During pregnancy, you may find yourself wrestling in bed trying to get comfortable before falling asleep. Unfortunately, your regular sleeping positions may not work well during pregnancy.
The best sleeping position during pregnancy is “SOS” (sleep on side). Even better, try to sleep on your left side as it will improve blood flow and nutrients to your baby. Keep your legs and knees bent, and put a pillow between your legs.
Pregnancy is demanding both physically and emotionally. The increasing bump makes it hard to find a comfortable sleeping position. If you have always been a back or stomach sleeper, it may be difficult to get used to sleeping on your side. Also, as the growing womb presses on your bladder, you experience more frequent trips to the bathroom.
Sleeping on your back is not advised as it can cause back pain, breathing difficulties and low blood pressure. Circulation to your baby suffers. This is due to the womb compressing on major blood vessels (the aorta and vena cava).
Sleeping on your stomach is also not possible. When you are farther along in your pregnancy, your bump makes it more difficult for you to lay on your stomach.
I recommend that a pregnant mom to sleep on her left side. This is because the liver is on the right side and lying on the left side keeps the womb off compressing on the liver — but in most cases, lying on either side is fine.