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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

Did anybody get more sleep with a newborn than 3rd trimester? Finding so hard

32 replies

Barleylife · 15/12/2021 16:54

37 weeks & not sleeping more than hour at a time - really affecting me physically & mentally. I can’t imagine this getting even worse post partum

Have heard magical myths of women feeling actually more rested after birth as they sleep more even with a newborn - anyone had this happen ? Feel like I’m going out of my mind

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Pigletting · 15/12/2021 17:00

Yes. I get less hours of sleep with newborn but the sleep is much better quality so overall less tired 😊

Catabogus · 15/12/2021 17:03

Hell no. Sorry! My sleep pre-partum was much better than yours though, so maybe that makes a difference.

Chely · 15/12/2021 17:04

I feel you, I was a terrible sleeper in the last month or so of pregnancy, even longer with our twins.
Not great sleep wise in the 1st few weeks but it does improve slowly, our was feeding every couple of hours at 1st and would only sleep on me at night. By 6wk she could do 6 hour stint and now 4mth can go up to 11 hours in her cot-bed. She's really chilled in general so we're pretty lucky, good job as we have 5 older ones. We've had not so good sleepers before and it is hard but it doesn't last forever.

Good luck, keep your fingers crossed you get a good sleeper.

allfurcoatnoknickers · 15/12/2021 17:04

Yes! I has terrible insomnia when I was pregnant - I was wired all the time like I'd been drinking redbull all day (I hadn't been).

When DS arrived I was so well rested, it was lovely. He was a good sleeper anyway, and even at first he slept in 3 hour chunks, so I got a good 8 hours ta night - just not all at once.

MustStopSnacking28 · 15/12/2021 17:04

Agree with @Pigletting - less sleep overall but better quality!

sineadteh · 15/12/2021 17:09

When pregnant I got up to pee constantly.

With my ds, he sleeps in bed with me. Even if I get up I go back to sleep easily. Must be the hormones.

ladygindiva · 15/12/2021 17:11

Yes with Dc1. She was a good sleeper, slept in 3 to 4 hour chunks from day 1. Just not always at night 🤣

TheHungriestMama · 15/12/2021 17:20

I slept horrifically third tri, a lot of pain, slept okay in the newborn phase and at least I wasn't in pain all night!

Regressions are hell though!

Dunnowhatalltheacronymsmean · 15/12/2021 17:25

You definitely get better quality sleep. Hopefully you'll have a baby that sleeps in nice long chunks. By long I mean 3-4 hours. Then you can get some good naps in. Almost there now! Good luck. And don't waste time that your baby is asleep watching/checking they're breathing like I did!

PissedOffNeighbour22 · 15/12/2021 17:37

I'm having the same issue. This is my second baby and I never regained control of my sleep after the first birth. I barely sleep and didn't think it could get any worse until these last few weeks. I'm 31wks now and I cannot wait to go on maternity leave in the hope that not thinking about work might improve my sleep. I doubt it though.

With my first I assumed I would sleep better after the birth but even though the baby slept ok, I only ever seemed to start nodding off just before she woke up and screamed. I can't see it being any better second time around.

AnonymousXXIX · 15/12/2021 17:38

I've been wondering the same this week! While a baby will wake you up, at least you can lay on any side without pain/heartburn/being kicked and go back to sleep, right? ..?!!

EmpressCixi · 15/12/2021 17:42

I think everyone is different. I slept better pregnant than post partum. But I did not sleep well for both either. I had to sleep semi-reclined due to the acid reflux and discomfort, pressure on my chest when pregnant. This then had me waking up every hour or so with a crick in my neck. It was very uncomfortable. But after my DD was born, while I was more comfortable and could sleep at the drop of a hat, she kept me up when I wanted sleep the most! I remember early days going out in the car...I’d fall asleep instantly and DH would drive us all to the park and then wake me and baby up for our walk. I learned to cat nap when she was a newborn.

jamsandwich1 · 15/12/2021 17:56

This happened with my second! I had the worst pregnancy insomnia and I just could not get to sleep until about 4am then was up with my 18mo from 6am every day.
I actually felt just as tired with a newborn than I did when pregnant.

RobinPenguins · 15/12/2021 17:57

Lol no, I wish. I had an easy pregnancy though so ymmv.

Barksmum12 · 15/12/2021 18:01

Yes! 2nd pregnancy I was in constant pain from 24+ weeks. Having a newborn was a dream. (But both of mine were good sleepers)

Changemaname1 · 15/12/2021 18:06

Yes ! Ds woke every 3-4 hours for a feed but in between I would fall straight back to sleep plus no rush to be up in the mornings either

3rd trimester insomnia was awful

Infact since I have insomnia now I was more well rested with a newborn than I am now

T0rt0ise · 15/12/2021 18:59

Yup! Slept far better with both my son and now my daughter (3 weeks old) than I did in the third trimester in either pregnancy.

Minster2012 · 15/12/2021 20:15

DS was a fab baby who only wanted to sleep most of the time so yes it can def happen. Of course it means we are now due a sleep demon as karma comes to find us (17 weeks pg)

kitkatsky · 15/12/2021 20:18

Um well.... a bit of a mixed bag tbh. The sleep I got with a newborn was deeper and more comfortable but there was far less and I was awake loads more, so I felt better rested after a half an hour nap, but that might be all the sleep I got in a 12h period...

firstimemamma · 15/12/2021 20:22

I think the thing that was hard for me wasn't the amount of sleep as such but just the being on call 24/7 and adjusting to that. When I couldn't sleep in my 3rd trimester I could lie awake but not have to do anything / just rest / take it easy the next day etc. When I couldn't sleep with a baby it was never ending feeding, dealing with 2am poo explosions, nappies, settling, winding. It was hard.

Will be doing it all again with baby number 2 soon!

NeurologicallySpeaking · 15/12/2021 20:40

Baby number 1 - couldn't sleep in 3rd trimester. Baby had bad reflux and wailed all night. It was hell. Baby number 2 - couldn't sleep in 3rd trimester. Baby slept beautifully from day 1 - in fact so well that she slept through feed time and we had to wake her up

DrCoconut · 15/12/2021 20:49

I got more sleep after my younger two were born. I had third trimester insomnia too and it was awful. I was never asleep before 4am and up for starting work at 9.

soughsigh · 15/12/2021 21:03

Yep, I feel less tired in the fourth trimester than the third. I had horrific pregnancy insomnia and was awake for hours in the night, but DD gives me a 4hr stint then a 2hr stint of sleep.

ElbowsandArses · 15/12/2021 21:14

Slept better with newborns than in the last trimester of pregnancy both times (and had twins second time). I hated being pregnant and felt much better after babes were born. Good luck.

Whereland · 15/12/2021 21:15

Yep I have a three week old and I'm sleeping more now than I did for the last month of pregnancy. I was so uncomfortable and lay awake for hours. Whereas now I'm getting sleep between feeds and don't feel as exhausted as I did a few weeks ago. Hang in there!

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