Insomnia - seeking tips!

[septembersong]

Am 36 weeks pregnant and having real trouble sleeping at night. Under normal circumstances I go to sleep on my stomach, but that has long been out of the question! Now that my bump is pretty big, I end up with whichever side I'm lying on going 'dead'. I'm using a pillow between my legs to distribute the weight, but it's not really helping. On top of this, I get restless legs and they go all jumpy, and my feet get really hot! Oh, and I get itchy all over, especially my scalp, and end up scratching and twitching like some sort of demented ape! As a result of all this, I dread going to bed now, and I daresay this psychological dread is only adding to the problem!

Any tips to help me sleep better? Are there any herbal supplements I could take

[Pootletrinket]

I use one of those beanbag type sausage pillows that I can 'hug' - can put one knee on it, put some under mybump and the rest under my chest - find it really comfortable and used it in the 4 year gap between pregnancies!

I believe cork in a sock in bed is meant to hlp the restless legs. Itching, I can't suggest any help but can sympathise - I find a lavender bath is somewhat helpful. Similarly you could burn/vapourise lavender in your room before bed.

Good luck!

[marie14]

Eurgh i hate restless legs! I've been taking neurofen about once a week when it's unbearable (i don't want to hear judgements, I literally cannot cope through the night without it!) but i'm 24 weeks on tuesday and its only safe to use up to 6months in! I don't know what i'm going to do!

[MummyAbroad]

I drank a cup of herbal tea before bed everynight during my last pregnancy. Ask in your health shop which ones are good for inducing sleep and OK in pregnancy. It really helped get me to sleep BUT the downside is that it also made me need a wee in the night, so I learned to make a small very concentrated cup (didnt always stop me getting up to wee though!)

I am planning on getting a big pregnancy pillow this time round, as I struggled through with ordinary pillows and it really was a hassle rearranging them everyt time you move and the entire construction all falls apart.