How important is sleeping position?

Hi Everyone,

A question about sleeping positions. I've heard you should sleep only on your left hand side. I've heard sleeping on your back puts pressure on the vagus nerve (which can make you feel nauseous and faint) and sleeping on your right constricts the blood flow in your vena carva. Is this all correct?

I normally sleep on my back and at the moment I'm still very comfortable on my back and on my right hand side. If I sleep on my left all night then I get very sore hips (even though I'm using a body pillow). At the moment I really feel like I need to rotate positions.

Am I doing harm if I sleep on my back or right? Can I keep sleeping in these positions if I'm still comfortable and stop when I'm not?

Thanks :)

According to my ob, Left side or right side makes no difference. But sleeping flat on your back is a problem. The blood supply can be cut off - I had this happen while I was on my back for an exam with my ob and it was awful, I just suddenly went all dizzy and nauseous. THe good news though is that you only need to be on a 10 deg incline to be ok, so if you put a pillow under you on one side and sleep like that you should be fine. HTH.

I'm at 37 weeks and still sleep on my back half the time. Its just more comfortable. I asked Dr. and he said if I'm comfortable, if I'm not dizzy or sick feeling from it, then its fine. He said if I feel bad then I'm putting pressure on that major vein I can't remember the name of but someone else has mentioned. Sometimes I stick a pillow beneath the small of my back for "arch support."

They say no right side due to ? compressing the liver but I do sleep on my right side. I figure as long as you are comfortable. You will soon know if you can't sleep on your back. You will feel funny and disgusting. I find I get uncomfortable in one position too long - left or right side so being able to switch between the two is good. Gives one hip a rest.

I am so looking forward to sleeping on my back, usually a tummy or back sleeper.

I asked my OB too and he said just get sleep! doesn't matter how you lay, so i TRY to get comfortable any way i can, but on my right side tends to give me pains so it is on my back or left side for me, soon i will have to sleep standing up :cryinglaugh:

Hang in there, Taurusa, I was really uncomfortable around 30-34 weeks and then things just kind of got better. I couldn't breathe or eat or sleep or sit for very long. Now its all good, so maybe there's hope? :)

Thanks everyone for the great responses - my mind has been put at ease so hopefully I can get some sleep :)

I think I'll continue to sleep however I'm comfortable for now. As long as sleeping on my back isn't going to hurt bub then I'll continue to keep that position in the nightly rotation ;) When/if I get uncomfortable then I'll reassess.

Thanks again!

Hello There.

I find that I flip from side to side during the night and rest on my back for short periods to give my hips a break as otherwise they go numb! Like the other ladies say as long as you are comfy, keep doing it. I was told I had to sleep with a pillow between my ankles and knees and as soon as I started to sleep like that I got horrible leg cramps, got really tired and cranky so I tossed the extra pillow and have been sleeping like a baby ever since. So my motto "if it ain't broke don't fix it"

Cheers

Mecil :D