Your Body Print Safe Sleeping Positions During Pregnancy By Robin Elise Weiss, PhD, MPH twitter linkedin Robin Elise Weiss, PhD, MPH is a professor, author, childbirth and postpartum educator, certified doula, and lactation counselor. Learn about our editorial policy Robin Elise Weiss, PhD, MPH Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Anita Sadaty, MD on September 29, 2016 facebook linkedin Anita Sadaty, MD, is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist, resident instructor at Northwell Health, and founder of Redefining Health Medical. Learn about our Medical Review Board Anita Sadaty, MD Updated on August 19, 2019 Your Pregnancy Week by Week Overview First Trimester Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12 Week 13 Second Trimester Week 14 Week 15 Week 16 Week 17 Week 18 Week 19 Week 20 Week 21 Week 22 Week 23 Week 24 Week 25 Week 26 Week 27 Third Trimester Week 28 Week 29 Week 30 Week 31 Week 32 Week 33 Week 34 Week 35 Week 36 Week 37 Week 38 Week 39 Week 40 Tetra Images - Jamie Grill/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images There are a lot of do's and don'ts during pregnancy. Sometimes the list begins to feel endless. The truth is, there are some things that are truly potentially harmful and others that aren't really that worrisome. There are also things that you can actually do something about, and others that you can't. The good news is that the position that you sleep in is something you can control. Why Back Sleeping Can Be Problematic for Pregnant Women During pregnancy, you will often hear that sleeping on your back is a bad idea. The reason has to do with your anatomy. When you lay on your back after about the fourth month of pregnancy, the weight of your pregnant uterus can decrease the blood flow in the vena cava, the vein that carries blood from the lower part of your body to the heart. If this were to happen, there is a risk of decreasing the blood flow to your uterus and thus, to your baby. Why Side Sleeping Is Best for Pregnant Women The vena cava runs slightly to the right of your spine, so that's why you may hear that lying on your left side is the best option in pregnancy. During pregnancy, the key is not to sleep on your back; either side is usually fine. If you happen to prefer the right side, it's not a big deal. Most pregnant people wind up shifting from side to side through the course of the night anyway. So what happens when you wake up in the middle of the night and you're on your back? Don't stress over it. Just roll over onto your side or prop your body with a pillow to turn you one direction or the other. How Using a Pillow Can Help Using pillows between your legs while you sleep can be more comfortable and help prevent back pain from strain placed on your back while you sleep. You can also use a pillow behind your back as a reminder to not roll over; if you feel it during the night, you'll stop rolling, even if you're fast asleep. Any pillow will work, but there are special pillows made for pregnant women. They may come in different shapes and sizes. Choose the one that works for you, even if that's simply a regular pillow. The extra support behind your back can help provide added support on your back and hips. 5 Ways to Ease Back Pain During Pregnancy When to Consult a Professional If you're really concerned about your sleeping position, talk to your doctor or midwife. He or she can help you understand what's going on and how to quantify the risk or non-risk to your baby. Don't lose more sleep over sleeping position than you're already bound to lose during pregnancy. What to Do When You Have Insomnia During Pregnancy Many pregnant women already suffer from insomnia. Certainly, sleep positioning can play a part in how well you do or don't sleep. There are many different ways to deal with insomnia that can be used no matter what your sleep position is at night, including eating a snack, reading a book, taking a warm bath, and making sure you go to bed when you feel sleepy. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get diet and wellness tips to help your kids stay healthy and happy. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial policy to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Back Pain During Pregnancy. January 2016.