How to sleep in pregnancy: the best position
What should be the best position to sleep better during pregnancy? Your preferred position may not be the correct one, or become impossible with the bump. Here are some ideas.
A very common question among mothers and expectant mothers is what is the best position to sleep during pregnancy.
Each of us has a favorite position for falling asleep, but when you’re expecting a baby it might not be the right one .
During the very first weeks of pregnancy there are no particular positions suggested even if from the moment of the discovery of the sweet expectation, it would be advisable to adopt good habits for future parents, including that of starting to sleep in the correct position.
On the left side
Most doctors agree that the best position is on the side, and in particular on the left side with the knees bent.
You can help maintain this position with the use of pillows between the knees and behind the back.
Sleeping on the side (right or left) prevents the weight of the uterus from pressing on the inferior vena cava which carries blood from the lower limbs to the heart.
On the left side it’s even better because this way the uterus doesn’t press on the liver.
Sleeping on the left side also improves circulation in general, allows a better blood flow to the kidneys, uterus and fetus.
Obviously it is always good to talk to your gynecologist about the most suitable position because every woman has her own specific problems that must be evaluated overall.
Position changes in sleep
With all your best intentions, you can’t avoid moving during the night: sleep movements are a natural part of sleep.
The pillows help you maintain the position on your side but it can happen that you wake up in the middle of the night with your stomach up.
You probably woke up precisely because your body felt uncomfortable in this position. Take the opportunity to take yet another trip to the bathroom to pee, arrange the pillows and go back to sleep on your side.
Better not sleep on your back
Doctors, on the other hand, all agree in recommending not to sleep in the supine position, especially in the second and third trimester of pregnancy in the presence of problematic pregnancies .
A recent study has linked sleeping in the supine position (and therefore belly up) to an increased risk of perinatal death if the pregnancy already has other problems.
The study was published in the authoritative journal Obstetrics & Gynecology in January 2015 and is the result of research conducted in Australia by Adrienne Gordon, Ph.D and colleagues at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney.
They examined 103 women who had suffered MEF (endouterine fetal death) after 31 weeks of pregnancy and 192 pregnant women who were in the third trimester of gestation.
The greatest risk of perinatal death was found in cases where the pregnancy already had complications such as reduced fetal growth in particular.
But associations were also seen with the mother’s high blood pressure, smoking and obesity in the mother.
Therefore, the supine position seems to be an additional risk factor for stillbirth in pregnancies that already present problems.
In any case there is no better thing than prevention and therefore try to avoid sleeping on your stomach, it will be an effort of a few months!
Kathryn Barlow is an OB/GYN doctor, which is the medical specialty that deals with the care of women's reproductive health, including pregnancy and childbirth.
Obstetricians provide care to women during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, while gynecologists focus on the health of the female reproductive system, including the ovaries, uterus, vagina, and breasts. OB/GYN doctors are trained to provide medical and surgical care for a wide range of conditions related to women's reproductive health.