Save my sanity and my relationship - help me sleep (sorry long and manic)

[bumperlicious]

Hi all
I'm 26 weeks pg and haven't had a full night's sleep in well, 26 weeks! But has got worse in the last month.

Reasons that I seem to be waking up:
Leg cramps
Can't breath through nose so v dry mouth
DH snoring
Hot and sweaty
No reason what so ever!
If I do actually sleep I wake up really early

Also not good at actually getting to sleep, especially if I wake up in the night.

Have bought a lavender pillow and relaxing bath bombs but still not much help. I'm also a terrible napper - if I actually get to sleep in the day I just wake up feeling worse.

It is causing me to row with DH (feel he is partly to blame due to snoring, which has only started recently), but also I have had to take the day off work today after a bad night, as last week with hormones and sleep deprivation I was grumpy, unprofessional and cried every day - mortifying! It is making me unable to deal with small things rationally and eating into my precious annual leave at work. Can anyone recommend anything????

poor you. in 14 weeks this bit will be over and you will be sleep deprived for a beautiful reason! hang in there...

Oh you poor thing.

I suffered with the cramps a lot in my pregnancy and what cured it for me was DH putting a pile of magazines under my side of the mattress, to raise my legs. Might be worth a try?

btw - i had restless leg syndrome too - drove me bonkers. Also used to get nose bleeds and blocked ears. The worst was constipation and indigestion. All completely disappeared the moment my son ws born! Unfortunately, now at 6 months the sleep deprivation is not much better

Bumper sounds like you're getting over anxious and anticipating a bad night therefore it happening. I do this a lot. Before having DD I exercised loads and I think it really helps at relaxing both body and mind. Try and go swimming, brisk walk and lots of deep breaths. It's probably a bit late to start yoga if you've never done it but you could practice some of the breathing techniques.

Can your DH give you a couple of nights with him sleeping elsewhere so you can relax ?

ah I remember this so well....in my last wks of pregnancy I became a real insomniac...I hardly slept at night. I was uncomfortable in bed but more than that my mind wouldn't switch off...I thought about EVERYTHING! Crazy I know when you are meant to be getting as much rest as possible, I couldn't help it though.

It sounds like you are doing the right things. My husband snores bad, I went to the spare room, there's nothing worse than lying awake listening to someone snore is there?!

Good Luck and try not to worry. This is only the begining of your sleep deprivation! xxxx

Hello Bumper, is there a cause for DH's snoring? Weightgain or stress perhaps? Mine has to relocate frequently at night to give me peace. Spare room or sofa? He shouldnt' mind, after all your discomfort is his discomfort.
I sleep propped up on a v-shaped pillow, or I wrap myself around it to get comfy. You can get them at John Lewis. Keep a packet of Gaviscon tablets by the bed.
I wonder if something like Karvol would be OK to use on your pillow to help breathing? Or good old Vicks vaporub?
Are you writing lists in your head at night and stressing?
Eat a light meal early on, have hot milk or horlicks then get an early night, comfy pjs (mine were the biggest source of discomfort, just bought new pg ones).

lots of fresh air? avoid heavy meals late?

Thanks for the tips. DH has had an ongoing cold which seems to have bought on the snoring. He has been sleeping in the spare room too but that just makes me feel a bit sad. I do have one of those V pillows, but found that it woke me up if I tried to turn over because I kind of pinned me down. Maybe I'll give it another go though.
Although I put it mostly down to physically not be able to sleep, or sleeping lightly, part of the problem is that I can't switch off at night. And when I do wake up in the night I just lay and fret about not sleeping, convinced that any minute I'll fall back asleep and if I get out of bed I will be even more awake.

I'm aware that it is only going to get worse when the baby is born, but not so worried about that because at least I won't have to go into work, which is part of the problem at the moment.

Does anyone have any mental techniques for switching off? I was never any good at meditation!

I like to lie in bed and fret about random and obscure things myself, so a book - nothing too serious - to switch off.
Yes, the sleep deprivation will get worse, but its a different sort of torture. I get incredibly frustrated at myself if I can't sleep or at DH for snoring.
How about relaxation or meditation CD?

foxy - ooh oooh yes! i got the natal hypnotherapy cd. fantastic! never heard beyond the first 10 mins - always conked out by then

nice warm bath, hot chocolate and a good book before bed. if i woke up and couldn't get back to sleep within 10 min or so i would just get up, go and read for a bit or watch crap tv (there is plenty of it overnight) and then was much easier to get back to sleep after. if you have restless legs it would be worth checking your red cell count/iron levels with your midwife as iron deficiency can be a cause of this. hth p.s enjoy your mat leave - would recommend taking as much as you can before the big day - you will never get another chance and your lo might come 3 weeks early like mine!

I use this technique most nights. It really helps to focus the mind on one thing rather than letting it ramble (which mine often does) Starting at A list every girls name you can think of and then go through the alphabet and then do boys names. Honestly I rarely get past C or D.