Insomnia

[ambotchka]

Anyone else have it? This past week, I keep waking up between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. I'm tired, but I just can't sleep. It's make me horribly exhausted during the day, when I don't have the time to sit down, much less take a nap.

I know it's a normal preggo side-effect, but it sure is frustrating. Tonight I actually got up out of bed b/c I couldn't stand lying there next to DH, who was sleeping so peacefully.

We're moving this week, so I really need those few hours I'm missing.

Any ideas on what to do? I realized tonight I was a little hungry, so I had some cheese and washed it down with chamomile tea...

[Mrs-Mama]

I have no ideas for you. I haven't had it nearly as bad this time, but it was horrible last pregancy. I was awake from 2am-5am every single night for the last weeks of pregnancy. Just try to rest as much as you can. I started giving into the insomnia and started watching things on TV in the middle of the night just so I wouldn't feel so pressured about getting back to sleep.

[snowgirl]

I am a couple times a week or sometimes I will for a couple of nights. Usually, I am thinking of something and can't stop. I try to re-direct by saying, "I can't do anything about it now, work on ...when I wake up".
But sometimes it is nothing, just big and pg and trying to get comfortable. I am sleeping in our guest bedroom and there is not a clock, which is helpful. Then, I am not sitting there watching and thinking, " i have been up for ..hours, I really need to get to sleep.".

I know how frustrating it is, sleep is vital for me or I am a monster.

[erynw]

I know the feeling!!!

The other night, for the first time in I can't even remember how long, I went to bed by 9pm. I was still up at 1:30am!!!!! Grrrrr...so frustrating!

The thing I try to tell myself, which sometimes helps and sometimes doesn't (I was in tears the night I refer to above), is that it is beneficial to be calmly resting and laying in bed. At least the house is quiet and I don't have to be parenting my son.

I don't have any tips though. Is there really anything we can do?

[darkblue0729]

Originally Posted by Mrs-Mama

I haven't had it nearly as bad this time, but it was horrible last pregancy. I was awake from 2am-5am every single night for the last weeks of pregnancy. Just try to rest as much as you can. I started giving into the insomnia and started watching things on TV in the middle of the night just so I wouldn't feel so pressured about getting back to sleep.

: Sounds like me with my first pregnancy. This time arounds hasn't been as bad for me either, but I can tell you to try the things that my MW suggested last time around:

Warm milk
Turkey (not to cuddle with, but to eat: I guess the triptophan sp? is supposed to make you sleepy)
Chamomille tea
Warm bath or shower

HTH mama, it is so tough! *hugs* I used to feel like I just couldn't turn off my brain...sadly the insomnia is waaay normal, but it is super lousy

[Bella Catalina]

This pregnancy has been okay for me so far (but I said that about heartburn and then it happened this week lol) but last pregnancy taking a shower or bath before bed really helped me.

[hannybanany]

I slept wonderfully my entire pregnancy with DD. It's completely different this time I am exhausted but am awake tossing and turning for several hours during the night. It's just not fair.

Tonight I'm going to try a warm bath before bed.

[ambotchka]

Last night I realized that I can't sleep because I'm hungry. Once I got some cheese and a banana in me, I was able to get to sleep (about an hour later). So all in all, I was up for about 2 1/2 hours again.

Tonight's plan:
1. Warm bath and chamomile tea or spiced hot milk
2. Ask DH to rub my shoulders and hips
3. Make certain I am not hungry at bedtime, but also not too full (heartburn races to my chest with just about any amount of food if I lie down)
4. Think relaxing thoughts as I drift off to sleep

[Jackies Ladybug]

i have figured out that i can take really great naps during the day now that i get no sleep at night and i really make up for lost time with that.
obviously not everyone is going to have that option, but i think its some wierd biological thing that happens making pregnant women stay up at night and sleep during the day.

my midwife said it was normal and to just sleep whenever i get the chance.
so i stay up almost all night and take several cat naps through the day, its really strange, but it seems to work.

when i have more than one child i hope my body doesnt do this, i doubt a toddler would be up for the reversal in scheduling!

[emc03]

here's what i do, but it only hits me every other night, so not such a big deal if nothing works. like this morning (up @ 5:15). i've always had sleep issues, but it's gotten worse again in the last couple of weeks. plus the kung fu practice first thing every morning.

get up the first time i feel like i have to pee. that way i feel like i have "more" time to sleep.
if i can't fall asleep right away, i flip on the hypnobabies. haven't made it through a lesson yet w/out dozing off.
eat if i feel the least bit hungry. plus the dog LOVES the midnight cereal run. i try for a snack before bed if i'm not too tired, like peanut butter on graham crackers and a glass of milk.
wake dh for sex. always puts me to sleep. (hmm, that came out sounding like a critique, but i just have a guy reaction to sex)
i try not to drink for 30 minutes before bed to minimize the chance of getting woken up w/a full bladder. and i sleep elevated w/a neck pillow since the acid reflux/heartburn started.

[Katielady]

*yawn*

Up since 4, when I heard my son calling for me on the monitor and went to move him into our room. (A nightly routine....he can't open doors yet and we can't sleep with ours open because the cat comes in and disturbs my sleep). I had to pee anyway. Once I peed I felt fully awake, and by 4:30 I decided to get out of bed. I hate lying in bed tossing and turning, I'd rather just get up, get a drink and and snack, and wait to hopefully feel sleepy again.

Ugh. I think this happened last pregnancy too, although I don't think it was this early. At least it's the weekend and I can sleep in while DH takes care of DS.

[mkmb129]

Not in your ddc, but I've yet to go to sleep 'tonight' and it's 6am! I just can't sleep, period. I've had several nights like this lately, though tonight is the worst. It's so frustrating because I want to sleep, and I know I won't be able to once ds gets up. Grrrr!!!

[Katielady]

Oh man! That sucks.

I've had bad insomnia like that in the past (not while pregnant) and one of the things that helped me was cutting out all caffeine and sugar. I changed to a healthier diet of whole grains, protein, and veggies, and I really noticed a difference in my sleep. Maybe you could try that?

In fact, I should take my own advice and try cutting out the nightly bowl of ice cream.

[Angioletto]

I seem to be up between 3 and 5 as well, and was the same with my last pregnancy. The funny thing is that after I had my son I noticed that HIS waking times as a newborn coincided with MY waking times while PG, so I am pretty sure it is your body's way of preparing for motherhood.

Unfortunately that doesn't help when you feel like death because you have slept a total of 4 hours in 2 nights.:

My midwife advised me to try taking Tylenol PM if I am having trouble sleeping but I hate doing that. It's like you don't know if you will need it any particular night until it is too late to take it! If I take it when i wake up at 3 am I won't be able to get up at 6 for work! So I try to just take it if I am going on 3-4 nights of not sleeping well.

No other tips, other than to try to avoid drinking too many fluids before bed. Many times I wake up to pee and I am up after that so I am guessing that if I weren't waking up to pee I might not wake up at all? Who knows?