Pillow Talk
My baby bump is getting bigger by the day and its making it a little harder to do simple things like get out of the bed or tie my shoes. But the biggest problem I’m having is sleeping at night. You are supposed to sleep on your side because…well, I don’t really know why. I mean, its obvious why I can’t sleep on my stomach since I’m pretty sure that would anger my tenant. But I’m not sure why I can’t sleep on my back – something about blood flow I think? So that leaves sleeping on my sides. Not a fan.
I asked my doctor what I could do about my back at night and she said simply, “Just use more pillows.” Great solution, right?
I go home that night and find as many extra pillows around my house as I can and I pile them onto my bed. And then I stand there. I don’t know what to DO with the pillows. I try laying down and putting them along my back, since that’s where the pain is. But that doesn’t really do anything. It just feels like someone’s laying back there. Its kind of cozy, but it doesn’t make my back feel any better.
I get out of bed.
This time I arrange the pillows in a straight line. Maybe I’m supposed to lay on top of them? So, I climb on top of them all and try to lay down, but the pile is so big that I just sort of roll off to one side.
I get out of bed again.
Scratching my head, I stare at the pile of pillows trying to figure out what the hell “use more pillows” means. How many ways are there to use a pillow????
This time, I put one between my legs (which actually helps a little bit) and shove one under my belly to keep me from rolling over (that helps a little bit, too) and then I start shoving pillows under me randomly, like wedges. Maybe they are supposed to prop me up in bed? Nope. My body is now lumpy. And uneven. And while my back doesn’t hurt quite as much, my neck is already sore.
I get out of bed again.
I head to my computer. I haven’t had a problem yet that Google can’t solve. I google everything – “pregnancy backaches” “backaches” “sore muscles during pregnancy” “no sleep pregnancy” – and I keep getting the same response. Use more pillows.
WHAT THE CRAP?!?!?! USE THEM HOW?!?!?! USE THEM FOR WHAT!?!!?
Finally, I go back up to my bed and crawl in next to my pile o’ pillows and lay the most natural way possible. With one still between my legs and one under my big bump, I just curl the rest of my body around an extra pillow. I’m the big spoon. And you know what? It worked! Curling up around that pillow put some give in my back and kept me from laying there board straight. It instantly took the pressure off.
It was a medical miracle.
So, if you’re preggo out there and you are slow in the brain like me and your back is hurting you and someone says to you, “Just use more pillows,” first I want you to pinch them. Hard. Then, just cuddle right up to an extra pillow. Your back will thank you.
9 Comments
archiveslives
I was laughing so hard I snorted just now. That’s so funny. I have heard that sleeping with a pillow between the legs (prego or not), if you’re on your side, can help to align your spine or something like that. I do it maybe once a week, and it’s nice until I have to flip to my other side. Then it gets cumbersome.
Lori
I am sleeping the EXACT SAME WAY right now. And my friend gave me this “wedge” pillow made by Boppy, but it has proven to be unaffected–for now anyway.
You can read more about my own sleeping dilemma in my post entitled Sleep: That’s where I’m a viking:
http://paintedpants.wordpress.com/2009/01/12/sleep-thats-where-im-a-viking/
Gina
First time commenter but I have been reading your blog for months!
Maybe not first time…I’m sure I may have left you a congratulation when you told us you were prego!
I was pregnant last year (miscarried), and the moment I found out, I did my research like crazy. The reason you shouldn’t sleep on your back is because (bear with me, its been over a year lol) there is a vein that runs down your spine and the extra bump weight puts pressure on it. When pressure is applied to this vien it can cause you to get light headed and some leg cramping.
Also, have you heard of this site called “PregnancyWeekly”? I used it up to when I lost my peanut. Its a great, great site. You have a monthly birth club forum where you and other women who are due in the same month can go through your pains and milestones together.
I’m sure you may be apart of it already, but I just wanted to throw it out there!
Glamorous Life of a Housewife
My back hurts too! It drives me crazy. I always sleep with a pillow shoved between my knees, but other than that, I just flip and flop back and forth between my two sides. Ugh. Annoying. In 20 more weeks (21 for me), we will be able to sleep however we wish! 🙂
Shannon
Hey,
I’m a total blogstalker and have never commented before, but as someone who has had lifelong back problems, I thought I could help. Granted, I’ve never been pregnant before, but I’ll offer what I can. Definitely keep that pillow between your knees- I find that having one run along my shins from my knees to my ankles helps with spinal alignment (think of keeping your legs at the spacing that would be comfortable when you’re standing- without the pillow it’s like you have one leg straight and one leg diagonal). I have a pillow under my head like a normal person, but I usually put another under my head that runs along my body that I hug. Also, if you look at a department store sometimes you can find special pillows for side sleepers, back sleepers, etc. It may help with the neck problems.
Good luck! (And keep writing, as a senior in college who’s been in a long distance relationship with her high school boyfriend, I love reading!)
Summer Brown Riccio
ohhhh, so that’s what your supose to do!!!
Betsy
I hate to say it only gets worse as you go along and the pillows don’t seem to help at the moment. However, the pillow inbetween the legs does seem to make the back feel better. I guess I am just getting into the “uncomfortable stage,” and i guess that is the way it is going to be until my little bean is born.
jmliz
Hey Katie – I’m glad you found a way to sleep comfortably – but I wanted to mention that many sources (including docs) around me during my pregnancy told me it was fine for me to sleep on my back. So I did, all the way through – with no trouble. After being reassured that all that fuss about having to sleep on your side was not so so serious, I decided it was better for me to get as much rest as possible than to sleep on my side uncomfortably and exhausted for the last 4 months! Thought I’d mention that and maybe you can press your doctor a bit more for more ideas… Sleep is so important and there is plenty of sleep deprivation to go around after delivery!
Emily
I HATED that I had to sleep on my side. It was awful at first cause I was a 100% back sleeper. And now…. 3 months after having him, I now sleep on my side 90% of the time. You’ll get used to it…