Sleep positions

I know at this point there's no such thing as a "good night's sleep" anymore, but I'm wondering what people have found to be more comfortable.

I can't sleep on my right side because it makes me nauseous. My left side is OK for about an hour, but then my back starts to hurt too badly to stay that way. I find that I keep rolling over onto my back because it hurts too much to be on my sides, but then I am worried that I'm not supposed to be on my back. So I have been trying to sleep sitting up, with mixed results.

Does anyone have some suggestions for pillow arrangement that might work? I have a pregnancy pillow but haven't figured out how to make it work for me yet.

Sorry for the cranky rant, but I am so tired and frustrated, and I am still only at 24 weeks!

 

QUOTE(hrm17 @ Dec 21 2008, 02:10 PM) [snapback]1118334[/snapback]
I know at this point there's no such thing as a "good night's sleep" anymore, but I'm wondering what people have found to be more comfortable.

I can't sleep on my right side because it makes me nauseous. My left side is OK for about an hour, but then my back starts to hurt too badly to stay that way. I find that I keep rolling over onto my back because it hurts too much to be on my sides, but then I am worried that I'm not supposed to be on my back. So I have been trying to sleep sitting up, with mixed results.

Does anyone have some suggestions for pillow arrangement that might work? I have a pregnancy pillow but haven't figured out how to make it work for me yet.

Sorry for the cranky rant, but I am so tired and frustrated, and I am still only at 24 weeks!


My understanding is that if you feel OK sleeping on your back, it's fine. When I try to sleep on my back, I get dizzy and develop shortness of breath, so I can tell my uterus is pressing on my vena cava, which is what you're trying to avoid. But if it's comfortable for you, go for it.

I end up on one side till it gets numb (maybe after about an hour) and then switching to the other side. Since the right side doesn't work for you, maybe you could try switching between your left side and your back?

In terms of pillows, I have a couple options that I rotate between: a small pillow between my knees and a larger one under my arm (seems to keep my chest open so I can breathe better). Or sometimes a body pillow with a similar deal: I put one leg and one arm over it. Sometimes I do OK with no pilows, sometimes I need one behind my back, and sometimes when my belly was smaller, it helped to have something thin under my pillow. (I guess that's what pregnancy wedges are for, but I didn't have one.)

 

I am 26 weeks and also can't sleep on my right side b/c it gives me a sharp pain under my ribs. What is working for me is a great big body pillow (soft, soft, soft and at costco right now for like $13.00) in front that i drape one leg over and hug around my belly, then a king size pillow behind my back to keep me from rolling back wards, and sometimes a folded bath towel under the bump for support. Of course, as soon as the nest is built I inevitably have to pee! I am still pretty restless and do sometimes wake up on my back, usually with the belly jutted out one way or the other, and often I wake up with one or both hands/arms asleep. I think the back pain is pretty unavoidable, if you can get your bed buddy to rub once your in your sleeping position to help loosen up those muscles that also helps. Good luck and sweet dreams!

 

My Dr showed me how to sleep "nearly" on my back. Get a flattish pillow and put it behind you on your right side. It should tilt you to the left just enough to allow your blood to flow, but it gives you the feeling that your sleeping on your back. This worked great for me till I got really big.

 

Ditto that ending up on your back isn't the end of the world. My ob said that if you start on your side, and wake up to find yourself on your back, that's your bodies way of saying "Hey, enough back time right now." It doesn't mean don't EVER sleep on your back, you will wake up long before you cause any damage to yourself or the babies.

As for positions, I start out on my right side (I'm sorry you can't sleep that way). I hug a body pillow, putting the bottom between my knees/legs and the top is under my left arm. That's in the middle of the bed. I pee pretty much every hour and a half on the dot, so when I get up to pee I switch to my left side, with the body pillow behind me, and put a regular pillow (that's on the floor beside my bed) between my legs and a small pillow under my right arm. It keeps my arms from falling asleep to have them up on a pillow. I flip flop between the two sides each time I wake up to pee.

I have back problems which, ironically, when they bother me it's more comfy to sleep on my back! So occassionally I roll onto my back on purpose for an hour or so, until I have to pee again.

It's hard getting comfy, you are right about where I was when I started having trouble sleeping! :hug: