Dr. Marjorie Greenfield
Specializing in pregnancy and birth.
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 Ask Dr. Greenfield
Sleeping on Your Side | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Greenfield,
I've been told that I should be sleeping on my left side, but I keep waking up on my back even though I start out on my left! Is this really dangerous for the baby?— Sleepy | | | ANSWER |
April 11, 2003 | | | Dear Sleepy,
Lying flat on your back after 20 weeks of pregnancy allows the uterus to press on the large vein that takes blood back to your heart. The great vessels, as the vena cava and aorta are called, lie just to the right of your spine, at the back of the abdominal cavity. The weight of your uterus can compress these vessels and diminish the blood flow back to the uterus, placenta and baby. Your brain may also get diminished flow, leading to lightheadedness and what is called "supine hypotension syndrome."
The solution to this is simple: try sleeping curled up on your right or left side. Use pillows to prop yourself into position. In order to get comfy, most women need at least four pillows in the bed with them. If you are usually a back sleeper, try placing a pillow under the right half of your back (vertically) so that you are tipped slightly to the left. This is all you need to do to get the uterus off of the great vessels. Usually, these pillows can help you avoid ending up flat on your back by the morning.
It isn't clear how truly dangerous it is to lie flat on your back. We have seen women whose blood pressure goes too high or too low when lying flat, or whose babies have a slowing of the fetal heart rate when they are in that position. On the other hand, most women do accidentally lie flat at some time in their pregnancy, and we don't know that their babies are any worse for it. Bottom line: do what you can not to lie flat for long time periods, but don't drive yourself crazy worrying about it.
— by Marjorie Greenfield, M.D. |
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