pregnancy & insomnia

[yogamama]

I have not been sleeping well at all and I'm only halfway through this pregnancy (exactly 20 weeks). I am really tired now and I'm about to go get a snack and lay on the sofa. No more computer for tonight. Anyone else?

I try to do some yoga postures - forward bends or quiet seated postures - but some nights have been really hard. I really want a bed to myself. We have a coughing three year old in our big family bed and I hate sleeping in his bed (too soft!)

The best thing I can do is sleep really late in the morning, but that involves letting my 3 year old watch tv for an hour before I can arouse myself.

Suggestions anyone? I am thinking about getting some relaxation tapes to listen to or something. I'm even thinking of doing a HypnoBirthing class (expensive) just to see if I can use some of the self hypnosis stuff to help me relax and sleep more for the rest of this pregnancy.

Help. Anyone else?
Thanks
Kathleen

[KFH]

no advice...

just empathy.

I'll be 19 weeks this weekend, and I've had insomnia since Oct./Nov.! It's awful. I fall asleep like a rock when I go to bed, but then wake up at sometimes 1, 2 or 3 am, if I get back to sleep it's not until about 5, and sometimes almost 3 yr. old DD wakes at 5:20-6:00. I didn't have insomnia unti the 3rd trimester last time.

Yawn....

[mshollyk]

oh good, i'm not the only one. i'm 24 weeks, and am red-eyed now after two and a half hours of sleep last night hopefully it will pass...sigh...

[dotcommama]

no suggestions - just saying I'm 19 weeks and I'm with you. I normally sleep on my belly and since that's no longer comfortable I can't seem to find any position that is. Plus I have to get up to pee several times each night and then can't fall back to sleep.

Oh well - will all be very prepared to be up at night with our beautiful new babies.

[lisamarie]

I can totally relate! Mine began around 20 wks. with both this pregnancy and when I was pregnant w/my ds. I can fall asleep but then wake up around 4:00 am and have a hard time falling back asleep. Usually when I do wake up at that time, my baby is quite active. IMHO, maybe its natures way of getting you ready to nurse your baby at night.

No suggestions, just understanding.

Much Love & Sleep~

Lisa

[mtn. mama]

yogamama ~ During my last pregnancy I had a horrible time falling asleep and staying asleep from about 20 weeks on. My yoga instructor was not only sympathetic but helpful. She suggested lying on my back with feet up against the wall, your lower back supported if more comfortable (can't for the life of me remember the name of the pose). While in this position using the three-part breathe. I would use this before getting into bed and when I would wake-up use it to go back to sleep. I would then roll onto my LEFT side and sleep there. I would also take a bit of the Bach's RR before bed time, and limited what I drank from about 7 pm on so as not to have to pee every hour! HTH!

Blessings to you!


edited to add: I also had a lightly lavender scented bean filled bag to lay over my eyes when in a relaxing pose. That helped as well.

[emmaline]

joining the insomnia crew

it's 4:30 am, I've given up trying to lie quietly waiting for sleep, I guess the day has begun

I'm 17 weeks and have lots of difficulty staying asleep between about 1 or 2 am and 5 am, this started right from the beginning

the weather isn't helping, yesterday was 42C till late afternoon and hasn't dropped below high 20s tonight with a strong HOT dry wind bringing smoke from all the bushfires further north, seems like a huge chunk of south east Australia is in flames, it's very unsettling

yes it's good training for new-baby-hours but it's debilitating!

re limiting drinks - I find this counterproductive as I wake parched if I don't keep slugging down water, but it is midsummer

mtn mama - we are often advised to avoid lying flat on the back from mid-preg onwards so as to not compress major vessels behind the baby, sounds like your yoga instructor disagrees?

[chellemarie]

I did this too around 16 or so weeks, I think. (Can't remember exactly.) It did get better, but insomnia returned around 36 or so weeks.

I suffer from one night of insomnia every month when menstruating. It's usually only one night, so I give in and watch tv or read.

Two things worked for me:

1. Focused breathing...either the one yoga breathing thing I know or a pattern I learned in therapy long ago. Just concentrating on being relaxed, not necessarily unconcious.

2. Threatening myself with housework. Telling myself, "If you're not going to sleep, you might as well clean the kitchen" usually knocked me out cold. Just thinking of scrubbing the floor under my daughter's place at the table...ZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzz...

[emmaline]

Originally posted by chellemarie
Threatening myself with housework. Telling myself, "If you're not going to sleep, you might as well clean the kitchen" usually knocked me out cold. Just thinking of scrubbing the floor under my daughter's place at the table...ZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzz...

I wish threats worked for me! I'd prefer to scrub floors with a toothpick than lie sleepless night after night!

[mtn. mama]

Yes, I am familiar with the whole "don't lay flat on the back" concept. The farther along you are the more you can prop your head and upper back while laying with feet raised. This prevents any slowing of the circulation and dizziness. There will not be any harm to the baby. Propping the pelvis/lower back achieves the same effect. There are female yogi's who, although practicing since very young, use downward positions throughout their entire preg. Even modified, bc of the weight, shoulder and head stands at 9 mos!!!!! So, there is room for options.

[emmaline]

interesting re modifying positions

I've often thought that if we shouldn't lie flat at all during later pregnancy that we'd grow a dorsal fin or something to stop us from doing it

[henna]

I am ~24 weeks. I had insomnia early on and read that calcium can help. I started taking 500mg liquid calciuma little before bed and it seems to have helped. That is in addition to my prenatals eating for calcium intake.

My midwife recommended an herb, I can't think of the name of it right this second, I think it starts with a "p"... I'll get back to you on that... oh, ofcourse, passion flower.

A bath with lavander blossoms, orgasm, and a good non-fiction book also help me.

Good luck everyone,
Sienna

[Cuddlebaby]

I'll join in on the insomnia crowd. I would agree with the relaxing music...which reminds me I really need to get that CD made of all the relaxing tunes I know for birth....

Rebecca due Feb 7th