http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/jun/14/pregnant-women-sleep-left-stillbirth

i ALWAYS sleep on my right!

hmmmm i was always told to sleep on my left during pg - if was very uncomfy towards the end but i wanted to do all i could to help

I was always told to sleep on my left (i naturally do anyway), but I never knew why. Interesting.

I'd find that really upsetting if I were pregnant now. I don't have a particular side I think I'm a wriggler. But if I'd have that whilst pregnant I doubt I would have slept much at all.

I normally sleep on my right but found it more comfortable to sleep on the left while pregnant but think I probably slept on both sides. Hurt so much to turn over because of the spd that I stayed on whatever side I started on

Anatomically it does make sense but like it says theres more research needed. Ive included this thread just to spark a conversation not upset anyone

I was always told to sleep on my left in pregnancy too for the same reasons they state in the article. It drove me bonkers because it's not my natural side to sleep on but when you're told something like that it kinda scares you into doing as you're told 'just incase'. I would sometimes wake up on my back or on my right and have a right panic attack that I'd damaged baby and fret about it till I felt baby move.

xx

no use to me ,, i always slept on my tummy ,,, rocked myself to sleep ,,,, not intentionally

i found i didn't move much while i was heavily pregnant (asleep or otherwise ) so if i propped myself up with cushions on the left it was easier to sleep that way than try and move...in hospital they get you to lie on your left too if they are having concerns about the baby as it can help their oxygen supply but its always difficult to know what is a direct connection or not

This is quite interesting, I always slept on my back as I have an existing hip condition and have never been able to sleep on my side. That coupled with my spd would have made it impossible. As I had a second placental abruption I know that its probably a clotting problem not the way I sleep but it's worth being aware of because for most people it'sa simple change but could make a massive difference.

Personally I think the problem is lack of care for pregnant women. Amelia followed the exact same pattern as Ollie, (blood pressure went up, movements stopped) and it still wasn't detected even though it had happened to me before. They wouldn't listen to me because her heart trace was fine.

I think more people need to be aware that these things happen. I'm not saying scare every pregnant woman to death at the booking in appointment but 17 babies are stillborn every day yet no one talks about it, its almost unheard of for someone to lose the baby after the first trimester, unless you personally know someone its happened to its just not something you contemplate. But it does happen, and it can happen to anyone, I was a healthy 20 year old when I lost Ollie statistically i should have been fine but obviously I wasn't.

I can't believe its that many a day. You hear loads about cot death and how to prevent it and that causes less deaths. Surely this is something they should be pouring money into for research to prevent it

olliesmammy wrote:

This is quite interesting, I always slept on my back as I have an existing hip condition and have never been able to sleep on my side. That coupled with my spd would have made it impossible. As I had a second placental abruption I know that its probably a clotting problem not the way I sleep but it's worth being aware of because for most people it'sa simple change but could make a massive difference.

Personally I think the problem is lack of care for pregnant women. Amelia followed the exact same pattern as Ollie, (blood pressure went up, movements stopped) and it still wasn't detected even though it had happened to me before. They wouldn't listen to me because her heart trace was fine.

I think more people need to be aware that these things happen. I'm not saying scare every pregnant woman to death at the booking in appointment but 17 babies are stillborn every day yet no one talks about it, its almost unheard of for someone to lose the baby after the first trimester, unless you personally know someone its happened to its just not something you contemplate. But it does happen, and it can happen to anyone, I was a healthy 20 year old when I lost Ollie statistically i should have been fine but obviously I wasn't.

i posted or commente dreagrding this ( using you as one of my examples ) there has been a few celeb stories for the same thing , i assumed that the fact they were celebs would have highlighted this to the public eye( much and such like anne diamond cot death situation )
massive hugs to you kayleigh x x

Thats what I don't get about it, it seems that they think its fine to scare people with cot death but not to have any info on stillbirth. Obviously people need to know about SIDS but why one and not the other?

I think midwifes are also so ill informed about it. My midwife was stressing to me that I needed to have 10 movements in 24 hours. I can't speak for every woman whos ever been pregnant but to me that seems such a low amount. I've researched into it because I was scared to death with Amelia and it's your babies routine that matters, if she normally moves at lunchtime then suddenlt doesn't then you need to get checked out.

i've some across so many stories that say people have delayed getting checked out because although movements werent normal they were there and its been too late. It's so sad because many of these deaths could have been prevented if only we had the correct information

I think they are moving more towards that kind of advice now Kayleigh but i totally agree with you. I had to fight to get them to listen to me with Caelyn hence her birth but luckily in the end they did but with Awen i shouldnt have had to fight with them yet despite my history I had only my own mw and the sister on DAU who would listen to me despite the similarities and they kept saying even though my bp heartrate was up and having fluctuating protein all was well. I maintain it was only because my gp was sane enough to sign me off sick at 17 weeks preg it didnt end up like Caelyns birth-and IM the lucky one because both my girls are safe and well despite the pre ec. So for people like yourself who have lost babies or having a little fighter in their life like Amelia who should still be safely and warmly cooking away i feel such outrage. I find it shocking really that there isnt more to highlight these kind of things yet thousands is poured into telling you not to eat peanuts....oh no eat peanuts....no dont eat peanuts...

I think the research like anything else needs to be taken in context. If you are having a textbook pregnancy with a wonderful healthy baby then sleeping on your right is highly unlikely to affect you. I think this is going to be of benefit when taken in the view of risk factors in pregnancy generally. If you know you have a condition where theres a risk of placental problems then sleeping on your side will improve things but wont neccesarily stop things happening-it doesnt diminish the chances to zero it reduces them. Its like every other factor pregnant women have to consider these days and i doubt it should be a tool to beat women over the head with when theres enough pregnancy and momma guilt out there already


Er, where was i going with this?

Ah crap - I sleep on my right 90% of the time. I suppose I should start training myself to try harder to fall asleep on my left. This hasnt terrified me by the way, as while I find it interesting and valuable to know - I do think there has to be other factors involved like Mario said. I dont think your sleeping position would make a difference to a 100% healthy baby and healthy mother.

Kayleigh you are right about it needing to be talked about more openly. I can remember googling when pg with Caitlin and seeing the 17 stillbirths a day statistic and being told by Stuart/my mum/a friend that I shouldnt be looking stuff like that up - as if it was taboo to even think about it. 1 year later poor laura loses her daughther a few hrs after she is born and the devastating reality hits everyone.

Most people dont think about it until they know someone it happens too. I am staying postive in this pg, but I have to admit Im now aware that im not 100% guaranteed a baby at the end of it. In ways thats a sad way to think - but its also reality. Part of me feels that becasuse it happened to Laura its less likely to happen to me (statistically its quite rare so what are the chances of it happening to 2 friends 18 months a part), but I know that means nothing. Laura's SIL experienced a loss at 5 months, my next door neighbours had a still birth 40 years ago and I only know as they saw us going to Katie's funeral and shared with us...

Sadly these things happen but arent talked about and I dont know why. Some people act like if you talk about it you will bring it on yourself which is utter tosh!

I think the UK need to step up and be a bit more like the rest of the world with regards to care of pregnant women. Now I think Cyprus is a bit too far the other way but I would rather that than anything else.
Lots of other european and middle eastern countries scan mothers at every visit every 3 weeks, the 12 and 20 scans are on top of that. at the end you get a scan every week so they can easily pick up on any problems.

Im not saying the UK need to go that extreme but some pregnant women don't even see anyone between 12 and 20 weeks and maybe no one again untl 30 or 36. that's just not right and Im sure has something to do with how many still births and losses there are.

My dr told me to lie on my left if I felt dizzy or sick and to not lie on my back because the baby compresses that vein/artery thing lol it also helps with heartburn because of where ure stomach is etc.

I dont think I see my MW enough. Im about to go out now but will post a new topic later about it. I feel I should push for more appointments but part of me is worried they will think im being a pain.

snoopy I think that's what happens when you have already had 1 baby - they think you don't need to be seen as often but I think it's just as if not MORE important to see someone every pregnancy is different and should all be treated exactly the same!