is preferred is because of the vena cava artery or something getting squished which is bad. Can't remember why.

 

[Tilly]

Here

https://pregnancy.about.com/od/symptoms/qt/backsleeping.htm

 

[Mrs Dot]

lidl have got full length body pillows for £10 on offer atm! they're £30 in Mothercare!!!!!

 

[QTPie]

Here

https://pregnancy.about.com/od/symptoms/qt/backsleeping.htm

Fairly correct, but needn't be taken religiously (although that it a personal decision).... At 16 weeks the uterus is still not very heavy in most of us.

Most MWs say that you really shouldn't be too concerned: sleeping on your back (occassionally, for a while) wont kill you or the baby... our body's are wonderful things and tend to tell us if we are cutting off the flow in our vena cava... we will turn over naturally or wake up and turn over.

A lot of pregnant women stress about "what position should I sleep in?" and then really stress if they find themselves sleeping on anything other than their right side... The most important thing is to make yourself comfortable and get some sleep, if that position is inappropriate to your body (and this will change during pregnancy), then you will know about it

It is undoubtedly "optimal" to sleep on your left side, but don't stress if you can't or find yourself waking up in other positions - hardly anyone can sleep in one position all night (unless you are so pregnant you can't move).

QT

 

[Tilly]

I did say earlier that I was in later stages of pregnancy and in both of my pregnancies i've never worried about my sleeping position. The best thing to do, is get comfy.. once you can't lie on your back/stomach - it becomes blatantly obvious and too uncomfortable to consider.

 

[QTPie]

I did say earlier that I was in later stages of pregnancy and in both of my pregnancies i've never worried about my sleeping position. The best thing to do, is get comfy.. once you can't lie on your back/stomach - it becomes blatantly obvious and too uncomfortable to consider.

Sorry, definitely

QT

 

[Tilly]

 

[purpledahlia]

I sleep on my back.

I sleep on m side mostly, but i do sometimes sleep on my back, I usually put a normal pillow under my bump and boobs, and one by my back, one under my head,and i cuddle into one. LOL. its sad but true.
then my back is kinda ona cushion too, i get sore back by the end of the day, it just feels secure to be wedged in. And then if i tuen its the same just the other way around,

sometimes i do sleep on my back with a 'tilt' to one side with pillow there os belly kinda on it, I always put my arms up behind my head aswell if im on my back ( funny cos sonographer said baby was doing this! like on a lounder! haha! )

But yeh, i will sleep how i get comfy. not a great sleeper at the best of times and its so much worse now, so im not gonna stress about it too much Cos i know for now everything is fine!

 

[Cattia]

I am finding sleeping quite uncomfortable. I was told that sleeping on your back can restrict blood flow to the baby but you will feel this way before the baby does, if this happens you will wake up feeling dizzy and unwell and that is your body's way of telling you to move! Since I want to avoid this I have avoided sleeping on my back as much as possible, but I think you would know about it before any harm came to the baby. I have a dream gini pregnancy pillow and at first it was great but now I am finding it a drag to turn over in the night. Someone told me not to turn the whole pillow over, but I am still struggling with it an am going to try one long pillow either side. For some reason I also wake up with a sore shoulder and chest and I have found propping myself up somy head is quite rasied helps this. Can't believe all this and only second tri!?!

 

[sun]

I still slept on my stomach (or partially on my stomach) until about 20 weeks - now it is too uncomfortable to sleep on my back or stomach. I always used a flat pillow which was more comfy for tummy sleeping, but on my sides (which I'm not used to anyway) it isn't as comfortable and I wasn't sleeping that well. Anyway, so last night I bought a "side-sleeping" pillow and a little wee pillow for under bump and had the best sleep ever since I had to abandon tummy sleeping!!!!
I was thinking of buying a maternity pillow, but they are HUGE and expensive - can hardly fit in the bed LOL. SO I am going with little pillows that I can custom arrange

xx