Should pregnant women sleep on their left or right sides?

Pregnant women are very confused about whether it is better to sleep on the left side or the right side. In fact, in the past, it was said that sleeping on the left side was more suitable, but current research shows that sleeping on the side is good for pregnant women as long as they don't maintain one posture for a long time.

There are actually some rules for how to sleep during pregnancy, especially in the middle and late stages of pregnancy. As the uterus grows, lying flat will cause symptoms of blood vessel compression, which may cause discomfort or even supine hypotension syndrome.

So how should you sleep during pregnancy, lying on your left side or lying on your right side.

Generally speaking, as long as you avoid lying flat for a long time during pregnancy, it doesn’t matter how you sleep. Do whatever is comfortable for you, either lying on your left side or your right side. Just find your own comfortable position. Some mothers feel comfortable on their left side, so they sleep on their left side. Some mothers feel comfortable on their right side, so they sleep on their right side.

Why do doctors recommend lying on your left side?

That was an old concept. Now we have changed to the side-lying position and the word "left" has been removed. Then why did people think that lying on the left side was necessary before? It was previously believed that lying on the left side could improve the physiological right rotation of the uterus, increase uterine blood supply, and reduce lower limb edema. Now research has confirmed that lying on the right side can also have the above-mentioned effects. In fact, a long-term passive posture can easily lead to discomfort and fatigue, and even cause harm. The body position should be changed from time to time to find a suitable position.

Mothers should not blindly lie on the left side. In my clinical work, I once saw a patient with severe left-rotated uterus. When I asked her the reason, she found out that she had listened to the doctor and lay on her left side during pregnancy. Even if she felt uncomfortable, she still insisted on doing so because the doctor said it was good for the baby. Little did I know that I almost harmed the baby.