Table 3.
Pregnant women’s survey: going-to-sleep position advice sources and actions
| Advice from midwife/doctor only | n=1633 |
| Either side/non-supine | 802 (49.1) |
| Left side only | 199 (12.2) |
| Right side only | 3 (0.2) |
| Pillow behind back/between knees only | 12 (0.7) |
| Most comfortable position only | 3 (0.2) |
| No sleep position advice | 614 (37.6) |
| Advice from other sources only | n=1633 |
| Either side/non-supine | 557 (34.1) |
| Left side only | 131 (8.0) |
| Right side only | 6 (0.4) |
| Pillow behind back/between knees only | 4 (0.2) |
| Most comfortable position only | 1 (0.1) |
| No sleep position advice | 934 (57.2) |
| Total advice combined (midwife/doctor and other sources) | n=1633 |
| Either side/non-supine | 1142 (69.9) |
| Left side only | 251 (15.4) |
| Right side only | 7 (0.4) |
| Pillow behind back/between knees only | 12 (0.7) |
| Most comfortable position only | 3 (0.2) |
| No sleep position advice | 218 (13.3) |
| Usual going-to-sleep position last week | n=1633 |
| Supine | 19 (1.2) |
| Non-supine | 1585 (97.0) |
| No particular position | 29 (1.8) |
| Changed position due to advice | n=1633 |
| Yes changed position | 918 (56.2) |
| No position change | 494 (30.3) |
| Most comfortable position only | 3 (0.2) |
| No sleep position advice | 218 (13.3) |
| Position before change (of those who changed) | n=918 |
| Left side | 18 (2.0) |
| Supine | 406 (44.2) |
| Right side | 72 (7.8) |
| Prone | 275 (30.0) |
| Propped up | 0 |
| Either side | 57 (6.2) |
| No particular position | 85 (9.3) |
| No recall | 5 (0.5) |
| Difficulty with change (of those who changed) | n=918 |
| Not difficult | 174 (18.9) |
| Somewhat difficult | 437 (47.6) |
| Moderately difficult | 210 (22.9) |
| Very difficult | 97 (10.6) |
| Help with change (of those who changed) | n=918 |
| Yes help required | 720 (78.4) |
| No help required | 199 (21.6) |
| Gestation of change (trimester) | n=918 |
| First trimester | 183 (18.1) |
| Second trimester | 602 (67.0) |
| Third trimester | 134 (13.9) |
| Gestation of change (median gestation week) | 20.0 (IQR 15.0–25.0) |
| Changed position due to advice and required help (multiple choice answer) | n=720 |
| Pillow between knees/legs | 424 (59.0) |
| Body pillow (long or shaped pillows/wedges) | 301 (41.8) |
| Pillow behind back | 292 (40.5) |
| Pillow under abdomen | 243 (33.8) |
| Partner reminded woman | 94 (13.0) |
| Changed side of bed | 78 (10.1) |
| Tied hair into a bun | 26 (3.6) |
| Partner moved to another bed | 24 (3.3) |
| Woman moved to another bed | 13 (1.8) |
| Woman moved to chair | 9 (1.3) |
| Children moved to another bed | 6 (0.8) |
| Placed ball behind back | 4 (0.5) |
| Neck pillow | 3 (0.4) |
| Changed mattress | 2 (0.3) |
Data are column number (percentage) or median (IQR).