Sleeping on stomach...

[yoshy]

So I'm 15w6d, and I remember from my last pregnancy that sleeping on your back after 16 weeks is not recommended becuase it can reduce blood supply to baby.
But what about sleeping on your tummy? I'm a stomach sleeper, and while I know I won't be able to stay sleeping on my tummy much longer becuase it won't be comfortable once my bump gets bigger, does anyone know if there's actually a health issue for baby with it as long as I'm comfortable sleeping on my stomach?

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I slept on stomach and back until uncomfortable x

 

[thexfadingpat]

Nothing wrong with sleeping on your stomach.

 

[wtbmummy]

I slept on my stomach (or as much as was possible) for my sons entire pregnancy. Even at 38weeks!!
Im 24w with no2 and still belly sleeping. There are times i cant like with ds but thats more from heartburn n I have to sleep sitting right up when that happens

 

[Trixter]

I am someone who always sleeps on my belly, but I'm now 17 weeks pregnant and I keep waking up in the night on my back! this never happened before, it's almost like my subconscious doesn't want me to sleep on my tummy. I keep repeatedly waking, turning over onto my tummy, then waking on my back all over again. Very strange.

It does feel odd lying on my belly because I just feel the sense of the baby in there.

I'm trying to fight years of tummy sleeping and trying to adjust to side/back sleeping but it's not proving easy and I'm tired lol.

Having said this, there is no reason I've heard of that says you shouldn't sleep on belly. I've heard it's fine if you're comfortable.

 

[arturia]

You should try not to sleep on your back but if you wake up that way I don't think it matters much. I haven't heard anything advice wise about sleeping on your stomach or not, just that it probably won't be comfortable. But if it is, more power to you.

If you're fighting with your body to 'stay in a particular position', it's probably better to give it up and get the best sleep you can.

 

[SonnyH]

In a similar line, what's the dealio with sleeping on your left or right? I am a side sleeper which is helpful I guess but I do tend to change sides during the night! I get backache at night at the moment and I just can't stay laying on one side. I have to roll over! But then I've been worried that you all the advice suggests to only sleep on the left! :-/

 

[arturia]

In a similar line, what's the dealio with sleeping on your left or right? I am a side sleeper which is helpful I guess but I do tend to change sides during the night! I get backache at night at the moment and I just can't stay laying on one side. I have to roll over! But then I've been worried that you all the advice suggests to only sleep on the left! :-/

Sleeping on my left actually makes me slightly uncomfortable, like my heart rate goes up slightly or something. I think the reasoning is that normally, sleeping on the left provides the easiest blood flow. However, as I mentioned, getting a good night's sleep is more important than the specifics of exactly how you sleep. I mean, babies survived until birth before we had 546542652 different recommendations on everything, so chances are whatever you're doing isn't harmful.

 

[Symphony7]

Ive been waking up on my back a lot, which is weird because I've been a side sleeper my whole life and never been able to sleep any other way. Can't keep myself on my side for whatever reason.

 

[yoshy]

Ive been waking up on my back a lot, which is weird because I've been a side sleeper my whole life and never been able to sleep any other way. Can't keep myself on my side for whatever reason.

Try putting a pillow to support your back. Should help prevent you ending up on your back.

 

[JT2013]

I'm still sleeping on my stomach with some support from a pregnancy support pillow so I don't feel like I'm squashing LO!

 

[Xpecta]

Thanks for asking this! I've been wondering because I've only really been a belly sleeper for the last year and half or so. However I really do sleep all over haha. But the last few nights I wake up on my tummy with my arm under me and my arm is asleep.

But in my other pregnancies I slept on my back and sides all the time.

 

[maryp0ppins]

I am still sleeping in all positions!

 

[TwoGirlsAndMe]

I've always been a tummy sleeper but stopped around 15 weeks with all 3 babies as didn't want to squish them.. I'm sure you can't but didn't feel right. So now I'm a side sleeper which takes some getting used too.

 

[SandraM]

The best sleep position during pregnancy sleeps on the side. Even better is to sleep on your left side. Sleeping on your left side will increase the amount of blood and nutrients that reach the placenta and your baby. In stage sleeping on stomach is fine, but when you are further along in your pregnancy, your abdomen undergoes physical changes and makes it more difficult for you to lay on your stomach. Sleeping on your stomach might give too much pressure to your veins and placenta, and hence, block the blood stream. You can still sleep on your stomach by putting a pillow under your thighs to balance the growing belly. However, this will not be comfortable.

 

[xdxxtx]

Hey, I have a Jesse born June 9, 2013. Anyway, I sleep on my belly all the way through pregnancy, simply propping myself up on pillows to take all pressure off of my belly (currently with a pillow under my pelvis and several under my chest/head,... when I get bigger, I'll put pillows on my sides, more under my pelvis and several more under my chest and head!) I wake up with terrible back aches when I sleep on my side because my hips are soooo much wider than my waist.

 

[yoshy]

Hey, I have a Jesse born June 9, 2013. Anyway, I sleep on my belly all the way through pregnancy, simply propping myself up on pillows to take all pressure off of my belly (currently with a pillow under my pelvis and several under my chest/head,... when I get bigger, I'll put pillows on my sides, more under my pelvis and several more under my chest and head!) I wake up with terrible back aches when I sleep on my side because my hips are soooo much wider than my waist.

That's so funny! You weren't on the June Mums fb group that started from BnB in 2013 I guess, cuz I don't remember there being another Jesse there. hehe

So right now I'm actually tossing and turning between my sides and my stomach and just having trouble sleeping in general. I tried my body pillow for a few days and it just gave me worse backache.

Not sure what to try next

 

[JenzyKY]

It's fine to sleep on your stomach until it is uncomfortable. You also can sleep on your back for a while. The problem with back sleeping is that it puts pressure on blood flow when your belly is big. I can't imagine a belly at 16 weeks is large enough for that. Last time, I'd put a pillow next to me so I could sort of lay on my back as I find my sides all the time to be terrible for sleeping.

 

[Wish85]

I'm still sleeping on my belly at 17+. I don't do it all night as I like to change positions even when not pregnant but I'm usually a stomach or back sleeper. Trying to limit it to stomach and sides though as I am paranoid about the blood flow thing..I don't find sleeping on my side very comfortable so I'm trying to get used to it.

 

[BB1982]

I've just started having trouble sleeping, I toss and turn all night. I usually sleep on stomach (I think!) which is just getting slightly uncomfortable so I try to sleep on my sides. I also usually fall to sleep on my back but feel aware inner. To train myself now to stop so as my bump gets bigger I can more easily sleep in other positions. I've tried using a pillow to cuddle, prop under me etc but I still struggle. I'm worried my fidgeting is disturbing OH as he's been really tired this week and I think I'm to blame! Also I think I got up 3 or 4 times last night to use the loo, mainly because I was waking up rather than waking because I needed the loo. Any suggestions? Xx