Pregnancy dos and donts.

I am convinced that people writing pregnancy books and other materials are either men or women who have never had children or had children so long ago that they dont remember a thing about it.

Case in point - sleeping during pregnancy.

Most pregnancy websites and books claim that -

"Although there's no real harm in sleeping on your right side, lying on your left side is actually good for you and your baby: It improves the flow of blood and nutrients to the placenta and it helps your kidneys efficiently eliminate waste products and fluids from your body. That, in turn, reduces swelling in your ankles, feet, and hands. If you train yourself to sleep on your left side early on, you'll have an easier time falling asleep when your belly is bulging later. During the second half of pregnancy, avoid sleeping on your back, a position that puts the full weight of your uterus on your spine, back muscles, intestines, and the inferior vena cava (the vein that transports blood from your lower body to the heart). Back-sleeping can also put you at risk for backaches and hemorrhoids, inefficient digestion, and impaired breathing and circulation. Lying on your back in the second and third trimester can also cause changes in blood pressure. For some women, it can cause a drop in blood pressure that can make them feel dizzy; for others, it can cause an unwanted increase in blood pressure."

I have just cut and pasted one the most common responses. Now if I were to follow this advice - I would only sleep on my left side. That is it. No back sleeping and no sleeping on the right side. Forget the stomach for obvious reasons.

That is crap.

Total BS!

I dont understand why there is not much information out there about what to do if you cannot just sleep on the left side. What should a pregnant sleep deprived woman do.

Yes, I havent slept well in like ages. I am so tired and sleep deprived its not even fair. I try to sleep on my left and right side. But wake up with a sore neck and horrible - read - H-O-R-R-I-B-L-E - sore ears and can hear my heart pounding. I just want to sleep. This morning after months of trying to sleep in my side with various pillows supporting my boobs, my ass, my stomach, my legs, my shoulder and any other imaginable support deprived part of my body - I gave up. I just gave up.

I slept on my back and it was glorious. Unfortunately, I think it must have been like 6 when I just gave up because the alarm went off and I have to crawl out of bed. J has given up on trying to be at work on time. Poor soul takes the necessary pity on me and drops me off work - because I just cant manage anything these days! He has actually taken to waking up before me and getting dressed before I am even done shower. That is a definate sign he has given up on having a normal life. I feel bad.

Anyhoo, back to my ranting. Yea, so when you havent slept all that much and all the information out there tells you only what to do without actually explaining why or the consequences or how to cope when you cant do what has been asked to do - I feel like screaming. Its almost like these people giving advice never had to carry a child or dont remember what it was like in the first place.

Damn them.