Can pregnant women sleep on their stomach? Can a pregnant woman sleep on her back?

Pregnancy is an important and responsible period in the life of every woman. During this time, the expectant mother has to reconsider her lifestyle and give up usual things, for example, sleeping on her back. In this article we will tell you in detail why a pregnant woman should not sleep on her back and what positions are optimal for sleeping.

How does sleeping on your back affect a pregnant woman?

Not every woman knows why a pregnant woman should not lie on her back. This prohibition is in no way related to superstitions. The answer to this can be obtained by considering the structure and physiology of the female body.

Location of the vena cava and the effect of posture on it during pregnancy

Changes that occur in a woman’s body while sleeping on her back:

• The pressure in the inferior vena cava increases. In other words, this phenomenon is called inferior vena cava syndrome. In order to understand what it is and why it is dangerous, let's talk a little about anatomy. The inferior vena cava is the largest venous vessel in the body. It collects venous blood from the legs and pelvic organs. The inferior vena cava is located along the spine and therefore, if a pregnant woman sleeps in this position, it will be compressed. When the vessel is compressed, blood flow to the right ventricle and lungs decreases. As a result, the oxygen saturation of the blood decreases, the heart rate increases compensatoryly, sweating decreases, and breathing slows down. Changes in blood circulation cause dizziness and a sharp lack of oxygen. There may be cases of loss of consciousness. Increased pressure in the lower sections leads to venous stagnation, thrombosis, varicose veins, thrombophlebitis, and hemorrhoids.
• Compression of the aorta. In addition to the inferior vena cava, the aorta is located along the spine. The wall of the afferent vessel is much stronger than the vena cava, so serious compression does not occur. However, there are cases when significant compression reduces the lumen of the vessel and increases blood pressure.
• The load on internal organs increases. When a woman lies on her back, the enlarged uterus puts pressure on the kidneys and ureters. This phenomenon leads to stagnation of urine, which entails the development of inflammatory processes (pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis, hydronephrosis, urolithiasis).

This position increases pressure on the hepatic duct. Here, as in the kidneys, the phenomenon of stagnation occurs, which over time can cause the formation of stones and mechanical or obstructive jaundice. Very often, inflammatory processes in the gallbladder and its duct lead to the development of pancreatitis.

Lying on your back negatively affects the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. The horizontal position leads to pressure from the uterus on the stomach, which leads to a weakening of the sphincter and the reflux of hydrochloric acid and undigested food particles back into the esophagus, in other words, heartburn appears.

The intestines work worse in this position than when positioned on the side

There is a deterioration in bowel function. The enlarged uterus presses on the intestines and thereby leads to stagnation of feces, metabolic processes slow down, and rapid weight gain occurs. There is a high probability of developing flatulence, constipation and hemorrhoids.

When sleeping on your back, additional stress on your spine occurs. After sleeping in this position, unpleasant and sometimes even painful sensations appear in the back area.

It is not at all necessary that every pregnant woman will be bothered by the above symptoms when lying on her back. They can be expressed to a greater or lesser extent. Pregnant women up to 13 weeks of pregnancy can sleep peacefully on their stomach and not be afraid of anything. During the period from 13 to 25 weeks, doctors do not recommend lying down or sleeping on your back. It all depends on the individual characteristics of the woman. If your pregnancy is more than 25 weeks, then you should avoid this position altogether. There are many other convenient physiologically correct positions in which you can get a good night's sleep.

How does a pregnant woman's sleep affect the baby's health?

Sleeping on a pregnant woman's back negatively affects not only the woman's well-being, but also the health of the unborn baby. Neglecting doctors' recommendations can lead to very serious pathological processes in the child's body.

As a result of disruption of normal blood flow in the pelvic organs, oxygen starvation or fetal hypoxia occurs. This pathological condition is very dangerous for the child. With hypoxia, the fetus does not receive the required amount of oxygen and important nutrients.

The nervous system suffers the most from insufficient oxygen. Hypoxia leads to intrauterine growth retardation, the birth of a low birth weight baby, and pathological processes during pregnancy and childbirth. A pregnant woman who is used to sleeping on her back is at risk of placental abruption and premature birth.

When a woman lies on her back, the uterus moves from its usual place. At this moment, the fetus senses changes and tries to take its usual and most comfortable position. A sharp increase in fetal activity may indicate hypoxia.

Sleeping positions during pregnancy

The choice of sleeping position depends directly on the stage of pregnancy. Until the 13th week, you can sleep in almost any position, but it is advisable to avoid sleeping on your stomach. After the 13th week, you should not sleep on your back, since the enlarged uterus can put significant pressure on the inferior vena cava. Pressing the vessel prevents normal blood circulation to the fetus, legs and pelvic organs of the woman. It is worth giving preference to the position lying on your side. In the third trimester, you can only lie on your side. If a woman has a transverse fetal proposal, then she is recommended to lie on the side where the fetal head is located.

Sleeping on the left side is considered optimal

For the most comfortable and sound sleep, it is better for a pregnant woman to sleep on her left side. The woman lies down on the sofa and bends her right leg at the knee, while placing a pillow under it. To improve the quality of sleep, you can purchase a pillow for pregnant women, which will ensure the correct position of the body during sleep and prevent turning over at night. Pregnant women should not sleep on very soft, sagging mattresses.

Good day!
We have been married for 2.5 years
I'm 29, my husband is 27
It so happened that we live in a small town.
Average salary 15-20 thousand
I work in a good position and earn more than 70 thousand
By the standards of our city, this is a very good salary.
But my husband works for 20 thousand
And this situation does not suit him, as in other ways I am not happy with it either.
But he is always at home, everything is always neat, tidy, ready.
There is no way to find a better paying job.
That’s why my husband went to St. Petersburg to earn money. He has classmates there with families, there is an uncle with an empty apartment, there is an opportunity to get a job there through an acquaintance. And everything seems to be fine, but I’m not happy with this moment..
We are young, and now if we separate, what kind of family are we?
We planned to leave our city together, but after a year or two
And now it turns out he goes wherever I go to live.
Naturally, if he works there
Then he won’t want to change his place of residence.
And as a result, our family is doomed to divorce?
Thank you in advance for your sensible advice.

343

Lena Lenina

Good morning everyone. On Saturday I went to stylish kitchens (I love them dearly for their quality) and designed a kitchen.. At first I considered the Tommasi kitchen, with beautiful milling - 3 meters (including a refrigerator) NOOOOO the price without equipment is under 170 (((Which day is not an option for me since I counted the equipment on 136))) I decided to simplify - facades without milling, almost to the ceiling, white 3D plastic facades, those that are olive (in fact, the color is called “white gold, although it’s not clear why because the color is soft olive)) - enamel. Question about enamel on the facades - they tell me it is capricious in the kitchen, there may be chips, a cat might ruin it???
They suggested that we also notice the enamel on 3D plastic (the price is immediately 18 thousand cheaper and you can add a drawer for the hood for that money), but the enamel is so beautiful.. in general, what can you say about the facades and materials??
The kitchen was counted at 270 with everything and mixers and aquaphors and appliances)

235

Elvirka

I had a free moment, decided to surf... And this is what I came across. By chance I came across a petition with a very unusual (in my opinion) content, namely about the official refusal to establish and pay alimony. I am attaching the text below, I have cleaned up the links. I can say one thing: I was simply shocked after reading it. And I suddenly began to wonder if it’s some kind of problem with my head, and it’s me who reacts so aggressively to such topics, because the callus is too painful, but in fact, this is what we’re heading towards? The topic is, of course, not for quarrels, but for discussion. I'm very interested to know what you think about this? Actually, the text:

Cancel child support for minor children

We believe that the institution of family in Russia is currently collapsed. More than 60 percent of divorces throughout the country, and in some regions up to 110 percent, are direct confirmation of this.
One of the factors that is ruining Russian families is the barbaric alimony policy that is widespread in our country. Both citizens and officials (courts, bailiffs, guardianship authorities, etc.) suffer from the modern alimony system, and most importantly, our children suffer.
We believe in the reasonableness and integrity of Russian citizens and propose to abolish alimony for the maintenance of minor children, leaving Russians to decide for themselves, within their own families, issues regarding the maintenance of their own children.
Why is it necessary to abolish child support for minor children?
1. Alimony practice increases the number of divorces, thereby violating the rights of children to a complete family
2. Alimony in the barbaric form in which it exists now negatively affects the demography of the country and the psychological climate within the family
3. The state is not able to control the situation with alimony defaulters - in 2017, more than 850,000 defaulters were identified, and despite increasingly stringent penalties for non-payment of alimony (including criminal liability), their number is not decreasing
4. A divorced spouse receiving alimony in court often prevents the child from communicating with the second parent, since there is no interest in building any relationship with the second parent. Achieving normal communication with children through the court is extremely difficult in practice.
The alimony alimony has the following advantages:
1. After alimony for minor children is abolished, the number of divorces in the country will sharply decrease
2. Non-interference of the state in family affairs will have a positive impact on the country’s demography - more children are born in two-parent families
3. A large number of government workers will be freed up, who today are unsuccessfully trying to extract alimony payments from almost a million debtors. These officials can deal with more important and pressing social issues; The abolition of alimony will also decriminalize the article for non-payment, which will allow almost a million people who, for a number of reasons, are currently unable to pay alimony to breathe a sigh of relief.
4. Divorced spouses will have to peacefully resolve the problems of divorce; it will not be possible to manipulate children; as a result, the rights of children will be protected to the maximum extent possible.

Ruslan Diaghilev, activist of the Men's Egalitarian Movement

Well, something like this, but what if they actually start introducing something like this? Well, this is nonsense... And if people could agree and did agree, then there would be no trips to the courts on this topic at all, or am I understanding something wrong? Or has the man just lost his temper and all his ex-wives with bailiffs and responsibility have gotten him?))))

230

Lilian Andreaskaite

A promising girl from the capital, a student at a prestigious university, with a sought-after specialization that guarantees prosperity and a career, marries a young Middle Eastern slacker, doing odd jobs of a very dubious nature... This is not the plot of a melodrama, this is a specific girl - the daughter of my very, very close friends . Everyone is in shock. Neither persuasion nor calls to use reason lead to anything. The manic desire to ruin this marriage by any means does not leave me.
They will go to their husband's homeland. So that she can become the tenth wife and give birth to half-children, doomed to be strangers everywhere. Of course, children from mixed marriages can be very beautiful, but if there is discord in the family, they are not needed either here or there.
Am I intolerant? Or right?

217

flying squirrel

I’ll make a reservation right away, I’m opening this topic just out of interest. The situation is this: I’m writing another book in which one of the heroines lives with her husband by inertia, there has been no love on her part for a long time, she looks to the side, but suddenly her husband does an act, after which her eyes open and she understands that she was wrong.
And my question arose, has anyone actually experienced this? That is, did someone’s husband (fiancé, beloved) do something that would make you look at him differently (namely with a + sign). Maybe love arose precisely after this, or feelings were reborn.
For those who have not had this, I would be grateful for an answer as to what action of a man could give impetus to the development of feelings.
That is, the topic is simply to remember, dream, and speculate. I apologize if I don’t answer right away: three children and a busy life don’t allow me to immerse myself in the forum)))
And yes, this is not collecting material for a book, I’ve already thought of everything for it)))

211

Pregnancy is an interesting, exciting period when a woman prepares for the birth of a baby. The expectant mother regularly visits the doctor and scrupulously follows his recommendations and instructions, which include quite a few restrictions and prohibitions.

And this is understandable, because many ordinary things that are allowed in normal conditions are not allowed during pregnancy, as they can harm the health of the unborn baby. In particular, there is a ban on taking many medications, and the consumption of certain foods is limited. Even the expectant mother has to sleep in a certain position, because lying on her back is not allowed.

But why can't you sleep on your back during pregnancy? Why do doctors strongly recommend a different sleeping position? What should an expectant mother do to sleep better and get enough sleep? Let's talk about this today:

Why shouldn't pregnant women sleep on their backs?

It is harmful for a woman:

Let’s make a reservation right away: for the first three months you can lie down and sleep as you want, including on your back. But with the beginning of the second trimester, you will have to give up this position. The fact is that at this time the active growth of the fetus begins, which means that the uterus quickly increases in size and puts pressure on the spine. The pressure especially increases when a woman lies on her back. Why?

Because in the spine area there are many blood vessels, which are also under pressure. The inferior vena cava is also located there, through which blood flows from the lower body to the heart. As a result of the heaviness of the enlarged uterus, the vein is compressed, blood flow cannot flow freely to the heart, and blood stagnation occurs.

For this reason, pregnant women often complain of a feeling of lack of air, darkening, and flashing “spots” before their eyes. In addition, breathing becomes intermittent and the pulse quickens. Dizziness and increased sweating are noted. If this happens when you are lying on your back, turn onto your side. This position of the body will reduce pressure on the circulatory system. Moreover, the longer the pregnancy, the less time you need to spend lying on your back.

Harmful to the fetus:

In addition, this position of the mother adversely affects the well-being of the child. As we have already said, the position of the body on the back, especially for a long time, compresses the vena cava and disrupts normal blood flow. This is harmful not only for the mother, but also for the fetus, because it does not receive enough oxygen and vitamins, which are vital for its normal growth and development. It's coming.

Usually the baby himself “tells” his mother that he is not feeling well, is experiencing discomfort or is not receiving enough oxygen and nutrients. Therefore, when a woman lies on her back, he becomes overly active, or, conversely, makes few movements and hardly pushes. Women are very scared of this, they worry, especially if there was a problem getting pregnant with a second child, they are afraid that such a long-awaited pregnancy may suddenly end.

However, there is no need to panic, the main thing is that you already know the reason for this “behavior” of the fetus. Just change your position. It must be said that not only sleeping on your back is not recommended during pregnancy.

Doctors also advise not to sit for a long time, because during this time some muscle groups are overstrained, while others are completely inactive. Therefore, for good health, try to move more during the day, and at night, take the best sleeping position for a pregnant woman.

Best sleeping position

Doctors advise pregnant women to sleep on their left side. This position of the body during long rest is the safest. There are no obstacles to normal blood circulation, the mother’s well-being does not suffer, and the fetus receives the substances it needs. In addition, he is in the cephalic position, so he feels quite comfortable and does not worry. This advice is especially relevant for the last trimester.

Pregnant women are recommended to sleep on their side, placing their legs one on top of the other. For added comfort, place a small pillow between them. And to avoid turning over on your back while sleeping, place a thick blanket or a large pillow behind you. Such an obstacle will prevent you from turning over on your back in your sleep.

Go to sleep on your side from the first months of pregnancy. Then you won’t have to get used to the unusual position for a long time and the night’s rest will be complete, which is very important for your well-being.

Tips for a good night's sleep

Have dinner 2 hours before bedtime. Don't overeat before bed; the evening meal should be light. Also, don't drink a lot of fluids at night.

To fall asleep quickly and have a restful, sound sleep, drink a little warm milk with honey.

Try not to worry, don’t watch TV at night, don’t read detective stories. Better listen to light, soothing music.

Before falling asleep, you can lie on your back for a short time, raising your legs higher. This will give your legs rest and eliminate swelling.

Folk recipe for improving well-being

- the task of every woman. To achieve it you need to work hard ahead of time. For the expectant mother, it is necessary to feel good and have a strong immune system, because her good health is the key to the normal development of the fetus. There are many safe grandma recipes to boost your immunity. For example, this one:

A vitamin drink made from cranberries will help strengthen the immune system. It’s prepared like this: put 1 tbsp of mashed berries in a mug, mix with 1 tsp of honey. Pour a glass of warm water and leave overnight. In the morning, drink before breakfast.

If you regularly experience malaise, discomfort, if something bothers you in the behavior of your unborn baby, talk about it with your doctor, especially if there was. The doctor will help identify the cause of the ailment and eliminate it. Be healthy!

Svetlana, www.site
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The supine position is one of the most popular resting positions. In this state, you can relax, put your hands behind your head and enjoy a restful sleep until the morning. But won't this comfortable position harm the growing fetus? Is it possible to sleep on your back during pregnancy?

I trimester

In the early stages of pregnancy, the expectant mother can take any comfortable sleeping position. Until 12 weeks, the uterus does not extend beyond the womb, and the growing baby does not interfere with the functioning of the internal organs. At this time, a woman can sleep peacefully on her back without fear of negative consequences for the fetus. Many expectant mothers can only get enough sleep in this position and get a boost of energy in the morning for the whole day.

The only problem that awaits a woman in the early stages is toxicosis. In the supine position, increased nausea and bouts of vomiting are observed. In case of severe toxicosis, a comfortable sleeping position will have to be changed. To alleviate the condition, it is best to roll over on your side and slightly tilt your head down.

II trimester

In the second trimester, the expectant mother should focus on her own well-being. Many women sleep comfortably on their backs for up to 22-24 weeks without experiencing any discomfort. If in the chosen position there is no shortness of breath, palpitations or other unpleasant symptoms, you can immerse yourself in the arms of Morpheus without fear for your own health and the condition of the baby.

III trimester

After 24 weeks of pregnancy, the position on the back is not very favorable for the woman and the fetus. In this position, compression occurs on the inferior vena cava, a large vessel that collects blood from the lower extremities. The growing uterus puts pressure on the vein, causing blood stagnation and the appearance of unpleasant symptoms:

• dyspnea;
• feeling of lack of air;
• cardiopalmus;
• darkening of the eyes;
• dizziness.

This condition may result in a short-term loss of consciousness. When the first undesirable symptoms appear, you should turn over on your side and take a comfortable position that ensures free flow of blood through the inferior vena cava.
The supine position also affects the condition of the fetus. Compression of the vena cava leads to disruption of blood flow in the vessels of the placenta and umbilical cord. Oxygen ceases to flow to the baby in the required volume. Hypoxia develops - a condition characterized by a lack of oxygen in the organs and tissues of the fetus.

Short-term hypoxia does not affect the further development of the child in any way. As soon as the woman changes position, blood flow in the inferior vena cava and placenta will be restored, and oxygen will again flow to the fetus in the required volume. Serious consequences occur only with prolonged compression of blood vessels. If the expectant mother is used to sleeping on her back and stays in this position all night, the baby may suffer from the development of chronic hypoxia.

What threatens the lack of oxygen to the fetus? Prolonged hypoxia primarily affects the formation of structures of the nervous system. The brain suffers, the conduction of impulses between nerve fibers is disrupted. In the future, this condition will affect the development of the child after his birth.

Many women notice that when lying on their back, the baby begins to move more. An increase in fetal motor activity is also associated with the development of short-term hypoxia. Lack of oxygen causes the child to move more. After changing position, the baby calms down for a while.

conclusions

Lying on your back is not the best sleeping position. During pregnancy, you can sleep on your back only in the first trimester, when the uterus does not extend beyond the womb. Starting from 16 weeks, the expectant mother needs to carefully monitor her condition. If, while lying on your back, shortness of breath, tachycardia and other unpleasant symptoms of compression of the vena cava appear, the sleeping position needs to be changed.

In the third trimester, the expectant mother needs to spend as little time as possible on her back. It is best to completely abandon this pose, even while resting during the day. Sitting comfortably on the pillow, the expectant mother can fall asleep. While a woman sleeps on her back, the inferior vena cava is compressed. Blood flow in the placenta worsens, and the baby suffers from hypoxia. To prevent this condition, you should choose a comfortable sleeping position in advance without putting your child’s health at risk.

During pregnancy, a woman has to undergo numerous examinations. Ultrasound, Doppler, CTG, measurement of the height of the uterine fundus - all this is performed in the supine position. There is no need to worry. All studies are completed fairly quickly. Nothing will happen to the baby in 5-10 minutes. After the examination is completed, the woman will be able to change her position, and blood flow in the placenta will immediately be restored.

What to do if the expectant mother cannot spend even a few minutes lying on her back? You must inform your doctor about this condition. The gynecologist will try to take all the necessary measurements as quickly as possible so as not to cause discomfort to the woman. Ultrasound and Doppler can be performed in the lateral position with a slight turn on the back. CTG in many clinics is performed while sitting.

It is known that a comfortable position during sleep largely depends on the location of the fetus in the uterus. The expectant mother should listen carefully to her feelings and take the position that seems comfortable to her at the moment. The baby's active movements will also help you navigate and find the optimal position at each stage of pregnancy.