Can't sleep (& other complaints)

[Romana]

I've been up for about four hours. Sitting in bed. Lying in bed. Going to the bathroom. Trying to sleep. Feeling like crying. Heartburn, contractions, backache, general discomfort. Ugh.

I really don't remember it being this hard after the baby comes. I mean, the baby sleeps so much, and as long as you co-sleep, all the night nursing etc. just is not a horrible keep-you-awake-forever kind of thing. I hope I'm not misremembering. If I get any less sleep than this after the LO is born, I'm going to lose my mind.

I'm on one decent night's sleep in the past 10 days. Baby feels absolutely gigantic in my belly. Very demoralized.

And I have to go back to work on Monday, of course. Oh wait, that's tomorrow already!

Where is the falling-over overwhelmed teary-eyed uber-pregnant x-s across the eyes smilie? That's the one I need. The pregnant zombie smilie.

Hope there aren't too many other March mamas feeling like this right now!

[mama2q]

Right here with you mama. It's 6am here in VA and I've been up since 4 with discomfort, peeing, backache and sneezing.

Even though there will be sleep deprivation once the baby arrives, at least we will be able to walk and turn over in bed comfortably.

[New_Natural_Mom]

My night time routine:

put on nasal strip to help snoring/sleep apnea
refill humidifier to pump out some water in our dry winter bedroom
turn off the room purifier (they can't run simultaneously)
put earplugs by pillow so I can sleep (yet now w/ear infection those are out)
put mp3 player by pillow in case ear plugs don't work
arrange stool so I can get in and out of bed
arrange 1000 pillows so I can sleep uncomfortably upright due to heatburn
arrange back and belly wedges
arrange knee pillow
have water bottles on nightstand
get in bed.

45 minutes later get up, pee, go back to bed.

Rinse and repeat oh say a dozen or so times.

[lilkat]

This all sounds very familiar.. As a first-timer, I'm grateful to hear it might actually be better AFTER the baby is born. After all, I won't be working, my mom will be here to cook and clean for me, and I'll be able to sleep on my belly or back! Sounds like heaven...

[nugglemama]

I am so with you. I woke up every 45 min to hour to roll over in bed, b/c various parts were falling asleep or cramping. It is easier after really it is. I am so thankful that in 2 days I will be done this chapter of my life. The wonderful kicks are now full body stretches and I swear she is trying climb out through my belly button. And it HURTS! I was gasping and panting in bed last night from the pain.

[AllisonK]

We should have a nightly chat thread. I was up last night from 3:30 to 5 (PST) and trying to find someone to chat with on here.

[~Robin]

Up and down all night here as well. Really getting super ready for little one to make his appearance so that I can stand without pain....

[gretasmommy]

It really does get easier after the babies are born! The sleep we will get will be blissful. Interrupted, sure, but deep and painless!!! And we can sleep in whatever position we'd like! And usually, usually the baby will sleep for longer than the 45 minute stretches I am getting now!

Sigh.

Nugglemama, I think I may have missed it . .. are you being induced Tuesday? Good luck!!!!! I am already envious of your upcoming better sleep! My cesarean birth has been pushed back form tomorrow until Friday, and I must say, I am saddened because of the four more days of crummy sleep as much as nearly anything else!

[mama_in_PA]

I'm in this boat too but adding to the list prodromal labor. I was up until 2am with contractions that were noticeable enough to require me to focus but not so bad that I couldn't talk through them. I was finally so tired that I had to go to bed and was hoping the change in position would either bring on labor or relief. I was able to sleep for a little while when I awoke to a contraction so strong that I could barely stand it and I was nearly in tears. But that was it - I had others every hour or so after but none that were that bad.

I'm afraid that I'm not going to know when real labor starts. I've been planning for a lovely homebirth with my midwife and DP in the fishy pool. I'm now having visions of a very undignified, spontaneous birth with no warning, unassisted, on the toilet.

[monamcmona]

Originally Posted by lilkat

This all sounds very familiar.. As a first-timer, I'm grateful to hear it might actually be better AFTER the baby is born. After all, I won't be working, my mom will be here to cook and clean for me, and I'll be able to sleep on my belly or back! Sounds like heaven...

nobody warned me w/my first that sleeping on your belly isn't going to be possible for a couple months after baby (if you bf). when your milk comes in... there is NO belly sleeping!

I finally gave in & slept on the recliner last night! it was just as uncomfortable as my bed!

[nugglemama]

Yep I am going in at 7:30 am tuesday morning to induce. I am happy about it to be sure. Every day brings a new pregnancy issue and I am at my limit. Also since my other 4 babies needed a bit of a push I know what to expect. I could not go any longer and keep my sanity.

[~Katrinka~]

Last night, I just stayed up and cleaned til 3 a.m. Sometimes I think it's not worth trying to sleep, ugh. You should see my bathroom floor. It practically sparkles.

I was LOL at newnaturalmom! That sounds like my routine, except I don't have a footstool. I am lucky if I sleep more than 1/2 hour at a time. I can't wait til the baby is here. I can sleep and breastfeed, but I can't sleep through these #@#%$ contractions.

I have never had any problems sleeping on my belly after the baby is born. I also think I read somewhere that belly sleeping can help with the uterine involution process. A few strategically placed pillows can make lying on your stomach more comfortable if you become very well-endowed.

[gretasmommy]

Ahhhhh . . .I did forget about the boobies afterwards. They were a prominent feature of the earlier half of pregnancy, but in recent months they have become overshadowed by the belly!

I am a back sleeper anyway . . . can't wait to lay on my back without becoming dizzy and nauseated again!

Nugglemama- I'll be thinking good thoughts for you Tuesday . . . mixed with a healthy bit of envy!

[dianna11]

Same thing here! I was just whining on somebody else's thread about DH waking me up while trying to go to bed at 2am, and I couldn't fall back to sleep until 5.

I don't seem to have trouble falling asleep, but heaven forbid I wake up, I can't get back to sleep for hours.

I forgot about the boob thing too, Ah well, we can still lye on our backs without being crushed by The Belly, and get out of bed without various acrobatics.

Soon enough mamas!!

[ripcurlgirl26]

I hope you get a good night's sleep soon. I was sleeping horribly, like you describe, and then I slept so well on Thursday night and went into labor on Friday. So hopefully you'll get a good night in before you have the baby!

[3kids2love]

Ugh, add me to the list. I swear I never sleep more than an hour at a time. It's either wake up to pee, or wake up with heartburn, or wake up because I rolled on my back, or wake up because my hips are hurting, or wake up because of stabbing ligament pain, and the list goes on. Oh, and then the lovely insomnia. I can't tell you how many nights I wake up at 4 a.m. because of one of the above mentioned reasons, and then I can't go back to sleep. How I'm going to live through three more weeks of this, I really don't know...

[yoga_mama88]

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!! For making me laugh today! I am so happy to know that i am NOT the only one dealing with these crazy nights of trying to sleep and having to pee every 45 minutes, and then having to 'perform acrobatics' to get out of the lovely bed. The baby keeps moving in these huge flip-flop movements that are quite uncomfortable, and i just wish the baby would settle in one spot!

And the "practice labor" contractions keep getting me all psyched up and then they stop after many hours of no sleep and lots of discomfort. I'm starting to feel like i'm going mad and that maybe this baby won't ever come. I'm not even due for two weeks, but the nesting and the soft stools and the irritation and the hormones coursing through me made me think it was any day now...
I want to just kick back and relax and let it happen, but it's hard to do with two little boys to take care of that are super-high-maintenance...
Thank goodness I've been able to lay around this weekend b/c my husband has taken over, but then i feel like a giant sloth - I can't stand laying around and doing nothing!
:

[New_Natural_Mom]

I forgot to mention the tums for hb and the tissues for the bloody noses.

[Sweetmilo]

oh my goodness!! thank you ladies for reminding me I'm not all alone in the discomfort....though really how could I forget, anyone as preggo as we are can't possibly be comfy...

just think, soon, soon, these beautiful babies will be born, and that will bring us that much closer to our old bodies, and the chemical balance that makes us happy!

[Leilalu]

Originally Posted by gretasmommy

It really does get easier after the babies are born! The sleep we will get will be blissful. Interrupted, sure, but deep and painless!!! And we can sleep in whatever position we'd like!

Well, some of us anyway
After my c's I have to sleep sitting up. Getting up and down from a laying down position is too painful for the first 2 weeks or so.

So I plan to sit and nurse/sleep in a comfy chair I have , to sleep. That way I can get up and down easily and change diapers and stuff too. Bed may work, but ours is on the floor. So I may feel like sitting up in bed, or not...