Why pregnant women shouldn't sleep on their backs. Can pregnant women lie on their back? Sleep position during pregnancy

After the onset of pregnancy, the expectant mother has to change a lot in her lifestyle. Under the ban are some foods, alcohol, intense physical activity, stressful situations. Restrictions apply even to sleeping positions. Now the position of a woman's body affects not only her own well-being, but also the condition of the fetus. The fact that you need to avoid pressure on a growing belly is clear to everyone, but is it possible to sleep on your back during pregnancy?

In the first weeks of bearing a child, the pelvic bones reliably protect the small uterus, so any position will not be harmful. But from a certain time, sleeping, lying on your back, leads to squeezing of large vessels.

A good sound sleep during pregnancy is the key to a woman's well-being. It helps to restore strength, emotional balance, provides rest for organs and systems.

How to sleep in early pregnancy?

The beginning of pregnancy in most women is accompanied by increased drowsiness: you want to lie down at any time of the day. This condition is considered normal and is associated with hormonal changes. Do not resist the desire to sleep, sleep favorably affects the course of pregnancy. In the 1st trimester, the position of the body can be any: on the back, on the stomach, on the side. This will not affect the condition of the future mother and child in any way. The uterus and fetus are still very small in size and therefore are covered on all sides by the bones of the small pelvis.

Many women cannot sleep on their stomach due to the increased sensitivity of the breasts, a companion of the 1st trimester. The desire to lie on your back may not occur, because the symptoms of toxicosis in these positions increase.

How to sleep in late pregnancy?

By the beginning of the 2nd trimester, the habit of sleeping on your side should already be developed. The position on the stomach is dangerous for the unborn child. Despite the fact that it is reliably protected by muscles and the fetal bladder, there is a risk of injury. In addition, in this position, pressure is created on the uterus, which can provoke. In the 3rd trimester, sleeping on your stomach is, for obvious reasons, impossible.

In the 2nd trimester, it is not recommended to sleep on your back. The size of the fetus and uterus is constantly increasing and begin to compress the organs and blood vessels. There may be back pain, intestinal disorders. But the most dangerous is squeezing the vena cava. This blood vessel is one of the largest in the body and is responsible for the blood supply to the entire lower body. In the 3rd trimester, sleeping on your back is strictly prohibited.

The most correct and beneficial for health is the pose on the side. Sleeping in this position favorably affects the condition of the pregnant woman and the unborn child. Some doctors believe that the best option is to sleep on the left side, then the fetus does not put pressure on the liver, and normal blood circulation is maintained. But it is very difficult to stay in one position all night long, numbness of the limbs often develops, so it is best to roll over from one side to the other.

If a transverse presentation of the fetus is detected, then it is worth sleeping most of the time on the side to which the head is facing. This will help the child quickly get into the correct position.

In late pregnancy, pillows are very helpful in choosing a comfortable position. They can be several different in size or one special for pregnant women. These devices help to compensate for the inconvenience caused by a large belly.

What influences the position of the mother's body?

The position of the mother's body affects the condition of the child from the 12th week of pregnancy. When a woman lies on her stomach, it causes discomfort, first of all, to herself.

The baby is protected by a layer of abdominal muscles, uterine walls and amniotic fluid. According to some doctors, this situation can provoke uterine hypertonicity.

When a pregnant woman lies on her back, changes occur in the functioning of her organs. They are caused by the pressure of the growing uterus, and therefore the longer the period, the stronger the influence of body position on the condition of the child and mother.

Compression of the intestine provokes the development, accumulation of gases. The load on the lumbar spine leads to pain in the back and in the pelvic area. The nature of sensations can be different: from aching to sharp. Violation of the kidneys manifests itself through, especially noticeable on the arms and legs.

In the supine position, the most dangerous thing is pressure on the inferior vena cava. This large blood vessel provides blood flow from the lower torso to the heart. When it is violated, a pregnant woman feels a lack of air, breathing is disturbed, it becomes intermittent. After a while, dizziness develops, it darkens in the eyes, the pulse quickens and sweat comes out.

All these symptoms indicate violations in several systems at once: cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine.

Sleeping on your back affects not only the well-being of the pregnant woman, but also the condition of the child. Due to impaired blood flow, he receives an insufficient amount of oxygen and some nutrients.

An intrauterine state develops, which can lead to pathologies in the formation and development of organs, lesions of the central nervous system. After birth, growth retardation, poor appetite, sleep disturbances, and anxiety are observed.

When a pregnant woman sleeps on her side, all these problems do not arise. The blood in sufficient quantities is supplied to the child, which means that he is fully provided with oxygen and nutrients necessary for proper development.

The internal organs work without additional load, swelling, nausea, and back pain appear less often.

Full recovery of strength during pregnancy is very important. The state of the child depends on how rested and slept the woman will be.

To improve your sleep, you should follow a few recommendations:

• ventilate the room before going to bed;
• change bed linen regularly;
• avoid taking sleeping pills, especially pharmaceuticals (they can only be used as directed by a doctor, in extreme cases);
• avoid caffeinated drinks (coffee, strong tea);
• 2 hours before bedtime do not eat, so as not to cause digestive problems;
• 3 hours before bedtime, reduce the amount of fluid consumed;
• it is useful to take a short walk before going to bed, however, more intense physical exertion should be avoided;
• keep a sleep schedule, wake up and go to bed at the same time every day;
• if the cause of night awakenings is convulsions, then it is worth informing the doctor about this (he will prescribe drugs to eliminate them);
• in case of sleep disorders caused by emotional experiences, you need to seek the advice of a psychologist, help can be provided by close women (mother, sister, girlfriend) who have already given birth to a child.

Choosing a comfortable and correct posture is an important component of healthy sleep. The position on the back during pregnancy is the more dangerous, the longer the term. If you have a habit of sleeping this way, then you should start changing it from the first weeks. The best option when carrying a child is sleeping on your side. Pillows and rollers will be a good help, they will help to gently fix the correct position and make it more comfortable.

Expectant mothers every hour have to think about how not to do something contraindicated and not harm the child. And this applies not only to nutrition and bad habits, but also to sleep. In the first months, problems with rash in most cases do not occur, however, from the middle of the second trimester, mothers already seriously need to think about what position to sleep in when pregnant, and it is nighttime rest that is the key to recuperation.

Can you sleep on your stomach

Each person has his own comfortable sleeping position, with the change of which problems with rash begin, followed by headaches, nervous breakdowns, etc. It is difficult to avoid such consequences, especially for expectant mothers, which is why you should get used to sleeping on your side from early pregnancy.

Every day the load on the body increases, which increases the need for long rest and sleep. From the second trimester, many women suffer from nausea and increased headaches, irritability appears, which is also caused by the fact that the mother is not sure whether it is possible for pregnant women to sleep on their stomach, if so far it has been their favorite position.

This question has two sides of the coin: on the one hand, you can give an affirmative answer "Yes", on the other - "No". The fact is that in the early stages, sleeping on the stomach does not cause the slightest harm to the fetus, since the uterus is not yet large enough and is protected by the pubic bone. In the first trimester, the baby is securely hidden in the womb, regardless of the sleeping position.

However, to the question of whether it is possible for pregnant women to sleep on their stomachs at a later date, the unequivocal answer is: “No way!” Starting from the 4th month, the sleeping position urgently needs to be changed, otherwise the risk of harm to the child is extremely high. It is not easy to get rid of such a night habit, but mothers should go for it for the sake of the health of their unborn child. However, from the third trimester, lying on your stomach will not work anyway, because the baby is already quite large.

Can you sleep on your back

Similarly with the pose on the stomach, it is not recommended to sleep on the back for mothers with gestations of more than 12 weeks. The fact is that the uterus increases day by day in direct proportion to the growth of the child. In the supine position, the fetus begins to press heavily on the spine and intestines of the mother, but the main thing is that it is very likely to squeeze the vena cava, which is responsible for the blood circulation and oxygen supply of the child.

From the 28th week, pregnant women are strictly forbidden to sleep on their backs, otherwise women may experience severe dizziness, passing into fainting, shortness of breath, arrhythmia, low blood pressure. By this time, the baby himself will begin to give alarm signals that he does not have enough oxygen. Therefore, if, when the pregnant woman is lying on her back, the child begins to push hard, you urgently need to roll over on some side.

There are cases when, in the early stages, in the supine position, severe pressing pains begin in pregnant women. In such cases, it is recommended to consult a gynecologist.

Which side is better to sleep on

Until the last trimester of pregnancy, you can lie on your side and half-side without fear. With the onset of the 28th week, sleep and rest are strongly recommended only on the side. The main benefit of this position is that the fetus does not compress the main vein, thereby not limiting blood flow to the heart.

By and large, there is no difference in which side to sleep on during pregnancy. But doctors advise spending more time on the left. In this position, blood flow to the uterus is much higher, therefore, the fetus receives more nutrients and oxygen, which is vital for its normal development. On the other hand, lying on one side for a long time is also contraindicated, since pressure on the internal organs of the mother may soon make itself felt.

You need to roll over only through the back. On average, it is recommended to change the position 3-4 times per night.

Many doctors prescribe for mothers with an incorrect position of the fetus to prophylactically spend more time on their side, where the baby's head is located.

How to choose the right pose

Along with nutrition and vitamins, proper sleep is extremely important for expectant mothers. A comfortable position has always helped to fall asleep faster and sleep better, but with the approach of childbirth, pregnant women need to make some sacrifices. During the first trimester, there are no restrictions on night rest. But starting from the 12th week, there is a risk for the baby when sleeping in some comfortable positions. Firstly, it is no longer possible to sleep on your back, since the fetus is heavy enough to pass the vena cava and create health problems for yourself and your mother. Can pregnant women sleep on their stomach from the second trimester? It is also forbidden because the mother's weight can put a lot of pressure on the baby.

Therefore, from 3-4 months of pregnancy, you should choose a more comfortable position for yourself, based on the remaining options.

Beneficial postures for sleeping

The most comfortable and beneficial posture for the fetus to rest and sleep at any time is lying on the left side, bending the right leg and putting it on the pillow. So blood circulation noticeably improves, there is no swelling of the limbs, the kidneys, liver and heart are fully functioning. In addition, this position will not leave severe back pain in the morning and is comfortable for the baby. In the early stages, you can not put a pillow under your leg, but pregnant women with huge bellies are required to do this.

If the child is located with his head on the right, then you need to focus on a similar position on the right side.

You should not be in one position all night - it is harmful to the fetus. But turning a lot is also harmful (3-5 times a night is enough).

1. In no case should you take sleeping pills during pregnancy.

2. You can not drink carbonated water and tea at night, as well as eat a lot.

3. Can pregnant women sleep on their stomach and back? Only during the first trimester.

4. Before going to bed, any physical exercises and activities are prohibited, except for walking in the fresh air.

5. It is extremely important to stick to the chosen sleep pattern.

6. To avoid cramps, you should do a relaxing foot massage.

7. It is important to avoid drafts, even if the heat is unbearable.

8. In the last months of pregnancy, while falling asleep, it is recommended to stroke the stomach so that the baby calms down and also gets ready for bed.

The onset of pregnancy imposes a lot of serious restrictions on the expectant mother. They apply to nutrition, and to habitual activities, and to the general mode of life, and even to sleep. It is wrong to think that the best sleeping position for a pregnant woman is lying on her back, although there are enough reasons for such an assumption: the stomach is not squeezed, the chest and heart are also more or less free, and besides, you can breathe easily! And this is so important for the future baby. But is it really so? This issue will be discussed in more detail later in the article.

First half of pregnancy

At the very beginning of the development of a fertilized egg, many expectant mothers often do not yet realize their interesting situation and continue to lead their usual lifestyle. The same applies to sleeping positions that a woman prefers. At these times, even such a position that is contrary to pregnancy, like sleeping on the stomach, is not capable of causing serious harm to the baby - its size is so small that the uterus is hardly enlarged. However, starting from the 3rd month, the woman already feels a weight in the lower abdomen. At this time, the uterus increases three times compared to its original size and outwardly corresponds to the size of a large goose egg. The shell of the fetal egg is actively developing and, in addition to the weight of the embryo, the weight of the amniotic fluid begins to be felt.

When lying on her back, a woman already feels slight discomfort. This is explained by a simple physical law of gravity, according to which any weighted object rushes down, with a level of pressure on the surrounding tissues that is directly proportional to the weight. In other words, in a pregnant woman, the uterus falls in a lump on the internal organs located outside it, which means:

1. The intestines are compressed: a woman may feel a slight tingling, accumulation of gases, seething, colic. Subsequently, this can provoke intestinal disorders, such as constipation or diarrhea, due to the retention of contents at a certain level.
2. The liver, as well as the spleen and pancreas, may shift slightly, and this will cause tingling in the muscles.
3. The internal vessels at this stage do not suffer much, but, nevertheless, if they are weak or prone to a certain disease, when lifting, a woman may feel a slight dizziness or darkening in her eyes.
4. From the side of the kidneys, there is no significant discomfort at this stage, but, nevertheless, if there is an active phase of urine separation, a feeling of fullness from the sides can be felt.

How does this affect the baby? Basically, there is mild hypoxia caused by clamping of regional blood vessels located behind the uterus. This should not be overlooked, since a child’s regular lack of oxygen will lead to a slowdown in the development of his nervous system, and this, in turn, will negatively affect such processes as the timeliness of speech skills, the development of the psyche, intellectual abilities, etc.

second half of pregnancy

The second period of pregnancy is considered the most calm. This is a period of active growth of the internal organs and systems of the fetus, as well as an increase in its size. The volume of amniotic fluid also increases significantly. By the end of it, the stomach increases significantly in size, the level of the uterus reaches just above the navel. Her body is rounded, and the body becomes like a chicken egg. At week 28, separate parts of the fetal body begin to be felt (head, sometimes limbs - with active movement).

It is already difficult for a woman to choose her previously familiar sleeping positions, and obstetrician-gynecologists actively advise the position, lying on her left side. This is explained by the fact that when positioned on the right side, the hepatic ducts are clamped, which creates serious obstacles to the outflow of bile, and, in addition, in most cases, the placenta is attached along the right edge and there is a risk of clamping its vessels, and this can already end fatally for the fetus .

1. Clamping of the inferior vena cava: impedes blood flow to both the placenta and the mother's lower limbs.
2. Cross-clamping of the aorta: makes it difficult to complex nutrition of the internal organs of the mother.

In addition, do not forget about the nerve fibers, the clamping of which will lead to a violation of the conduction of nerve impulses from the spine to the nerve leads of the lower extremities, and this: a sharp decrease in the temperature of internal muscle structures, a slowdown in blood flow due to narrowing of blood vessels, loss of sensitivity in lower limbs. Also, lying on your back for a long time can cause cramps in the calf muscles at night.

Sleep or long lying on the back also causes considerable problems to the excretory system. Displaced by the stomach in the normal state, the kidneys can hardly cope with the increased load placed on them. While a woman lies on her back, her kidneys are additionally clamped, which creates additional prerequisites for stagnation of urine and the development of infectious processes inside the organs.

Most of all, the spine suffers from such a dream, which is pressed by both the mass of the fetus and the weight of the internal organs adjacent to it.

As we can see, there is nothing useful for a pregnant woman in sleeping on her back, and moreover, it causes irreparable harm to the baby, creating, first of all, a lack of oxygen inflow, which can further disrupt the overall development of the fetus.

How to choose the right sleeping positions

As mentioned earlier, the optimal sleeping position for a pregnant woman is considered to be lying on her left side. However, there are times when the child does not take this position for some reason. Each expectant mother is quite able to feel this: the baby begins to either suddenly freeze, or vice versa, to push more actively than usual, expressing her displeasure.

In this case, you should periodically change positions and listen to the life of the child, as well as to your personal feelings. Every day, the fetus changes its position, and an uncomfortable posture yesterday today may well allow the expectant mother to sleep fully and, thereby, restore the strength she and the child need.

Sometimes there are reasons why it is not possible to change the position. This may be when:

1. Fractures of bones obtained during pregnancy.
2. The threat of placental abruption - in this case, the position is prescribed by a doctor and is maintained until the end of pregnancy.

In this case, the attending physician should control the condition of the pregnant mother and it is desirable to carry out any movements in his presence, and it is imperative to control the condition and reaction of the baby to these movements.

The sleep of a pregnant woman is a necessary event for recuperation. However, you should be attentive to the positions of the body and always listen to your feelings and the wishes of your baby.

Video: is it possible to sleep on your back during pregnancy

To sleep soundly and for a long time during pregnancy, you need to properly organize the rest. Fast and high-quality sleep occurs when you do the following:

Additionally, a pregnant woman can take a bath with aromatic oils before a night's rest. It will relax the muscles and reduce the activity of the nervous system. In the evening, it is worth consuming less liquid, this will save you from frequent trips to the toilet. If you do not like fermented milk drinks, then it is advisable to drink a glass of plain milk with honey or chamomile tea. Fruits before going to bed can be replaced with a sandwich with boiled lean meat.

There are medical causes of insomnia that need to be addressed. To do this, you need to complain about sleep disorders to your doctor and undergo an examination. Most often, pregnant women with low blood sugar suffer from insomnia. This condition is accompanied by symptoms:

• cardiopalmus;
• nausea;
• weakness.

Sweet tea or a piece of sugar can quickly cope with this problem. If the symptoms often torment you, you need to correct your condition in other ways. In late pregnancy, women lack magnesium, so they often experience nighttime leg cramps. You can get rid of the problem by taking special vitamin preparations and massage. For some women, being close to their husband helps them relax before bed. It can be sex or simple hugs if doctors have prescribed sexual rest.

If gentle ways to get rid of insomnia do not help, then you need to take a mild sleeping pill. Most drugs cannot be taken while waiting for a child, so you should not self-medicate. Ask your doctor for a remedy.

In more detail, it is worth studying the issue of the correct position of the body during a night's rest. Each person gets used to a certain position during sleep. During pregnancy, a growing belly limits the choice of positions. Up to 12 weeks, you can still afford to sleep on your stomach, but doctors do not recommend this position of the body, because due to the rotation of the head, the load on the shoulder girdle increases.

You can’t sleep on your back after the start of the second trimet, as the growing uterus compresses the vena cava. This can lead to loss of consciousness and a significant deterioration in well-being, since this position of the body disrupts the blood circulation of the organs. Not only the mother suffers, but also the unborn child. With this position of the body, excessive activity of the fetus is observed, as it experiences hypoxia.

There is no choice of body position during sleep - a woman should only rest on her side. With this position of the body, the blood circulation of the fetus is not disturbed, and the mother herself can rest fully. Doctors recommend clamping a small roller between the legs to reduce the load on the pelvis. Which side is recommended to sleep on? It is best to be located on the left, since this position ensures normal blood circulation. The baby receives all the necessary nutrients, and the woman's heart works well and the liver is not squeezed. With a transverse presentation of the fetus, it is recommended to lie on the side to which the head of the unborn child is facing.