Postnatal insomnia

[Saz231]

Please help I have a 11 week old baby and 3 weeks ago tested positive for covid .
Due to breathing difficulties and all round worry I have suddenly developed chronic insomnia like my body is scared to sleep.
I have been averaging 1-2 hours sleep if I’m lucky , every time I try to sleep my body jolts me awake . The doctors just want to give me sleeping tablets which haves helped an odd night but it’s the only way my body lets me sleep.
I’m so scared and confused I don’t know how my body has carried on so long without sleep and I’m no use to my kids at all I just shake all the time and get out of breath doing the smallest of tasks!
Has anybody ever experienced anything like this ??

Yes!!! God it’s the worst thing ever. I got to the point where my kid was sleeping 5’hour stretches and I couldn’t fall asleep.

I would have a very strict nighttime routine for yourself, downtime, no screens before bed, reading before bed: I recommend occasionally taking a nytol once a night for 3 nights in a row to try and get back into a routine. If after 15
Min of lying down you aren’t asleep I would get Up doing something calming and then go back to bed.

I feel for you, it’s terrible. But I’m now totally better.

How long did it take for you to get better ? I’ve had to have zopliclone sleeping pills for the past 3 nights just to get some sleep but know that’s not answer . It’s so hard having a newborn and a toddler living off no sleep for days on end .

Well I don’t want to lie but mine only got better when I got pregnant again... I think it was a hormonal imbalance in hindsight.

Are you breastfeeding? Because if not, I would recommend nytol once a night- helped me way more than the prescribed pills given.

Yes it’s tough, I called 111 one day at 4am as I was so desperate, I feel for you. It will pass though