Pregnancy insomnia :(

[Wishbub]

It's quarter past three and yet again I'm completely unable to sleep. This pregnancy I've been wracked with insomnia, now at 28 weeks and I'm getting to the end of my tether.
Any suggestions welcome, I've mentioned it to my GP and midwife but they didn't offer any help.

Oh god pregnancy insomnia is the worst!! It’s such a cruel joke. I don’t think I ever found a solution. Is this your first? Can you catch up during the day?

Agree, it's so incredibly frustrating and endless. Anyone I tell about it says its preparing me for having a newborn...
This is my second pregnancy, I don't remember having this at all first time around. Plus I've now got a small child to run around after who doesn't sleep past 6am.

Oh people are such arseholes with that comment!! I was convinced I got more sleep with my first after he was born! No insomnia and no baby bump to navigate. And yes the second is so much worse because of the toddler… you have my sympathy, it’s just an awful time. I think the best thing you can do is just have a solid bedtime routine with as much calm down as possible.

Thanks, it's somewhat comforting to know other people have been through this and survived. Just hoping the insomnia ends once LO is born...

I'm awake too. Manage to sleep a couple of hours then I'm up again, aching back, needing a wee etc.
Oh and I blew my nose just and actually pissed myself 😳

In a middle of the night, moment of desperation I bought some “Really Works - deep sleep pillow spray” used it for the first time last night and I wouldn’t say it was a miracle cure but I didn’t lie awake for hours on end!

I had it really bad with both mine. I also had horrific heartburn which made it 10 times worse. Had to 'sleep' propped up.

My eldest was still napping when I was pregnant with DC2 so I would try to nap then as well.

Birth was a real relief after so little sleep.

Delivery resolves the issue. But then you have a newborn...

Once mine was past the waking stage I hit peri menopause which gave me... insomnia. My daughter is now 8 and I haven't had a decent night's sleep since conception.

Currently 27 weeks with DC4. I’m awake from 2:30am most nights. Have had insomnia throughout all my pregnancies…so if you find a cure, please let me know! It’s absolutely exhausting. It does resolve once baby is born but then you are up to feed every few hours. I am a bit of a worrier in life so have regular bouts of insomnia anyway. Sorry I can’t offer any advice, but you are not alone.

OP I had insomnia with my previous pregnancy which ended in a miscarriage, pushing me into bad anxiety and insomnia for 6 or so more months. I tried so many things including herbs, accupuncture, breading, meditation etc etc. I was desperate as I was sleeping 2-4 hours most nights. Then I came across CBT for insomnia (CBTI) which is actually therapeutically proven to be the most effective tool we have for insomnia these days. I never did any therapy per se - there are plenty of resources online if you search for CBTI, but its 3 core principles are: 1) only going to sleep when you’re very sleepy (not just exhausted, sleepy) 2) getting up if you can’t sleep for a long time - so that you don’t lie in bed for hours trying to sleep and getting anxious and frustrated 3) gradually letting go of all the worries around sleep which are feeding the insomnia. In pregnancy a lot of it is obviously physiological to start with but it’s really the frustration and worry around sleep that makes it much worse. I’m sleeping way better in my current pregnancy with the CBTI - and again you’ll find all of it on YouTube/just googling. Best of luck x

Thank you all 👍I read about some CBT exercises online earlier and I've found out some pillow spray, so wish me luck!

Good luck OP! I have the same problem - currently waiting until I feel tired enough to fall asleep straight away. To those who spout crap about this being 'nature's way' of preparing me for having a newborn, I always ask why it wouldn't be better for the newborn to start life with a mother who feels decently rested and well.

Does anyone’s insomnia include literally not falling asleep at all? My last pregnancy with my Son was a breeze, this one (expecting a girl…. People keep telling me this makes a difference…) is like a whole new ball game. I have always been an excellent sleeper with very few issues but I am now 27 weeks and insomnia has hit with a vengeance - I am literally not getting to sleep at all - but strangely (and I am finding this unsettling) I am not waking up exhausted …. I wish I was, I’ve been waiting for exhaustion to take over and knock me out.

Watch your iron intake (make sure to have enough) and carbs later in the day.

It will pass my baby is 8 months old and fall asleep as my head touches the pillow now

Thank you, seems to help knowing your not going through it alone. I hate the anxious feeling that’s wrapped up in it all and my head can’t figure out if the anxiety is keeping me awake (although I’ve been feeling pretty relaxed at bed time) or if the lack of sleep is making me anxious 🤦‍♀️.

I definitely got more sleep once my second arrived. It's so cruel!