Pregnancy insomnia

[Toomanytoomany]

....ARRRGGGHHHH.

Can't sleep. Nausea. Bladder. Kicking baby. Ligament pain. Weighty uterus stopping me sleeping on back or side. Other children's nocturnal habits.

I have a massive day ahead of me today at work and it's 3.45 and I can't sleep. I don't know how many more nights I can take of this.

Do you have favourite pregnancy insomnia cures?

[Cricket]

That is really lousy isn't it. I remember those nights very well. The only things I found that gave a little help were a body pillow to help me get comfortable, and a regular bed time routine. If I did the same things every night, it really helped me get ready to sleep and settle down better. I usually took a warm bath too, when getting ready for bed, 'cause it helps to relax and ease all those aches and pains. One other thing that helped sometimes was to move out of my bed when I couldn't sleep. I'd start to worry that my tossing and turning was keeping DH awake too, and heavens only knows ONE of us better be getting some sleep! So then I'd be tense too, but if I got out of bed and went down to the couch (ours is really comfortable) I could toss and turn to my hearts content, and usually fell asleep pretty quickly.
All the best!

[tina_k]

im sorry i dont have any cures for you, i just want you to know you are not alone...im struggling with the same issue right now, and its driving me nuts!

[mustangsachy]

hey hun snap to insomnia.

Isn't it funny? (or NOT ) that in the first trimester i could barely stay awake - seriously felt like i'd climbed everest everyday - could have slept the whole way thru the first 12 weeks!

.... now.... can't sleep. soooo tired but can't sleep.

one thing that does help for me is having the fan on. i don't know why but for some reason i really love sleeping with a fan on so i can get under the quilt. poor DP has the start of a cold but i can't sleep with out it on.... 2 against one i tell him

hope you get some relief soon. maybe ask your midwife for natural sleeping tabs (i don't know if we're allowed them but worth the question?)

x

[Toomanytoomany]

Thanks for all the well wishes.

Today I had to go to a conference for a half day. On the way back, I took a detour via home and had a nap for twenty minutes before continuing on to work... made all the difference, that's for sure!

I'm going to have a nice shower tonight before bedtime, leave the telly off in my room, have some milk and honey before bedtime, and try to get a good night's sleep. I have my big scan tomorrow so I'm guessing the nerves may be a factor tonight!!

[AliBaby]

Hi hun
big Just wanted to let you know that I suffered badly from this during the 2nd trimester and it was awful as I would be so tired during the day like you were today.

You will be happy to know that now my sleep is back to normal and I am tired all the time again now. Good for sleep bad for when I dont want to be tired!!!!!

I found that reading a book at bedtime helped as it would tire my eyes and arms from holding it up and I would fall asleep after a chapter. It was also nice to read and got me out of the habit of having the tv on in the bedroom or coming out to the couch and getting on BB (so addictive)!

I hope that you have a better night sleep tonight and cant wait to hear how your big scan goes tomorrow!

[megs]

Hi Toomany,

Glad to hear I'm not the only one experiencing this. Between the kids waking up during the night (which coincidently always happens to be on a work night). I then need to pee, and can't bet back to sleep or get comfortable. Am already waking up sore in the morning around the pelvis.

Sorry I can't help with any solutions, I am considering a body pillow but not sure if they are worth the money?

Hope all goes well with your scan? I have mine on Monday and am starting to feel a bit nervous.

[blueiris]

I suffered with the insomnia in the 1st trimester even though i was so tired all the time. For a while there i would lay awake in bed for about 2hrs before drifting back to sleep. Now i might wake once, usually around 3am, for the nightly loo visit & that's it. Touch wood.

[BellyBelly]

Acupuncture Works well, I even fell asleep on the table today LOL

[leesha]

Camomile tea worked wonders for me...wasn't sure on the taste as I am a big tea drinker but I suffered so bad from insomnia and a natropath suggested it and it worked...Also going to bed without the tv on worked too!!!!

[puppies]

I like to either put on a movie that I have seen so many times that it puts me to sleep. Or I sit on the lounge with a pregnancy and baby magazine and read all the articles, that seems to sooth me and make me sleepy. Other than that DH giving me a foot massage always helps me drift off.

[Snacks]

I was going to suggest a massage too
Hope your scan goes great today!

[Snacks]

I am considering a body pillow but not sure if they are worth the money?

Hi megs, a couple of us in my baby buddies group bought a long pillow from Big W last week that was on special for $30... Not sure if the special is still on, but I thought it was a great price! (Normally $40, I think, which still isn't that bad.)
So far, even though I'm only 15 weeks, I'm finding it a really lovely way to fall asleep. My only problem is that I just have to keep working on how to effectively negotiate my way in and out of bed at pee-o'clock.

[puppies]

I love my body pillow. It does take a bit of getting use to though. Its like a boom gate you have to lift it up to get in and out depending on what side you sleep on. I would like to say it will ensure you a great nights sleep, but it really just makes sleep more comfortable. You will still need to pee, or have reflux or get a sore hip from being on the one side too long or baby will kick you and wake you up.

But I am going to keep my pillow well after bump is born, I love it!

[Toomanytoomany]

Puppies, I've got a body pillow and I love it. I got it with my last pregnancy. I used it last night and was definitely more comfortable but still had a revolting night's sleep.

But my scan went well, so maybe I'll be less keyed up tonight

[puppies]

Congratulations on your scan being good. When is your next one? 28 weeks?

[Justin Keane]

Hi Nightowls,
by affecting the yin/yang energy of the body with acupuncture we can better enable the ability of your bod to maintain balance during the development of another yin/yang system inside! The theory of Yin/yang has a lot of parallels with that of circadian rhythym and a slight alteration may be caused endogenously (inside) by bub having a wee growth spurt or active time, or exogenously (outside) by the onset of hot weather. Both of these things are yang in nature and require an adjustmet of the bodys yin energy to maintain the balance and keep the sleep time (yin) reletive to the awake time (yang). If that adjustment does not spontaneously occur, often, acupuncture can be very helpful!

[Justin Keane]

Ali took her snoogle everywhere!