lack of sleep vs... lack of sleep?

[katiegolightly]

Can't sleep. 33 weeks. constant discomfort, getting up to pee every HOUR, wriggling, hot, stupid pillows, want to lay on my tummy or back, argghgh!

So is it worse when LO arrives and you can actually sleep except you just get woken up by the little cutie next to you the whole time?

Wondering which variety of sleep deprivation will be worse. Must I man up and stop moaning? Do I not know how good I have it for the last 7 weeks?

I found it much better once ds arrived and I could sleep on my stomach again (not when milk comes in though, ouch!). Sleep deprivation with newborn was a whole new ball game but nicer in some ways iyswim.

I think the main difference is that when the baby arrives you can get SOME quality sleep. Also someone else can check on baby while you get a doze (especially if you express or bottle feed). My body needed less sleep too when I wasn't pregnant so naps and broken sleep were manageable. We had a good sleeping baby so were lucky though :)

I thought it would be much easier when baby was born but it wasnt. It WAS better though. If only because I could sleep on my stomach and rolling over wasn't such am epic task.

Sleep deprivation with a newborn is a completely different kettle of fish. You're normally up for longer stretches of time but you're body compensates for it by making the sleep you do get better quality. Plus, yes you're generally more comfortable.

Depends on the baby IMO. Dc1,2,3 slept really well and I slept better than pregnancy dc4 is 16 months and if I am not sure how I got through those months on the pittance of sleep

have you tried bachs flower rescue remedy, someone mentioned it to me on here when i was sleep deprived at 7 weeks and i swear by it now, i got the spray one,spray it twice on my tongue before going to sleep and im off. if i do wake up to go the toilet or whatever i just spray it again, seriously its worth the fiver or whatever it costs, im now 26 weeks and dont know how i would of coped without it.

(thinking about buying shares in the stuff actually )

When DS was a newborn, everyone kept going on about how sleep deprived I must be. I was actually getting more, and better, sleep than I had been for five months prior to that. I was more comfortable (even post cs) lying down, and the hormones seem to help you just zonk out between feeds.

Now 34 weeks with DC2 and getting no sleep again!

Pregnancy insomnia is hideous. I've been awake since 4am after getting up every hour for a wee before that and having to through the agony of getting out of bed and back in again and getting "comfortable" with the pillows. I gave up in the end and went downstairs.
At least when the baby is here I will (hopefully) be able to lie down in a position that is conducive to getting some sleep.

I'll get flamed for this, but my honest opinion is that until you've had a newborn baby, you don't know the meaning of the word tired!

The difference is that when you're pregnant you have the option to sleep, or rest, or laze about all day if you wish.

I found motherhood to be a massive shock to the system in terms of its pure relentlessness.

Oh dear that's shattered my illusions of it all being better soon.

Although I strongly suspect you are spot on and I have been deluding myself.

Sorry kitandkat, I don't mean to be negative!

I will counter it by saying that your life will get better soon! It will get better than you can possibly imagine when you hold your beautiful baby in your arms.

It is bloody hard work, but it's worth it.

Thanks everyone, you have pepped me up! There is potentially some light at the end of the insomnia tunnel! abbierhodes, I will keep a pinch of realism in there too and prepare for absolute hideousness in the hope I may get a somewhat pleasant surprise!

Just keep telling yourself that it gets easier when your lo arrives. No one warned me about how tough it could be so good to keep that pinch of realism there but blimey, they're worth it!

Not being able to sleep when pregnant - you only have aches pains and bursting bladder as an alternative

When the baby arrives, they provide a wonderful alternative to sleep!

There is nothing like your LO beaming up at you from their moses basket to make getting up worth while. And I am a sleep fiend.

Still love your name madamechinlegs!

didn't read whole thread, but i find a newborn a doddle to being pregnant. at least when you've had the baby, the sleep you do get is quality, and you're only up for a short time (mostly) when you are up in the night, and you have a beautiful reason to be up, and at the beginning, you're not expected to do mundane stuff like work silly hours as well - urrghh i've still got another 18 weeks to go!

Thanks ItsOkItsJustMyBreath

I agree with missing, too, I actually felt rather good once DD arrived. Newborns can sleep a LOT, waking only for feeds, so you are able to even just rest which is nice.

I feel more tired now, as DD may well sleep 6.30-6.30 but she expects me to get up with her at 6.30 (how dare she ) and Im a bit of a night owl, so actually getting less sleep now.