New study on sleep side and baby

[dyscochick]

Hi Girls,
you'll probably see the news but there is a new study out today suggesting that if you sleep on the left the night before birth the chance of stillbirth is about half, compared to the right or on your back. If you read carefully it looks like the prefered side for many parameters is lying to the left. It may be to do with compression on the arteries but there is still very limited scientific understanding of what goes on, or evidence based advice. There are a lot of unanswered questions in the report and missing information.
For anyone with access to BMJ the editorial that accompanies the article is well worth a read. It doesn't say that we should all start sleeping on the left, but it is something I'll bear in mind if I am comfortable lying with a left tilt rather than right or flat as I get bigger. I can't post the article because I'll breach copyright but here is the link to it and the editorial

http://www.bmj.com/content/342/bmj.d3403
http://www.bmj.com/content/342/bmj.d3659.full.pdf

Its also interesting what the news stories don't report, that snoring and daytime sleepiness have NO relationship to stillbirth, for anyone fearing about reduced oxygen intake in snorers!
Be good to hear your thoughts girls

 

[jomc]

Saw it in the metro this morning... I read in a book as well that from tri 2 onwards you should avoid sleeping on ur back. All to do with putting too much pressure on major arteries.

 

[Sarah13]

I've naturally found I'm more comfortable on my left the last few months which is good I guess!

 

[i.love]

hm... very strange!

 

[dyscochick]

Yes JOMC I'd read that too, also in relation to exercise and yoga etc that flat on your back compresses arteries after 12 weeks and can make you faint. I put this thread in tri1 too and there are some interesting comments there if you want to read. xx

 

[domestichuman]

I'm seeing midwives in America at the moment until I move to the UK at the end of July. They all suggest sleeping on the left as it increases circulation. They believe it's because that sleeping side makes it easier for your heart to pump all the extra blood you create while carrying a baby. I have always been a back and side sleeper, I may start out on my left but do wake up in the middle of the night on my back. I am sure as I get larger that will become more uncomfortable however!

 

[midnight]

im a tummy sleeper but in pregnancy i always sleep on my left side i use to wake up stiff like coz some night i didnt change sides lol a midwife also told me years ago that sleeping on your left is the best way to sleep

 

[nmf1987]

they say to sleep on your left but mw also said to me that towards the end they say sleep on left or right whatever is comfy as long as you get some sleep. i tend to be on my left side more anyway. xxx

 

[LuciaLeek]

I had the shittest night's sleep after hearing this news! More flipping scare mongering for pregnant women! Although I can sleep on my left side, I can't do it all night because of SPD. I'm much more comfortable on my back, but last night I was really paranoid!

 

[Lulu_Laroo]

LuciaLeek, I've been sleeping really badly since hearing this too
Last night I went to bed on my left side and didn't fall asleep for ages, got really uncomfortable; my whole left arm went numb and I just needed to change position, so rolled onto my right for a little while, but couldn't fall asleep because I was scared and knew I needed to be on my left!

My OH (bless him) woke me at about 3am to tell me I had rolled back over onto my right.

I slept terribly - I just can't stay on my left side, I have SPD too (although mild and seems to be getting better as my pregnancy progresses for some strange reason). Pregnancy is just one HUGE worry isn't it! I just want my baby girl to be ok!

 

[i.love]

same here - didn't have a great night sleep this night. I usually change sides often during sleep, this night every time I would go to my right side I would feel guilty and would wake up again soon just because I remembered I need to switch sides. Annoying.

 

[LuciaLeek]

Bless your other OH Lulu! I thought, sod it last night and did my usual left side and back sleeping. I read that you feel dizzy if you lie on your back, signalling the trapped nerve/artery what ever it is, but I don't feel this, so I'm taking that as a good thing. I think a tired and stressed out mummy is probably worse for baby, so I'm choosing to ignore (ish) this news!
It's good that your SPD is calming down Lulu - mine is getting worse Oh well, 5 weeks to go! xx

 

[HeppiBean]

I've found that sleepin on my left side some nights is impossible! I just get too uncomfortable and the little madam does not stop moving until I switch on my right side! Also, a lot of these studies say that if you're getting breathless in bed laying on your left side will help stop it? I'm the other way round... It makes it worse Crazy x

 

[dyscochick]

it seems like it really boils down to listening to your body, and making sure you get rest while you can, whatever side thats on.