Insomnia while weaning

MoonBears · 2023-12-22T11:37:43+00:00

Hi everyone! I was wondering if anyone had any tips on the subject or any shared experiences. I'm currently weaning and struggling with insomnia. My sleep has been gradually getting worse to the point where I had 30 minutes of sleep one evening. I went to the pharmacy and got some Sleepeaze tablets which do help me to sleep for longer but I can't sleep longer then an hour without them. I think I have now developed some anxiety about not being able to get back to sleep which I know doesn't help. I'm worried about taking the the tablets long term though I know it's just an antihistamine I don't want to develop a reliance on them! I did go to the doctors and they said that it was a blip and to continue with the tablets. Didn't have any further advice though I'm not sure what I was expecting to be honest. Anyone had anything that has worked for them? If you experienced insomnia like this too did it improve over time? Thanks so much!

101Nutella · 30/12/2023 04:18

Not the same but my sleep PP has been all over the place when feeding. I find the fluctuations of hormones make me too hot or cold. Then if I can’t sleep I worry that I’m missing out etc.

so I’ve tried to make sure my environment is as good as possible and I sleep some of the night in the spare room so I can switch off. I find when sleeping in the same room I can’t switch off. I’m constantly expecting to be woken by the baby so I feel pressure to sleep quickly.

I listen to podcasts to sleep and wear an eye mask. I focus on keeping cool enough and knowing that if I can’t sleep then resting whilst listening to something is still a break . I find that attitude takes the pressure off achieving sleep.

Nicola8787 · 29/01/2024 22:08

Did this get any better for you? Fully weaned 18 days ago and having to rely on zopiclone. Also happened when I was dropping feeds

Springadorable · 01/07/2024 23:04

@Nicola8787 @MoonBears did you make any progress? Currently wide awake having weaned last week and know I've got another long day ahead of me...

Nicola8787 · 02/07/2024 07:34

Hello, yes it did but took a while. Found the problem seemed to be worse 2 days before period. I would have entire nights awake and not even feel sleepy.
Ended up going on sertraline which helped and was taking zopiclone on and off which was a life saver. Also saw a women’s health GP and started taking HRT to boost oestrogen levels which I’m still on. What’s your insomnia like at the moment?

Springadorable · 02/07/2024 12:16

Nicola8787 · 02/07/2024 07:34

Hello, yes it did but took a while. Found the problem seemed to be worse 2 days before period. I would have entire nights awake and not even feel sleepy.
Ended up going on sertraline which helped and was taking zopiclone on and off which was a life saver. Also saw a women’s health GP and started taking HRT to boost oestrogen levels which I’m still on. What’s your insomnia like at the moment?

Thank you, that's really helpful. Well I go to bed at about 8.30pm because neither child sleeps well and I'm shattered all day, and then last night I lay awake until midnight. Then woke regularly (in addition to children waking) until 5am when I was properly awake. Except I don't want to be awake, I'm so tired!

Nicola8787 · 02/07/2024 12:17

When did you wean? Did you get this with your other child? It was so bad for me it’s put me off having more children!

Springadorable · 02/07/2024 19:13

Nicola8787 · 02/07/2024 12:17

When did you wean? Did you get this with your other child? It was so bad for me it’s put me off having more children!

She's thirteen months now and weaned about two weeks ago. Didn't get it with my first but I got pregnant pretty much immediately after weaning so I guess my hormones were boosted/out of whack in a different way...

Nicola8787 · 02/07/2024 19:31

How strange , It was always around 2 weeks after night weaning then after fully weaning it started for me too. Just be reassured it’s transient

CoralRaven · 09/06/2025 07:32

This is an old thread but is anyone still on here who can tell me if their sleep has improved over time? If so, what helped or did it improve on its own? Since gradually weaning my sleep has been awful! Last night was particularly bad and it took me nearly 5 hours to fall into a deep sleep then I woke again after a couple of hours

Pelvicpaininthebum · 12/06/2025 10:47

CoralRaven · 09/06/2025 07:32

This is an old thread but is anyone still on here who can tell me if their sleep has improved over time? If so, what helped or did it improve on its own? Since gradually weaning my sleep has been awful! Last night was particularly bad and it took me nearly 5 hours to fall into a deep sleep then I woke again after a couple of hours

@CoralRaven I've found this thread when looking up insomnia and weaning.

My situation is unique in that I was BC my 18 month old when I had an ovarian cyst burst which I think caused a hormone crash which caused my DS to feed less and therefore my hormones crashed more. I had panic attacks, anxiety, thirst and a raised heart rate. All of these things led to me not sleeping. A couple of weeks on everything has calmed a bit though I'm now on Mirtazepine and bisoprolol. I still couldn't sleep last night and resorted to a lorazepam after midnight.

I'm much less anxious now and no more panic attacks but I'm worried these might reoccur if I don't sleep.

What's been happening with you?

Pelvicpaininthebum · 12/06/2025 11:06

Pelvicpaininthebum · 12/06/2025 10:47

@CoralRaven I've found this thread when looking up insomnia and weaning.

My situation is unique in that I was BC my 18 month old when I had an ovarian cyst burst which I think caused a hormone crash which caused my DS to feed less and therefore my hormones crashed more. I had panic attacks, anxiety, thirst and a raised heart rate. All of these things led to me not sleeping. A couple of weeks on everything has calmed a bit though I'm now on Mirtazepine and bisoprolol. I still couldn't sleep last night and resorted to a lorazepam after midnight.

I'm much less anxious now and no more panic attacks but I'm worried these might reoccur if I don't sleep.

What's been happening with you?

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*should say I was breastfeeding my 18 month old. I've now completely weaned him the last 6 days.