I read online that it was better to sleep on your left side, BUT I didn't know until I went to my first doctor's appointment yesterday that I should ONLY sleep on my side after 20 weeks. I am a back sleeper!! I like to have my weight evenly distributed while I sleep. Occasionally I'll start off on my side, but then I don't know what to do with my arms, and one of them will inevitably go numb, ha!
How do you transition to side sleeping? Do you put pillows behind you to prop you up?
wonderful grape / 20453 posts
I still sleep on my back sometimes. I go to sleep on my side and wake up on my back often. I'm of the belief that if it's crushing a vein, I'm going to feel uncomfortable or out of breath or pained somehow. I'm really quite comfortable on my back still, as long as i have a pillow under my knees.
Sometimes I do sleep the whole night on my side. And i find that i end up with pinched nerves/soreness in my lats.
pomegranate / 3383 posts
I sept while hugging a long body pillow. I would still wake up on my back pretty much everyday. There's not much you can do about it!
GOLD / coconut / 8266 posts
I got a Boppy body pillow for Christmas. I'm only 16 weeks but it's very comfortable so far!
honeydew / 7444 posts
Pillows help, and when you get bigger it is impossible to lay on your back for too long.
bananas / 9973 posts
I'm a back sleeper too and it has been HARD to try and sleep on my side! I bought a Snoogle and use it mostly with the long side up against my back so I don't roll back to flat most of the time. It took me a few weeks to get comfortable and used to the Snoogle. But I think around 20-22 weeks is when I could tell my body needed to sleep on the side more often. I still change positions all night and sleep on my back sometimes. It's just more comfortable. And I prefer lying on my right side vs. The left and my OB said the difference is so minute it's fine. She didn't even seem worried one bit if I continued to sleep on my back as long as I was comfortable and could breathe.
hostess / wonderful persimmon / 25556 posts
I agree with lots of pillows. I think by the end, I was using 4 pillows to keep myself propped up. I slept on my left side a lot because it was more comfortable and just dealt with it - it was better than sleeping on my back, I figured.
persimmon / 1153 posts
Pillows! I have an awesome leg pillow that has come in handy as well and I can tell a huge difference in hip pain/side pain if I don't sleep with it. My midwife and chiropractor have told me it's ok to lay on my back for a few minutes to catch a "break" because baby still isn't big enough that it would be a huge problem, but I can tell that I do become slightly uncomfortable, I'm approaching 23 weeks.
clementine / 828 posts
Ditto on the snoogle. I'm a back sleeper too and putting the long side of the snoogle against my back helped keep me on my side.
hostess / wonderful honeydew / 32460 posts
When I was pregnant with dd I slept on my back til the end. My mom slept on her back when she was pregnant with all 3 of us too!
papaya / 10560 posts
I had a snoogle and it was the ONLY way I could sleep. I had to keep feet elevated due to severe edema but had to sleep practically upright because of severe reflux indigestion also!
GOLD / eggplant / 11517 posts
My doc said to sleep in whatever position I could comfortably get sleep in. I cycled through every position most nights.
GOLD / eggplant / 11517 posts
@matador84: ack same! I needed to sleep in a V position lol
GOLD / wonderful pomegranate / 28905 posts
Me too. I started early to get used to it. I used the snoogle even tho I hated it!
coconut / 8498 posts
I didn't really make much of an effort. I just slept however I was comfortable. I was tossing and turning often enough that I was never in a position long enough to do damage 
wonderful olive / 19353 posts
Pillows to help prop your back/refrain you from rolling onto your back. I grew up sleeping with a body pillow so hugging/sleeping with one is comforting. I prefer sleeping on my belly so this should be a fun new learning experience!
pomegranate / 3716 posts
Ooh, just had to google "snoogle"! Looks like I may need to invest in one of those soon!
cantaloupe / 6397 posts
My midwife asked if I was subscribing to the silly don't sleep on your back rule when I told her I have been having a lot of hip pain at night. She said to sleep however I was comfortable, and if I was cutting off blood flow, I'd know it, even in my sleep!!!
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
I've heard that you'll be uncomfortable and wake up LONG before sleeping on your back actually affects your baby. The fear is that you're putting pressure on a certain vein and that's why you should sleep on your side. I'm SLOWLY adjusting, but I still often fall asleep on my back. I'm waking up every couple hours to pee anyway, so I figure it's not a big deal.
pomegranate / 3716 posts
@Mrs. Hopscotch: hahaha, I don't know, but thanks! I had a few big posts about it 2 weeks ago or so!
GOLD / wonderful apricot / 22276 posts
I slept on my back, but slept propped on 2 thicker pillows rather than just one, so that way there wasn't so much pressure.
pomelo / 5621 posts
I was a stomach sleeper but now I can't. I usually fall asleep on my side, but find I sleep best on my back. If I'm on my side I have a body pillow to go between my legs and hug. If I'm on my back I have an extra pillow to prop me up more. I think however I'm going to get the best sleep is the way I'm going to do it. Plus if I sleep on my left side too long my hip gets really sore.
coconut / 8430 posts
I used a Boppy wedge to get comfy. When I got really big it went under my bump to provide support. I hated being on my side too.
pomegranate / 3516 posts
The snoogle did not help and actually made my back hurt because I would flip onto my back while using it. I'd end up with my head on the pillow like normal, my legs on the lower part of the pillow, and my body sunken in the center.
I just tried every night to stay on my side. My doctor said just try and if I moved in my sleep, to readjust when I woke up. She also said it was okay to prop a pillow under my right side so I was more so at an angle instead of flat on my back.
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