Waking very early

[ticktackted]

I'm 13 weeks, and before pregnancy and for most of the first trimester I was not ever a morning person. I would sleep until about 10am with no alarm, and that's always been my body clock. The last couple of weeks, I've woken between 4-6 and not been able to get back to sleep! My friend suggested low blood sugar, so this morning I tried having a snack but that woke me up more, and made me feel really hungry when I didn't before. I'm still working out of the house (but less public facing than usual) so can't nap most days, although I'm exhausted all afternoon.

Anyone got any tips? When I wake up I don't feel tired - but later in the day I feel exhausted. Part of me feels like it's good practice for baby - but mostly I would like more sleep while I have the chance!

It's because of hormone changes. No advice really apart from take a nap if you get the chance to!

@MsChatterbox thank you! In your experience did it settle later in pregnancy? I am usually home not long after 5, maybe I'll try to nap then.

I had to get up between 4.30-6 for years as I commuted so far to get my degree & it was SO hard with my body clock - now I could sleep until 8 and I can't ahh, irony.

I like to think that it's your body getting you ready for when baby arrives.

No real advice but I feel your pain. If you can't nap due to work, maybe just try getting to bed super early for you're still getting your 8 hours.

And congratulations!

So you're* not for!

For me it did but then it was replaced with waking due to sore hips, heartburn and needing to pee. I'm not sure why anyone says enjoy your sleep before the baby comes!! Like pp said try to go to bed earlier if you can. My son now wakes at 5 (well thats a good time, sometimes it's 4 lol!) so I make sure I'm asleep by 8:30 every night. When he was a newborn I went to sleep with him at 6!!

@JuniorMumto1 thank you! Yes it kind of feels like that's what it is bit cruel when I'm keeping my caffeine intake low, but there we go. I am going to bed earlier - but it's really difficult for me to fall asleep early because apparently I'm still fundamentally a night owl when I had to get up at 4 for an 8 week placement, I still struggled to be asleep before 11, and caught up at the weekends. I think I'll have to accept it & fit an early evening nap in!

@MsChatterbox ahh well, I'll have a sleep when my kid is a teenager I've got gaviscon by the bed & a pregnancy pillow coming this week so hopefully I can see off some problems before they arise!

No advice but I feel your pain. I’m 35 weeks pregnant with second child and suffered pregsomnia all the way through both.

I went to bed at 10 last night, laid awake 1.30-4.30 and am now awake already whilst my toddler is still sleeping.

Tiredness is awful but I try and see it as good preparation for when the baby comes.

34 weeks and up since 4.30am for me 😝 working from home at the moment and start maternity leave this week anyway so I just nap when I feel like it throughout the day, and as pp, I'm seeing it as my body preparing for those night feeds! I've found it comes and goes in waves, a couple of weeks ago about 5 nights in a row I was up at 3.30am, then it stopped, now it's back 🤷🏻‍♀️

@ticktackted

You've exactly the same routine I used to have pre-dc. You do eventually adjust your body clock whether naturally or through force 😉

I also find now that I cope quite happily on a lot less sleep than I used to. If I lost a few hours before it would ruin my day but now I don't even consider it. How times change!

yep I'm a 4.30am-er these days! Almost 37 weeks now. I fall asleep immediately and quite early like 10pm but in between getting up 3 times to pee and tossing and turning (not easy with a huge bump) 4.30 seems to be the time for me to wake up at the moment! :(

I’m only 5 weeks but since 2 weeks i keep waking up like clockwork between 5:30/6:30am, it is so frustrating!!! Any tips welcome.

Thank you all - if nothing else it's nice to know it's normal!

I actually dozed off for an hr again at 7, which I don't normally. That helped!

If it wasn't for covid I'd be doing 12hr shifts on my feet & tbh I don't know if I could, so tiny pandemic blessing there!

I like the suggestion of its your body preparing.

Ever since I got bfp I have woken up in mornings with what I can only describe as new mum alert! I'm shattered but I'm wide awake on high alert.. Then i end up napping all day
Think it's just hormones, have you tried listening to a podcast, reading or a warm drink? All those easily send me to sleep again

If you’re planning to do hypnobirthing, it’s worth just searching on YouTube Katherine Graves and start listening to her scripts. I’ve found it’s the only thing that will send me back to sleep.

@Dingdongthewitchisbread ooo I am actually planning to, excellent suggestion!

This is the beginning of the end I'm afraid - life really doesn't get better until ur little bubba is about 6-12months old.

I had disturbed sleep every night from 6w pregnant to when my ds was 11months old.

Sleep deprived is the new norm

@NChangeForNoReason I'm fully expecting it with a baby - I'll be exclusively breastfeeding so every night feed is on me! But, I won't be working - that will be my job for a year. Would be much easier while I am still working if I could get a bit more sleep, especially as there's nothing obviously waking me up!