Postnatal insomnia

[Londongirl03]

I have a 13 week old who sleeps reasonably well through the nights. He is beginning to sleep through though might be up one time a night. I have not slept well since his birth as I was in hospital for a week post birth with medical problems. My husband then slept in the other room with the baby for the first feed (baby is formula feed due to me being unwell in hospital) and my slept was very patchy. Doc prescribed low dose Zopiclone 3.75mg to get my sleep reset but I only took 5 of these tablets over a week and a half to see if would help.
Since then my sleep briefly improved. I have turned into an incredibly light sleeper so wake whenever my baby coughs etc but was getting back to sleep within 20-30 mins if woken. In the last week I have been going to bed 2200ish and waking at 0000. Wide awake. First night I moved from bed to sofa to read and try and get some rest. Prob got 3 hours the whole night. Pattern is repeating until last night when I couldn’t get to sleep at all. Was awake at 0130 (v unusual) and so took a sleeping pill. My son woke at 4am for a feed and managed to get back to sleep but I couldn’t so took another one. I’m getting very distressed as I used to sleep well and the issue is not the baby. Is anyone going through the same or has any advice?
I don’t feel depressed and have bonded well with my baby but want to address this problem quickly so have an app with GP next week. Have tried CALM app, magnesium supplements, reading on the sofa when awake and zopiclone albeit not in a high dose for a few days

Anyone?

Have you had your thyroid function tested? It can go out of whack post partum, and insomnia is a symptom.
Although tbh, being on 'tiger watch' when you have a new born isn't unusual, it's a pretty basic instinct to keep your baby alive.

I have a history of insomnia and struggled after DC1s birth. I know how frustrating it is, especially when your baby sleeps well. I don't have any particular advice I am afraid. What helped me a bit was exercising so my body was tired (not what I wanted to do when sleep deprived), having DH in charge of DC to help me mentally switch off a bit and having my own little routine at bedtime. I didn't try medication etc as I was breastfeeding so can't recommend there. It did get better, although it took a good while. Thankfully I haven't had it much with DC2. I hope things improve soon.

Yeah, I appreciate that “tiger watch” is quite normal it’s just gone a bit beyond that. I’ve been crying at least 3 times a day and just haven’t felt able to cope well. Am currently taking 7.5mg a night of zopiclone as baby is formula fed now and husband can do nights. It’s not giving me uninterrupted sleep but I did have some last night

Will try to get the doctor to check my thyroid tho :)

Crying 3 times a day would suggest your mental health isn't quite what it could be, whether that's depression /anxiety or birth trauma. It sounds really tough. I used to love sleeping pre children and was really good at it. It's absolutely fucking awful not to be able to get the sleep I need, and to know there's little chance I will for years to come. Sleep deprivation has a big impact on my mental health, it properly sucks.

It’s all linked to lack of sleep. I feel good in my relationship and adore my baby. Still managing to get out and about everyday (maybe not today as weather horrendous!) but I honestly don’t feel depressed?

I had really bad postnatal insomnia after DC1 and had to be medicated out of it over a period of several months. What worked for me was getting prescribed Amitriptyline (it's an older antidepressant which also works well for insomnia, and I could take it and continue breastfeeding). Don't minimise it or feel you only have self-measures you can try if it's really bad (at my worst I was getting no sleep at all alternate nights, and 3 hours the other nights). Hope you can get more help from the GP and find something to turn a corner xx

FraterculaArtica did those tablets help you quite quickly? I am expecting the GP to suggest I have PND and I honestly don’t think I do. I would have no shame if that’s what it is as I would like to address any MH issues ASAP. Did they say you had PND or just insomnia? X

They weren't very specific about the diagnosis but as far as I know insomnia like this is one presentation of postnatal anxiety (I had a traumatic birth and then a very difficult baby), even when you don't think you feel particularly anxious. It's not as well known as PND. Yes the Amitriptyline did start helping quickly, it made me feel woozy at first and I did have to up the dose a couple of times to get the insomnia really under control, but it got me back over a period of months to feeling more or less normal again.

I know someone this happened to, and it is miserable, you poor thing. IIRC, it was hormonal, related to breastfeeding. (I think stopping or something). Sorry I don't. remember more than that.

I think I her sleep just refined to normal over time.

Thank you all for your advice, am on a short course of sleeping tablets to see if they will fix anything x

How are you getting on with them Londongirl03? x

Okish, I’ve been on 3.75mg for the last night 2 night and have had disrupted sleep but some at least. I seem to be getting very warm overnight as well which is waking me a bit? X

Hi Londongirl, how are you getting on? I’ve had a similar experience - at around 2 months Post giving birth just woke up during the night - thought what if i don’t fall asleep again and couldn’t fall asleep. Then with disrupted sleeping pattern it got worse - some nights didn’t sleep at all, totally freaked out. Zoplicone was giving me only 4-5 hours. Baby has been sleeping well since 3 months. I started taking Mirtazapine - 5 mg was enough and I’ve been sleeping well for a couple of months until I started weaning off and now Ive not slept well again on a small dose and thinking about stopping anyways as it is just not my thing to be on drugs. Just wondering if you and others managed to find their natural sleeping pattern again?

Hi WineHound84,
I’m a lot better at the moment, I’ve been taking Amitriptyline 10mg since Jan and it has given me a better sleep quality. I still wake up one or two times a night and if my baby is up for a while (only if sick) I will struggle to get back to sleep. Generally things are a lot better, I got to sleep around 10 and sleep in a decent way till 6ish. I’m weaning off in the next week though so will have to see how that goes! X

Good luck and keep us posted. I’ve stocked up on CBD, Magnesium and B-complex so hopefully I manage to sleep fine without Mirtazapine.

@Londongirl03 @Winehound84 hi I started with the exact same insomnia as described in Nov 7 weeks after having my DD I caught covid then totally stopped sleeping lucky if I was getting 2 hours a night . The doctors put me on Mirtazapene 15mg a month ago but even though I’ve slept on it I’m concerned i become reliant . Did you both manage to wean off ok and sleep naturally again? Any tips x

Hey Guys,

Just jumping on here! I had a traumatic birth with my son and then he was diagnosed with reflux which is AWFUL for parent and child. My son is now on meds and sleeping through pretty much but now I can’t get to sleep at all!!!! From one night to the next! I went from finally enjoying 8 hours of sleep to just not being able to fall asleep 😫.

I am on amitriptyline 10mg and am breastfeeding. Is this safe??? Should there be a length of time after taken before breastfeeding?

Has anyone successfully weaned of it?

@Frandelyon how are you getting on??

I was prescribed 15mg mirtazapene which helped me sleep for a good 7 weeks amazingly but then just suddenly stopped ! I now feel more anxious then ever on them and am trying to wean off after 2 months ! How are you finding the amitriptyline? I’m just so frustrated I never ever suffered with sleep until my DD was born she’s my second child too never had this issue last time x

Hi @Saz231!

I am currently doing ok! The amitriptyline is working and I’m sleeping solidly. However I am doing a routine and taking magnesium and ashwaghandha and I’m doing breathing exercises. My insomnia is linked to my anxiety and so I’m having therapy too to talk about that.

I know how you’re feeling! It’s stressful and rubbish and makes us feel cruddy. But no wonder we are feeling rubbish with this pandemic and being locked away.

Have you read up on therapy or alternative supplements to aid sleep?

I’m glad your sleeping well . I’m so gutted the effects of the mirtazapene stopped for me .
Funnily enough I started magnesium glycinate at night which helped and I’ve bought ashwaghanda but not tried it yet have you found it works ??
I’m waiting for a start date for my cbt , my insomnia is anxiety based too . My friend also recommended cbd oil .

I said that to my husband I feel so anxious trapped home all the time I am such a social person I’ve been home a year now and I think this has a lot to do with it all . It’s so hard isn’t it x

100%!
We are going through the hardest part of being a parent without all the social interactions and joys of having a baby and getting out and about.
Plus you had covid too! I had it in October. The stress of telling everyone you’ve seen and hoping it doesn’t affect anyone vulnerable.

Ashwaghandha is known to be fantastic. I’ve taken it before and think it’s great. I get a nighttime latte from Pukka that has it in too.

Are you breastfeeding?

Yes that’s when all my sleeping issues started when I had steroids for my breathing with covid . Never ever have I struggled to sleep in my life but this hit me out the blue . Everyone kept saying stop worrying about sleep and you will get so tired you will sleep but I didn’t until I had a month of 2 hours broken sleep if I was lucky . It was only the mirtazapene that helped me get it back but when that worse left off it got bad again .

It’s so hard I can’t sleep in the same bed as my husband as he disturbs me and he has to see to our 5 month old if she wakes just so I can attempt a nights sleep . Do you take ashwaghanda at night like magnesium I’ve got the pukka tablets

No not BF my milk never came in properly only managed 5 weeks

Ok so you can have drinks with valerian root in etc. Have you tried those with your tablets etc?
I mean you could ask to try amitriptyline maybe.... not sure how they differ though....

CBT will definitely help. I’ve only just started so I have a long way to go and am not ready to stop using the tablets just yet.

It’s tough! Trauma and anxiety etc are the first things to affect sleep but if you’ve fallen asleep easily before then you will do it again. It’s just a phase and it will end. It seems easier said than done even as I’m typing I’m thinking ‘I wish this phase would end soon’

When did you give birth? X