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After 24 weeks you should not lay on your back for long periods of time. Depending on the weight of your tummy and baby I think that position will get uncomfortable. I have no room to talk though because I sleep mostly on my tummy. I start on my side and end up on the tummy.

Thanks PP. I am 16 weeks, so hopefully I will be ok for awhile, and hopefully you are right and it will even get uncomfortable to where I do not want to sleep on my back!! :0)

My doctor too said after 26 weeks should really sleep on my side. I am a BIG back sleeper. Always wake up on my back. I have tried extra pillows but they end up under my husbands head or on the floor. Right now i am still real small and am not showing much (20 weeks), so the weight on my spine/nerves isn't too much yet. I wake up frequently in the night to reposition myself (and pee!). I guess it's prep for getting up several times a night with the baby! I don't think you'll hurt the baby as much as hurting yourself. The doctor said that as you get bigger it weighs down on your nerve and could cause you legs to go numb from lack of circulation not to mention just back pain. But she also said not to panic just flip over when you realize it.

I read that the reason doctors said not to sleep on your back is that your circulation can be cut off by the weight of the uterus. However, a newer book that I was reading said that studies had shown that women who experienced that problem rolled over automatically in their sleep. The newer book said it was fine to sleep on your back as long as it was comfortable. It said the only time you really should not sleep on your back is if you have problems with swelling, in which case you should sleep on your left side.

I'm almost at 21 weeks and find it comfortable to sleep on my back most of the time. I find I tend to roll over in my sleep if i'm not comfortable. I don't think it harms the baby at all, it just maybe uncomfortable for the mother.

Hi Jbear - what's the name of the new book you are reading? I'm looking for something that is more recent.

The book is called something like "1000 Questions about Pregnancy." I've misplaced it so I'm not sure of the exact t_tle, but it was written by an OB and has detailed info about all sorts of health conditions and the safety of different medications. It's written on a more advanced level than "What to Expect..." When I remember where I've left it, I'll post again with the exact name and the author's name.

Hi Beth, I too like to sleep on my back and I am such a good sleeper that NOTHING can wake me up in the middle of the night. Early morning I wake up on my back and I have no idea how long I have been sleeping in that position. I have slept this way most of the time during my first pregnancy and I had no problems and my son is healthy.