WIBU to take sleeping tablets with baby in the house?

[welshnat]

I've been suffering from really bad insomnia for the past week or so and am barely functioning on only 2-3 hours of sleep a night. My DF has told me to take some herbal sleeping tablets, but I'm worried how I will be once I've taken them.

DS is almost 2 and sleeps from 7-6 most nights if not later. Does anybody take sleeping tablets? Are you easily woken? Are you drowsy if you do wake? I'm just worried that DS will wake up and I won't hear him, or that I will be groggy.

Is there anyone with you?

I'd get someone to stay with you the first few times until you know how you react to them. I've never taken sleeping tablets, but I expect they react to people differently so no matter what anyone else experiences are, you shouldn't do it when you alone and responsible for a baby.

Do you mean herbal as in nitol or Kalms? I have taken Kalms night tablets once or twice with out under one with I did have DH around. I still woke first.

I took a herbal one once, and I wasn't worth a button for the whole of the next day. Never again, and I wouldn't with a baby in the house, TBH. I still get insomnia, but usually a drink before bed helps. (An alcoholic drink, I mean)

Agree with others - only if there is someone else there.

I've never taken sleeping tablets but I wouldn't risk it if I was on my own.

No I wouldn't unless someone was with me

You just don't know how you will react

I have taken NYTOL and it worked a treat for getting me to fall asleep, and more importantly, to stay asleep.

However, if DD woke, or there was a noise in the house, I woke up no problem.

I would take them.
Also, at nearly 2 your baby is not really a baby! He also sleeps through. Get some sleep!

It's just me and DS, I may wait until the weekend when I don't have Ds and try them then to see how I react. I would rather be safe than sorry. I'm glad that you all agree with me as my lovely DF was trying to get me to take them - although it may have something to do with my sobbing on the phone to him earlier because I was so tired (and hormonal).

Yes DS sleeps through the night unless he isn't well. I don't know what's worse - me being completely useless in the day as I am so tired or chance it with a sleeping tablet and may be useless in the night?

If its herbal i would. Have you tried quiet time? Theyre really good. For times of stress help you to wind down.

I take nytol. DD is 5.5 months. It just takes the edge off. I wake up and feed her no problem and get back to sleep easily afterwards. I wouldn't take 'proper' sleeping pills though. Try at weekend then see how you go?

Ok, I may get flamed for this but I would seriously think about doing it.

I suffered from insomnia for years and when eventually I did manage to get to sleep I was out for the count, much more so than when I took an over the counter sleeping tablet.
I was fine the day after taking them too, un like after a few nights without sleep.
My alarm woke me up with no problems.
I had nytol so it's an antihistamine rather than a herbal remedy.

Would your df be able to come and stay over to give you a hand?

After all it is only Monday the weekend is a bit away

No way for DF to stay over, and even if he did, he is the heaviest sleeper EVER!! So no help to me. It's Nytol that I have, so are they not proper sleeping tablets?

I really am so tempted, I am on my last legs with lack of sleep.

Maybe take a half dose?
I have had insomnia on and off for years. I wake up fine if one of the dcs wakes in the night after taking zopiclone which is quite strong. Perhaps if you take something sleep with your door open if you aren't co sleeping then you will we disturbed easier if your ds wakes.

Can any of you who have taken sleeping tablets tell me if they have affected you in any other way? I sleep walk/talk and I was just wondering if they could make it worse?

I haven't seen the GP yet as I was hoping that it was short term/off off thing. I have suffered from insomnia before but only when I was suffering from depression. At the moment I have no other symptoms, other than worrying about money/Christmas.

For me as soon as I take the tablet I am asleep in minutes before it has worked because psychologically I switch off worrying about getting/staying asleep.
A milky drink at night is said to sometimes help, also valerian tea iirc, and a friend of mine swears by avena sativa from the homeopath.

DS doesn't nap in the day. DF has taken Ds out for a few hours to try and let me nap but I just can't sleep in the day, no matter how tired I am. I think the problem is that I am in cycle now where I am wide awake until 4/5 o'clock in the morning. And then fine most of the day until around 3/4 o'clock where I completely crash. So come 7 o'clock when DS goes to bed, I am past tired and wide awake again

Nytol totally knocked me out. I was a zombie the next day too. Kalms works for me though.

Have you tried lavendar etc? I have a Boots sleep balm that works wonders. It seems to help me focus on sleep rather than all the other crap in my head.

I can't stand the smell of lavender, seriously turns my stomach. I've tried cups of hot chocolate but no use. I don't like any other hot drink that don't have caffeine. I've even given up my addiction to pepsi max, hoping it would help.

You can buy Nytol as Boots. It is herbal, natural sleep aid, believe me, you will still wake if you need to, but as another poster puts it, it takes the edge off and you can fall asleep and stay asleep.

You can't take them every day as the effect wears off I find. Once or twice a week and they are perfect.
You would hear your child. I promise.

No effects the next day... honestly none, just a lovely sleep.

Or you could drink a bottle of wine, not so good! Take the nytol and get yourself back into a good sleep rythmn.