Can’t stay asleep

[Jessesgirl13]

Hi everyone,

I’m almost 24 weeks pregnant and have been having serious trouble staying asleep. Falling asleep when I first go to bed (at 10pm) is fine as im so exhausted, but by 3am everynight Im awake for no reason and can’t get back to sleep! This has been going on for nearly two weeks now and im feeling horrific because of it. I still have to get up and go to work every day so its not like I can catch up on naps.

Ive tried all of the usual (no phone, hot bath, meditation etc) but nothing is working. Its like my mind is just wide awake!!

Any advise?

No advice I'm afraid but sympathy - I'm in the same position and wish I knew what to do!

I also have this problem. Hense the time of this post.

I find cup of tea with honey piece of toast watch a bit of telly and then I can go back to bed.

I think it's nature's way of getting you used to being up at night for feeds.

No advice but empathy... I'm further on and it's just got worse to be honest, the only good thing is that on maternity leave I can take daytime naps to hell make up the sleep. I end up reading (or mumsnetting!) For an hour then will often eventually drift off again, fighting it and trying to sleep makes things worse.

I'm 26 weeks and in the same boat. I've been up since 2am and am now cleaning my oven (nesting has kicked in).

I find reading or watching TV usually makes me sleepy and I know if I drink too much right before bed then I'm awake desperately needing the toilet which doesn't help!

Same here hun.
I’m nearly 33 weeks and it’s just gotten worse. Especially with the SPD.
I’m still working full time too and can’t catch up on naps throughout the day. I feel like I’m just running on empty all the time.
The only thing keeping me going is knowing that I’ll be on mat leave soon.
I do think it is natures way of preparing you for the night feeds. It’s juts very frustrating.
And it’s absolute BS when people say ‘catch up on your sleep now coz you won’t get it when baby is here’ 😳
Seriously, when I can finally sleep comfortably on my back again, that is when I’ll get my sleep back.
Lots of sympathy heading your way x

Me too, I have the odd night where this doesn't happen. Sometimes getting up and making a drink or having a little snack and getting back in to bed works for me but it takes a long time for me to actually want to get out of bed.

I just can't wait for mat leave from work, at least then it won't matter if I'm home all day I can have a little nap in the afternoon.

I wake up a lot in the night but there’s usually a reason for it - either I’m uncomfortable (35 weeks so hips/ribs get sore if I lie on one side for too long), need the loo or I’m hungry and/or thirsty.

Have you tried getting a drink and/or light snack to see if that helps? Often does the trick for me, then I get my kindle out and read till I’m sleepy again.

@MagicalCreatures that used to annoy me too - get your sleep in now before baby arrives. Why? What am I going to do, feel less tired cos I've slept more BEFORE they're here? Such a stupid statement!!

Same for me too I'm 12 weeks and has been like this since I was 5 weeks - doesn't help that I have nightmares almost every single night too.. Sadly I too have no advice, I often fall back to sleep at 5.30 for my alarm to ring at 6.15! The weekends are great because I manage to get a few hours nap in during the day but in the week I find myself fighting the exhaustion at my desk.
I guess this is preparing us for those sleepless nights...
Only tips I have that may work is a glass of warm milk/ hot chocolate. A friend has said she used white noise or meditation sounds whilst she is sleeping and she sleeps great but it hasn't worked for me :(

Same boat here I’m afraid and no real advice.

It also really winds me up when people say it’s practice for being up in the night for feeds when the baby comes. Utter bollocks! Pregnancy insomnia is way worse than waking up with the baby - there’s actually a hormone produced post partum that means you easily fall back asleep when you’ve woken to feed the baby in the night - you don’t lie there for hours trying to get back to sleep like you do when you’re pregnant!

Snap. Awake around 3am for a pee then sleepless until it’s tine to get up. Sometimes I’m hungry and going back to sleep helps, but mostly just tired all the time

Yep same here, I wake and can't get back to sleep for an hour or two. I usually get up and have a drink, go to the toilet and read until I feel sleepy again, it's just annoying

Have you got a pregnancy pillow? I'm only 19+5 but had mine the last 2 nights and it has definitely helped me sleep better through the night.

Wasn't expensive

www.amazon.co.uk/sleepdove%C2%AE-Maternity-Support-Pregnancy-Luxurious/dp/B072XW4ZM5/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?ref=plSrch&keywords=pregnancy+pillows&dpPl=1&dpID=41L5YKg-LBL&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8&qid=1541593534&sr=8-6

I'm in the same boat at 34 weeks. It's awful isn't it? Wake up at about half three and just lie there uncomfortable and worrying, drift off again at about 5am and then alarm goes off at 6! Just the worst.

I am exactly the same and didn't get to sleep until 4.30am this morning! I am 37 weeks and I wonder if it is stress but I have had insomnia since about 30 weeks. Its almost like I ma overtired but the baby moves continually which doesn't help! Have you tried lavender spray or something similar? I find that it relaxes me a bit and I use a pregnancy pillow. Does anyone know if you can use sleep aids though?

I'm the same op wakening up at silly o'clock every night and if I do get back to sleep it doesn't last too long! I'm 22 weeks!

Yep, me too! Its kind of comforting to know how many people have this although it sucks for all of us and I wish we could get the sleep we all need!

I can sleep from 10-3 and then dose from 6-7 but it’s really taking its toll.

I have a snack and a drink and I am getting through some good books in my extra awake time!

Just a quick update - On friday i got the pregnancy pillow that Angelmiracle recommended above, and Ive slept so much better since! Still having to get up to pee but thats expected!

Try the pillow if you havent already got one!

I feel real empathy and so glad I've seen this post! - I'm the same and have been since about 12 weeks (16 weeks now) My head hits the pillow and I'm fast asleep, but between around 2am - 3am I wake up to go to the loo and then I can't get back to sleep until my alarm goes off for work at 6.30.

Having really anxious/scary dreams too which is horrible so don't think the sleep I'm getting is 'good' sleep. It's miserable when you've got to get up for work.

I've tried baths, yoga, sleep sprays etc. and doesn't seem to help, and when I spoke to the midwife she sort of brushed it off. I hope it gets better for you and the others on this thread who are struggling too!