Insomina

[MrsBone]

Does anyone else get this or am I just weird? It seems that when I'm breastfeeding a baby I get insomnia. Before having DS in 2008, I slept great at night, and within 2 weeks of having DS, I started having insomnia. Part of it was related to my thyroid being overactive, and once I treated it, it definitely got a lot better, but I still would go to bed at night just fine and wake 3-4 hours later wide awake. I alternated between taking valerian and melatonin to help me get back to sleep, and it helped, but I hated relying on herbs, supplements to be able to sleep, especially since I was breastfeeding. Well, DD is 6 weeks old and from almost the beginning, has been sleeping 4 hour stretches, and is at 8 hour stretch at night now, so it's not like I'm getting woken up a bunch at night, but it's happening again. I haven't had my thyroid tested yet, but I definitely feel normal, and with DS I didn't, and could tell something physical was going on. Anyone ever experience this? When I was pregnant with DD, I slept much better, but it's like breastfeeding is causing me to have insomnia, or maybe it's just having a newborn? I don't know. I've started taking valerian again to get back to sleep because if I don't, I'll only ever sleep 4 hours at night while DD is snoozing away soundly in her crib. SO FRUSTRATING!

[Blanca78]

Ugh, totally with you. I posted about it in my DDC. My DD is not sleeping as well as yours (the longest she's gone is 6.5 hours, usually she'll do a 4-5 hour stretch to start and then a 2-3 hour stretch). It don't think it's necessarily breastfeeding related in my case, but more just that my body clock is really screwy from having a newborn who until recently was waking at least every 2 hours. Also, I have a lot of anxiety about sleep. I had taken Benadryl, which helped a lot, but then I read that can affect supply so I stopped. Last night it took me two hours to get to sleep (NOT cool), and then I woke up again once before she woke me to eat. So out of her almost 5 hour stretch I slept for maybe 2 hours, and it wasn't good quality sleep. Some nights it's just really fitful. I can feel the tension in my back and I doze/wake up frequently. I also can rarely nap well. Other nights I sleep less but much more soundly, and feel better rested in the mornings.

One thing that helps a little is listening to meditation podcasts--the soothing monotonous voices and guided imagery/relaxation exercises help me drop off (check out "Relaxation by Inner Health Studios"). I also use a Mygrastick (basically lavender/mint essential oils) on my forehead--it at least is soothing and smells good, and sometimes helps me relax a little.

Good luck! It seriously sucks. I haven't tried valerian but maybe I will look into it.

[MrsBone]

So, i stopped taking my thyroid medication completely, and slept for 4 hours straight last night, then immediately got up and took a benadryl(it got so bad over the past few days that benadryl wasn't even working, nothing was) and went back to sleep, Elliot woke once in a 12 hour period to eat and I fell back asleep quickly. I slept from 10-9 and I feel a million times better. I definitely think it indeed is thyroid related, even though I'm not even taking that much medication for it. I had gotten up to 135 mg while pregnant with DS, and was down to only taking 30 mg while pregnant with DD, now I think I only need 15 mg. Crazy how the body works. We'll see how tonight goes, day 2 of no thyroid meds.

[Blanca78]

So glad you got some rest! I did, too--cracked and took a Benadryl. DD slept for 6.5 hours and then another 3 hours--delicious!