Sleep issues since becoming a mum

[Karley98133]

Before I had my son 19 months ago I loved to sleep. I could sleep straight through for 8/9 hours without really waking up at all. Even throughout my pregnancy I slept well.

My son has always been an okay sleeper to be fair, sleeping 4/5 hour stretches from 6 weeks or so. Now at 19 months he may wake up once a night or mostly not at all. He is an early riser though so my day typically starts at 5.30am.

The issue is that it takes me so long to fall asleep, usually around an hour and then I seem to wake up at every little noise. I will wake up atleast 3-5 times a night even if my son sleeps through. It will then take me time to get back to sleep after waking. Add in to the mix my son waking once in the night and then getting up at 5am I am having terrible nights sleep every night. I’ve been feeling crap lately. By 2pm I feel shit, and exhausted. I seem to perk up after awhile and then by bedtime I’m almost not even tired anymore.

I miss sleeep. Even though my husband and I share nights with my son it doesn’t matter because I don’t sleep well anyway.

I was same after dd but my sleep abilities did come back. Try to do ‘sleep hygiene’ like no screens and wind down routine. I have some lavender magnesium body butter I apply before bed. Also have some lavender face cream as I find the smell does help me, might not be for everyone. I have heard that magnesium supplements can help with sleep. Sometimes I listen to a sedate podcast on something not too interesting.

Someone said to me if you wake up and you’re lying there worrying about not being asleep then say to yourself it’s all ok because your body is still resting. I have particular things I think about which bore me back to sleep. I also sometimes do a kind of mindfulness so just focusing on my breathing.