Chronic insomnia - anyone else?

[Windmill47]

Hi all,
I’ve been suffering with severe insomnia since week 17 of pregnancy. I’m currently 32 weeks and in a particularly rough patch sleep wise (struggling to get more than 2/3 hours over the course of the whole night). No matter how exhausted I am, I struggle enormously to drop off and even then I am awake constantly throughout the night.

I used to struggle sleeping pre pregnancy but this was always managed by sleeping tablets and exercise so never felt much of an impact. Now though, I’ve been off work since 18 weeks and I am feeling thoroughly miserable from it all.

Ive tried all sorts throughout my pregnancy; herbal Nytol, magnesium oil, lavender sprays, massages, hypnotherapy, anti histamines prescribed by the doctor, even anti anxiety tablets (which made it even worse) but to no avail. My midwife has been fantastic and referred me to a consultant but they’re obviously so limited in what they can prescribe in pregnancy. In desperation I’m starting CBT tomorrow with a hope to having some sort of breakthrough.

Is anyone else in the same position? Has anybody experienced it and it’s disappeared post baby? Each of the doctors I’ve seen have assured me that it’s a rise in hormones coupled with anxiety that’s causing it and it will go on delivery. I’m finding myself terrified that it’s going to continue post baby and this horrid situation is just going to get worse. I know I’ll have disturbed nights with baby, but my husband is fantastic and we will split it so there’s at least a few hours of undisturbed sleep for me, as long as I can bloody drop off! This is my second pregnancy and I was incredibly lucky to have no real sleep disturbances with my first, however this pregnancy has been horrendous with this awful lack of sleep.

Anybody else in/been in the same boat? As awful as it sounds it would be comforting to know there’s others out there going through it Xx

Me! I'm absolutely shattered. 30 weeks now and been struggling since the beginning.

I usually drop off alright, but then wake at 2:30 and that's that. Up at 6am with the toddler. It's exhausting.

I'm finding this pregnancy so much tougher than the last and like you I'm praying your doctor is right and it all clears up after delivery. I'll happily get up with the newborn if it means I can fall asleep afterwards.

I've tried phenergan but it makes me feel so low the next day it's not worth it. I still take one occasionally when I just can't cope any more.

Otherwise it reading and podcasts to keep me relaxed and resting in bed. Tonight was a particularly bad one, and I'm dreading work today!

By the way, I'm convinced this is more common than we realise, but people are less willing to talk about it than say morning sickness.

I am able to sleep just fine, but annoyingly keep waking 5am!!!! EVERY DAY! I am only 5 weeks pregnant.

Yes, although I don't have it as bad as you OP. In my last pregnancy I remember it got really bad towards the end and the three nights awake of labour/em CS and being in hospital nearly finished me off. The good news is though that it disappeared as soon as I got home with DS. I had about 6 hours (broken) of sleep and I felt amazing, like I could take on the world

This pregnancy like Honnibee I've been waking at about 2 and then drifting back off about 4/5. Toy was good as I woke at 4.45. I can live with that!

I don't know if you're into it but ASMR videos on YouTube really help me.

I kind of have it, waking up because of my other kids but then not able to fall back asleep kind of thing and only 4 weeks. How did the cbt go as a friend has insomnia and has been advised to have it too

I have it now since day 1
Actually that's one of the first symptoms of pregnancy for me. It happened with my first ds as well.
Up from 2.30-5 am every night

@Gratefulbeyond103 in the same boat. This is normally a symptom of impending AF for me, however once pregnant the insomnia continues until delivery. Up from around 2-5am swell.

Me! 19 weeks tomorrow and since I was 14 weeks I wake up 3 hours after I go to bed and can’t sleep again until 5 or 6 in the morning. Happens about 2 nights in 3. Told midwife at 16 week appointment and she was sympathetic but said it’s normal and just one of those things. I had no sleep problems before pregnancy - would fall asleep after 2 minutes and sleep through til morning.

Isn't it interesting how so many of us have a similar pattern of awake at 2/2:30 until about 5am. So bizarre!

snowflake and honni - I know it's so weird and awful at the same time. The problem is I'm so tired the next day.
Not sure if this is related but my ds is also a terrible sleeper.

Honnibee I’m with you on the second pregnancy being so much harder than the first - my pregnancy with DC1 was an absolute breeze! Hopefully the insomnia picks up for all of us.

Fortheloveofscience - to be fair at the first couple of midwife appointments after if started they were vague and saying it was normal for pregnancy etc. It was only at my 28 week one that DH came and explained how bad it had got that they referred me to the consultant,

Bobcut - my first session is tomorrow, I will report back on how it seems to be going.

Hope everyone has a better night tonight X

Hooray! I managed to get myself back to sleep last night so had a pretty decent night. It's amazing how much a bit of sleep can help. And it's my birthday today, at least I feel slightly better!

Let us know what you learn from CBT. I've done loads for depression and anxiety but not specifically sleep, so I'm interested to hear what is suggested.

Happy Birthday!

Last night my son woke me around 3am. And then I woke 4:40am and couldn’t get back to sleep! I will have to take a nap today for sure! So frustrating on why I keep waking early. I still feel tired when I wake, just not able to sleep.

Happy Birthday! 🎈🎈🎈
I managed to sleep from 2-8. I feel like a new person today! Will let you know how the CBT goes!

I totally sympathise had terrible insomnia through my first pregnancy and it started two weeks ago in this one. Cannot sleep between 2 and 5 either. The only thing that has helped is reflexology. The night after I sleep really well. Unfortunately only for one night though and it's a bloody expensive night sleep!

Me! I’m 22 weeks and haven’t had more than one (almost) decents nights sleep since week 5!! I work shifts so it’s been a real real struggle and I’m having to change up my work pattern to deal with it- it’s so tough on mental health as well- anyone else feel the anxiety as bedtime approaches that they won’t sleep (which in turn then makes it harder to sleep). Everytime I’ve mentioned it to the midwife or dr they just say it’s one of those pregnancy things- or say to try chamomile tea 🙄!! So if anyone has any tips that aren’t that, warm baths, lavender spray etc, please hit me up! And please keep us updated on the cbt- I’m thinking of mentioning it to the midwife at my 25 week appt as it’s really getting me down now. Feeling awful for you all that you are suffering but it is also nice to know it isn’t just me!!!!! X

Yes!!! I'm 28 weeks now and have been struggling with sleep for the last month or so. Either I wake up multiple times a night, or I wake up at 5am and can't go back to sleep again. Really frustrating, especially as I'm aware that when the baby comes, sleep will be a luxury!

Hello!
Sorry to hear there’s others that are suffering with it, but also find it weirdly comforting as it can be bloody lonely during the night!
I’ve literally just had my third CBT session and I am sleeping better (this may be a result of changing my tablets, I saw a consultant who agreed that the way I was sleeping was outside the realms of ‘normal side effect of pregnancy’.) The therapist has been helping to break the cycle of poor sleep and the negative thoughts that come with this and then the anxiety that follows, which has been a big part of the problem for me. So far I would recommend it - I feel I had to do something as it was getting worse and worse each week.

Other than that and the usual sleep hygiene stuff that’s already been mentioned my doctor has been prescribing me Avomine(promethazine) which is an anti histamines that they use sometimes to treat sickness in pregnancy and that tends to make me feel more sleepy. My main thing has been the anxiety about the not sleeping and doctors have been keen for me to be on anti anxiety tablets, I tried them for two weeks but they made my insomnia much worse.

Hope things pick up for everyone soon, I know how utterly miserable it can make you when you’re getting 2/3 hours a night. X

Ps - I’m with you when people mention herbal tea - I had had three nights of two hours sleep and rang the antenatal department after my GP said he was stumped and the midwife recommended Yorkshire Tea herbal brew 🙄 Not sure that’s what was going to tip me from 2 hours sleep to eight hours but I bought some anyway - alas it didn’t 🤣