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Postnatal health

As with all health-related issues, please seek advice from a RL health professional if you're worried about anything.

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Original poster

Postnatal Insomnia?

8 replies

Cels1 · 14/04/2018 01:50

A very tired mam...

Has anyone else had experience of postnatal insomnia? Its been a fortnight and nearly at breaking point....

I EBF, DD 6 months old and is a dream - wakes 2/3 times between 7pm and 7am for a feed but settles back super quick.

But I just can’t sleep! Tried all the tricks - bath, exercise, mindfulness, breathing techniques, no tech, reading, no light while feeding...

I worry that I’ve ignored postnatal anxiety for too long and this is the repercussion?Have been doing CBT and mindfulness, but fear it may not be enough?

Any advice would be amazing x

OP posts:

Mustang27 · 14/04/2018 03:17

No advice but I'm 14 weeks in with a great sleeper but yet I'm struggling. Hopefully someone can come in with a miracle cure. Looks like you have tried things I haven't so I will give them a go.

PerspicaciaTick · 14/04/2018 03:38

Hello. I've had postnatal insomnia since my youngest DC was born 10 years ago. I suppose at some point it stops being postnatal and just becomes insomnia. It is a bit shit, but I'm still here and the kids and I are still in one piece.
Good luck

AlasEarwax · 14/04/2018 03:51

Wide awake here too. I haven't even fallen asleep yet. Ds2 is snoring, but I'm here, bored, exhausted but unable to sleep. It's grim. Hope everyone manages to get some rest soon

robindeer · 14/04/2018 03:53

You're not alone. DS has been asleep since around 11pm but I'm still lying here awake and angry with myself as a result.

Original poster

Cels1 · 14/04/2018 08:09

Theres a free app - Headspace - that has helped on and off, if thats of any use? If you find anything let me know(!) x

OP posts:

Mybabystolemysanity · 14/04/2018 08:23

16 months here. I go through the night about two nights out of seven. DD is an amazing sleeper. I've got used to it now and have to occasionally catch up on a weekend afternoon. Try radio 4 through the iPlayer radio app and headphones. Lots of choice and I find it helps distract me if my mind is very busy. We had definitely dropped night feeds by seven months, although DD was formula fed, so I appreciate it might be different if you are breastfeeding. We moved her into a travel cot in her own room at eleven months, as she hated the big proper cot and we were disturbing her as much as she disturbed us. We haven't looked back, but unfortunately the insomnia has stayed with me. It's grim. I'm only just starting with therapy for postnatal anxiety and we've had bonding issues (mostly in my head) but I'm finding keeping calm and trying very, very hard to enjoy her is working better than relaxation techniques. Good luck! It's incredibly hard work.

melsw · 17/04/2018 10:05

I went through a phase like this and although I’m better now my little boy is 9 months, there are stil nights I wake up while he is fast asleep which is super annoying!

I did take Kalms to get back on track, listened to my Headspace app before bed etc. The biggest thing that helped me was turning my phone off so I couldn’t check the time, that way if I did wake up I wasn’t worrying that I could only get another 4 hours sleep etc x

Saz231 · 10/02/2021 17:05

Has anybody on here got better from postnatal insomnia I just can’t see an end in sight ? Was given mirtazapene for 8 weeks then it stopped working suddenly now I’m back to not sleeping again . I just need a light at the end of this long dark tunnel I’m in I’ve always slept so well even with my DS who never slept

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