Is it true that its bad to sleep flat on ur back?

[suzan]

I just saw this website and I have always slept flat on my back! I am 6 weeks pregnant!

Check it here: http://www.planababy.com/DOS%20AND%20DO ... NANCY.htm#

 

[Squiglet]

You don't need to worry about it yet...

Sleeping on your back is fine right up until the end of your second tri... It's only when the baby becomes big that it becomes difficult to sleep on your back because the baby will exert great pressure on the inferior vena cava artery ,from your legs to your lungs, and it will reduce the oxygenation of your blood... this could reduce the oxygen to the baby and will make you feel quite breathless too, because you too are receiving less oxygen.

Also by the time you really need to worry about sleeping on your back... you will be much to big to do it anyways because you will get things like cramp and heart burn..

You can still sleep on your front at this stage, although I remember having difficulty doing that at 6 weeks because my breasts hurt so badly

 

[suzan]

Thank you so much!

 

[Becs]

No pickle or chutney is a new one to me. I'm off to get my 1 litre icecream

 

[Kylie1007]

And as my mw said, if you roll onto your back at night i.e. Mother Nature has rolled you, then if you start experiencing problems with blood pressure, you will automatically roll back to your side.

 

[Llys]

What nationality has that page come from..

"Do not DRIVE"?????!!!!!

 

[sarah113]

its fine to lay on your back in 1st tri, i think its just the last tri your not ment too

 

[Sherlock]

Cripes, thats a site and a half. Do not drive Avoid eating outside

I think this is an Indian website, its registered to someone there anyways, and the hosting is in the US. Its guidelines would be different to those used in the UK (or elsewhere probably)

TBH suzan, I'd be reading other sites over that one. I found the NHS one useful, along with a few other UK ones. US ones have differing medical procedures and while you gain some useful info, on the other hand, some of the things they do there, they don't in the UK. I know you are based overseas, but I am not sure the planababy.com site is for you I quite liked the BBC website when we were considering trying for a baby http://www.bbc.co.uk/parenting/having_a_baby/pregnancy_index.shtml

There are plenty of decent sites out there with good info, or maybe order a decent book on pregnancy and have a read?

Later on when you do need to sleep on your side, you can get a special pillow or use normal ones to help keep you tilted over. But thats a long ways off yet so don't worry.

Good luck

 

[suzan]

I do have a book and read great websites... Its crazy about the dont drive thing or dont eat pickles.. WTF??

I just got confused with the sleeping on ur back thing!!!

Thanks all

 

[DaisyRose]

Hi,

What is the logic behind the 'don't drive' thing, just out of interest? Sounds rather extreme to me.......or would I be better pushing my toddler in a pushchair over a mile up a hill twice a day on the school run???

 

[DebbieM]

You'll get to the point where you feel so heavy you feel you can't lay on your bank anyway as it will make you feel breathless so go for it whilst you can!

 

[PRINCESSrosie]

I had heard that sleeping on your back was bad for you at 30 weeks + but I was having real trouble sleeping only on my sides becauses my legs hurt so much. I spoke to my midwife about it who said, you can lie on your back if it is comfortable for you, (obviously not if you are getting breathless because it's your body's way of saying turn over.) so I am spending about 10 mins on my back inbetween turning from side to side, just to take the pressure off everything else- has really helped me return to vaguely normal sleeping patterns!