Tommy’s Midwife FAQs - Sleep Positions, Labour Signs & Baby Movements – Expert Advice for Parents

1. What are the best sleep positions with a bump?

In the third trimester, the safest position to go to sleep in is on your side². Reliable research has shown that going to sleep on your back in pregnancy increases your risk of stillbirth^{2 3}.

You can go to sleep on either side as there isn’t enough evidence to show that sleeping on your left side is better than sleeping on your right side⁴.

Try putting pillows behind you to prevent turning on your back or using a pregnancy pillow between your knees and to support your bump.

2. What are the signs labour may be starting?

Common signs that labour may be starting include, having ‘a show,’ where the mucus plug comes away from your cervix, contractions (feelings of tightening in your womb, which may start off feeling like period cramps) and your waters breaking⁵. You may have backache and an urge to go to the toilet⁶. Braxton Hicks are when the womb contracts and releases. These are usually felt during the second or third trimester⁷ and are mostly uncomfortable but painless⁸. Contractions tend to build up, becoming longer and stronger as labour progresses⁹.

You should call your midwife or maternity unit immediately if your waters break, if you're having 3 or more contractions every 10 minutes¹⁰ or if you think you’re in labour before 37 weeks¹¹

3. What size should my bump be?

In your second trimester you may notice a small baby bump appear.¹² This is because your womb moves up and out of your pelvis¹³ so you become more noticeably pregnant or ‘start to show’.  If this is not your first pregnancy you may have started showing earlier. This is because the muscles in your womb and belly have been stretched from your last pregnancy.

In your third trimester your baby is continuing to grow in weight and size¹⁴. As your baby gets bigger, you’ll probably notice your bump expanding.

Towards the end of your pregnancy your baby's head moves down into the pelvis ("engaged"), and you might see your bump drop a bit¹⁵.

Remember, every pregnancy is different for everyone so try not to compare yourself.

What does baby movement feel like throughout pregnancy?

Most people become aware of their baby moving when they are 16-24 weeks pregnant.¹⁶This can be different depending on if this is your first pregnancy.¹⁷

You feel your baby’s movements as a kick, flutter, swish or roll¹⁸.  As your pregnancy progresses, you may feel kicks and jerky movements.¹⁹

As your baby grows you should feel them move more²⁰, moving right up until and during labour ²¹.

There’s no set number of movements you should feel every day²². Get to know what is normal for your baby. If you notice that your baby’s movements have slowed down, changed or stopped, it may be a sign that your baby is not well²³. Contact your maternity unit immediately.

As proud Tommy’s partners we’ll be sharing more expert advice and top tips. And remember for more support and advice, you can call the Tommy’s Midwives’ Helpline 0800 0147 800. It’s open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and is a freephone line. You can also email Tommy’s Midwives if you’d prefer by contacting [email protected].

For more information on the topics above, please visit:

Read more about sleep positions in pregnancy.

Read more about signs of labour.

Read more about pregnancy week by week.

Read more about your baby’s movements.

Sources:

Cronin, R.S., Li, M., Thompson, J.M.D., Gordon, A., Raynes-Greenow, C.H., Heazell, A.E.P., Stacey, T., Culling, V.M., Bowring, V., Anderson, N.H., O’Brien, L.M., Mitchell, E.A., Askie, L.M. and McCowan, L.M.E. (2019). An Individual Participant Data Meta-analysis of Maternal Going-to-Sleep Position, Interactions with Fetal Vulnerability, and the Risk of Late Stillbirth. EClinicalMedicine, 10, pp.49–57. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2019.03.014

Heazell, A., Li, M., Budd, J., Thompson, J., Stacey, T., Cronin, R., Martin, B., Roberts, D., Mitchell, E. and McCowan, L. (2017). Association between maternal sleep practices and late stillbirth - findings from a stillbirth case-control study. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 125(2), pp.254–262. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.14967

National Health Service (2020). Your baby’s movements. [online] nhs.uk. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/your-babys-movements/ [Accessed 16 Aug. 2024]. (Page last reviewed: 8 July 2024 Next review due: 8 July 2027)

nhs.uk. (2017). Stillbirth - Preventing stillbirth. [online] Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stillbirth/prevention/  [Accessed 14 Aug. 2024]. (Page last reviewed: 24 April 2024 Next review due: 24 April 2027)

NHS (2020). Signs that labour has begun. [online] NHS. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/labour-and-birth/signs-of-labour/signs-that-labour-has-begun/  [Accessed 15 Aug. 2024] (Page last reviewed: 9 November 2023 Next review due: 9 November 2026)

NHS (2020a). Premature labour and birth. [online] nhs.uk. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/labour-and-birth/signs-of-labour/premature-labour-and-birth/  [Accessed 15 Aug. 2024]. (Page last reviewed: 10 January 2024 Next review due: 10 January 2027)

NHS (2023). 13 weeks pregnant - Week-by-week guide. [online] nhs.uk. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/start-for-life/pregnancy/week-by-week-guide-to-pregnancy/2nd-trimester/week-13/  [Accessed 19 Aug. 2024].

NHS Start for life (2023c). 28 weeks pregnant - Week-by-week guide. [online] nhs.uk. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/start-for-life/pregnancy/week-by-week-guide-to-pregnancy/3rd-trimester/week-28/  [Accessed 15 Aug. 2024].

NHS Start for life (2023c). 32 weeks pregnant - Week-by-week guide. [online] nhs.uk. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/start-for-life/pregnancy/week-by-week-guide-to-pregnancy/3rd-trimester/week-32  [Accessed 15 Aug. 2024].

NHS Start for life (2023d). 37 weeks pregnant - Week-by-week guide. [online] nhs.uk. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/start-for-life/pregnancy/week-by-week-guide-to-pregnancy/3rd-trimester/week-37/  [Accessed 15 Aug. 2024].

Raines, D.A. and Cooper, D.B. (2019). Braxton Hicks Contractions. [online] Nih.gov. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470546/  [Accessed 15 Aug. 2024].

RCOG (2019). Your baby’s movements in pregnancy | RCOG. [online] RCOG. Available at: https://www.rcog.org.uk/for-the-public/browse-our-patient-information/your-babys-movements-in-pregnancy/  [Accessed 16 Aug. 2024]. (Published: February 2019)