Perpetual back sleeper

Hi there,

I'm 15w pregnant and am a lifelong back sleeper (with arms overhead). I have been waking up numerous times at night with various body parts feeling numb. So far I have created a fort with pillows and 2, yes 2, Boppy pregnancy body pillows. Somehow I always end up on my back! I don't know how I do it or what to do about it.

I think back sleeping is more of an issue for the babies later on?? Just thought I would get some practical advice before I buy yet another body pillow.

Grateful for any tips or suggestions. Thanks so much!

 

By month 5, I slept in a recliner next to the bed. There weren't enough pillows in the house to prop me up and sleeping in the chair mad me feel floaty. I could even turn on my side a bit :good:

 

it's fine to be on your back if you can angle yourself at least a little bit - for example, when you have an epi during labor, you'll often be on your back but they'll wedge a pillow under your right side so you're slightly tilted towards your left. mostly you just want to avoid being straight on your back because further along in your pregnancy the weight of your uterus + babies + placentas will put pressure on your vena cava, reducing your overall circulation - by tilting yourself a bit, you'll avoid that problem. GL!

 

Back sleeping is ok. What may happen latter on in your pregnancy is that you feel faint or sick after awhile on your back. This happened to me starting in my 30th week. By then I was a side sleeper as sleepign on my back made me feel like I was drowning

 

I had the opposite problem in that I'm a tummy sleeper. It's so hard trying to sleep a different way than you're body wants to. Sounds like you're getting some good advice and I hope you sleep better soon.

 

Hi,

I am always sleeping on my back or on my stomach so... as I am getting bigger, I can't sleep. I think after week 18, I wasn't able to sleep longer than 3 hours a night, and then I would turn and toss without being able to find a comfortable position. I bought this pregnancy pillow Leachco Back 'N Belly - Contoured Body Pillow and it helped me, I can't really turn in my sleep with that thing behind me. It's been much better since I have it. Of course, I am still waking up at times, but at least now I can fall back asleep. There are different types of pregnancy pillows out there, try to read reviews and get the one you think you like best. I hope this helps.

Monica

 

Thanks for all the great suggestions!

The Leachco back and belly pillow should be delivered to my doorstep by Wednesday. Hopefully this will do the trick for a bit and then I will retire to the Lazy-boy.

I will let you all know how it goes...

 

The Back and Belly pillow arrived...I am in heaven!!! LOVE, love, love it! Yesterday I was not feeling that great and spent the day reading with my pillow. It is like being in a protected space pod. Cannot say enough good things.

Thanks again for suggestions. Hope everyone's day is going well.

 

I'm glad you like it, I like mine also. It's funny to get out of it now that my stomach is getting bigger and bigger - my husband calls it my "cocoon" or "doggy bed" . Enjoy it and I hope you feel better.

 

My OB said it was OK to sleep on my back until my body told me not to. I did fine (in fact I slept better on my back, propped up at an angle) until around 30 weeks. I never had any of that nausea or light-headedness that lying on your back can supposedly cause.

But then I started feeling like the babies were just so heavy, I couldn't breathe, so I had to start sleeping on my side. (I actually slept on the couch from then on, because it was easier to sort of lean backwards against the back of the couch and prop up the belly with about 3 pillows.)