Thread: insomnia is killing me

i don't know what to do about my insomnia. it has gotten worse and worse. i only sleep about 3-4 hours per night and that sleep is broken up into 40 minute segments.

i have been up since 2:30 this morning. i brought the computer into bed at 4:30 and then just decided to get up for the day at 5:30. lying there was not helping anything. i ended up crying about how my mother in law said i looked huge and how my father in law said our next child will probably be a hellraiser since our first is so good.

i have never experienced insomnia like this before. it's been going on for weeks. i feel like i have tried to remedy it but nothing helps. i've used relaxation/affirmation cds, benadryl, reading, etc. i told my midwife about it and she suggested i get a body pillow. that's done nothing except make me more uncomfortable.

i feel so depressed about it because i know i won't be sleeping at all for the first three months after baby comes. why can't i sleep at all now? i'm wondering if i should see an accupuncturist? anyone else have insomnia like this?

*hugs*. i'm so sorry to hear that you can't sleep. i couldn't sleep at all the first 2 trimesters and now surprisingly i do, with the exception of some bad nights.
i know its hard not to let things get to you when you are uncomfortable and emotional but don't read too much into what your in-laws said - i just saw your picture in the belly thread and thought to myself how beautiful you look, NOT huge - and how much i love your hair!
i hope that your father in law doesn't say that around the new babe, im a firm believer in the power of suggestion and the word and the new baby doesn't need to be exposed to a negative set up like that. if your first child is well behaved its because they have great example ahead of them, that means your new baby will too!

i think accupuncture is a good idea, why not give it a shot, kup! hope you feel better <3

I can relate to this so much from my pregnancy with DD. Benadryl helped at first but really it just made me feel drowsy after a while. I agree with the pp I wouldn't put too much stock into what your in-laws said, people don't seem to realize how much that stuff can effect a mom especially when she's already uncomfortable. I'd give the acupuncture a try too. Have you thought about seeing a chiropractor as another alternative or getting a prenatal massage? I hope you find something helpful soon so you can get some rest. I know when I was in the hospital for PTL and couldn't sleep they gave me ambien.

Oh yeah. With my son I was lucky to get 3 hours total over a 24 hour period - as in maybe an hour or so of that was at night!!! Whenever people told me to enjoy my sleep before baby I wanted to punch them. I slept waaaaaaay better with a newborn than I did 3rd tri pregnant! Cause at that point getting 6 hours of broken up sleep was fantastic compared to maybe 3. And at least then I knew the reason why I wasn't sleeping. I never tried much for sleep because I lived in the middle of no where. This time hypnobabies is helping me get more sleep than I was with my son, but I'm definitely sleeping a lot less than I was.

And obviously ignore your ILs. They're just being difficult and have no bearing on anything.

thanks, ladies! i met with the midwife today and i am just going to try to let it go. try not to worry about it. she told me to try melatonin but she also said that i could use the time to knit or watch movies. she said i should reframe my thinking about it--try to see it as a positive rather than a negative since there really isn't much i can do about it, truth be told. alwayssmile, i am hoping that i do get more sleep once the baby is actually here. that will be so strange if that is the case! i am scared that i will be so exhausted once labor rolls around though....

I will say that labor was hard on me being so sleep deprived, but I think not being allowed to eat or drink for over 24 hours played a bigger part in my exhaustion (I couldn't think clearly and just didn't any fight left in me I was soooo hungry). I've heard of moms falling asleep in early labor. My BFF fell asleep mid labor in her tub at home (she found a position that lessened the pressure and waves). Woke up an hour later, dressed, and went to the hospital to learn she was at 8cm! The body can do with little sleep (like make you sleep even). It can't do well with no food. Don't fret about not sleeping because well, it'll leave you not sleeping still in my experience.
And my son was not a good sleeper his first year and yet I clearly slept more then than pregnant (and I am not a napper!). Though we did cosleep the first few months, so I wasn't having to get out of bed to feed him or anything. Just lean over and insert a boob.

II get any sort of sleep is by taking Tylonal PM. It helps with the pain that keeps me up, and gives me the extra help falling asleep so im not just tossing and turning. Im still up to pee, but its also easier to get back to sleep. The nights ive tried to not take it I got no sleep.

I agree that accupunture, chiropractic care, and all the other thibgs pp have suggested are also worth a shot. Worth trying any way. Also, ignore your inlaws. Sounds like they are being super insensitive.

Hang in there mamma, and vent away. You are not alone

Originally Posted by alwayssmile

I will say that labor was hard on me being so sleep deprived, but I think not being allowed to eat or drink for over 24 hours played a bigger part in my exhaustion (I couldn't think clearly and just didn't any fight left in me I was soooo hungry). I've heard of moms falling asleep in early labor. My BFF fell asleep mid labor in her tub at home (she found a position that lessened the pressure and waves). Woke up an hour later, dressed, and went to the hospital to learn she was at 8cm! The body can do with little sleep (like make you sleep even). It can't do well with no food. Don't fret about not sleeping because well, it'll leave you not sleeping still in my experience.
And my son was not a good sleeper his first year and yet I clearly slept more then than pregnant (and I am not a napper!). Though we did cosleep the first few months, so I wasn't having to get out of bed to feed him or anything. Just lean over and insert a boob.

Totally agree. With all 3 of my kids at one point or another during my labor my body went into sleep mode between contractions... Having an epidural really flipped that switch. Your body will do what it has to when the time comes. d I

Sorry you're having to deal with such bad insomnia. I have insomnia but not that bad. I usually just get up and do something and hopefully get tired enough again to go back to sleep.

Ignore your in laws, people just love to comment