Pregnancy is a beautiful time. However, it is confusing for many first time expecting mothers who simply do not know everything they need to know. Certainly, you have to be extra careful during pregnancy. After all, you are caring for your unborn child. You have to ensure to create the most hospitable and comfortable environment for your unborn baby and ensure that everything you do during your pregnancy is safe and healthy.
Even something as simple as lying on the stomach will bring about many questions to mind. Will the extra weight and force hamper the baby? Will it affect the pregnancy and cause any unwanted symptoms?
Lying on the stomach comes into the equation especially when you sleep. We all have various sleeping positions and some like to sleep on their stomachs. Truth be told, lying on your stomach becomes a less possible reality towards later stages of pregnancy. You simply cannot lay on your stomach due to the fact that your baby hump is simply too big to enable you to do this. The best way to sleep during these stages of pregnancy is on your side.
Is Lying on the Stomach During Pregnancy Safe?
It is generally considered safe for women to sleep on their stomachs during pregnancy. That being the case, it isn’t the most comfortable position to lay in while pregnant. Lying on your stomach could be very uncomfortable and can even cause back and neck pain.
Research has led us to believe that it is safe for women to sleep in whichever position they prefer until around 30 weeks of gestation, which is around 7 months. After this point, your baby hump would get so big that certain resting positions would simply not be a comfortable, practical reality.
While in later stages of pregnancy, it becomes less likely that you would be able to lay on your stomach, during the early stages of pregnancy, you can lay on your stomach without any implications. If you were worried about the extra force making it difficult for the baby, this isn’t true for the early stages of pregnancy; before the bump starts to show.
Once the bump starts to form, lying on the stomach can be very uncomfortable for many women and is best avoided for safety reasons. It is similar to sleeping on your back and carries the same negative effects. It is best to lay on your side, which is considered the most comfortable for pregnant women.
Lying on the stomach is considered fine while the belly is growing. This means up until weeks 16 to 18, you should be able to lay on your stomach, after which point, it will simply become more uncomfortable and safe to do so.
Is it Safe to Sleep on Stomach During Pregnancy?
While lying on the stomach can be for a short period of time, sleeping on your stomach could hold you in that position for hours. The truth of the matter is simple; just as it is with lying on your stomach, after a certain stage in your pregnancy, you would find it extremely uncomfortable to sleep on your stomach. The baby bump simply doesn’t make it practical or comfortable to sleep on your stomach. Think about it, you would probably look like an upside-down turtle.
Further to the discomfort that you may face, sleeping on your stomach will not be the most comfortable position for your unborn baby either. There will be extra pressure and force being placed on your womb. Hence, it is best to avoid sleeping in the position for safety reasons.
Though sleeping on your stomach is considered fine up until weeks 16 to 18, you most certainly will find it harder to sleep on your stomach once the baby bump is better formed. Further to this, even if you find it comfortable for some absurd reasons, you shouldn’t be doing so for safety reasons.
There is no evidence to suggest that sleeping on your stomach during the early weeks of pregnancy leads to harm. The uterine walls and amniotic fluid works to cushion and protect the fetus, hence sleeping on your belly during the early stages of pregnancy is unlikely to cause any harm.
That being said, once the baby is starting to form and you have crossed the early stages of pregnancy, doctors recommend that you rest or sleep on your side so as to give you and your baby the optimal blood flow. It is also a good idea to use some pillows to get you into the most comfortable position possible.
What If I Wake Up on my Stomach?
During the early stages of pregnancy, waking up on your stomach is no reason for concern. As mentioned, sleeping on your stomach up until 16 to 18 weeks of pregnancy is considered just fine.
Even if you are in the later stages of pregnancy and you find yourself waking up on your stomach, you shouldn’t stress. The amniotic fluid which surrounds your baby works very well to cushion the pressure brought about by resting on the stomach.
Though it is considered safer to avoid sleeping on your stomach during later stages of pregnancy, some women use pillows to sleep on their stomachs during later stages of pregnancy too; due to the fact that they are used to sleeping on their stomachs. Hence, you shouldn’t worry too much about waking up to find yourself on your stomach. That being the case, sleeping on your stomach can increase the chances of greater neck and back pain, which is why it is best to avoid it.
The truth of the matter is simple. As you progress in your pregnancy, sleeping or resting on your stomach becomes a less possible reality. It becomes less comfortable and is often not possible for many women to get a good night’s rest when rested on their stomachs.
Regardless, waking up to find yourself on your stomach should not be a reason to worry. Though it is recommended that you avoid sleeping on your stomach during later stages of pregnancy, it still may happen.
Sleep can be important during pregnancy and it is possibly the most sleep you would be getting when compared to the early stages of child nurturing. Hence, don’t stress too much about your sleep position. However, do avoid sleeping on your stomach and try to adjust your sleep position to find a more natural and comfortable sleeping position.
Your Sleep Position During Pregnancy
You would be getting more sleep during pregnancy in comparison to the amount of sleep you would expect to get once the baby is born. Hence, you should make the most of this and sleep as much as possible.
If you are used to sleeping on your stomach, you would be able to carry this forward up until week 18. At this point, sleeping on your stomach will become less comfortable and you may want to switch your sleep position for better sleep.
Sleeping on the back is considered as uncomfortable for pregnancy women as is sleeping on the stomach. The best sleeping position that you can consider during pregnancy is sleeping on your left side. Sleeping on your left side will work to increase the amount of blood circulation in your body which is great for your unborn baby too. Your baby will be most comfortable when you are rested on your side and there is no unwanted pressure or force acting on your belly.
The trouble with sleeping on your stomach is the excess weight that is placed on your belly. Though during the early stages of pregnancy, this excess weight doesn’t hamper or harm, towards later stages, the excessive weight can make things uncomfortable for the baby and the mother. Hence, as mentioned repeatedly within this article, it is best to avoid sleeping on your stomach during the later stages of pregnancy.
Can I Sleep on My Stomach During My Third Trimester?
During the early stages of pregnancy, sleeping on your stomach is considered fine. When it comes to the second trimester, sleeping on your stomach becomes less comfortable and you are more likely to find a better sleeping position during this stage of pregnancy.
If for some reason, you managed to find sleeping on your stomach comfortable in your second trimester and are now wondering if you should sleep on your stomach during your third trimester, with a large bump it is very unlikely that you would find this sleeping position comfortable.
Even in the third trimester, though lying on the stomach will cause discomfort to the baby, there is no evidence to prove that it has any impact on the fetus. The amniotic fluid works very well to cushion the excess weight placed on the stomach. Though the sleeping position is unlikely to be comfortable, it won’t impact the fetus, even in the third trimester of pregnancy.
To Conclude
Finding the most comfortable sleeping position can be tricky during pregnancy. Many women find sleeping on the side as the most comfortable and it is the most recommended option too. When it comes to sleeping on your stomach, though there is no real risk to the baby, it isn’t the most comfortable for you or the baby.
If you are used to sleeping on your stomach, you can continue to sleep on your stomach until your belly gets so big that it becomes a less practical possibility. It is best recommended that you avoid sleeping on your stomach after week 18 to prevent any unwanted back and neck pain.
Though sleeping on your stomach is a common sleep position, it isn’t the most comfortable position during pregnancy. When it comes to simply lying or resting on your stomach, if you find it comfortable, it won’t risk the well-being of your unborn child. However, as with sleeping, it is less likely that you would find this position comfortable to rest in.
We hope after reading this word to word, you have found the answers to the questions you had in mind. Lying on your stomach or even sleeping on your stomach is considered safe for the baby, however, it is not comfortable or recommended for the mother who could experience neck or back pain in the process.
Remember, pregnancy is the time your would be getting the most rest in comparison to after birth. Hence, enjoy this time that you have for yourself and get plenty of sleep.
Happy Carrying!
