Wrong Side

   Pregnant women are advised to avoid sleeping on their back because this sleeping position rests the entire weight of their heavy uterus on their back, intestines and two major blood vessels. This will not only worsen backaches but will also interfere with breathing and cut off the blood circulation to the baby. Sleeping on the left side is recommended to allow for maximum flow of blood and nutrients to the placenta.

   I've been following this advice since I read it in Smart Parenting's "The Smart Mom's guide to Pregnancy and Baby's First Year" book. I was then 2 months pregnant. Seven months into my pregnancy, I would often wake up in the middle of the night feeling sore on my left side. I seldom feel rested or relaxed whenever I lie on my left side. It seems like I'm literally getting tired of lying on my left side and longing to rest my back or right side, after a long while of not being able to.

   Sometimes, when I go to bed early and Jovel is still up or whenever I wake up a little early in the morning, I would try to sneak a few minutes of sleep on my right side. Grabeh, miss na miss ko nang matulog nang nakatihaya or sa right side. I would tell Junior Pie, "Right side muna tayo mag-sleep Junior ha. Sandali lang. Kick mong malakas si mami kapag nahirapan ka." Wala pang 10 minutes, Junior pie would start kicking violently on my right side, as if trying to turn me to the other side by herself and telling me that I'm sleeping on the wrong side. Ang cute noh? So balik ulit ako sa left side. Hay...