tummy sleeper

Can anyone tell me how long it was before they could sleep on their tummy again after surgery? I have a hard time getting comfy on my sides or back. I remember how frustrated I felt when I was pregnant with both of my kids. I was on my tummy as soon as I was wheeled back into my room.

There are lots of posts about tummy sleepers and our common quest for sleeping comfort.

I started out propped up in bed, couple of pillows under my head, one under my knees, and a cotton blanket folded pretty small laying across my tummy to give me the "feel" of tummy pressure so I could sleep when I first got home.

After about a week, I figured out that if I laid on my side with a pillow under my tummy chub (I'm a plus size gal), that I would at least be able to not be sleeping on my back. Over the last few weeks, I've gradually moved to where the pillow was between my knees, then my "downside" leg was more and more straight and "upside" leg more and more bent so that it rested on the pillow and I was half on my side, halfway onto my tummy.

I'm 5 weeks post op today, and the last few mornings I have awakened with that pillow shoved off onto the floor and I'm completely on my tummy sleeping soundly. Yesterday I had enough nerve to gently lay down across my bed on my tummy, but it didn't last very long before I felt like I needed to move. Maybe I'm just still nervous about 'things'.

But, that's me. Everyone heals differently. It's all a matter of what positions you can comfortably get in and out of.

I use a body size pillow and am able to position myself so I can sleep on my tummy. I kinda lay on my side with the pillow under me, and my tummy is resting kinda between the pillow and the bed. It took a long time to figure it out, but it works.

Practice with pillows and find a position that works for you.

Good luck!

Leslie

Hey there!!

At 1 1/2 weeks post op from having a TAH/BSO, I was able to go ahead and start sleeping on my tummy again.

You just have to listen to your body. Mine was telling me I was ready. You just have to be careful and not strain yourself. I have been sleeping on my stomach ever since and I have healed very quickly.

Best wishes and happy sleeping!!!

Tonja

In addition to my "female" stuff, I also have Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Laying on my tummy has always been one of those things that could make me feel better when it was acting up the most.

One thing I have noticed in these last few days - tummy sleeping evidently helps my body deal with gas, or else it's a huge coincidence. I've had much less bloating and discomfort lately, and I haven't changed one other thing about diet, exercise, water intake, etc.

I'm also a tummy sleeper and it wasn't easy the first few weeks. The nurses had me use a pillow, folded, between my knees, and another pillow on the front of my stomach, to help me sleep on my side. I did that for the first 2wks. Then I was able to sleep w/o the pillows, but still on my side. The last few mornings I woke up on my stomach. I'm 4wks. post op. I've also been taking tylenol pm to help me sleep. I think it's gonna be awhile before I get a good night sleep w/o taking anything. Best of luck ,
Dorene

I've always been a tummy sleeper. I have a "trick" that even got me through all but the last weeks of my pregnancies... I lay on my tummy and lift one knee up at a 90 degree angle to my body. This takes a lot of weight off the tummy. I was able to comfortably sleep that way the night I came home from the hospital after my TAH. Everyone is different though--I was very lucky not to have incision pain. I think my belly was too numb to be sore! The nurses told me if it didn't hurt me, it couldn't hurt me, if that makes any sense...! Some people have a lot of pain, and can't do the tummy sleeping thing for a while. Like someone else said, your body will tell you when it's ok!