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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

no sleep!!!!!!!!

61 replies

mellymooks · 14/09/2007 12:19

I am starting to lose the plot, have just had full week of rubbish sleep (I'm 28 wks with my first) I go off fine, but then wake up about 2am and just lie there, nothing I do seems to work I've tried lavender and pillows between my knees, baths, hot milk, music, getting up, not getting up, but I just seem to end up spiralling off in my mind, worry about everything and just get really frustrated that I'm not asleep!!!! I know that it's probabaly only gonna get worse when the baby actually arrives, and I'm so worried i won't be able to cope as I seem to be cracking after only a week of disrupted sleep.

OP posts:
ConnorTraceptive · 16/09/2007 19:03

17 weeks and also a non sleeper. Takes ages to fall asleep and wake up 2 or 3 times in the night. Dh also in spare room.

have been trying to catch afternoon naps when ds does but just lie there wide awake. I used to be a real talent at daytime sleeping!

Was going to go to the docs tomorrow as i'm getting bad headaches in the night now.

sarahloumadam · 16/09/2007 19:39

I haven't any words of wisdom really just lots of sympathy - some mornings its a relief to get out of bed even when I feel knackered because its so bloomin uncomfortable. Lots of wide-awake a 3a.m. experiences too. However, have told DH that lovely foot-massage with lotion before bed helps me to sleep .

CHOCOLATEPEANUT · 16/09/2007 21:12

sleep?

whats that???

I am due 1st Dec.Feel constantly knackered (got spd and anaemic)Go to bed after bath,warm milk and lavender squirted everywhere and am sat staring at wall all night listening to dh snore.

Was so tired today that almost fell asleep in church [blush}

11 weeks to go,11 weeks to go......

PregnantGrrrl · 16/09/2007 21:45

looks like i'm in for another night of sleeplessness...DS looks like he's going to be a nightmare. And i have work tomorrow

missbumpy · 17/09/2007 00:13

Thanks for tips susiemj and melly. I slept better last night (DP slept on sofa and I basically spread pillows all over the bed and slept on a bed of pillows). I'll try the tennis ball trick. Not sure I could sleep half sitting though.

Hope you all sleep well tonight.

beansprout · 17/09/2007 03:51

Have been awake since 1.30, ds will be up in about an hour (!) and I have work today.

I think this may just be the day I go mad...!

Jobi1 · 19/09/2007 11:13

I missed this thread, am very new to mumsnet, and started another one today, so apologies. I am 30 weeks and its a relief to read that I'm not the only one! I'm so tired, am reduced to tears at the slightest thing. I can't sleep sitting up cos my lower back sort of siezes up. Lying down kills my hips and pelvis, as someone else said sometimes its a relief to get even if I am exhausted! Another 10 weeks of this!

Original poster
mellymooks · 19/09/2007 12:09

Hi Jobi1 and welcome, it's so awful isn't it?
I'm counting the days until I finish work so that I can try and sleep wheneva I can rather than feeling like I HAVE to sleep at night because of work (i'm sure that makes it worse)

I'm hoping for a home birth too, thinking about getting a pool in a box but still undecided.
Hang in there and keep checking this site, I only signed up about 2 weeks ago and have found it invaluable.

OP posts:
Jobi1 · 19/09/2007 13:36

Hi mellymooks and thanks.

Truly awful, I can't wait til I finish up and can just relax a bit more. We are in the process of moving house too, although not got completion dates yet, which doesn't help.

Glad I'm not the only first timer wanting a home birth! A lot of people seem think I'm mad!! We haven't decided either about the pool, but it looks like good value just to buy one.

Thanks again.

AnneToo · 19/09/2007 16:57

Why is it so much easier to sleep on the sofa in front of a house show than it is in bed? 37 weeks in and counting......

Original poster
mellymooks · 19/09/2007 20:42

Hi Jobi1, I've just seen my midwife today and she is in total support of me wanting a homebirth and in using a pool, though she pointed out that the temp. of the water needs to be maintained so it means your birth partner would have to do that. So I'm still no closer to a decision!!!
Hope your house move gets sorted before the baby comes, when's your actual due date? I'm due 7/12.
We moved a few months back and still have loads of boxes everywhere!
Hope you manage to get a bit of sleep tonight.

OP posts:
Jobi1 · 20/09/2007 09:19

Morning melly and all, I had another really awful night, my eyeballs are sore today! I'm already dreading that wall I'm going to hit after lunch. How are you?

Re the pool thing, I've heard cooler at the beginning and warmer later on is good, although not sure how you achieve that! I think some come with a pump to maintain temperature. From what I've read though, well worth whatever effort they take I think.

We are hoping for some news today re the house move, it may be next week but who knows. We've packed nothing yet! I just can't wait for it to be over. We have totally outgrown our flat, have virtually no baby stuff and our neighbours are driving us mad. I hope our buyer is a bit deaf or less irritable than me!

Anyway, fingers crossed it'll be sorted soon. I'm 30 + 2, due 27/11.

AHMummy · 20/09/2007 20:28

Hi All,

I couldnt sleep at night during pregnancy (both with DS aged 4.5 and DD aged 2.5) so you all have my total sympathy.

I'm sure you've all had a bucket full of advice but here's mine for what its worth. Towards end of first pregnancy, a midwife suggested a midnight snack of a bowl of cereal. Not a popular idea as I wasn't hungry then and didn't want to get out of a nice warm bed but it worked so brilliantly I kept it up until DS arrived - and had to do it again for 2nd pregnancy.

I hope this might help someone - good luck to all of you!

Original poster
mellymooks · 20/09/2007 20:44

Hi Jobi1, sorry to hear you had another awful night, I had such a manic day at work yesterday I actually slept better as I must have worn myself out totally, so much to finish up before I leave it's just crazy. Thanks for the tips on the pool.
I have tried eating a bowl of ready brek about an hour before I go to bed I think it may help a bit, as it's warm milk and a bit of slow release sustenance which I think stops me from waking up just cause I'm hungry. Of course it doesn't help with waking up cause I need a wee, the baby is kicking, my back/legs/hips are aching etc, but I guess that would just be too much to ask!!!
Hoep you hear something on the move soon xxxx

OP posts:
flimflammum · 20/09/2007 20:49

Me too! I can usually get to sleep alright but once I've woken up in the night because of restless legs/hot sweats/aching hips/DS1 waking up, I often lie awake for hours. I'm now 34 weeks and have found a few things that help:

For restless legs, take vitamin/mineral supplements religiously - think it might be iron deficiency that triggers it for me.

For racing thoughts/worrying about the birth, etc, take a few deep breaths then try going through something quite boring in your mind that needs concentration, e.g. think of a singer or band for every letter of the alphabet.

But for me what's really made a difference is herbal tea. I asked a herbalist what you can take for insomnia during pregnancy and she said limeflower tea, so I've been drinking Dr Stuart's Tranquillity tea the last three or four evenings before bed, and I've slept much better than before.

Hope some of this helps - it's absolute torture when you know you're already sleep-deprived and you just can't get back to sleep. Hang in there! At least with a newborn, if you're breastfeeding in the night, the hormones actually make you more sleepy, so you can drop off again easily (that's what I found with DS1 anyway).

Good luck! (apologies for the long post)

zulubump · 21/09/2007 06:08

I've just joined mumsnet at nearly 6am having been awake since around 4am! I decided to get out of bed and play with our new computer rather than lying there feeling frustrated! Am nearly 36 weeks pregnant and it's been reassuring to read everyone's messages on this thread. I've never had sleepless nights before, so the effects of sleep deprivation have come as a bit of a shock. Spent the whole of Monday crying on and off after a particularly bad night.

I like the sound of the herbal tea suggestion, will try some tranquility tea. I'm also hoping for a home birth, so it was nice to hear that there are some other first time mums out there planning the same thing.

Now what to do? Go back to bed and hope for sleep or more surfing the net? THis could get addictive I think!

betsycoe · 21/09/2007 06:12

Hi Zulu,
I'm also up!

I'm having my first baby at home too.... right now!

Labour started a 6 hours ago. Anyone want to keep me occupied until the pool fills up?

zulubump · 21/09/2007 06:32

Wow! Good luck! Keep us posted (if you can).

primigravida · 21/09/2007 07:28

Hi everyone, I'm 36 weeks pregnant (also hoping for a homebirth) and have been having trouble sleeping. I noticed recently that I always sleep really well (apart from mandatory toilet visits) on the day I have aquanatal as my body is even more tired then, so I've been trying to force myself to go for walks everyday or do some sort of exercise as it really helps with the sleep even though all I feel like doing is lounging on the couch during the day. Good luck everyone and thanks for all the other tips that people have posted.

ccpink · 21/09/2007 09:12

add me to the gang. I'm 39 + 3 and really struggling. Like many others can do about 3hrs until 3 then that's it and left shattered. Hormones seem to be getting stronger and could cry at anything.
Very of you Betsycoe!!!

Jobi1 · 21/09/2007 11:32

Sleeplessness and first timers planning home births - its good to know we're not alone eh?

Betsycoe, how are you doing?!?!

Original poster
mellymooks · 21/09/2007 21:57

oooh thanks for tips on the tea will def. try that.
Hope all is well with you betsycoe, you'll have to fill us in on how the home birth/pool experience was when you get a chance ......
Here's wishing you all a restful night (well I can but hope eh?!)

OP posts:
loopyredangel · 21/09/2007 23:13

I'll tell you what gets me back to sleep, a bit boring but puzzle books!

zulubump · 22/09/2007 21:37

After waking up for a wee last night my mind started, of it's own accord, making calculations of how much a set of washable nappies was going to cost me and worrying about how many sets of waterproof wraps I'd need. So to shut it up I tried flimflammum's tip of thinking of a band for every letter of the alphabet. I got as far as 'o' and couldn't think of a band for this letter, but then fell asleep, hurrah!! Thanks for that idea. I'll probably get through the rest of the alphabet tonight!

cupcake78 · 23/09/2007 01:20

Now 39+6 and have not been sleeping since I can remember when. Usually like the rest of you wake at 2 and not able to sleep again till 6 if I'm lucky. If I nap during the day - like today then thats it. Tonight I have managed 1 whole hour WOW!! and I get the feeling that will be my lot.

It is so very common and I hate to say it but I am now starting to get used to it. It is easier once you have given up work.

Hoping it will help when (IF) I do finally have this baby.