Pregnancy insomnia - Page 2

[october]

hahaha! Great advice NataliaD!

[scarletjane]

This is such a common problem for all of us! Interesting how the pattern is so similar for us all too. I too would have no problem falling asleep and then would awaken sometime around 3:00am or later and be completely unable to fall back asleep. My midwife recently suggested I start upping my magnesium intake to between 750 and 1000mg. She does this at around 35 weeks to help with labor pain and has found it to be helpful. Well, ever since I did this, I have slept beautifully. I still awaken to pee or to adjust my position, but now I fall right back asleep. Please don't take this as advice to try it on your own, though. you should always check with your healthcare provider before doing anything, supplement or otherwise. But you may want to ask and see if it would be right for you. Also note that this is a pretty high dose and needs to be done gradually to bowel tolerance. Otherwise, you could dehydrate/ be losing valuable nutrients that your baby needs. Hope that's helpful.

[jenniferadurham]

crashing

With my DS had HORRIBLE Insomnia. From March to Dec..yes the ENTIRE time. At the time my DD was in school, I would take her to her bus stop, come eat something and go to bed....at 7:20 AM, then my alarm would wake me up 3:15 pm to get her from her stop. Then I would go back to bed when we got home...then get up around 5pm. And then I was up ALL night while everyone else was in bed. I slept when I could. When I was abo 38-ish weeks I was going for 3-4 days without ANY sleep...then I would crash and be out for pretty much the entire day bc of no sleep. I had had enough, so I begged my MW for help. She prescribed Lunesta. I did GREAT the first night...but woke up to the taste of the meds in my mouth. No matter what I drank or ate...I could taste it. I only used it 2 nights bc of this. I was then told to take Ambien(after DS was born)...but just recently was told by my BFF that if you don't go to sleep RIGHT after you've taken it, you could have psychotic thought?!?!?! Have any of you heard of this? I dont want to take it if I could be a harm! OMGOSH! I can't go this pg(if I AM pg) with no sleep...my son is 1...I HAVE to take care of him during the day.

[Collinsky]

I've been doing much better lately, and I'm hoping it doesn't come back (I'm 18 weeks now) -- cross fingers!! I am still waking once or twice a night, but not a MILLION times, and I'm able to get back to sleep right away, even after getting up to pee. So I'm really grateful for that. Even if I'm not getting the 8 solid that would be ideal, getting a couple three or four hour blocks is like heaven compared to insomnia. Ugh.

Slightly OT -- my sister had insomnia a couple years ago, really badly, and she took Ambien for a while. It wasn't effective for her and made her feel crazier than she already felt.

What are the issues, if any, with taking different sleep meds while pregnant? A few mentioned Lunesta and Unisom -- was that while pg? Also, someone said skullcap, which I wasn't sure about during pgcy. I have some valerian but it's contraindicated for pgcy.

[effervescentmind]

Originally Posted by jenniferadurham

I was then told to take Ambien(after DS was born)...but just recently was told by my BFF that if you don't go to sleep RIGHT after you've taken it, you could have psychotic thought?!?!?! Have any of you heard of this? I dont want to take it if I could be a harm! OMGOSH! I can't go this pg(if I AM pg) with no sleep...my son is 1...I HAVE to take care of him during the day.

I am on ambien and I dont have psychotic thoughts, but i do get this kind of "trippy" feeling if I dont go to bed right away. I would also say it relaxes me to a state where I may be open to doing or saying something out of the ordinary for me. That being said, I would not give it up for the world because it has given me back my sanity. Sleep makes all the difference on if I become extremely depressed or not.

[Athravil]

I am suffering occasionally. Try to focus my overactive brain on positive things in my life. What I am looking forward to do. Try to do some breathing - in through the nose, out through the mouth and focus on relaxing the body. Kind of meditating while resting.

Unfortunately I am bothered with pelvic/symphysis syndrome which are causing pains and discomfort and every time I have to change position to relieve pains my braxton hicks kicks in and destroys all my positive thoughts and meditating...

Other solutions for my overactive brain is reading or listening to calming music or nature sounds.