We all understand that sleep duration and sleep quality affects your pregnancy. But , do you know that your sleep position affects your pregnancy too? Research shows that the best sleep position during pregnancy is “SOS” (sleep on side) and sleeping on your left side is even better. wonder why ? Because, sleeping on your left side will increase the amount of blood and nutrients that reach to your placenta and to your baby.
SOS : Sleeping on the side
Sleeping on your back
This can cause problems with backaches, breathing, the digestive system, low blood pressure and cause a decrease in blood circulation to your and your baby’s heart. This is a result of your abdomen resting on your intestines and major blood vessels (the aorta and vena cava).
Can sleeping on back cause stillbirth?
In most cases, Yes ! it does lead to stillbirths. Recent research shows that you must avoid sleeping on the back during the third trimester of the pregnancy. It does not affect much during first and second trimester though but as you progress to your 5th months of pregnancy and starts feeling the baby’s movements , you should avoid sleeping on the back. A large vein, the vena cava, runs under the right side of the uterus. Late in pregnancy, when a woman lies on her back, the unusually heavy weight of the uterus can compress this vein, reducing blood flow to the fetus.Researchers believe the reduction of blood flow to the fetus, if sufficiently severe and prolonged, may lead to foetal death.
Sleeping on your stomach
When you are at advanced stage of your pregnancy, your abdomen undergoes physical changes and makes it more difficult for you to lay on your stomach. You must avoid any position which makes you difficult to breathe.