Back sleeping is no longer safe after 28 weeks gestation, but there are a few other comfortable positions for you to safely doze in.
“As long as you're not flat on your back, you're going to be fine,” she says. “Even if you can be on a 20- to 30-degree angle, that's going to relieve any potential pressure on your inferior vena cava.
Research has shown that in the third trimester (after 28 weeks of pregnancy) going to sleep on your back increases your risk of stillbirth. As the link has now been shown in four separate research trials, our advice is to go to sleep on your side in the third trimester because it is safer for your baby.
In the second and third trimesters, lying on your back may compress a major blood vessel that takes blood to your uterus, making you feel dizzy and possibly reducing blood flow to your fetus. Sleeping on your side during your second and third trimesters may be best.
Stomach sleeping may be fine for the first part of the second trimester, until the growing baby bump makes this position uncomfortable. Starting around week 16, you should try to avoid sleeping on your back.
Sleeping on the back or side through the 30th week of pregnancy does not appear to increase the risk of stillbirth, reduced size at birth, or high blood pressure disorders of pregnancy, suggests an analysis funded by NIH's Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).
When lying on your back, that added weight can put pressure on your inferior vena cava, a major vein leading back to your heart. That has the potential to partially disrupt blood flow, and that's why it's advised to avoid lying on your back for extended periods of time.
Steaming your face or wrapping just your face in a hot towel is okay, though. Another thing to consider once you're in your second trimester of pregnancy is that it's best to avoid lying flat on your back for very long. The weight of your uterus could compress major blood vessels and interfere with blood flow.
Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, there's almost nothing that's off-limits. By the second trimester, you'll want to steer clear of any position that puts weight on your belly, like your partner lying directly on top of you or you lying on your stomach, and anything that keeps you on your back for too long.
Sleeping On Your Left Side
The result of venous compression is slowed blood return to the heart, and less blood circulation to the body, including the uterus. Because of the change in blood flow you may start to feel nauseous and light headed, like someone is choking you or like you are about to pass out.
Most experts agree that once the abdomen starts to expand, it is best to sleep on the left side with knees bent. Not only is side sleeping more comfortable, it also helps improve blood flow for the pregnant person and the fetus.
But by the third trimester, it can become hard to find a comfortable sleeping position. At this stage, high levels of estrogen can also cause some women to develop rhinitis (swelling of the nasal tissue), which can be associated with snoring and obstructive sleep apnea .
Lying on your back, especially in the third trimester, causes more work and stress on your heart: In this position, the baby's weight can put excessive pressure on the inferior vena cava, the large vein that carries blood from the feet and legs, pelvis, and abdomen back to the heart, reducing blood flow to the placenta ...
Some women may prefer to give up the bed entirely, and instead sleep in a reclining chair. "That's perfectly acceptable," Santa-Donato says.
Sleeping on your back at a 45-degree tilt can prevent a lot of the compression. Bend your knees: If you're suffering from hip, leg or back pain during pregnancy, try bending your knees, the ACOG says.
Yup, your baby on board can feel — and respond — when you stroke your tummy.
And the bonus? Baby may start to know when their father is touching mom's belly. Babies can sense touch from anyone, but they can also sense when touch (and voice) is familiar. And by 24 weeks into pregnancy, dad can usually feel baby kick – but the exact time varies.
Depending on your stage of pregnancy, your body type, and even the time of day, sometimes your belly will feel soft and other times it will feel tight and hard. The reality is, there's no normal to compare yourself with. Pregnant bellies come in all shapes, sizes, and firmness.
The chemicals in permanent and semi-permanent hair dyes are not highly toxic. Most research, although limited, shows it's safe to colour your hair while pregnant.
If you're used to sleeping on your back or tummy, you might try to make the transition to your side early in your pregnancy, while sleeping in general isn't uncomfortable. As you get bigger, you can: Use pillows under your belly, between your legs, and behind your back.
It is not advisable to be in a prone (lying face down) throughout your entire pregnancy massage, nor lying flat on your back in a supine position.
It is generally safe for people to sleep on their stomach during pregnancy, although it may be uncomfortable and cause back or neck pain. Research suggests that it is safe for people to sleep in whichever position they prefer until around 30 weeks of gestation.
It's best to avoid lying on your back, especially in late pregnancy, when the weight of the heavy uterus can press on the large blood vessels in your belly. When lying on your side, keep your body in line, with your knees bent slightly, and avoid twisting.
Another reason that labor can take longer or baby stays on the right side may be when muscles supporting the pelvis are tight. Tight muscles pull the bones closer, giving baby less space to turn themselves around.