Well first, what diaper are you currently using?
Either way, you really should not have to point down in order to get a diaper to work. It's really more of an importance to make sure the diaper is extending all the way up to your actual waist line (near your belly button). Leaking over the top usually means the padding of your diaper isn't extending up far enough like it really needs to. Before my prostrate was removed I would point up with all 6" inches (because lets face it, when you're endowed well enough, pointing down just hurts like heck). Yet leaking over the top was a non-issue for me, even when I still have urge incontinence and would often flood my diapers. The only reason I didn't always leak was because I had a high enough rise in the front.
One common reason why a diaper doesn't wick pee well enough is there isn't enough pulp material for the amount of sap present. Too high of a sap ratio will hinder wicking pee towards the back. Most modern diapers have a high sap content, which means you will also need a high pulp content to get the most out of your diaper.
Leaking on the sides can be from a number of different problems. If you are really leaking from the side and not at the legs, then your diaper probably just doesn't have enough pulp padding extend towards the sides. Either that our you sleep on your side. Leaking from the legs usually means you don't have a good enough seal around the legs. Diapers which have a no-lower-tapes design are notorious for this problem. So if you're using brands like Tykables, Bambino, ABU and such, switching brands may be required here. Otherwise you might be experiencing press out leaks which is also cause by not having enough pulp and too much sap, or by not having high enough leak guards.
Lastly, and certainly not least, is flooding a diaper that just isn't up to the task. It takes a LOT of pulp padding to absorb a flood, too thin of a diaper might only be able to take one flooding, and once wet will not be able to absorb a second flood as effectively. Diaper like Abena, Confidry, or Tena are all good examples of such diapers. If your using them and get leaks then the obvious answer is to get better diapers. You should also note it takes time for the sap to lock in pee with diaper like these. If you sit or move around in a sub-premium diaper within the first few minutes of a full wetting then that saturated diaper will be very prone to leaking- even if it's nowhere near fully saturated but only wet in the front. Peeing more often but in smaller, more controlled amounts, will give the diaper more time to absorb and wick to the rest of the diaper.