My kids are sleeping longer but why aren't I?

[mommyshoppinghabit]

I feel a bit guilty for complaining as a lot of mommas on this board have younger babies than I do who are constantly waking them up at night. I don't. I have a 20 month old who usually sleeps from 9 pm to at least 4pm and then sleeps til about 6:30 when I go to nurse him. My 3, soon to be 4 year old sleeps well, but if he wakes up, DH goes to him. It's just that maybe both my kids' were crappy sleepers as infants and that really did a number on my body's ability to sleep for more than 20 minutes at a time. Another reason? Maybe since I don't co-sleep with my younger ds anymore, and moved back into a separate bedroom w/DH, I can hear both kids if they wake up. I usually have to nudge DH to wake up to go to my older one when I hear him calling for
daddy. And another reason, my mind just keeps racing and racing with constant chatter. I've practiced meditation in the past but it's no use. My mind is so sneaky, just when I think I'm sooo tired, my mind will start rehashing some scenario or start listing what I have to do the next day, or start causing me anxiety about the whole sleep thing. When, when, am I going to get some sleep? Should I take valarian? Start chanting some mantra?
Move into my own room?

[Jayray]

I have had some insomnia issues (and still do sometimes), so have done some research. Not all this stuff works for me, but maybe it could work for you. Some kind of wind down routine for yourself before bed; hot tea; hot bath; some quiet activity 1/2 hour before bed--reading; I've heard that tv isn't good right before bed; white noise? Hypnobabies has a sleep hypnosis track (non-pregnancy related) that I bought and used. It was useful at least in the fact that it was something to focus on other than my own thoughts.

I had a friend who used valerian who said it helped her feel less anxious at bedtime, but didn't necessarily make her feel sleepy.

I used Ambien for two nights after I had my DS and was dealing with some anxiety-related insomnia (like not sleeping AT ALL all night). It kind of "reset" me and allowed me to sleep again. You might consider it if you really have a problem every night.

Sometimes I get my husband to just talk to me in the dark about something like the fourth grade or a tv series he likes or something like that. He just rambles on and it helps me get to sleep.

[LadyCatherine185]

I have a problem sleeping sometimes too.. I get so anxious about DS waking up, knowing I only have X-amount of time to sleep before the next wakeup, that I do have a hard time going to bed at night.

Are you getting plenty of exersize? Have you tried drinking some chamomile tea? I know for me it goes in waves.. sometimes I can go right to sleep when I go to bed, sometimes it can take an hour or more to fall asleep. Maybe try doing something at night that really relaxes you, keep the lights dim, take a bath, have DH give you a back-rub.

Also, if I have any caffiene after 2-3 pm I can't sleep at night either. Could that be part of it?

I am sure some of it too is that your body needs to re-adjust to being able to sleep longer stretches.

hope you get some rest soon!

[Deir]

Extra Magnesium helps me sooo much. Also white noise- fan or machine. I can't sleep without it. I still have supersonic mom hearing

[Louisep]

I've always had sleep problems and acupuncture totally cured them - I swear! I know I'll have the same problem as you when DS finally sleeps and will get myself to an acupuncturist pronto!

[not_telling]

In the same boat as you, for the most part. DS typically has shorter sleep stretches than your kids, but even if his first stretch is 2-3 hours, I usually just lie there awake. And if I'm woken up, it usually takes me at least an hour to get back to sleep - esp. when I've just nursed him.

All my life, until DS was born, I read in bed before going to sleep. In the past couple weeks, now that DS is doing his first stretch of sleep in the crib next to our bed, I've been reinstating this practice (I've been using a flashlight so as to not wake DS or keep DH up). I feel like this is helping a bit...at least with the initial falling asleep. My mom says she's had insomnia issues ever since I (her oldest child) was born. I am SO hoping that I'm not also in for
35+ years of insomnia.