24 weeks & getting hardly any sleep « Back to Group Discussions

[oklamama]

It seems like every day our full size bed gets smaller & smaller. I just can't get comfortable. I wake up at least five times in the night to pee, drink water, shift the many pillows I've arranged to support different body parts. Do you mama's have any secrets to getting some rest short of kicking partner to the couch? I've been looking at these maternity pillows online. Are they worth it?

[purposefuldoula]

Blah! I'm right there with you! I knew it would happen too! For me, it's my number one complaint about being pregnant. I don't have a maternity pillow yet- I do plan on getting one. I know it's kind of gross, but DH and I dubbed one of the four pillows I use to sleep at night the crotch pillow. That's what it is though- it helps keep my hips aligned. For me, I get restless leg syndrome right about half way through and it came right on time. What's helping me get some sleep is upping my iron during the day, and taking a calcium/magnesium supplement right before bed. I really should be adding a banana for a bedtime snack too, for the potassium, but forget almost nightly. 

[segolilymama]

IMO maternity pillows aren't worth the cost; a regular body pillow or 2 from wal-mart is a lot less and works the same. There is a great video about pregnancy sleep positions, I'll have to get the link from my massage therapist friend - whoe I am seeing today, so I will remember to ask her :)

Sleep sucks while pregnant - I have said many times it's one of nature's best & worst designs - we learn to work with less sleep, but at the same time aren't getting the extra sleep when we need it.

[phatchristy]

I don't think I am the best response, but this is what I do...

I sleep in another room alone.  

When I was pregnant with my third DS I learned quite quickly that I needed to be alone or every little thing seemed to wake me.  So, by the time I was in the 6th month I was getting my two older girls to bed and then I would go in the guest room and sleep.  Sometimes I wound up in the regular bed and moved to the guest bed.  Near the end you're already getting up a couple of times to use the bathroom anyhow LOL.

What I do now is whatever seems to work best.  So, for now I am sleeping on the family room sofa.  Weird, I know, but it feels good for now.  Likely later I'll move to another bed.

I'm also a fan of having an extra pillow between my legs at night, sometimes a little in front to help me lean onto it.

Even with all of that I've still had a few nights here and there where I've woken up in the middle of the night and can't get back to bed, or woke up to early or stayed up to late.  It's just got to be the hormones wreaking havoc on our sleep!

[darkblue0729]

Originally Posted by segolilymama 

IMO maternity pillows aren't worth the cost; a regular body pillow or 2 from wal-mart is a lot less and works the same.

This. I bought a snoogle with my first pregnany and ended up returning it after attempting to use it once...it was pretty comical as I am 5'10" trying to wiggle my hugely pregnant self into this torture chamber of pillow, lol. Purposeful, I too have a crotch pillow lol, and a back pillow to keep me from rolling onto my back and a pillow that I hug/tuck a bit under my belly. DH and I joke that my sleeplessness and his subsequent sleeplessness is just preparation for when the new babe comes  :)

[tropicana74]

I have always slept with the pillow between the knees thing so it is no different in pregnancy. When I was pg with #1 I did use a down body pillow. It was so nice because it was down and super squeshy (sp?) I could get it to form however I wanted around my body...I do miss that pillow!

My issue with pregnancy is not discomfort, it is the hormone induced insomnia. Usually if I have to get up to go pee then it is all over. This last week if I wake up at night and can't go back to sleep I have been taking a magnesium and then going back to bed...works like a charm!

Purposeful, it's so funny that you are talking about that calcium/magnesium and banana trick. My mom used to give us that before bed. I have recently started doing it with my kids. They get 1/2 banana, glass of milk and a magnesium (actually my 9 year old has been the only one taking the mag. right now...need to find mag. drops for the 3 and 5 year old). It has helped my dd so much to be able to relax before bed!

[lulubikes]

I have the crotch pillow and the front belly/tuck pillow. I had to increase the crotch pillow to 2 pillows stuffed in a pillow case, which really helped my hips. I found the 1 pillow by itself wasn't enough. This last week I started sleeping sort of more sitting because I was struggling with acid reflux at night. Now I think that is messing up my ribs... ugh. I find that the belly tuck pillow either is too much or too little making my side hurt. Then climbing out of the pillows to pee is comical and then arranging myself again...

I can't personally speak to maternity pillows. I think I stumbled across other DDCs discussing them here on MDC. Maybe google them. I did read in one of them someone LOVED the snoogle and then someone else in my yoga class said how she loves her snoogle - was the best $50 she ever spent. Sleeps great now. It may be a personal thing about whether it works for you or not. I almost bought one and then just tried what I'm doing now. I'll see how things go.

[kaliki_kila]

I got a snoogle about a month ago.  I posted on here about how it cured my sciatica.  Best purchase I've ever made - it cradles my whole body and it is so comfy.  I used to toss and turn trying to wedge pillows all over, but this thing hugs my whole body and I sleep like a log now.  There's a lot of different positions you can use with it.  I often use it for sitting up in bed to support my back.  I'm 5'5" and I can see how it wouldn't work for someone much taller than that.

[newCTmama]

Purposefuldoula - you may have coined a phrase - crotch pillow! I have one as well : ) two weeks ago, we moved an extra twin mattress onto the floor next to our queen size bed - DH & DS (4) sleep there, and I sleep solo, surrounded by pillows - bliss! Alos thinking that me solo (and close to the floor) it will be good for co-sleeping.... though I am seriously thinking of a "rock and play", too - have avoided Babies R Us thus far, but I have heard great things about the rock and play from fellow parents... Anyhow, I hear ya' on the poor sleep nights! Hope extra pillows, etc. can bring some relief!

[travelmumma]

I haven't read the other replies, but I was in that position only a few weeks ago. I found I couldn't get comfortable or had to pee all the time etc.

We tried all the pillows and tricks etc, but the thing that worked for me was giving in to it!

I took out all extra pillows etc, and gave in to the fact that I will get comfortable however I get comfortable...

That may not be of much help, but I found that changing my head space got me into the best physical space too....

[h@ppy mama]

I'm in the same boat. Already struggling to get a decent night's sleep at 24 weeks. This is my third baby and the first time I'm not using a pregnancy pillow. I bought two affordable (9$ a piece at Target) king size pillows. I use those to support my belly and keep between my legs to relieve hip pain. My snoogle is in the basement now because it just doesn't do it for me this time.

[Mamabeakley]

I have actually been sleeping better the last week or so.  Not sure why - but going for 3 hour stretches or so is a big improvement on 1.5 or 2 hour stretches.  I have a back pillow and a knee pillow.  My belly does okay without extra support, but my arms fall asleep (yikes!) if I roll onto my back so the back pillow is absolutely essential.  What I'm finding is that if I Stay. In. Bed. for about 10 hours my hips/pelvic bones are much better the following day - if I am in bed for less time than that, even if I get enough sleep to be functional, my bones are all out of shape.  I had one night of leg cramps, but otherwise good on that front so far this time.   I don't know why that night happened - I took the same amount of calci-mag as I usually do but it was awful.  Have been fine since, though.