Weird question. Is sleeping on your belly safe 3 weeks after surgery?

[lotte26]

Is sleeping on your belly 3 weeks after surgery a bad idea? Is it even dangerous?! I am having trouble sleeping lately as I hate sleeping on my back. I am finally feeling comfortable enough to Sleep on my side - and am actually considering sleeping on my belly again. I just had my staples out on wednesday. I know my stoma will be a little Squished but I am planning on buying one of those airplane neck pillows to put my bag thru when I sleep...
Anyway do you think it is Safe to sleep on my belly or will it be stressful on the wound?

Oh also I was back in hospital for a few days, had trouble with constipation and my bowels adhering together... Boy oh boy that was the worst pain ever. Then they starved me for two days while they debated on doing a ct scan..so I got all colicy ! Naw well feeling way better now and am on low residue diet (they really should pit you on an eating plan straight after surgery !)

Thanks

 

[Nyx]

I'd wait till you were fully healed before trying to sleep on your belly. I only started doing it again about a year after my surgery.

Sorry to hear your constipation problem landed you back in the hospital! Hopefully when you bowels settle you can eat whatever your heart desires

 

[Terriernut]

Charlotte, I'm glad you are one the mend! Still not sleeping on my belly. I use a pillow when I sleep on my side and squish it up against me. Makes me happy, and keeps me from belly sleeping.

Misty

 

[CDDad]

I've read that it's safe to do with an ostomy. Personally, I gave it up after my first surgery. I was sleeping on my back so much that it just became a habit.

 

[Crohn's Mom]

Glad to hear you are feeling better !

Gab's surgeon put her on a low residue diet for minimum one month after her surgery ~ it's 3 months later now and she's still very careful about what she eats. (although, I think most of it is fear of eating something that will hurt again...maybe like a PSTD kind of thing LOL).

 

[ameslouise]

Hi Charlotte! Sorry to hear about your brief stint back in the hosp but I am glad you are doing better!

I would hold off until at least 3 months out from surgery. Like Misty suggests, try using pillows and stuff to make yourself more comfortable. I slept on my side with a pillow between my legs for about 8 weeks after my surgery. For some reason it made me feel alot more comfortable.

Sweet dreams! - Amy

 

[poolside]

I'm using the body pillow to lay in that zone between being on your side and being on your belly. I'm a big time belly lovin sleeper! This method helps me fall asleep but somewhere throughout the night I wind up on my back and wake up that way.
I sort of position myself so that the stoma is in the gap between the body pillow and the mattress, there is no pressure on it that way. (I don't know if pressure on a normal stoma is okay or not, but my stoma is painful to even touch 24/7 but I won't get into that
I am 10 wks post op and have been doing this for approx 4 wks.

 

[Terriernut]

I sleep with a pillow between my legs on my side, and one to 'cuddle' with up by my head and in my arms. Try that and see if it helps a bit.

I dream of Johnny Depp at night,...def keeps me from rolling on my belly. ahem.