How to sleep when you have a big belly with a baby inside?

Can you sleep on your stomach during pregnancy?

An obstetrician-gynaecologist explains whether pregnant women can sleep on their stomach.

Every trimester comes with certain discomforts. It all starts with morning sickness and drowsiness and ends with a huge belly and even shortness of breath. That's why it's very important to know how to sleep properly and get enough rest during pregnancy.

In the first trimester, please don't listen to anyone

Nothing will harm your baby, and it won't cause you any discomfort, so you can sleep on your stomach. This has been proven by many studies and, really, by real-life experience.

By the second trimester, the uterus starts to grow

So sleeping on your stomach becomes less comfortable. And, to be honest, there is already a risk of inferior vena cava compression syndrome. The inferior vena cava is responsible for the blood supply to the fetus and the placenta, and when it is compressed, the mother's heart function can also be disrupted. So it makes sense to start getting used to sleeping on your left side.

You should sleep on your left side

By the third trimester, the belly honestly gets so big that I can't really imagine how you would sleep on your stomach, unless there are some special indications. So you should sleep on your left side, and you can use special pregnancy pillows.

Unfortunately, sleeping on your back is not recommended

That's because in this position the uterus presses more and more on that same vena cava, and this can lead to various problems.

Please sleep well and comfortably, and I hope your pregnancy doesn't bring you these kinds of discomforts.