hey, i'm trying to figure out if it's true that sleeping on my back during pregnancy is bad and why?
2007-01-18 05:36:55 · 14 answers · asked by newmommie 1 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Pregnancy
it decreases blood flow to the lower half of your body which can be bad for your baby. it is best to lie on your left side for the increased blood flow and circulation.
2007-01-18 05:41:47 · answer #1 · answered by Maddie and Jacobs mom 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The superior vena cava - the largest vein bringing blood back to the pulmonary system for oxygenation, is on your right side. It can be compressed by the weight of the baby and cut off circulation, causing blood to pool in the abdomen, which can cause potentially serious complications for you. As your pregnancy advances, you will feel faint or not well if you lie on your back.
The large veins like the vena cava are the "end of the line" for the circulatory system. This means that they do not get the pumping pressure present in the arteries, which are getting the blood just as it is powerfully pumped fron the heart. Pooling of blood in the abdomen happens because the pressure is low and compression stops blood flow almost completely with direct pressure from a heavy baby.
2007-01-18 05:45:16 · answer #2 · answered by justbeingher 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some sleep positions are better than others while pregnant. Medical professionals recommend that women sleep on their left side in order to allow maximum blood flow to the baby. This also improves the mother’s kidney functioning which aids in reducing swelling. Also, sleeping on your left side will avoid pressure on your liver, which is located on the right side of your body.
Naturally, sleeping on your tummy is not a good idea. For starters, at 8 to 9 months pregnant, you’re likely to look and feel like a crazy see-saw! Besides that comical point of view, it’s just not comfortable and it can put a lot of pressure on your baby.
As for sleeping on your back, this is also not a good idea because it applies pressure to the inferior vena cava, a major vein which sends blood from your lower body to your heart. Lightheadedness and numbness can result, and anyway, sleeping on your back when pregnant is rather uncomfortable when your baby’s size is more substantial because your back and intestines will be uncomfortable under the pressure.
2007-01-18 05:51:36 · answer #3 · answered by earthstarlatin 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your heart is on the left side of your body and it makes the blood circulation a little easier for both you and the baby. Also, if you have high blood pressure during pregnancy it's better to sleep on your left side so you can keep the swelling down in your body. Sleeping on your back puts to much pressure on both you and the baby therefore it's not good for you to sleep on your back. Plus, the bigger you get the more uncomfortable you will be on your back.
2007-01-18 05:42:17 · answer #4 · answered by Chrissi 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ok, here is the 'real' reason. Sleeping on your left side is good because it helps circulation, and it helps your kidneys drain better, avoiding kidney and bladder infections, which I have learned can make you go into pre term labor. It improves the flow of blood and nutrients to the placenta and it helps your kidneys efficiently eliminate waste products and fluids from your body. Reducing swelling Sleeping on your back is bad because the weight of your uterus puts pressure on the inferior vena cava (the vein that transports blood from your lower body to the heart). Back-sleeping can also put you at risk for backaches and hemorrhoids, inefficient digestion, and impaired breathing and circulation. Lying on your back in the second and third trimester can also cause changes in blood pressure. For some women, it can cause a drop in blood pressure that can make them feel dizzy; for others, it can cause an unwanted increase in blood pressure.
2007-01-18 05:49:08 · answer #5 · answered by MICHELLE M 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They say you shouldnt sleep on your back because it puts pressure on your inferior vena cava, witch is the biggest artery that supplys blood to the lower half of the body from the heart. The artery gets squeezed between the fetus and the spine which reduces blood flow to the fetus significantly (and that could cause problems with oxygen supply to the fetus, growth and a load of other things). And to be honest when I was pregnant it was really uncomfortable to sleep on my back anyway, So sleeping on my side didnt really bother me that much. Except for that I am used to sleeping on my stomach which you cant do anyway!
2007-01-18 05:53:25 · answer #6 · answered by thikingdomcome 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am a medical doctor, and this is the medical explanation for it:
In our bodies there are two major vessels running parallel to the spinal column. The aorta on the left and the Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) on the right. The IVC is the main vein bringing blood back to the heart, so if you lie on your left it takes off the pressure and allows blood to go back to the heart. Otherwise you will compromise the amount of blood returning to your heart, hence affecting yourself and the baby.
2007-01-18 05:52:22 · answer #7 · answered by balbossa 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is bad because the pressure of the baby on your back/spine area can restrict blood flow to the lower extremities, including your baby.
It doesn't matter what side you're on, left or right, but never back, and obviously not front:). Your heart is in the center of your chest, but the blood flow to the body comes out on the left side of the heart. Apparently by laying on that side, circulation is better.
2007-01-18 05:43:33 · answer #8 · answered by Margie 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Sleeping on your back can cut off your blood supply. Sleeping on the left side helps bring oxygen and nutrients to the placenta . However if you sleep on your right you are not harming the baby. I even wake up on my back from time to time and my little baby boy is just fine.
2007-01-18 06:05:55 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can't sleep comfortably on your back anyway even though you wanted to. The weight of the belly excerts pressure to the inner organs and breathing becomes a problem.
2007-01-18 05:46:27 · answer #10 · answered by Mz Bee 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sleeping on your left side is recomended becuase it is easiest for your heart to pump blood while you are on your left side. The back position makes it hard for your heart to get blood throught the entire body, and to your baby. It is best to go with what works and just lay on your left side
2007-01-18 05:42:35 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋