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You can stick them under your belly and behind your back to keep from rolling. Wondering if you can sleep on your stomach during pregnancy? You sure can — at least for a while. Stomach sleeping is OK until you reach about weeks 16 to At that point, your bump may be growing a bit bigger, making this position less and less desirable. The uterine walls and amniotic fluid protect your baby from being squished. To make this position more comfortable, you may consider purchasing a stomach sleeping pillow.

Some are inflatable and some are more like a firm pillow with a large cutout for your belly. Whatever one you choose, the idea is that you get some shut-eye on your stomach while giving your baby and you plenty of room to breathe. Related: How to kick insomnia in early pregnancy. After that, you may have heard that studies link sleeping the whole night on your back to stillbirth.

Before you get too worried, understand that the studies are small and there may be other factors like sleep apnea at play. In the end, not sleeping on your back may lower your risk of stillbirth after 28 weeks by 5. Plus, there are other issues with sleeping on your back.

This position may contribute to back pain, hemorrhoids, digestive issues, and poor circulation. It may also make you feel lightheaded or dizzy. Should you worry if you wake up on your back in the middle of the night? Related: Your guide to sleeping on your back during pregnancy. Doctors recommend resting on your side — right or left — to give you and your baby the optimal blood flow.

Beyond that, you might try using some pillow props to get into the most comfortable position for you. Plus good circulation helps reduce potential swelling, varicose veins in your legs and hemorrhoids. Keep your legs and knees bent, and put a pillow between your legs to relieve the stress on your back. These suggestions may not sound completely comfortable, especially if you are used to sleeping on your back or stomach, but try them out.

You may find that they work. Keep in mind that you may not stay in one position all night, and rotating positions is fine. Sleeping on your back: This can cause problems with backaches, breathing, the digestive system, hemorrhoids, low blood pressure and cause a decrease in circulation to your heart and your baby.

This is a result of your growing abdomen resting on your intestines and major blood vessels the aorta and vena cava. You can also develop sleep apnea as you put on weight.

Sleeping on your stomach: When you are farther along in your pregnancy, your breasts become more tender and your abdomen continues to grow, both making sleeping on your tummy uncomfortable. Using a donut-shaped pillow with a hole in the middle may help you sleep comfortably on your stomach. During pregnancy, you may find yourself wrestling in bed trying to get comfortable before falling asleep.

Your body will most likely adjust to a new position given time. Very few people stay in one position throughout the night. No harm done. The fact that you woke up in the first place is probably your pregnant body's way of telling you to change positions and maybe go to the bathroom again , another common pregnancy sleep problem. That said, research has shown that women who chronically hit the sack for fewer than six hours a night may have longer labors and be more likely to need C-sections.

Untreated sleep apnea, where breathing is disrupted frequently throughout the night leading to poor sleep and night waking, has been linked to pregnancy complications including preeclampsia , gestational hypertension and low birth weight.

If you think you may suffer from this condition, be sure to talk to your doctor. The best way to judge is not by how many hours you clock in lying in bed but by how you feel. If you think lack of sleep is becoming an issue, talk to your healthcare practitioner. He or she can help you find the root of your problem and solutions to get the rest you need.

What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.

The educational health content on What To Expect is reviewed by our medical review board and team of experts to be up-to-date and in line with the latest evidence-based medical information and accepted health guidelines, including the medically reviewed What to Expect books by Heidi Murkoff. Maybe you're worried about your baby's health, anxious about your abilities as a parent, or feeling nervous about the delivery itself.

All of these feelings are normal, but they might keep you and your partner up at night. Early in your pregnancy, try to get into the habit of sleeping on your side. Lying on your side with your knees bent is likely to be the most comfortable position as your pregnancy progresses.

It also makes your heart's job easier because it keeps the baby's weight from applying pressure to the large vein called the inferior vena cava that carries blood back to the heart from your feet and legs. Some doctors specifically recommend that pregnant women sleep on the left side. Because your liver is on the right side of your abdomen, lying on your left side helps keep the uterus off that large organ.

Sleeping on the left side also improves circulation to the heart and allows for the best blood flow to the fetus, uterus, and kidneys. Ask your doctor what he or she recommends. But don't drive yourself crazy worrying that you might roll over onto your back during the night. Shifting positions is a natural part of sleeping that you can't control. Most likely, during the third trimester of your pregnancy, your body won't shift into the back-sleeping position anyway because it will be too uncomfortable.

If you do shift onto your back, the discomfort will probably wake you up. Talk to your doctor, who may suggest that you use a pillow to keep yourself propped up on one side. Try experimenting with pillows to discover a comfortable sleeping position.

Some women find that it helps to place a pillow under their abdomen or between their legs. Also, using a bunched-up pillow or rolled-up blanket at the small of your back may help to relieve some pressure.