Insomnia with a 5 week old - help please!

[mckiwi07]

I have a beautiful 5 week old dd who is doing really well sleeping at night - generally only up once a night. I on the other hand have developed insomnia for the past 10 nights. I am lying wide awake each night and am unable to get any sleep which is leaving me exhausted during the day.
I have found the transition to being a mummy difficult but dont feel I am particularly stressed about her. Just want to know if anyone else has been in this position and if you have any advice on how to get to sleep! I have tried herbal remedies but to no avail. Suggestions would be appreciated... Thank you!

Oh yes i had this - it lasted for 2 years!! The things that I do now that have totally sorted me out are:

Don't eat too late.

Ear plugs and DH pokes me if I need to 'do' anything in the middle of the night and I haven't heard them for some reason (though I always hear crying) - the ear plugs increase the sound of my own breathing in my ears and I think it might be that that sends me off as well as me being a painfully light sleeper and having babies has just made that worse.

A homeopathic remedy called 'Noctura' that you can get from holland & barratt.

Saw an osteopath to make sure that my body was as comfortable as it could be - she found that my back was so tight that it was irritating my nervous system.

I have gone from sleeping 4-5 hours a night (broken sleep) to sleeping 7-9 hours (kids permitting). If I had to get up for any reason, then I wouldn't be able to get back to sleep again. now I can and very quickly.

The insomnia is just awful isn't it? :(

Get your thyroid checked just incase.

It's common to have an over active or underactive thyroid after birth and both cause insomnia.

Check the other symptoms out online for both incase there are more.

oh and can anaemia cause insomnia? you may be a little anaemic after the birth?

I suffered from this very badly after having DD, previously I had been a legendary sleeper and couldn't understand the concept of insomnia! I think it was just the realisation of new parenthood and the massive responsibilities it brings, my mind was just turning and turning, plus the strange and new sensation of having to listen out for a little one. It did settle after a few months - I think a lot of people get it with new parenthood, it's such an adjustment even if your little one is a good sleeper/eater. All I can say is it does get better!

I suffered the same insomnia. A nurse friend suggested that I try a hypnosis CD, as she had used it whilst suffering the same thing. My husband went out and bought me a CD of hypnosis for sleep and it really worked. It sounds pretty daft but after nearly 2 weeks of insommnia I was desperate. I'm so pleased I did and it meant I didnt have to turn to pills.

Best Wishes

Ladyrose

I've also had and am suffering from bouts of insomnia ever since my 2yr DD was born. That unpredictable having to wake in the night or early hours of the morning can play havoc on your own sleep pattern. They can be sleeping well one minute then not due to teething, illness etc.

A simple thing I found was sprinkling quite a few drops of lavender on my pillow... sometimes my daughters too. If anything, the scent can work as a distraction from whatever you're worrying about. Cheap and cheerful!

I had the same. She was sleeping well but i was wide awake. I was going downstairs to do night feeds and then a nappy change. I'd get her back to sleep but couldn't get myself any zzz's. Although I was tired,i was too
.
I started feeding in bed and stopped nighttime nappy changes. I barely wake up - don't have to get out of bed to lift her out of the basket, am pretty dozy while feeding and it feels like I have a normal night sleep, even with two feeds a
.
Not sure if this may help? Depends what kind of insomnia you have and what your feeding routines you have?

thank you all for your suggestions - is really nice to know Im not the only one who has had this problem and gives me some hope that it will get better. Am going to try the lavender and the Noctura and see how that goes

Ooh, yes - another insomniac here.

I'm currently doing a 6-week course of CBT using a self-help book. I'm only in Week Two, but it seems to be having some effect already.

It's called Overcoming Insomnia and it's by Colin Espie.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy has a proven record of being effective at treating insomnia...

As its a relatively new thing, I would get some sleeping pills from the doctor to break the habit and nip it in the bud. I think there is a type that's ok if you're brestfeeding. CBT is for long-term insomniacs.