You are pregnant or trying to conceive?! Congratulations! Pregnancy is important even in every woman’s life and it usually comes with a lot of excitement and joy! While it is fantastic to focus on all the beautiful moments of pregnancy and enjoy, it is equally important to understand and accept that this is a period of your life when you have to take care more and pay attention to some things that you would otherwise do without a lot of thinking.

Out of various questions and Dos and Don’ts, pregnant women need to deal with, one often gets kind of overlooked. And that is how to sleep when pregnant? Sleep in general is one of the critical aspects of our well being because it allows our bodies to recover and be ready for new challenges of the following day. It is often neglected but if you are someone who tries to take care of mental and physical health, by eating properly and exercising you must not forget the importance of a good night’s rest. And, and especially when you are pregnant and when it is more than ever important to have proper sleep.

Now, some of you may wonder what does the position in which you sleep pregnant matters if you have the best mattress pad. Well besides the obvious reasons – as your belly expands it gets more difficult to find a comfortable sleeping position, there are now studies that for example show pregnant sleep on the back might be harmful to the fetus. These are not just frustrating news especially if you are among those who prefer to sleep on their back. They are also rather concerning and leave us with the question – how should we sleep during pregnancy, then?!

Best Positions to Sleep Pregnant

As we mentioned before sleeping during pregnancy is as challenging as it is important! Most of the women don’t have so many problems in the first trimester, but as time goes and he belly grows bigger things start to get complicated. By the second trimester, finding a comfortable position in bed becomes somewhat of a wrestling match. As we know that there are few things worst then when you are pregnant and can’t sleep. That’s why we did some research.

Experts say, and the experiences of many moms to be around the world show that the best way to sleep pregnant is the so-called SOS position, meaning sleeping on the side. Even in this case, there is a difference in terms of what is the best side to sleep when pregnant. Research shows that it is better to sleep on the left side because this way the blood and nutrients reach the placenta more easily.

Sleeping on the Right Side

Alright, sleeping on the left is recommended but what about pregnant sleep on the right side? Is it safe, or there is something that you need to watch out for? Well, as far as we know there are no problems with sleeping on any side. Researches claim that it’s a bit better if you turn to the left for reasons we mentioned before but if you find it more comfortable to be on the right you should know it is perfectly safe! Keep in mind that you can make your situation cozier also if you use some pregnant safe sleep aids.

Sleeping on the Back 

We had a lot of women asking us is it bad to sleep on your back while pregnant and why? If you consult on doctors they would say that when it comes to ways to sleep while pregnant, the back option is to be avoided as much as possible. But what is the deal with pregnant sleep on the back?

Sleeping on the back in later stages of pregnancy isn’t comfortable and can cause low blood pressure, severe backache, problems with breathing and digestion, hemorrhoids, and so on. Studies show that as your uterus grows, over time it becomes big enough to put pressure on the inferior vena cava which returns blood from lower and middle parts of the body to the heart’s left atrium.

This means that if there is anything that is putting pressure on this vein the blood flow both for you and the baby will slow down. The result of this can be that you feel nauseous, dizzy, and with difficulty to breath properly.

What If to Unconsciously Turn on Back During Sleep?

You shouldn’t worry about this. We are all turning while sleeping and it is really difficult to prevent rolling on the back. All the studies that have been carried out mention problems that can occur if you go to sleep on your back, and nothing else. If you wake up on your back during the night, simply go back on the side. You can also use some sleep aids pregnant pillows or something similar so you don’t roll again.

Is There a Link Between Sleeping on the Back And Still Birth 

Recently we started seeing headlines reporting on the study conducted by researchers from the University of Auckland suggesting that there is a link between sleep pregnant on back and stillbirth. As alarming as it sounds, the question that comes up is – can it be true.

Indeed, scientists from this New Zealand university carried out an observational study to understand sleep patterns and the best sleep positions for pregnant women. It included 29 healthy women in the third trimester of pregnancy. They were instructed to sleep as they would normally while the researchers monitored the activity and heart rate of the fetus. The results showed that there are slight differences in the baby’s activity level depending on the mother’s position.

Babies were more active when mothers slept on the right side. However, in the majority of cases, they were actively sleeping as long as the mother was sleeping. The researchers also stated all of the babies were born healthy and that study didn’t find any scientific evidence to back the claim about the link between sleeping positions and stillbirth. They did add that although some differences related to the sleeping position of the mother were found it is impossible to draw conclusions based on such a small study.

Regarding this idea of back sleeping as the cause of stillbirth, scientists additionally say that there are several factors when it comes to pregnancy that impacts various things. Therefore it would be really difficult to single out just one as the cause of stillbirth.

What About Sleeping on Belly

We are also often asked about pregnant sleep on the stomach. As you will notice this is perfectly possible and safe in the first months of pregnancy. After that, somewhere for the second trimester, it starts to get more and more complicated and you will have to change the position whether you like it or not. Additionally, sleeping on the belly while pregnant can cause the same problems as sleeping on the back.

Final Word 

So what can you do to make sure you enjoy a safe pregnant sleep? Experts suggest that you avoid sleeping all night on the back especially when you enter the third trimester of pregnancy. One way to make sure you stay on the side is to put pillows that can support our back and prevent you from rolling on the back. They add that although it is better to be safe than sorry, there is no reason to burden additionally expectant mothers who already have enough to worry about. What are the best positions for sleeping when pregnant in your experience?

If you’re an expectant mother you shouldn’t let the potential for developing a sleep disorder scare you too much. For many pregnant women, sleep troubles can be fixed by following a few simple sleep hygiene practices to minimize the risk of sleep disorders and maximize the amount of nightly sleep.

If you’re following these tips and still are having troubles with sleeping, talk with your doctor about other alternatives. If you’re experiencing restless leg syndrome you may need to be evaluated for iron or folate deficiency. If sleep apnea is causing you sleep troubles, you may need to have a sleep study performed.

At the Alaska Sleep Clinic we help diagnose and treat a variety of sleep disorders in all people. If you live in Alaska and believe you may be suffering from a sleep disorder give the trusted sleep experts of the state a call for a free 10-minute phone consultation. Don’t let your sleep troubles get in the way of the joys of pregnancy, contact us today.

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Author’s Bio 

Alex Green is a copywriter with 3 years of experience. He is fond of healthy living and knows everything about home improvement. In his spare time, Alex likes walking with his golden retriever, meeting with friends, and attending the gym.