[seattlemamma]

I am so tired all the time yet I can't get to sleep. I will lay down for an hour to not avail. I have tried Yoga, relaxation techniques, repetitive pictures in my head, counting bachwards..everything. The only thing that seems to work is Benydryl or Unisom with B-6, but I feel really bad taking those every night. I know they are supposed to be safe, but that's only until a few years from now when they come up with a study that says oh by the way we messed up this actually causes___________fill in the blank. I can get away with half a dose but still...Any other suggestions. Anybody know of a good hypnosis sleep program?

What is it with pregnancy that causes some to have insomnia? I had it with all my pregs, but I think I am getting to old to live on 3-4 hours of sleep. I can't focus and am to tired to really get anything done..???

 

[lisalulu]

I do ok getting to sleep initially but dh is a huge snorer and it never fails that somewhere between 3:30 and 6 I wake up and it takes me 1.5-2hrs to get back to sleep. I put my ipod on to help drown out the snoring but it doesn't reallly help

Hopefully someone will have some good advice!

 

[seattlemamma]

This is horrible, but if it were my husband waking me I would move one of us to a different room.

good luck.

 

[CrunchyChristianMama]

I've found lavender essential oil to be a great help. I have a rice sock with some in it that I warm up at night and put on my neck to relax and read. Then I have some in a sheet spray that I spray my pillowcase with. It really seems to be helping! I also respray in the middle of the night after I wake up to pee. I've noticed that especially then I fall asleep much more quickly and stay asleep better.

 

[graciegal]

I am up literally every hour (usually on the half hour) to pee. It makes for very long nights. I am kinda used to it since before pregnancy I would be up about 4 times a night, but this is ridiculous. My body has a significant water-balance issue that no one knows what it is!

So yeah, I'm with ya for insomnia... plus, sleeping only on my side my thigh and butt falls asleep so quickly, I am always aching

 

[violet_]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lisalulu I do ok getting to sleep initially but dh is a huge snorer and it never fails that somewhere between 3:30 and 6 I wake up and it takes me 1.5-2hrs to get back to sleep. I put my ipod on to help drown out the snoring but it doesn't reallly help Hopefully someone will have some good advice!

My DH snores too. It was never a big deal before, but in pregnancy I don't sleep as well and have a harder time falling back asleep.

We noticed that DH only snores when he's on his back, though, so now he sleeps in a t-shirt with a tennis ball taped to the back so he stays on his side. It annoys him when he rolls onto the ball, but he decided it was worth it to not wake up his pregnant wife.

 

[melis79]

I have had insomnia in all of my pregnancies. This time around its been pretty bad. I talked to my MW about it last week at my appointment and she suggested making sure I get outside everyday for a walk/excercise. Hard to do with a baby and 30 degree weather and snow, but on the days I have done it I have noticed I am able to fall asleep before 2-3am.

I have used benadryl and 1/2 tab of unisom (not at the same time) at various times and it does help, and my MW said it was fine to use if it was the only way I could get to sleep.

I would rather take the benadryl as needed to get sleep rather than be a zombie all day while I try to take care of my little 5 month old and my bigger kids. For me the possible risks of benadryl dont outweigh the benefits of being an awake mom during the day. If I didnt have a baby (like last pregnancy) i would just deal with it and sleep when I could (like during the day), but this time around, with Hubs on night shift and sleeping all day I am the only available parent and my kids need me to be up and alert.

Insomnia in pregnancy SUCKS.

 

[VroomieMama]

How about taking a bath an hour before going to sleep. Do it routinely every night around same time and it MAY help your body to prepare for bed.

 

[LindsayK]

I've read that one way to deal with insomnia is actually to just stay awake. The method I read about suggested that you not get into bed until you are positive you can fall right asleep. Until then, do moderately active things (not watching tv, or zoning out while "reading" a book) If you get into bed and don't fall asleep within 10 minutes, get up and start doing something again. This helps train your body to go to sleep when you're in bed. Also, it seems as though people with sleep issues tend to underestimate the time they sleep - so it feel like you're only sleeping 3-4 hours, but its probably more (if that makes you feel any better!)

I've never actually used this method before, but when I do start to have inklings of sleep issues, all I have to do is threaten myself with getting out of bed and doing laundry, and I'm asleep very quickly!

 

[seattlemamma]

Quote:

I have to do is threaten myself with getting out of bed and doing laundry, and I'm asleep very quickly!

Thanks for all the advice...haven't tried lavender or the bath. I did eat 2 eggs some brown rice and a bannana one hour before bed tonight...they all have tryptophan in them. I am also watching a you tube sleep hypnosis before bed and am not going to sleep with my Dh...he is a college student and his schedule is exactly that...a schedule of a college student. I wake up enough on my own without him doing it. I look at the clock a lot so I know that I am only getting 2 to three hours of sleep. Thanks again everyone. I will let you know how it goes. Will get lavender tomorrow.

 

[LZP]

I second/third the lavender recommendation. I have an eye pillow that i made with flax seeds and lavendar flowers in it. the weight on the eyes is nice. I also use a lavender hand cream right before bed. i was having MAJOR sleep issues in the beginning of pg, and they are just starting to re-suface. Last night I fell asleep fine, but a weird dream woke me, and I couldnt fall back to sleep for at least an hour.

I have a few relaxation guided meditations on my ipod that i will put on to help me fall asleep again. Focusing on the relaxation, and not the 1,000,000 other things going through my head seems to help. I wonder if that would be less stimulating to your brain than the YouTube thing, since you dont have to shut down the comp after?

They are all free podcasts, so if you have an ipod, search through itunes... if you have another type of player, i'm sure you can find something similar

good luck!

 

[graciegal]

Just remember that Lavender is estrogen, so you don't want to over do it. In fact it is recommended that men not even touch/smell the stuff (same for tea tree oil) so else they can have estrogenic affects (large breasts and sterility, etc).