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New research confirms how women can halve the risks of stillbirth.

An international study co-funded by Red Nose Australia confirms that sleeping on your side in the last three months of pregnancy, can more than halve the risk of stillbirth.

Key findings:

• Going to sleep lying on your back from 28 weeks of pregnancy increases the risk of stillbirth by 2.6 times

• This heightened risk occurred regardless of other known risk factors for stillbirth

• Going to sleep on the back adds to other stillbirth risk factors, for example a baby who is growing poorly in the womb.

Putting the research into practice at home:

• This is easy to do! Simply settle to sleep on either side – both left and right sides are equally safe

• Make sure you are on your side for naps as well as longer sleeps

• If you wake up and you are on your back don’t panic! Simply settle back to sleep on to your side


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BREAKING NEWS: Going to sleep on either side in late pregnancy more than halves stillbirth risk. An international study co-funded by Red Nose Australia released today confirms that going to sleep on either side in the last three months of pregnancy, can more than halve the risk of stillbirth. Key findings: • Going to sleep lying on your back from 28 weeks of pregnancy increases the risk of stillbirth by 2.6 times • This heightened risk occurred regardless of other known risk factors for stillbirth • Going to sleep on the back adds to other stillbirth risk factors, for example a baby who is growing poorly in the womb. Putting the research into practice at home: • This is easy to do! Simply settle to sleep on either side – both left and right sides are equally safe • Make sure you are on your side for naps as well as longer sleeps • If you wake up and you are on your back don’t panic! Simply settle back to sleep on to your side Visit our website (link in bio) for more safe pregnancy information.

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  • After 3 kids I can’t sleep on my back anymore. I’m not sure if it had something to do with my first, an emergency c-section, moving my organs around, but it feels like my insides are squashing me. I used to love sleeping on my back, now it’s my side. I think it may have started during pregnancy though. It’s funny how the body seems to know not what to do.

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  • I think this may be just one small contributing factor to stillbirths. There are so many other reasons & factors that we may never know!

    Halving the risk is great & good to know it’s something we all can try during pregnancy for prevention.

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  • Good information, but I thought that was already common knowledge?

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  • I guess I was lucky in that lying on my back while pregnant made me feel very uncomfortable and ill. In fact I still can’t do it many years later. I mean I can lie there for a bit but fall asleep I cannot. I felt like it was my body telling me it was the wrong way to sleep. Interesting.

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  • Being a mum of a stillborn baby and reading this makes me think about my pregnancy. I don’t recall ever sleeping on my back during the pregnancy moreover that it’s super uncomfortable to begin with.
    My stillbirth had an unknown cause so unfortunately I feel that this study might not have all it’s worth

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  • good that it has now been medically approved so hopefully it can reduce still births in the future.

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  • I have heard a few comments that it is best to sleep on your left side. It keeps your intestines and other organs in a straight line.

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  • The weight of sleeping on your back is horrid though

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  • It can help to put a pillow in your back whilst laying on your side.

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  • I definitely will miss sleeping on my back but also find the side more comfortable when you get bigger

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  • I thought sleeping on your side was already quite common knowledge?

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  • This is some good findings, and hopefully it can help to save some families from heartbreak.
    I was advised by my dr to only sleep on my left side as the right can potentially cut of a major artery and be dangerous. It drove me crazy and I was so uncomfortable most nights but wanted to do the right thing! I

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  • I think I tended to sleep on my side because it was more comfortable. My heart breaks for all those mums who have lost a baby. Hopefully this research will help others in future.

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  • Yes, I read it yesterday. Halving the risk of stillbirth by sleeping on the side is absolutely fantastic.

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  • Sadly, I did everything right and it didn’t help my baby.


    • Awww, I’m so sorry! <3



      • I’m so sorry to hear that. Sending love your way xx


      • I’m sorry to hear. I’m in the same position. I lost my first with no determined cause of passing.


      • So sorry for your loss. Hopefully they can keep doing research so it doesn’t keep happening to people.

    Reply

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