There are many aspects of your life that change when you get pregnant. These can be little things, like sleep, that you would never think of, especially if you are a stomach sleeper. So, when should I stop sleeping on my stomach during pregnancy? The answer may be sooner than you imagine but not right away.
Sleeping on your stomach in the first weeks of your pregnancy is safe since the baby is still within your pelvis. However, as your baby develops and your belly gets bigger, sleeping on your stomach will be uncomfortable and unsafe for you and your baby too. Understanding about how this impacts your safety and your baby can assist you in knowing when and how it is possible to change to improved sleep positions with less anxiety and with a sense of peace.
In this post, we will discover what actually happens if you roll over onto your stomach by mistake, how equipment like a pregnancy pillow body can help make you switch over more easily, and what’s the best and safest position for you and your baby.
What If You Roll Over in Your Sleep Onto Your Stomach Unintentionally?
Most moms-to-be tend to panic whenever they wake up during the night, stomach down. Don’t worry, though. During the initial stages of your pregnancy, stomach sleeping will not hurt your baby since they are safely ensconced in the uterus.
Though as your baby develops in the second trimester, lying on your stomach will be uncomfortable and putting undue pressure on your stomach. You may even experience strain in your lower back, soreness on your breasts or a pulling across your tummy.
If you feel this tends to occur at night, do not panic, your body senses whether it is uncomfortable and automatically changes to another position. But intentionally sleeping on your stomach during later months of the pregnancy isn’t advisable. Using a pregnancy pillow body can help prevent you from rolling over and also helps keep you comfortable and supported in a side-lying sleeping position.
Safe Sleep Positions as Your Belly Grows
As your baby grows so as your bump, and sleeping on your stomach wouldn’t be as comfortable as it was before. This isn’t the safest sleeping position as well with your tummy growing.
Here’s a breakdown of the three main sleeping positions for a pregnant woman;
- Stomach sleeping can be safe in the first trimester of the pregnancy, but it could get uncomfortable and is not recommended later on.
- Attempt to sleep as little as possible on your back throughout the second and third trimesters of pregnancy because it pinches major blood vessels that can reduce blood circulation to you and the baby.
- Side sleeping, particularly on the left side, is the best and safest sleeping position because it gets your blood to flow better and diminishes the pressure that your back and hips feel.
Changing to side sleeping sooner instead of later will make it easier for you to adjust. For most mothers, placing a pregnancy pillow body in the early second trimester assists in making the change more comfortable and smoother.
How Side Sleeping Supports Better Blood Flow and Comfort
There are numerous benefits for a mother who transitions into sleeping to their side, this includes:
1. Side sleeping position improve blood circulation which means your blood can freely move and travel along your heart, uterus, and placenta.
2. It lessens the pressure on your organs, such as the liver, kidneys, including your spine.
3. It can reduce swelling, having a better circulation means minimized fluid retention on your legs and ankles.
4. This gives you more comfort at night, supporting your belly and hips can ease your joints and reduce the tossing and turning.
A pregnancy pillow body is particularly helpful in this case, it supports your belly, aligns your hips, and cushions your back all at once. This helps maintain a healthy sleeping position throughout the night.
Using Pillows to Transition Away From Stomach Sleeping
If you’re used to sleeping on your stomach all your life, switching to positions can feel very different and troubling at first. This is where a strategic pillow comes in useful.
Here are some tips on how to transition smoother:
- Placing a pillow between your knees can keep your hips aligned and reduces lower back strain.
- Investing in a pregnancy pillow body can prevent you from rolling onto your stomach or back.
- Tuck a pillow under your belly as this helps lift and relieve the abdominal pulling.
- Add a pillow behind your back to prevent you from rolling onto your back while sleeping.
In making these adjustments early on can help your body adapt more naturally and relieve the stress from your back, belly and spine.
When to Talk to Your Doctor About Sleep Concerns
Even if you have an existing comfortable sleeping position, pregnancy has certain unique challenges that can still be encountered, for example, insomnia, frequent visiting to the bathroom or pain resulting from heartburn and muscle cramps. If you cannot sleep, or if you are having concerns about when to quit sleeping on my stomach during pregnancy, do not hesitate to visit your health care provider.
You should certainly phone in if you are having the following:
- Badly hurting backs or pelvises at night
- Trouble breathing when you lie down
- Tingling or numbness in your legs
- Worries about the pattern of your baby’s movements
It is best to call up these issues to your doctor as they can give you advice that is specific to your health and might recommend certain positioning advice or pillow arrangements to enhance your sleep.
Conclusion
If you’re wondering about the question of “when should I stop sleeping on my stomach during pregnancy?”, safest advice is before your bump begins to appear, generally in the second trimester. Even though it’s okay to sleep on your stomach while in the first trimester, switching to sleeping on your side sooner will allow you to acclimatize and safeguard your comfort and your baby’s health.
Having a pregnancy pillow body incorporated in your sleeping routine can help you ease through it since this keeps your back, hips and belly well-supported. It can also keep you from thrashing around during sleep, leading to pain or cutting off blood flow.
Having a baby in your belly is already a task, and that’s why sleeping well is not a task that should be added. With the right sleeping position and pillows to cushion you, you can sleep well knowing that you are doing your best for you and your baby.
