Can I Lay on My Stomach While Pregnant?

Is it safe to lay on your stomach when pregnant? The short answer: it's fine in the early stages, but as your pregnancy progresses, it becomes less comfortable and practical and eventually inadvisable. Understanding why and when to adjust can ease worries and keep you resting well.

Lying on Your Stomach Your First Trimester

In the first trimester (weeks 1-12), lying on your stomach is considered generally safe. Your uterus is still small and tucked behind your pelvic bone. There's no significant pressure on the baby, who's cushioned by amniotic fluid and your body's natural padding.

If it feels good then you can sleep this way.

Some women even use this time to enjoy stomach-lying before the bump grows. As your body changes and your belly grows, it may be less appealing to sleep in certain positions. A pregnancy pillow can assist with a comfortable sleeping position.

Lying on Your Stomach Your Second Trimester

As you enter the second trimester (weeks 13-26), your body undergoes significant change and things shift. By around 16-20 weeks, your uterus expands beyond the pelvis, and your belly starts to show. Lying on your stomach isn't inherently dangerous. The baby's well-protected but it gets awkward.

The growing bump can feel squished, and you might sense pressure on your abdomen or lower back. Most women naturally stop by mid-second trimester because it's no longer cozy.

Lying on Your Stomach Your Third Trimester

In the third trimester (weeks 27-birth), stomach sleeping is off the table for practical reasons. Your belly's too big to make it feasible, and lying prone could compress the uterus and major blood vessels, like the inferior vena cava.

This compression might reduce circulation to you and the baby, potentially causing dizziness or breathlessness. While brief moments (like adjusting in bed) won't harm, it's not a position to linger in.

Pillows or a pregnancy wedge can prop you into a semi-prone angle if you crave that feel, but full stomach-lying is out.

ACOG

ACOG recommends avoiding prolonged back-lying too (supine position), as it risks vena cava compression, so stomach-lying isn’t the only no-go later on. 

Ultimately, you can lay on your stomach in the first trimester and maybe early second, but comfort and baby’s growth will nudge you away naturally.