Sleep Positions During Pregnancy: 3 Mums On What Worked For Each Trimester

Joining the long list of pregnancy discomforts is finding the most convenient way to lie on the bed to get some deserved rest, especially at night. These mums share how they managed through the trimesters.

Rashidat Osinaike

In my first trimester, sleeping on the side wasn’t really necessary at the early stage. I could sleep with my tummy or back facing down because my tummy was still very small. Most of the time, sleeping on my left side was the most comfortable for me and the baby. My challenges during this trimester were dizziness and tiredness but I got through it all by resting more often.

In my second trimester, sleeping on my stomach wasn’t so comfortable anymore. I preferred sleeping on my side as my tummy grew bigger.

For obvious reasons during my third trimester, I continued sleeping on my side as it was uncomfortable in any other position. In this trimester, I had muscle pull, especially in the morning while stretching. So, I started using maternity pillows to aid comfort.

Elizabeth Johnson

I have a 5 year old son and recently gave birth to a set of twins. Each pregnancy was different. I think my first was easier. With the twins, in my first trimester, I slept on either of my sides but mostly went on my tummy as that happened to be the most comfortable position for me, more so, my tummy was flat as though I wasn’t pregnant.

In my second trimester, I slept for shorter hours because my sleep was usually restless and most times, I ended up with just 2 – 3 hours of sleep a day. However, I felt refreshed once awake. I still slept on my tummy until the sixth month when my tummy began to bulge.

In my third trimester, I could hardly sleep and was practically put on bed rest. I could barely sleep on my sides as both babies occupied them. More so, my tummy wasn’t big enough to accommodate both. On my visit to my ANC, the doctor advised that I slept reclined on my back so I do not rest on either baby. With this new position, it was rather too difficult for me to sleep, so most times, I ended up using up to 4 pillows; 2 behind my head and 1 each on both sides to aid some comfort.

Titilayomi Adepoju

My best sleeping position before pregnancy was lying on my chest and so it continued in the first trimester. I could sleep without discomfort or the fear of the baby getting hurt. I never really felt pregnant in my early stage.

During my second trimester, I stopped sleeping on my chest. I slept on my side and back; more on my side though which was borne from the superstitious belief that when a pregnant woman sleeps on her back, the baby comes out cross eyed.  I didn’t have to use pillows as support in this trimester but I chose what I eat at night carefully.  It had to be light so I would be comfortable and drift off to sleep soon enough.

My third trimester was quite uncomfortable, especially in the last two months. Even lying on my side was killing. Sometimes, I would support my waist or feet with pillows. I had to cut off some of my choice foods at night, still, I would wake up at midnight to stretch my feet, pace the room and would be unable to sleep for hours. It was not easy.

The baby seemed to settle in the lower abdomen. It became so tight that I often felt like crying. Sometimes, especially weeks to my delivery, breathing became difficult as the baby seemed to have occupied everywhere inside me.  I felt so heavy. There was hardly much I could do for comfort so I endured. What about those times my baby would kick and tumble when I was just settling to sleep, then, I would just sit and observe its movements. Once, my husband massaged my back and neck but it didn’t really help. Seeing my baby finally wrapped in my arms was bliss; it made up for all I had to endure.

While you may be restricted to only lying on your side in your second and third trimesters, using a maternity pillow with one end tucked under your knee and the other under your belly will provide some comfort.

What worked for you? Share with other mums below.