thread: Not a good night's sleep

  1. #1
    Registered User

    Apr 2009
    Cowra, NSW
    409

    Not a good night's sleep

    Anyone else here around 24 weeks and not sleeping well through the night?

    Im usually a solid sleeper, but in the 2nd tri, its been a very different story.

    I have a fair few pets...

    A cat, 2 dogs, a rabbit, a duck, and birds....

    usually i would sleep fine through the night... But lately...I am waking up every hour or two or ill wake up to any slight noise i hear from the dogs, cat or birds.

    My dog may just run past our bedroom window, or wimper, and ill shoot out of bed to go check her.

    Or ill hear a noise in the kitchen, and ill race out to find its just the cat.

    If my birds flutter around, i run out to the avairy and see if something 'like a ferral cat' is attacking them..

    Ive always loved my pets, but lately i seem to be stressing over every little slightest noise...

    And im waking up every few hours regardless....what the??

    Is this just my body subconciously preparing me for when bub arrives? I just dunno if i believe that, when people say its my body preparing me for parenthood??

  2. #2
    Registered User

    Nov 2008
    Perth
    3,686

    Sounds pretty normal to me. I've had trouble sleeping since about 20 weeks and sadly, it hasn't gotten any better. Besides being woken by the aches and pains of pregnancy (and attempting to find a comfortable position with an expanding belly to deal with too), I think it is natures way of getting us ready for what is to come.

    Get as much rest as you can as it only gets harder to sleep from now on.

  3. #3
    Registered User

    Jun 2007
    Forster NSW
    1,444

    Sorry to say it is very normal and will probably get worse in the 3rd trimester! Some say it's natures way of getting you use to the sleepless nights you will experience once bubby has come along.

  4. #4
    Registered User
    Add NaeNae on Facebook

    Sep 2007
    South Gippsland
    3,753

    I think the disturbed sleeping is a normal thing though personally I have slept better this past week than I have in the previous weeks, even slept through another small earthquake the other night.

    I don't think the "stressing over the animals" has anything to do with being pregnant though, if that is part of preparing for motherhood then I am failing dismally

    I have 1 cat and 2 other cats that I feed and look after (mil's), 2 dogs, 2 alpacas, 2 horses and thats only MY animals there are many many others where I live. I fuss no more over them now then I usually do. I don't wake to the night noises unless the dogs are barking or a cow is calving or the cats are fighting etc. But I just wake to recognize the noise then fall asleep again.

    I think while you continue to stress and worry you will not rest the more you get up the less sleep you'll have. Animals move and flutter at night so try to relax if you wake to a sound don't rush out of bed to "check everything is ok" just listen for a while and if things settle then you can go back to sleep. Soon you'll get use to the night noises again. You WILL need this time to rest as much as possible.

    Nae x

  5. #5
    Registered User

    Apr 2007
    Sydney, NSW
    4,329

    i had that too.. couldnt sleep during the second trimester.. sometimes, i'd wake up at 2am, 3am and be wide awake like it's 10am!
    unfortulately, i havent had a good night's sleep since my 2nd trimester.. and that's been almost 2 years!
    it's your body's way of preparing you for sleepless nights, tho i think it should just let you enjoy the last few weeks of blissful sleep.
    I'm waiting for another 5, 6 years till i can sleep thru the night again..

  6. #6
    Registered User

    Apr 2009
    Cowra, NSW
    409

    yiikes.
    Yeah i seem to wake up every 2 hours or so, and me tossing and turning doesnt help DP with his sleep either, especially when he gets up early for work.
    We are finding ourselves exhausted, and in bed by 9pm each night

    I am also having bad aches in my hips, and its hard to sleep on one side for more than and hour or two.

    poor DP doesnt sleep well at the best of times, and hes been suggesting sleeping on the lounge every now and then to try catch a few winks, but i get upset, cause it makes me feel like he doesnt want to sleep with me lol

    Even though i know for a fact that he dozes off in a matter of seconds on the lounge.

  7. #7
    Registered User

    Apr 2007
    Sydney, NSW
    4,329

    sorry, hun.. i know just how exhausting it is.. towards teh end of the pg, i would only sleep 1 or 2 hrs.
    the plus side of havign teh bed all to yourself is you can spread your self.. it's so hard so sleep comfortably when pg.. i felt like i needed a crane each time i had to turn.

  8. #8
    Registered User

    Apr 2009
    Cowra, NSW
    409

    LOL, yeah thats how im starting to feel.

    And ive been having bad gas, and during the night i accidentally let a few nasty ones out, and my poor DP wakes up gasping for air....the poor bugger must be putting up with fair bit, and theres still another 15 weeks to go...lol

    I also steal the doona, and a lot of the times, i toss and turn that much, and shake the bed.

    I also find, the most confortable sleeping position is half on my belly, half on my side, with one leg right up inline with my waist, to give me some support....i never realised, but this sleeping position takes up 70% of the bed, and poor dp is left clinging for his life on the edge of the bed...lol

    Wish we had a king...or even a queen would be nice

  9. #9
    Registered User

    Apr 2009
    Northern Beaches Sydney
    533

    Hey First Time Mummy

    I was a doona stealer well well before I became pregant So much so poor hubbie used to have to tie his end of the doona to the end of the bed !!!! Just to make he'd be left with some cover in the middle of the night.

    In relation to waking up would think its a combination of not sleeping as soundly/deeply and then waking perhaps when the baby moves or kicks. Regarding 'stressing' over the noises the animals make you'll just have to train yourself to ignore the sounds. At the end of the day you do know if its a real "help me now" sound or not.

    Have you looked into getting one of the pregnancy pillows to help you feel more comfortable in bed. I haven't used them but had seen them discussed on a number of other threads and some mums to be seem to swear by them. Might be worthwhile seeing what their about.

  10. #10
    Registered User

    Apr 2007
    Sydney, NSW
    4,329

    i used those pregnancy pillows and it was great. it gave some real comfort. i had those U shaped ones, that took up most of the bed. DH was away for most of my pg, unfortunately and i did get to hog the whole bed.

    i also found 'sleepy time tea' just before bed did help me relax and also brauer's sleep and insomnia relief.. but check w your chemist to see if you are ok to take it. my naturopath recommended them.

  11. #11
    Registered User

    Apr 2009
    Cowra, NSW
    409

    where do i get the pillows from? theres only a wedge style one at big w?

  12. #12
    Registered User

    Apr 2007
    Sydney, NSW
    4,329

    sorry hun.. i got mine fr ebay and then dry cleaned it. you might find some there...

  13. #13
    Registered User

    Apr 2009
    Cowra, NSW
    409

    Okay thanks. xx

    Man I seriously cant control this obsession with the animals...
    This morning i was laying there, and our duck was quacking outside my window...Then the dogs were wimpering, and then the birds started chirping....i was laying there trying to ignore it all (as it was 6am)...but they just kept going, on and on...my heart started racing, and i almost snapped!!!!

    I stormed outside, told the dogs to 'shut the eff up'....i told the chook i would shoot it in the head and eat it for dinner, and i covered the birds cage up...

    I stormed back inside, and only 10 mins later, it all started again!..

    I laid there with my heart race racing, and i was just ready to scream from all the noises....

    Im so scared if i act like this to them that i might end up being like that with poor bub, im suure i wouldnt, but its had me worried??

  14. #14
    Registered User

    Apr 2007
    Sydney, NSW
    4,329

    you'll be fine.. you're not going to give birth to barn yard animals but a gorgeous little person!!
    it doesnt help you are tired and so much going on in your body. maybe get those little foam type earplugs? i used them cos dh snores so much.. well not anymore cos im worried i may not hear ds cry in his sleep.