Sleeping on Side When Pregnant

I slept however I was comfortable. a lot of times on my back! and even my stomach until maybe 6 months. sleep is important too and i agree with someone else as long as you are not having complications. Also, in time you will probably get used to it just because you will be so tired you'll have to give in and sleep! Good luck!

I tried to sleep on my left side but always felt dizzy and sick so I just did the best I could with LOTS of pillows. They do really help.

The left side was the most uncomfortable for me too. No pillow worked for me either. I know the doctors know what's best, but I slept any way I could just to get some rest. I usually slept on my back, but propped up, moore like sitting in a recliner. This was the most comfortable for me during both of my pregnancies.

I asked my Doc this question when I was pregnant with my first. She said - 1000 years ago, nobody told you how to sleep when you were pregnant :) Sleep how you are comfortable. When you are no longer comfy that way - then change positions.

J.

Get a body pillow. It will help. Sleeping on the left is hard at first, but you will get used to it.

Congrats.
M.

Get body pillows and just sleep how you are comfortable. Once your baby gets too big, you won't be able to sleep on your back, at least I couldn't, because I felt like my lungs were getting crushed. When your belly gets big enough, you'll know when it's time to use a pillow for support on your side. I spent my pregnancy with my son on my right side because I got shingles and couldn't sleep on my left side at all. He and I both turned out just fine.
Rest is the most important. What is comfortable today might not be comfortable tomorrow. Just do what feels best.
Best wishes!

My midwife never suggested I change the way I sleep.
I slept on my back and my stomach for as long as I was comfortable. Sleeping on my side in the third trimester cause terrible hip pain for me so I slept best on my back in a semireclined position pretty much until the end.
Not every woman is prone to vena cava syndrome, I was told that as long as it felt comfortable I could sleep however I want.

There will come a point where it will be completely uncomfortable to sleep any other way. I did sleep on my right side quite a bit. My doctor told me that when it is dangerous to sleep on your back is when it is too uncomfortable to do it, you body tells you it's time. Body pillows do help a lot. You can put it under your belly and between your knees and everything is supported and lined up.

When I was pregnant with my son, I was given the same advice. I have to say that I disagree. Whatever way you can sleep comfortably is the way you sleep. You need to rest as much as you can, because you are helping your baby to grow well, and that takes alot out of you. Your body will let you know what works. I didn't sleep on my left side very often because it was uncomfortable, and my son was perfectly healthy. Ultimately it's up to you. I hope I've helped you!

I with the others who said sleep however you are comfartable. I was able to sleep on my back long into pregnancy - some people have issues, I didn't. Body pillows help a ton because by the end my side was it, but had to flip back and forth otherwise my hips would hurt terribly. Be comfortable.

Just sleep on your right side. Left is recommended, because of the major blood vessels that run through that side, but you just have to sleep however you're comfortable. At some point, you won't be able to sleep on your back anyway, because it will NOT be comfortable, so use a big body pillow (or 2) and get used to sleeping on your sides!!

Good luck,
Amy K

I had a hard time making the transition at first also. I would wake up flat on my back at the beginning and find myself rolling over on my left side to try to fall back asleep. The body pillow idea was too big for our bed, so my husband wedged rolled up bath towels behind my back while I hugged a small decorative pillow at my chest level. Sounds weird I know, but it didn't cost any money and it works. Just an idea to try!

I know that they say the left side is the best position to sleep on but like you I just couldn't get comfortable. So I rarely ever slept that way. to be honest I slept on my tummy/slide until I was about 7 months pregnant with both my babies. Then I would sleep on my back or whatever side felt the best. I promise you that how ever you sleep your baby will be fine. Plus you may fall asleep on your back but then while you are sleeping it's common to move around and change positions so you really aren't in spot all night long. your doc is just telling you the best way to sleep but it really will be fine to sleep in whatever way is most comfortable to you.

I slept on my stomach as long as it was comfortable. It is the back that you aren't supposed to sleep on after 20 weeks due to the baby compressing a vein. I got a C-shaped body pillow from Babies R Us that really helped. I held out longer this time to use it, but don't think I could sleep without it at my current 32 weeks.

I believe the reason to sleep on the left side rather than the right is that your blood pressure will be lower. If you are not having high blood pressure issues, it doesn't matter which side you sleep on.

L. - congrats on the pregnancy! I've looked through all the answers, but don't know that I saw this response. What I do a lot is put a body pillow, or regular pillow, underneath my back on one side so that I'm sort of laying on my left side but mostly on my back. This takes the weight off that main artery underneath your uterus. I am 37 weeks pregnant now, and get very nauseous and light-headed when I sleep on my back but this position still works great for me. With my 1st child, I would fall asleep on my left side but wake up on my back constantly. It all worked out fine. Your body will tell you if your position isn't good.

sleep however you are comfortable as long as you aren't having any issues or complications you are totally fine.

I naturally sleep on my right side or stomach. Since my stomach is out of the question at 7 months pregnant, I mostly sleep on my right side. The last time I was pregnant, I asked my midwife about it and she said it didn't really make much difference right or left side if I'm going to sleep better on my right. I do find myself sleeping on my back once in awhile, but it's starting to get uncomfortable if I stay there too long. I have the wedge pillow that Boppy makes that I partially tuck under me if I do lay on my back so my weight is shifted a little to one side. Any pillow would probably do, but the wedge works perfectly for me and isn't so bulky as a full sized pillow.

I used body pillows, which was very helpful, I used it for even a year or so after the baby was born, even though our bed is small, it was nicest for my hips. I know they also make hip pillows in baby/maternity stores.