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Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

Pregnancy

Third trimester sleep

21 replies

sharon2016 · 30/09/2016 02:42

Hi all,

I'm almost 33 weeks now, and feel like for the past week I've barely slept. Up until 32 weeks I had been sleeping really well. It's 2.40am and I've been awake, exhausted, for at least 1.5 hours. I can't go on like this and feel like crying my eyes out! I'm uncomfortable, heartburn, grouchy, and just can't settle despite being so tired. I work full time and don't see how I'm going to make it through to my maternity leave! I've had a huge argument with my partner tonight where I'm just so tired.

Has anyone else had this problem and can they have any tips xx

OP posts:

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AddictedtoGreys · 30/09/2016 02:47

Hi Sharon, I had the same problem. A couple of night I was awake 3-4 hours at a time for no reason! I felt like it was my body preparing me for the broken sleep of a newborn but that didn't make it any easier. I found that an early night and reading before sleep helped me relax a bit and get a better nights rest. Also not stressing if I woke up, just trying to relax and close my eyes and I would drift back off. Hope that helps!

bumbleclat · 30/09/2016 03:21

I'm 28 weeks and experiencing exactly the same thing.
I've come to the conclusion that my body will tell me when au start ML not the other way around.
It might be that you just have to start your ml earlier.
I've resigned myself to just getting up, turning the lights in and having a cuppa and also lowering my expectations of myself at work to a huge degree!

sharon2016 · 30/09/2016 03:28

I've gotten up and gone downstairs as it's been ages of tossing and turning so I just decided to get up! Is it normal to be able to sleep this little?

The baby also moving around loads which I do love but at night it makes it even harder to sleep snd just wish baby would sleep too :(

OP posts:

Womenareliketeabags · 30/09/2016 03:32

Shit isn't it! I've got the newborn now but I never slept properly in the late stages of pregnancy. Try and use a pillow between your legs and an extra one above your head a million pillows everywhere to try and get comfy and ease heartburn. Get a stash of things you might need ready in your bedside cabinet when you go to bed, water, gaviscon/rennies, paracetamol and snack etc. Hope you get back to sleep soon.

Nevlet · 30/09/2016 03:41

You have my sympathies its bloody horrible! Good tips to have anything you may need with you to avoid initially having to get up as thats what used to wake me properly up (obviously you cant do anything about getting up for a wee sadly!)

My baby is 4 weeks now and I genuinely sleep better than when I was pregnant!

Hope you get some sleep asap OP

Lovelongweekends · 30/09/2016 03:45

I'm 37weeks and can't sleep either. Everyone says it's my body preparing me for when the baby is born - I already have two dc, I need sleep not preparing!
I just get up and mn for a few hours otherwise I'll work myself up.

sharon2016 · 30/09/2016 03:57

I've been awake ages now but starting to feel a bit tired again thank god! I think getting up actually helped. Nevlet - thanks for your comment it's quite a relief to hear! I've got this fear that I'm just never going to get a normal nights sleep again!

I will also come to bed more prepared too as I have been waking a bit hungry and thirsty which probably doesn't help. Hopefully this is just another phase and tomorrow night will be better...

OP posts:

summeraupair · 30/09/2016 05:51

37 weeks here. I'm pleased now if I get two hours sleep in one go. I tend to get up, put on a boxset and eat biscuits - sometimes it works to relax me and means I sleep a bit more before the sun comes up. Luckily I'm on maternity leave now and can have a nap when I finally get sleepy mid-afternoon... but in general it's just crap

mikesh909 · 30/09/2016 07:49

Oh god it doesn't get better then?

31 weeks and struggling along. If I'm only awake twice in the night that genuinely counts as a good nights' sleep. Nevlet, thank you for your words of encouragement. There have been days when I feel like weeping over the fact that I will never be allowed to sleep again.

The thousands of pillows help, and I am coming to terms with the 'lowering of expectations' a pp mentioned. If I manage to go to work, walk home and eat something that isn't junk then that's everything on the list checked off.

If the problem is dropping off, try hypnobirthing audio tracks, load them on your phone and keep headphones nearby. Regardless of whether you plan to hypnobirth, I find I can rarely get to the end of one and still be awake. And if it turns out to help during labour, then that's also a win!

Ebbenmeowgi · 30/09/2016 08:06

I'm the same, the lack of sleep is terrible! Gaviscon is my friend,, but I've also started getting leg cramps at night too. Sleeping with a pillow between your legs does seem to help. I also just accept that this is my new normal now to try and stop feeling frustrated about it and that it is only temporary (even if it doesn't feel like it at the time!) x

sharon2016 · 30/09/2016 11:15

Thanks for all the replies! I'm so glad I'm not the only one!! I really hope that my baby is a good sleeper as I'm getting a taste of sleep deprivation is not pretty lol! My partner is going to pick up some lavender bits for the bath so I will try that tonight before I got to bed too xx

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AudreyBradshaw · 30/09/2016 17:22

32 weeks and been up since 4am twice this week, waking 2/3/4 times a night to go for a wee. Too hot and only comfortable basically lying on my front with pillows wedged between my knees. I wake up every time I turn over, only realised the other day it's because as soon as the weight of the baby hits my bladder I wake up.

In fairness I haven't slept through since April, but Dh isn't helping, so he had an earful this morning. I'm sticking a single bed in the spare room this weekend before I kill him.

sharon2016 · 30/09/2016 17:49

Lol AudreyBradshaw my partner was like that, he's great in the day but not been sympathetic at night, but he got a right earful last night and upped his game a bit today!

It's exhausting these last few weeks! You would think our bodies would want us to sleep whilst we still have the chance! X

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ToffeeForEveryone · 30/09/2016 19:55

for you OP, the last few weeks of pregnancy are tough! I had pregnancy related tinnitus (hellish), insomnia, heartburn and hip/back pain ... I got very little sleep for the last trimester!

I didn't get much when baby first got here either (!), but DS is now 6 months and don't jinx it staaarting to sleep through :) It really is your body getting ready for the new baby, just try to grab sleep where you can. I found getting up, having a hot drink, settling on the sofa meant it was easier to get comfy at least, even if I didn't sleep. Staring at the alarm clock trying not to wake DH was the worst.

Bumpsadaisie · 30/09/2016 21:01

Its hard. Nature's aim to make you so fed up that by the time you get to 40 weeks you don't give a damn about the childbirth anymore.

I recommend sleeping upright propped up on about 3 pillows, and a pillow between your legs.

Also Gaviscon Advance (must be Advance, not the normal stuff). Large bottles. The doctor will prescribe it.

I was on omeprazole for the heartburn too.

Best thing you can to is change your expectations. So if you're lying with your feet up, instead of fretting that your not sleeping, think, well at least I am resting.

You just have to muddle through as best you can. Honestly I found the newborn phase a dream compared to pregnancy (was horribly sick in the first trimester and terribly knackered and uncomfortable in the last).

sharon2016 · 30/09/2016 22:04

Bumpsadasie - that's good you found the newborn phase easy! I'm really praying I have a baby that sleeps at night!

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Fizzyjo · 01/10/2016 08:37

I'm not sure how to tag someone but there was a recommendation for hypnotbirthing audio tracks above - just wondered which ones or where to find them? Thanks.

mikesh909 · 01/10/2016 09:29

Hi Fizzyjo,

There are various available. The ones I've used are here:

www.penguin.co.uk/articles/book-talk/mindful-hypnobirthing/

and accompany Sophie Fletcher's book Mindful Hypnobirthing.

Hope they help you!

purplemeggie · 01/10/2016 12:58

What is it that's stopping you sleeping? Is it aches and pains or is it a busy head? I've just had triplets and was much more comfortable and slept better than with my singleton pregnancy 8 years ago, so this is what I did:

Try a supplement of magnesium, calcium and zinc (Holland and Barrett do a good one) - and keeping really well hydrated, by which I mean 2-3 litres of water a day. This should ease the aching.

Sort yourself out with the right physical support - I had a soft mattress topper on a firm mattress, a long bolster pillow between my legs and a couple of those wedge pillows under the bump and my back to stop me twisting/rolling badly in the night. Resign yourself to the fact that you're going to wake up every time you want to turn over!

If it's a busy head, the Bach Flower White Chestnut Remedy is a lifesaver.

nannybeach · 02/10/2016 18:50

First it was chronic heartburn and as you say couldnt get comfortable, then the womb football started.tHen it was breast feeding, my sone didnt sleep all night till they were 3, I breast fed one, for 15 months, because it was the only way I got any sleep, (I was back at work when they 4 altogether) were 3 months old, now its hot flushes keeping me awake!!

Fizzyjo · 02/10/2016 19:37

Thanks for the info on the hypno tracks. I shall download them.

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