Is anyone else having nightmares about labour? I am waking up during the night, after having bad dreams about labour and c-sections that it is erally affecting my sleep. Sometimes it's not even about labour, it can juse be bad dreams about a family member dying or something like that.
I have heard that vivid dreams are common in pregnancy, but to have a fear of labour get so out of control that i dream about it nearly every night. I lie awake before I go to sleep thinking about it, (and yes I have tried to stop myself - but no matter what i think of - it always returns to labour). I have already had 3 boys, as this is my 4th bub, so I ahve experience in dealing with labour and birthing, and I know what to expect, I am just so scared of it.
I have considered my options for pain relief already - had pethadine with first - fell asleep, had gas and nothing else with second, and tried and failed with an epidural with the third. (i was alergic and had shakes, itches all over, and it went into my arms so they had to turn it off)
So is anybody else suffering from such nightmares?
I have been having really stange dreams too. Like the other night i dreamed i had to breastfeed my cat but she tried to scratch me and ran away and i felt like such a failure! I also dream often about zombies. Dreams are just that, dreams. If you let them affect you in waking life then you are mentally shooting yourself in the foot. If you have been through labour three times already then you know how strong you are and that you can survive it again.
When you wake up after a nightmare, try and think of something that you find hilariously funny. Even if it doesn't make you laugh outright, it will dispell the icky feeling leftover from your dream. I know that thinking about breastfeeding MissKitty now makes me smile because of my crazy preggo brain.
Good luck and try not to let them bother you.
Can you play some relaxing music in your room? Something to help you feel peaceful? They sound like awful nightmares, I certainly remember the emotional nightmares about death. I know for me a homeopathic sleep spray helped (Brauer's Insomnia Relief).
I know you remember the pain, but as Jellymaker points out, you know how to do this, your body has done it three times and you know you can do it. Perhaps having a plan to work through pain (maybe some breathing techniques or a plan to get to some warm water) will help you feel like there will be something you can 'do', and reminding yourself of things like the fact that labour won't last forever, it will start, be an effort, but it will finish and at the end you will have your baby. xo
All the best as you work through this. Sorry if I haven't been helpful. xo
Thanks guys, but relaxing music doesn't work for me. I actually had a peaceful night sleep last night apart from the loo trips lol. I don't get them every night, but when I do I get them all night long. Could just be the hormones I guess.
Lol at the breast feeding miss kitty dream! Dreams can be very strange sometimes
Oh yeah, the dreams stink I'm doing them in my waking hours though, I've had three kids and I'm still worried about coping with pain this time ..... only time will tell!
Maybe speak to a naturopath about something to help ease your night time stress? Im not sure if you can take valerian in pregnancy.
I hope they ease up soon. Sleeping is hard enough when your'e pregnant, without adding that into the mix :roll:
I had really scary dreams leading up to giving birth and also be prepared for nightmares after birth. The over whelming feeling of needing to protect my baby was always on my mind and I used to have nightmares about things happening. Not nice but it is all sub-conscience.
I'd give the relaxation music a go and some positiv self talk like Nelle and Jellymaker suggested.
I am scared about the labour - but with every reason! labour is painful and not much fun - but in saying that, it is worth every minute of it when you get to hold your baby!
I am pregnant in my dreams - well most of them, and am having or have had the baby in others. I have never gone thru this with any of the other pregnancies. So for me this is something completely new.
I am going thru stages where I have a few nights of not remembering my dreams or just not having bad dreams - but then I go thru a few nights in a row where they are just terrible...sometimes wake up crying or scared and it's not much fun. But knowing i'm not the onlyone is nice to know
Nightmares about LABOUR!
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Can you play some relaxing music in your room? Something to help you feel peaceful? They sound like awful nightmares, I certainly remember the emotional nightmares about death. I know for me a homeopathic sleep spray helped (Brauer's Insomnia Relief). 
I'm doing them in my waking hours though, I've had three kids and I'm still worried about coping with pain this time ..... only time will tell!
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