Insomnia that just won't quit

[Family4Christ]

Ok, I really need help with sleeping. Every since I got pregnant the first time (originally due in Dec), the insomnia started and it's gotten progressively worse. I fall asleep easily and have the normal wake ups to pee, which is fine. The problem is, when there's any noise or movement, I wake up and cannot go back to sleep for at least 2 hours. I get up with my hubby and am up 2 hours every morning. Even if I didn't get up with him, once his alarm goes off, I'm sunk.

I've heard that lack of magnesium can cause this, so I upped my intake to 1000mg and no change. I haven't experienced this with my other pregnancies. I just had the normal up to pee thing.

Tips?

[lovebeingamomma]

put a fan on it's the only way I can sleep.

[Family4Christ]

I always have the ceiling fan running (which is quite loud) and I hear and feel everything anyway.

I am so totally frustrated and crabby.

[Jayray]

We were just talking about this in the March 2011 DDC!! Check it out. There are some safe herbs you can try. See

http://herblore.com/cgi-bin/dba/stor...%20and%20Birth

They have a sleep tincture and someone else said Skullcap alone is really helpful.

[Peony]

I got horrid insomnia with my last two pgs. Do the normal insomnia tips, don't eat large meals prior to bed, don't exercise at night, etc... but none of that never works for me. Neither do herbs. I always end up taking a Unisom or something similar every other night so at least I sleep sometimes.

[CinCanada]

I've found that taking my Cal/Mag supplement right before bed definitely helps me get a deeper sleep though if you've already tried upping your Mag that might not help.
Through my first Trimester I've also kept a little jar of the Badger Sleep Balm next to my bed. Somehow that does help to turn off the errant (& completely useless) thoughts that were keeping me up for hours at night.

[lillymonster]

I take cal/mag, but it doesn't work - and I am not taking anymore because I can tell I am getting enough.

But I have good nights and bad nights. I was thinking of trying rescue remedy. I should try unisom, I have been up for 5-6 hours at night sometimes.

[St. Margaret]

Hypnosis also works for me, sometimes. I always go wayyy under during Hypnobabies and some tracks are set to let you stay asleep if it's bedtime. Now, I've had nights where I tried a track and was STILL up and so I just got up and read. But some nights it's definitely helped. I also take mag and vit D and calcium at night-- potassium can help, too, apparently. Good luck! I had it bad this time b/c of trouble sleeping from sciatic pain (REALLY bad) and it snowballed from there, but it HAS gotten better, so there's hope!

[pregnant@40]

Me, too. I think it's nature's way of preparing us for a new infant. Regardless, I probably wouldn't be posting on mothering.com if it weren't for the insomnia.

[~Adorkable~]

I found for me that I was up because apparently my body wanted more food, even if I didn't really feel hungry.
Once I started drinking a good protien drink when I would wake, I would blissful get back to sleep, if I run out, I'm stuck away forever it seems.

I will also resort to earplugs in anyplace that is likely to have noise,

[starbyfar7]

i posted about something similar a few weeks ago. dp gets up at 3am to go work out and when his alarm goes off.. im wide awake and unable to go back to sleep. BUT, i recently invested in a GOOD preggo body pillow and let me tell you. want to talk about good sleep? i dont think i slept this well PRE-pregnancy! i've been cuddling with this thing every night since i got it, and i've only had one night where my sleep was interrupted.. but that was due to frequent trips to the bathroom.. i dont know what it is about that pillow.. but i tuck it between my legs, under my tummy, and rest my head on it and im seriously in a deep comatose like sleep. GET A BODY PILLOW!!

[Brownie~]

Oh, boy, have I had insomnia, too. It has really been messing with me. I have tried many things, none of which have worked to give me restful sleep. I have Sleepytime tea before bed, then a hot bath. I have a fan for white noise. I have Calms Forte. I take the Cal/Mag before bed and also started doing fish oils. I journal to get any stressful thoughts out on paper. I have a sleep mask for the light and I put lavender oil on my pillow. I did acupuncture for a while, but it seemed to make no difference. I also started seeing a therapist.

Sometimes a Benadryl will work to make me drowsy, and other times it doesn't do anything or makes me nervous. Since it's a crapshoot, I hesitate to take it. Ambien made me super panicky and didn't help me stay asleep.

My next steps to try are: invest in body pillow, get an appt with a psychiatrist, and try to exercise more regularly (which is extremely difficult since I am always so tired)

Good luck to all the sleepless mamas and mamas-to-be.

PS YMMV, but rescue remedy didn't seem to make any difference in my sleep quality or sleep length. Perhaps it can help with the initial falling asleep?

[EnchantedMamma]

I prefer Claratin to Benadryl. It doesn't always work perfectly, but I don't get that hangover feeling...

Skullcap did seem to work really well. My midwife swears by it personally and for her patients. I also thought Nighty Night tea by Traditional Medicinals worked ok. Not sure it worked through the night. Skullcap tincture would be easy to take when you wake up, as needed. Experiment with the dose because 1 full dose had me pretty nicely knocked out all night!

Preggo pillow helps a lot too, in general. And I second white noise. It definitely improves things.

Also, last time I wound up buying an eye mask and that was really great too. I'm a sensitive sleeper I guess

I hope you find something that works!!

[Mamatoabunch]

I normally take nothing, but you could take unisom, w/ doxylamine succinate. It is the same med prescribed in Canada for morning sickness, minus b6. Also, a fan for sure.

[foreignerforlife]

When I can't sleep (which is like 3-4 times per week), I find it helpful to get up, have a snack, and read for a while until I get sleepy. Then I go back to bed and fall right to sleep. I lose some sleep this way, but it beats lying awake all night tossing and turning.

[sh0rtchica]

I'm having the same issue. eating something when I get up does help. Mine is actually a bit different, because while i fall back to sleep fairly easily I go to bed LATE (even though I'm tired) and I continually wake up. My constant nurser certainly helps with that, but I never used to wake up when he nursed at night. now I'm often up for an hour in the middle of the night for no reason. I haven't taken anything, just trying to get through it. good luck.

[kawa kamuri]

starbyfar - what pillow are you using?

For me this is a part of pregnancy and for getting ready to welcome my new little one day and night. When I most recently had a newborn who woke up all the time to nurse and poop and be a baby I was sleeping better than when pregnant with her. It's part of the ride. I don't fight it, I embrace it.

I nap when I can. I rest as much as possible and give myself permission to be "lazy". I use the quiet time to connect with my baby - imaging him/her tucked snuggly inside of me. Later, when I can feel movement, there will be many soft nights spent feeling and bonding. I cuddle up next to my 1yo who will too soon not be my babiest baby. I cuddle up next to my SO who always makes me feel warm and loved. I'll sometimes lay in bed playing Bejeweled 2 on the iPhone - puts a glaze over me every time

[nia82]

Same here. I feel like I cannot get comfortable, and changing eating habits didn't do anything. I just hurt all over my back and my pelvic ligaments and bones (can't say exactly, it just feels like my hip and pelvic bones are falling apart) and it keeps me from sleeping. I also feel super irritated because of the lack of sleep... I don't want to take medications though. I did feel extremely tired the two times I took Zofran (wasn't avoidable). But that knocked me out for 48 hours straight!
Unfortunately, I cannot be "lazy" much these days. DH works and is doing two classes for his MA, he is gone for 2 out of 7 days of the week, and when he comes home he just dirties the house, brings dirty laundry, eats my food and goes to study. It even would be easier if he lived in a dorm, at least he wouldn't bring all the dirt and grime in the house! So I have full DS duty, shopping, cooking, laundry, financial supervisor, cleaning, all business decisions, car repairs, cats (one needs to see a vet soon, arrgghh, she is loosing weight) and so on. I really feel like I will collapse soon!

[kawa kamuri]

Originally Posted by nia82

Unfortunately, I cannot be "lazy" much these days. DH works and is doing two classes for his MA, he is gone for 2 out of 7 days of the week, and when he comes home he just dirties the house, brings dirty laundry, eats my food and goes to study. It even would be easier if he lived in a dorm, at least he wouldn't bring all the dirt and grime in the house! So I have full DS duty, shopping, cooking, laundry, financial supervisor, cleaning, all business decisions, car repairs, cats (one needs to see a vet soon, arrgghh, she is loosing weight) and so on. I really feel like I will collapse soon!

I hear that! I'm pregnant with what will be our collective seventh baby, my SO works two full time jobs so that leaves house stuff all on me. I rest where I can, though!

[lizajanephx]

The only thing that seems to help me is changing where I'm laying. Sometimes it's as simple as moving my pillow to the foot of the bed; sometimes it requires a full move to the couch. But somehow it quiets my brain and I'm able to sleep again.