Pregnancy Insomnia

[Char2383]

Hi everyone, I’m 31 weeks today and struggling so much with sleep.. mainly due to lower back pain and the inability to get comfortable at night. I’m quite petite but baby is measuring in the 97th percentile 👀 I don’t know how I can get much bigger! I’ve got a pregnancy pillow, having Epsom salt baths before bed, small regular meals, no caffeine (very little anyway), exercising as much my body allows and still awake literally all night sometimes. I’m not really anxious about anything so I don’t know why I can’t switch off other than comfort reasons. It’s making me into a bad version of myself and my head is fluff for the day! Any tips or tricks? Xx

[Fudge1980]

Chiropractor! It’s been a godsend 😰 mine is 80% better. I went every week for a month then every 2wks and now every 3wks unless I need more. If the funds are available please consider it xx

[Char2383 in reply to Fudge1980]

Thanks Fudge, that’s a really good idea, I’m going to look into it immediately…! Hope all is well with you and little one. We must have very similar due dates 🥰 x x

[Fudge1980 in reply to Char2383]

Yes they should also get you to see a sports therapist too. I think we are a day apart! 6th of august 💗 I am shattered lol we are decluttering this weekend so we can start the nursery and am having to sit down a lot 😰 xx

[Char2383 in reply to Fudge1980]

Take it easy and listen to your body if you need a rest. Yes there is one day between us! ❤️ aww and we’re both having little girls xxx

[Fudge1980 in reply to Char2383]

I will definitely rest 🤗 keep me updated how your getting on! I have a feeling this last 2mths is going to fly 🥴xx

[Hidden]

I had this last time around I ended up get up and just doing things in the night , quiet jobs or reading just to fill the time. So horrid for you!! Yeah I saw a women’s physio , a really really good one pricey but only had to go a handful of times. Kinesiology tape/sports tape was good too if you look it up.

Good luck !

[Char2383 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you, I’ve booked in with a chiropractor/osteopath so hopefully they will help! Kinesiology sounds fascinating too really interesting just reading about it! Hopefully I'm just going through a phase..

[LizzieBW]

Hey Char,

I too was in a higher percentile for growth because I'm quite little too and my boy was enjoying eating and growing 😆 I found the only comfy position in the end was lying on my side with a pregnancy pillow between my legs then leaning towards the mattress almost like I was attempting to lie on my front, using my upper leg bent and pressure on my knee plus the pregnancy pillow firmly in at my back. Don't know if this even makes sense but leaning forward took pressure off mh lower back and having the support at my front and back with the pillow kept me stable.

I promise it's so worth all of this though ❤ you don't have long to go to meet your gorgeous bundle, woohoo! Xx

[Bozo_the_pumpkin in reply to LizzieBW]

Yes… I agree-the only way I got even a modicum of comfort was to lie in this position. It also took the strain off my hips and ankles

[Char2383 in reply to LizzieBW]

Aww thank you! Yes I think I found a really good position last night, best sleep in ages ❤️

[Positivechangeplease]

I remember having trouble sleeping around the 2nd trimester into the 3rd. All I can say is I suddenly started getting really tired and sleeping fairly well again (I say fairly as I sometimes wake at 5 or 6 rather than 7 but generally have a neat 7am body clock from this pregnancy). Have you tried burning some lavender oils? The other thing I was using to help me get to sleep was some hypnotherapy. I just put it on and it relaxed me to sleep. Failing that, if it was pains then I’d take paracetamol

[Char2383 in reply to Positivechangeplease]

Yes I’ve started doing a sleep meditation which is helpful, I’d love to get an essential oil burner, will look into it 😊

[Fruitandflowers]

I had a baby measuring around that percentile too and I have quite a small frame. Luckily I didn't get bad back problems - just usual aches - but during the third trimester I started waking around 2am and was wide awake until around 5/6am. I was exhausted during the day and fell asleep all the time so it was confusing how I could be awake at night. But a friend of mine said she was the same with pregnancy insomnia and had a theory it was your body's way of preparing you for sleeplessness post birth! I had a lot of baths with Epsom salts, used heated pillows on my back, used the pregnancy pillow to get comfy on my side and finally just started working on my laptop when I was up in the night and accepted I needed naps during the day even if that was inconvenient.

[Char2383 in reply to Fruitandflowers]

Yes there is nothing worse than just laying there uncomfortable and awake! I’m hopeful things are improving a little over the last 2 days 🤞🏼 xx

[Pupster83]

I’m 35 weeks and feel your pain. Some nights I manage to get a reasonable amount of sleep while others I am awake for hours. I find my hips get sore lying on my side and I end up awake and having move side to side throughout the night. I read the worst thing you can do for insomnia is lie there counting how long you’ve been awake and that if you do something it can help make you feel tired again. Some nights I’ve got up and moved about to ease the hip and back pain before trying to get back to sleep and other nights I’ve just read my kindle until I’ve eventually dosed back off.

[Char2383 in reply to Pupster83]

Only 5 weeks to go now for you! I just can’t imagine not having a bump anymore, I’m hopeful all the aches and pains will just disappear after birth… haha I very much doubt they will but I’m sure there will be new ones! I hope you’re managing to get some sleep, I’ve switched up my pillows and started sleep meditations which seems to be helping. Wishing you all the best x

[JoyfulStar]

Hi

I suffer with insomnia quite regularly and it was really bad in my third trimester due to the size of my belly. Baby was in the 75th percentile but I also had the weight of fibroids that had kept growing through the pregnancy. Finding a comfortable position to sleep was hard!

Two things helped me: firstly I found my back needed support so sometimes if my pregnancy pillow did not do enough to support my lower back, I slept on the sofa with my pregnancy pillows. The back of the sofa provided a structured wall to put a pregnancy pillow against. Then I put a couple of pillows between my knees and underneath my bump. The other thing that helped me relax was listening to podcasts. As Pupster83 said, the worst thing you can do is lie awake counting how long you’ve been awake.

Hope you find a way through. Not long to go now…

[Char2383 in reply to JoyfulStar]

Thanks lovely, yes not long to go now! I slept pretty well last night and feel like a new woman haha. Hope it continues 🤞🏼 xx