sleeping on your left side...

[Samsgirl]

i think i may have to invest in a bigger sausage pillow....but my OH already can hardly fit in the bed...lol...i want one of those huge U shaped ones

have you seen the film the back up plan...hers is amazing in that! ha ha xx

 

[graci9]

I've just started my antenatal class and we were told by the midwife( as someone asked about sleeping on the left side) that maybe it is better but it's not completely proved. For us humans isn't normal to sleep on one side so it's completely normal to change sides over night and that we shouldn't worry about that too much. more important is to avoid sleeping on your back as the pregnancy progresses.

 

[Samsgirl]

never been a back sleeper anyway...so im okay there except tonight, i reckon i could fall asleep on a washing line!

 

[Olive]

I go to sleep on my left but do wake up on my back and right I always wake now when I turn though as feel the weight shift. I find I'm always sub consciously thinking about what side I'm sleeping on and it disturbs my sleep iykwim!

xx

 

[jojo_2012]

there was some research to do with laying on the left and stillbirth but so few babies are born still born that I've decided not to worry.

I was also told sleeping on your back in your own soft bed was safe until it felt uncomfortable to do so which some of us 2nd timers + know happens eventually.

 

[Lilelephant]

I am with u on that! As long as I am comfy I am happy!

 

[Niknak]

Your body isn't symmetrical when it comes to blood flow and valves going in and out of the heart - I think the whole sleeping thing is 'in an ideal world!' I try to go to sleep on my left but never wake up there! The only thing I would say is that I woke up on my back the other day and couldn't really breathe - I rolled over onto my left side and within 10mins I could breathe easily again! Was obviously squashing something fairly important!

 

[Lewa]

It's not only the bloodflow etc that's not symmetrical, but many of our organs as well. We have two off some organs, but only on of many and they are not all on one side.

To get some proper facts I googled it and this is what came up on "kidshealth.org"

"Some doctors specifically recommend that pregnant women sleep on the left side. Because your liver is on the right side of your abdomen, lying on your left side helps keep the uterus off that large organ. Sleeping on the left side also improves circulation to the heart and allows for the best blood flow to the fetus, uterus, and kidneys. Ask what your doctor recommends — in most cases, lying on either side should do the trick and help take some pressure off your back.

But don't drive yourself crazy worrying that you might roll over onto your back during the night. Shifting positions is a natural part of sleeping that you can't control. Most likely, during the third trimester of your pregnancy, your body won't shift into the back-sleeping position anyway because it will be too uncomfortable."