When you’re pregnant, people spend a lot of time telling you to sleep while you have the chance.
That’s because people are silly and have completely forgotten that nobody can sleep during pregnancy.
Apart from in the first trimester of course, when all you can do is sleep.
But as soon as those first 13 weeks are over, you should expect to be constantly awake until sometime around your child’s first birthday.
There are just too many things distracting you from sleep. If it isn’t the physical symptoms of pregnancy keeping you up, it’s the fact that your mind is on overdrive thanks to the pregnancy.
10 Things That Keep Pregnant Women Awake At Night
Here are just 10 things that keep many pregnant women awake at night:
#1: Bathroom Breaks
Even if you do absolutely no exercise during pregnancy, you’ll probably still be getting all of the exercise you need simply by racing to the toilet and back 800 times a day. You will probably need to pee approximately 15 times in the night too, which is great because that is just often enough to stop you getting any real sleep.
Each time you return from the bathroom, you’ll manage to lie in a new position that somehow encourages your bladder to force another teeny drop of pee out, leaving you dashing to the bathroom again. Sigh.
#2: The Acrobatics
As soon as you start feeling your baby’s movements, you will stop sleeping. Yep, those long awaited kicks and nudges will amp up at bedtime, leaving you unable to switch off.
And, lovely as it is to feel your growing baby moving around inside you, can be forgiven for feeling a little grumpy about it once midnight has been and gone. This baby seems to wait for you to snuggle up in bed before start to practice his cartwheels.
#3: Your To-Do List
Pregnancy brings with it some pretty hefty to do lists. You’ve probably got a long list of things you need to buy for the baby, as well as an extensive list of things that need sorting around the house, and an ever-growing list of things you need to do at work before you start your maternity leave.
It can be pretty exhausting just reading those lists, nevermind trying to tick anything off. You may find yourself lying awake at night worrying about how much you still have to do. Try to realistically plan when and how you will get things done and don’t be afraid to delegate tasks to helpful friends and family members.
#4: Childbirth
If you feel anxious about the impending birth, you may find that keeps you awake at night. If an inconsiderate friend told you a childbirth horror story, you may struggle to rid it from your thoughts at night.
Stress and anxiety often cause people to lose sleep, but when you’re pregnant, you’re probably struggling for sleep as it is. There are steps you can take to try and improve your sleep during pregnancy.
If you’re feeling worried about the birth, take a look at this BellyBelly article for things you can do to relieve this worry.
#5: What If I Can’t Breastfeed?
If you have your heart set on breastfeeding your baby, you may find yourself lying awake at night worrying about what will happen if you can’t. This is an understandable concern, but in reality only a handful of women are physically unable to breastfeed their babies.
You can increase your chance of success by educating yourself about breastfeeding (and common breastfeeding problems) during the pregnancy, by knowing where to find help and by speaking up when you need it. If you can access the right support, you should be able to breastfeed, even if you have a tricky few weeks at the beginning.
#6: What If I’m Not Cut Out For Motherhood?
You’re selfish, you love sleep and you killed another house plant this week. How can you possibly be about to embark on motherhood?! It’s all too easy to judge yourself harshly, especially at 3am after zero sleep. Don’t worry, you’ll be an excellent mother. The very fact you’re lying awake at 3am worrying about not being a good pretty much guarantees that you will be.
#7: What If I Don’t Enjoy Being A Mum?
You can keep yourself awake for all eternity worrying about all the less desirable elements of parenting. Nobody wants to change those poop explosion nappies, or breastfeed through chapped nipples, or be woken every hour on the hour by a screaming, red-faced little milk monster. But that’s not what you’ll be doing all of the time. You’ll also be snuggled up on the sofa with a sleeping baby on your chest, you’ll be making your baby giggle and teaching her new things. What’s not to like?
#8: What If Something Goes Wrong?
You can be forgiven for feeling a little anxious during pregnancy. After all, you’re currently carrying some pretty important cargo. You may find yourself lying awake at night imaging all the things that could possibly go wrong. Try not to do that. Try to think positive thoughts, rid your mind of negativity and try not to let yourself get too stressed.
#9: What If The Baby Doesn’t Like Or Bond With Me?
This is probably one of the secret fears that all pregnant women can relate to. What if the baby doesn’t like you? What if it thinks you are a terrible mother and always long for a different mama? What if he thinks you’re boring or you’re too strict or not strict enough? The important thing to remember here is that your baby has never had a mama before. He has no idea whether you’re doing a good job or whether his nappy is on backwards, he just loves you. So don’t worry about it.
#10: The Crazy Dreams
Few things are more intensely weird than the dreams of a pregnant woman. If you are (by some miracle) able to catch a few hours of sleep, you’ll soon be woken up wondering what the hell just happened. You will wonder whether you really just had sex with Channing Tatum, left your baby on a bus and flew home on a giant eagle.
But don’t worry, it was just another crazy pregnancy dream. And you can spend the next three hours wide awake trying to decipher what the heck it meant. Why would you leave your baby on a bus? Is it a premonition? Are you actually going to leave your baby on a bus one day?!
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Recommended Reading: Beat pregnancy insomnia with our awesome tips to combat pregnancy insomnia.
