Sleep positions later on?

[Surprised26]

So I'm kind of freaking out. I"m only 9 weeks right now, but later on I know that you're only supposed to sleep on your side. The problem is that I've NEVER been able to sleep at all on either of my sides. My arms instantly fall asleep when I have any weight on them and I wake up immediately in pain until I change to my back. Worried about what I'm going to do later when back sleeping is strongly discouraged. Everything I read just makes things seem worse and worse. Sadly I think I'm more scared about that than the whole child birth procedure itsself. No amount of pillows (and trust me I have a lot) have ever helped me to be able to sleep on a side any suggestions?

 

[RaspberryK]

You won't be able to sleep on your back it'll be physically impossible. I was a belly sleeper before ds and I thought I'd never be able to sleep. I got a pregnancy pillow which wedged me in a comfortable ish position.
Xx

 

[tjayne07]

I always sleep on my belly or my side but even now so early on sleeping on my side is uncomfortable so already thinking of getting a body pillow thing.
When I was pregnant with my son it was impossible to sleep on my back...I had a huge square pillow that I proped my bump on and that worked fine xx

 

[Surprised26]

Yes, I know that sleeping flat on my back in a bed isn't going to be an option. The only problem is that I literally can not sleep on my side, I mean I'm sure when I get sleep deprived enough it will happen for a short time, I'm not worried about my belly being an issue but I'm certain that my arms wont let me (I normally sleep in what I call the "Star Fish" position to keep any pressure off my arms so I can sleep). I've been trying to research and see if maybe sleeping in a recliner would be okay, or propped up on pillows so that I'm not laying flat. I guess it's a question I'll take to my ob. Just trying to figure it out before I'm sitting at 20 weeks and freaking out because I don't know how to go to sleep lol

 

[modified]

I still wake up every morning on my back. No ill effects to me other than very occasionally waking up ever so slightly light headed.

 

[cookette]

I have a fairly good sized bump, measuring quite abit ahead, and can comfortably sleep in recovery position (one leg up, shoulders down on the bed; a modified stomach pose. Like a flamingo!). I do also wake up on my back sometimes still. I can handle side side sleeping if I wedge a pillow between my knees....we will see how this all progresses...

 

[modified]

I have a fairly good sized bump, measuring quite abit ahead, and can comfortably sleep in recovery position (one leg up, shoulders down on the bed; a modified stomach pose. Like a flamingo!). I do also wake up on my back sometimes still. I can handle side side sleeping if I wedge a pillow between my knees....we will see how this all progresses...

The recovery position is how I fall asleep and have done since the day I could move Still falling asleep that way now

 

[Scout]

I think I spent almost all of 3rd tri on my sofa on my back propped up. I had horrible spd and couldn't lay down. I would guess sleepimg in a recliner would be fine, but good idea to ask. My OB told me I could lay in any position that would alliow me to get some sleep.

 

[Luvspnk31]

Do u have a recliner u could sleep in? U would be in a semi- sitting position that way, and your legs would be somewhat elevated. Would take pressure off your aorta and vena cava, which is what the main concern.

 

[ajlj1126]

I had the same issue when I was pregnant with DD. I couldn't fall asleep any other way but on my back. I also had horrible acid reflux, to the point of vomiting almost nightly, and laying even close to horizontal in any position was out of the question. So I bought a LOT of pillows and slept propped upright somewhat in my bed. Of course I was concerned considering everything you read online about sleeping on your back, but when I asked my OB about it, he said sleep deprivation is a lot more detrimental to your baby than sleeping on your back. He said to take sleep however I could get it.

 

[CastawayBride]

I sleep on my tummy but as soon as I find out I am pregnant switch to sleeping with this! I put the U at my feet and use my own pillow as I am a bit of a pillow snob!!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HEUJVO/ref=oh_details_o02_s02_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[hello_kitty]

I would love to sleep on my back but like someone else mentioned it's impossible. It feels like something is pressing on my uterus and I have the need to pee. I can only sleep on my side or not sleep at all. I heard a pregnancy pillow helps but since I'm not that miserable and have only 7 weeks left I decided to opt out of getting one.

 

[Surprised26]

Thank you for all the responses. I'm going to experiment with pillows, but I'm not holding much hope as even the recovery position, although comfortable for most of my body, puts pressure on my arms in a way that causes me significant pain. Nerve issues/fibromyalgia makes sleeping comfortably a challenge even when I'm not pregnant. The recliner idea is probably what I'm going to have to resort to, hopefully I'll be able to get comfortable in it at that point in my pregnancy. I really appreciate all of the suggestions ladies

 

[babylove x]

I still wake up on my tummy. I always woke up squishing dd as well, my body managed to take good care of her. Nothing i did while falling asleep seemed to matter omce i was out cold. Xx

 

[lynnikins]

get a thick mattress topper to ease some of the pressure on your arms and a good body pillow and then sleep how your comfortable im half on my stomach still as i wasn't able to sleep like that for most of the last year due to being pregnant or bf so right now when im not showing and not bf then im gonna make the most of it

 

[Anana]

I hate to say it but this was my biggest issue with my first pregnancy. I'm an exclusive back sleeper and couldn't get comfortable no matter how hard I tried with pregnancy #1 even with a pregnancy pillow. I ended up having a lot of back and neck pain post baby which I saw a chiropractor for about 6 months to fix. I don't have any recommendations except to try to get as much sleep now on your back as you can. If it's still comfortable for you than i think it's ok but I got to a point I could no longer breath comfortably if I lay on my back. When I was pregnant everyone said to "sleep while I could" buy I honestly slept much better after my baby was born. Don't worry too much. It's only a temporary problem. It's not fun but it is only for a few months.

 

[lj2245]

I always sleep on my tummy and with both my previous pregnancies I slept in the recovery position with my top leg thrown over a 12ft u-shaped pillow. I have horrible SPD and still haven't recovered from it from DS2 so find that not sleeping exactly on my side helps with that too.

 

[Kezzybear]

I was also a tummy sleeper and this is now impossible. You can't breathe when on your back so side or slight 45 degree angle is the only way to go. Trust me, you will adapt after a while. Sometimes I find that a few pillows can prop you up so you aren't sleeping flat on your back, that might help?

I put one pillow between my legs and one under bump. I kind of roll 45 degrees but I need the pillow under my bump as one night I woke up on my belly with baby kicking me! Whoops! I don't think she was happy with me!!!!

Enjoy your pregnancy love xxx

 

[lj2245]

Also, I could sleep on my back if I bent my knees and rolled them to the side so the top part where my arms are were flat against the bed but my lower half where my legs are were on their side. I put a soft pillow under my bump to prevent it hovering in the air in the last few weeks.