HOW TO SLEEP?

Hi , it is really too sore to sleep on your side, so bolster yourself up on a wedge of pillows and sink down to where it is comfortable, a pillow under your knees will also help and have a glass of juice close by so you dont have to get up and spoil the arrangementm works for me, only had a few moments of sleeplessness, but snored the place down with the Hippo Choir....Ian..

Hi.

Nobody mentioned anything at all when I left hospital about how to sleep. If I hadn't of been on this forum and wouldn't have known about sleeping on back rule. Basically, I slept on back for first 6 night's cos couldn't really do anything else. 7th night, kind of half on side half on back and with each passing night more on side. Now at 4 weeks fully back to curled up on operated side.

I don't know why people told different things. Don't know if it's to do with age, general fitness etc but I have been fine on my side.

I'd love to hear if someone had definitive reason for back only sleeping.

X

Most people are told to lay on their back for 6 weeks. I did this and was soooo looking forward to laying on my unoperated side until the day came and I couldnm't get comfortable and ended up laying on my back anyway lol. Now at 9 weeks I can lay on my unoperated side all night but on my operated side with a pillow between my knees only for a little while then it starts hurting. Usually I end up on my back lol. xx

I was told 6 weeks on your back. The reason being to avoid any dislocation. If you sleep on the non operated side the operated leg can roll over which you shouldn't let happen till the muscles are strong enough to keep the ball in the socket.  It's the same reason as the 90 degree bend rule.

Four weeks out and still mostly on my back but tending toward a small tilt either way now. Still have pillow between my knees.

In the beginning I was sleeping on my back with a triangular pillow, lots of pillows of different shape and consistency all over the bed...I was wedged in between all this stuff! It was so difficult to sleep...no more than two hours .

Slowly I was able to turn on the operated side, and then  non operated side with pillow between legs...but it happened three or four weeks after the op.

I was told to sleep on back for 6 weeks. The first two weeks I spent in the chair, trying my back, I used to get about 2 hours sleep. Spent a lot of time on here. Slept on and off during the day. 

after about 2 weeks I put a long pillow between my whole legs and gradually tilted onto my non operated side. I could stay there for a little while but then I felt a pulling on my operated side and had to go back to my back. A pillow under my lower back helped because my bum cheek hurt. 

Now, 6 weeks on I curl up on my non operated side and sleep!!  It's heaven. 

I think you will know when you are ready

sleep tight. Carol 😄 Xx

Hi

my consultant said to lie on your back because it helps healing. If you lay flat on your back you are equal and you are not stretching the newly placed joint. Even with a pillow between the legs you are stretching the muscles.i hated sleeping on my back but did it and glad that I did.

hilary

Depends on your approach. I had anterior and the evening after surgery the surgeon visited me and told me to lie however I liked, there were no restrictions as long as I felt comfortable. Saying this it took me a good 3 weeks to turn onto my operated side and when I did it was very tender. Now at 4 weeks I sleep for short periods at night on it be aids this was always my side to sleep on.

I lied on my non operated side after about a week, had to reach above me to help pull myself over.

it gets easier.

i think it's important to follow your surgeons instructions and if you want to modify things check in with them. last thing you want to do is either dislocate or cause unnecessary pain from wrong positioning.

💌🌈💌🌈

i had posterior and was told to lie on back with pillow between knees for 6 weeks.tried unoperaed side after 4 weeks but too much pull around scar. numb bum seems to have sorted itself out and i ahve a small cushion under ankles to keep heeels off bed.Im getting 5 hours before first wakening.