Anxiety

[AJKmummy]

I'm currently 19+2 weeks pregnant, I've not slept at night for weeks now and it's affecting my mental health. I can stay awake all day yet I'm up all night sometimes it's accompanied with severe anxiety but not all the time. I've tried to get in with the doctor yet they've put me in for meds review with pharmacist yet I'm not prescribed any anxiety medication anyway?. I have to work and sometimes they're 13 hr shifts and I'm struggling to do it with no sleep. I can sleep in the day a few hours at a time but this isn't really easy as I have toddlers and again work. What can I do? It's affecting everything about me. I just want sleep

I’m right there with you. I’ve always had issues with sleep but pregnancy has definitely ramped up my insomnia which is most likely the body’s way of preparing for nights with a newborn.

My advice would be to contact your GP and ask them to give you a sedative that is allowed in pregnancy to help you sleep at night or perhaps you can ask your doctor if you can use melatonin which is a natural sleep aid, they would be able to prescribe these for you. I think the anxiety is probably tied in with the lack of sleep and working long hours, if you was able to get some sleep, perhaps your anxiety would be reduced which is why I definitely recommend asking your doctor for melatonin which has been really helpful to me with temporary sleep aid and there are no side effects from relatively short term use.

Sending you a big hug and handhold! 💐

I am in exactly the same situation as you. I currently work a full time job and I have a 2 year old. My anxiety is so bad that I can't sleep at night and I am struggling to nap in the day (I also suffer with panic disorder). My feel like I am going insane and the feelings are just horrendous.

I am going to get signed off work, I would suggest you do the same. Never taken meds, I don't like to take meds but I have just started taking magnesium which apparently is amazing for anxiety and sleep! Also try and go for a walk in the afternoon/ evening, fresh air can help with sleep.

Please do not suffer in silence. You can also speak with your midwife. They take mental health (hate to use that term!) and pregnancy very seriously x

Forgot to mention I am currently 13 weeks pregnant and it has been an awful experience so far! :(