When to stop sleeping on back during pregnancy?

 

Can you sleep on your back when pregnant?

In what comfortable position, and without risks for the baby, can you sleep when you are pregnant? It is especially during the last trimester of pregnancy that this question is the most worrying for future mothers. Especially since the posture lying on the back is not recommended for everyone during pregnancy.

With a growing belly and a baby who can be particularly active and kick in the middle of the night, it can be tricky to find the right position to sleep comfortably when you're pregnant. So is it better to sleep on your right side, your left side, or to sleep on your back?

Is it dangerous to sleep on your back when you are pregnant?

From the beginning of the third trimester of pregnancy, around the 27th week of pregnancy, and sometimes from the 24th week, it may be inadvisable to sleep on your back when you are pregnant. And this, until delivery.

A risk of compression of the vena cava

Why may it be inadvisable to sleep on your back when you are pregnant? Under the pressure exerted by the weight of the uterus, whose volume continues to increase, venous return is mistreated. The vena cava, which carries blood from the lower body to the heart, is compressed. All the more so when you are lying on your back and the baby weighs all its weight on it... Result: blood flow decreases, which can cause a drop in blood pressure, therefore dizziness in the mother-to-be, or even vagal discomfort in some. It is recommended to avoid sleeping on your back during the last months of pregnancy when you suffer from severe high blood pressure, for example. In addition, sleeping on your back when you are pregnant can accentuate problems with sleep apnea, which manifests itself by breathing pauses during the night and can also cause complications.

When to stop sleeping on your back when pregnant?

When you suffer from problems related to venous return, it is therefore preferable to adopt good habits for your sleeping position from the beginning of pregnancy, or as soon as your belly begins to grow! And this, to prevent compression of the vena cava, located on the right side. Get used to sleeping on your left side as early as possible, during these nine months, preferably, in order to accommodate this new position and for it to seem obvious to you.

Right or left: which side to sleep on when pregnant?

Because the vena cava is located on the right side of the spine, it is preferable to opt for sleeping on the left side to facilitate placental circulation.

The best position to sleep while pregnant

By sleeping on your left side, you take no risk for your health and that of your baby. And it's a question of habit! However, don't panic if you wake up in the middle of the night on your right side or back. Just remember to reposition yourself on the right side, especially during the last trimester of pregnancy.

Sleep well with a nursing pillow

To avoid changes in position during the night, and to improve your comfort, you can use a nursing pillow. Once you are comfortably installed in bed on your left side, we slide this banana-shaped or semi-circular pillow between our legs, our upper leg placed above this comfortable support to which, as you will see, we readily get used! In fact, many young mothers continue to make it an essential accessory for their restful nights, long after the baby arrives.

Is it recommended to sleep on the right side when pregnant?

While sleeping on the right side presents fewer risks than sleeping on your back for vena cava syndrome, it is still preferable to sleep on the left side during the last trimester of pregnancy. Although this position may not always be natural in the beginning, you will see that after a few nights in a row, you will naturally adopt it as you go to sleep!

Can you sleep on your stomach during the first trimester of pregnancy?

During the first trimester of pregnancy, up until around the third month, there is no contraindication to sleeping on your stomach, both in terms of your comfort and the risks for the baby. Enjoy!

Sleeping on your stomach when you are 2 months, 3 months pregnant…

So, to recap: up to 3 months of pregnancy, you can sleep on your stomach if you want! But, as your belly starts to round out, you will see that your sensations and positions will start to change. In general, as soon as your pregnancy starts to be visible, sleeping on your stomach becomes uncomfortable, then very quickly impossible. It is then quite naturally that you will find your bearings to have a restful sleep by sleeping comfortably on your side (left, preferably).

How to sleep well when you are pregnant?

It is during the first and last trimesters of pregnancy that you are most likely to be confronted with sleep disorders. These are among the pregnancy ailments that we would happily do without! The causes, during the first trimester: hormonal upheaval, stress and excitement related to the start of a first pregnancy and, at the end of pregnancy: the weight of the belly, discomfort in the lying position, the baby's nocturnal movements, frequent urges to urinate, cramps or persistent back pain related to the baby's weight... Insomnia that is not without consequences on the baby's development.

Pregnant women: promoting good sleep during pregnancy

While there is no miracle recipe for having ultra-restorative sleep during the final stretch of pregnancy, you can however ensure that you set up small special sleep rituals before going to bed:

- Before going to bed, limit your fluid intake (herbal teas, water, soups, etc.). Otherwise, you're guaranteed to wake up to go pee!

  • Schedule regular bedtimes and wake-up times,
  • Make sure your bedding is comfortable and equip yourself with a nursing pillow,
  • Do a physical activity every day, recommended by your midwife or doctor, to exercise and help you fall asleep,

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