Help with Insomnia

Hi, I suffer from sleepless nights some times. What helps me is to, do some relaxation meditation. some soft music and quiet time. also a good book always helps. maybe some quiet time just to read for an little while can help.

I had some insomnia problems with my first pregnancy, but it wasn't so bad because I could stay up late and sleep in late. With my second pregnancy, it was worse, AND I had to get up with my toddler in the morning!
Finally it got so bad that I asked for a sleep aid. I got a free trial of Ambien CR from my OB. I only used 3, because after that I was falling asleep on my own again.
I felt so much better! And I could think clearly again.
My friend had her doula call me (she's a mutual acquaintance) and she told me to try to relax. Don't just lay down and expect to fall asleep. She said to pick a favorite soothing song. I chose the song by Rochmoninoff that was in the movie Somewhere In Time. She said to listen to that music playing softly, or just "hear" it in my head, and start with my toes and try to relax them, then slowly move up toward my head. It's amazing the difference it makes. I still use that technique when I lay down to sleep.

Hi M.!
I am so sorry that you are dealing with stress, sleepless nights and a busy holiday coming up!

What tincture did your Midwife offer you?

I personally love the remedies from Wishgarden Herbs. They are natural, herbal remedies, and I have had great success with them. I frequently take the Sleepy Nights tincture for pregnancy (as I am still nursing) and it gently helps me get to sleep. When I need to wake up to nurse or move my daughter (we cosleep), I can do so without feeling groggy or out of it.
Also, Wishgarden has a remedy for stress- Stress Relief for Pregnancy that you might try to get you through this high stress time of entertaining.
Do you know why your husband is dealing with depression? Have you considered visiting a natropath or homeopath for natural means of dealing with these concerns? Your midwife will probably have a few reference she could give you.

If you want to check out more about the remedies I suggest, here are their links...
Sleepy Nights for Pregnancy http://www.naturalchoices4baby.com/catalog.php?item=150
Stress Relief for Pregnancy http://www.naturalchoices4baby.com/catalog.php?item=151
Also, for your husband-
http://www.naturalchoices4baby.com/catalog.php?item=201

If you are interested in trying any of these, please send me an email and I'll happily extend a discount to you (or any other Mama's needing a little help with sleep!) I do not deal well without good sleep, so I can relate with your needing to get some sleep!

If you have other questions, please feel free to contact me! I hope you are able to get good sleep soon!
H. Gaitten
Owner, Natural Choices
____@____.com
www.naturalchoices4baby.com
###-###-####

Talk to your OBGYN, obviously you need a lot more rest then before and if you aren't getting it, it isn't good for you or the baby. I would talk to a professional like your Dr.
Ask them about Tylenol PM, basically tylenol with benadryl I believe, may help you settle in and relax. I know I didn't sleep well with my second due to the size of my belly and heartburn, it was miserable.
Ask a friend to come over and take a few hours to go lay down, even if you aren't sleeping just shut your eyes and rest. Nap when your daughter does and don't worry about the little stuff.

I hope your husband is being treated for his depression. That isn't a good place to be and he is able to do something about it. I know that adds to your stress load. Right now you need rest and to not worry.

Don't worry about Thanksgiving, NOBODY expects things to be perfect and you need to give yourself room for error and relax. Easier said then done but I am sure nobody expects thie perfect setting.

Hang in there, call your OBGYN! IT is important for your health and your babys to get good sleep and time to seek medical advice! HUGS! I also took Ambien the night I was in the hospital with my son, they were going to induce and but it got delayed and I was getting NO SLEEP, they gave me low dose but told me it was safe and I slept so well that night before he arrived.

Hi M.,

I'm with a company called Life Force, and we have a product that I use religiously to help me sleep. It's called Sunset, and it works on your central nervous system to calm you and help you sleep. It does wonders as far as turning off the 'chatter' in your head so that you can fall asleep. We also have a product called Dream Away, which helps us sleep more soundly... it contains melatonin. Anyway, these are both incredible products, and you can check them out here:

http://www.mylifeforce.net/amystarr/sunset.html
http://www.mylifeforce.net/amystarr/dream-away.html

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
###-###-#### or ____@____.com

Hope this helps,

A.

Hi M.! I'm so sorry to hear about this, it can be really hard to be pregnant while parenting a toddler and getting no sleep doesn't help. I am a birth doula in the Denver area and would be happy to suggest some things, but what I can suggest depends on how far along in your pregnancy you are. I also would like to know what your midwives gave you and which midwives they are (I'm guessing Mountain Midwifery, but could be totally wrong). If you would like some more help, let me know! Good luck!

My OB recommended Benadryl to help me sleep. A regular dose should relax you (the diphenhydramine, not any of the non-drowsy stuff). And its a safe for baby as tylenol. Just use it sparingly. A couple of nights of good sleep could be all it takes to knock you out of the insomnia. You may also want to call your OB and see if there's anything else you can take.

Also, I know it's hard but RELAX! You know that your insomnia is stress related. Nobody in your family is going to care if things aren't just perfect for Thanksgiving (after all, you did just move and you're pregnant - if I read that right. anyway having a toddler also deserves a bit of slack). Before you go to bed, write down the 6 most important things to do the next day. Put them on paper so they are off your mind. And limit yourself to 6 so you don't feel overwhelmed. Then when you get up, do them first then move on to anything else you want/need to do. You'll probably find your stress a lot lower.

And be sure to help your hubby, too. You mention he is depressed. Talk to him, see what you can do to help. He may benefit from a couple of counseling sessions, too, just to get him back up and out of the downward spiral.

I've struggled with the same thing alot, well as far as relating to stress. Have you tried to do relaxation exercizes before going to sleep? There are different CDs that have relaxation methods. I find it works best for me if I have one that talks me through the relaxation. It is hard to concentrate at first, but once you can do it as a habit it seems to help me a lot

My friend had the same issue and they told her to take a half pill of tylenol pm. The other thing is see your family doctor and they may give you a prescription for this. Have you tried drinking some warm milk and read a book and try to relax. If your feeling overwhelmed then you should try to remember that you can't always get everything done.I hope this helps and gl..

I'm a chronic insomniac...but here are some things that help me to get sleep and relief--none of the OTC meds work for very long, and I haven't had any luck with perscription ones for more than a week or two either--but one thing I do use consistently is Bellaruth Naperstack her voice is extremely soothing (it's guided imagry CD's) I love the sleep one as well as the one for depression. I fall asleep much faster with the CD's. Also I saw a few people say melatonin, I take a calcium supplement and 2 melatonins each night an hour before I go to bed, I've been doing this for the past month now and it's the best sleep I've had in years and years--I fall asleep faster than my dh some nights and he's the 12 second man...(how many nights I have counted...lol)
there is also a lavander mist a friend gave me that I spray on the pillow or take a bath or shower with lavender oils as they are naturally relaxing. I used to have an eye mask that I could heat up that had lavender in it but I lost it in a move somewhere along the way.
also I use a headache lotion I found at walmart for $5 and I rub it not just on my temples but on my neck and shoulders as this is where I carry a lot of tension and need help relaxing. My dh had to rub my legs most nights when I was pregnant to help me relax. I like this lotion because it isn't as strong as an icy hot--but seems to last longer. I can give you the name of it if you want more info on that just email me and I will get it for you. there are lots of those relaxation type lotions out there I just have really liked this one best, even from some I bought at the spa...lol. I also love that it doesn't hurt my pocket book. I've been using the same jar for a year and a couple months now and am just getting down to the last 1/4 of it, it's pretty big, I use it all the time so does my dh and now my dd asks for her back and legs some days. anyway--those are things that have really helped me a lot. warm milk--people laugh but it really does work too. good luck, without sleep life is hard.

Hi M.,

I would add B vitamins they help with stress and also calcium helps me sleep, I am not sure why it helps but it does.

C.

Hi M.,
I had this issue with pregnancy as well and my OB gave me permission to take Unisom, I also took a B vitamin( I can't remember what it was now) but this worked! She said it was better to get rest with the medicine than none at all. Just be sure to allow at least 8 hours to sleep, it really works well and sometimes to well! Good luck!

M.,
Have you tried accupuncture? Although you do have to be careful with accupuncture while pregnant, if you find someone who works regularly with pregnancy, you should be fine. I had accupuncture throughout my pregnancy. If you are in the Denver area, Terrel Kennet is in SE Denver and she works with local fertility clinics and lots of pregnant patients. I thought she was great during my pregnancy. Ask your OB (or call a fertility clinic) to see if they can recommend someone. Also the folks at Apothocary Tinctura can recommend someone, as well as other possible remedies. Good luck!

You are for sure feeling the effects of stress and anxiety!
I had it for years and had many sleepless nights as a result.
And now you are prego, so that just adds to it.
I would go see your OB and let him/her in on what you are going through and feeling!
Not dealing with it will only harm you in the future. You especially don't want to be dealing with this level of anxiety when the little one arrives. All those hormones AND your current state is not a healthy mixture!
I wish I had gotten mine under control much sooner, but for each person what will help can be very different.
Hang in there, but please don't do it alone!

Make sure your pre-natal is high in calcium and Vitamin B, preferably seperate. Take your calcium at night by itself. Eat yogurt with bran before going to bed. There's an herb called Valerian that helps you sleep too. It doesn't smell to great, but it really does help. Maybe try at least 5 minutes of Meditating before you go to bed. Get a pregnant work-out and exercise everyday. Try reading a book when you get in bed. I can never stay awake longer than an hour when I do that. Best wishes!

Hi M.,
I would suggest "Melatonin". It is designed to help you relax enough to get to sleep. It does say consult physician if pg etc so you may want to call your doctor/midwife first. It has always worked well for me and it is more natural then a lot of other stuff out there. God Bless, L.

Hello M.,

Unfortunately I am experiencing many sleepless nights right now as well. I am 25 weeks pregnant and due to consistent back pain I have not been getting much sleep the past month.

I have been also doing massage, reading, walking, warm baths, etc. However, I find that the nights that I have prenatal yoga class or do yoga at home I get the best sleep. Now, its not full proof if your mind is overwhelmed from stress... but it does help you gather control of your mind & thoughts through breathing & meditation.

Just thought I would share this with you :)
Wishing us both rested nights -
C.

I can completly relate. I'm pregnant also, and also have a toddler; I've had issues with insomnia, restless leg and headaches. What has been working for me is occasionally sleeping on the floor, I guess I need the firm surface. I've also been using a skullcap tincture from www.herblore.com it is safe for use during pregnancy. I'm a midwife and mom myself and I can really relate to what you are going through. I don't know what your midwife had you on but if you haven't tried skullcap you might try it... it's been a life saver for me!!
HTH,
S.

You are probably lacking calium, being pregnant you should be getting 1500 MG of calcium at least per day. Calium helps with sleep, it also stops leg cramps most pregnant moms get. Also, Kava Kava is a natural relaxer. Don't put medication in your body because it will damage your liver, plus everything gets forwarded to the baby. Camamil tea is also intended for relaxation and will help you sleep. If none of these help, see a reflexologist for a great foot message and pressure points on the pituitary, which is in charge of sleep. I'm sure you will be given lots of good advice , good luck

Try Yoga Nidra. It is a relaxation technique that you listen to while you lay down (it can be done it bed). One session (usually about 30 minutes) is said to be equal to 3 hours of restful sleep.
If you have Itunes you can look it up or you can look up Swami Bharati he has a good one.

Good Luck!!

Whenever I wake up mid-night or can't sleep, I find it always helps to get up and do something (usually related to whatever is on my mind) until I feel tired again. It happened a lot toward the end of my pregnancy. Exercise is great to ensure that I'm too tired at end of the day for anything to keep me awake.
Otherwise, give up the problems/worries to god-the-universe (a.k.a. pray), it's most definitely better equip to handle problems than I. Future-tripping never solved anything and only serves to drive me nuts!

I had the same problem with one of my pregnancies. The best thing you can do from the perspective of a psychologist is: get out of bed when you cannot sleep and read a textbook or write down your thoughts about Thanksgiving etc. (do not use computer or tv--the lights from these can trigger wake up cues), when you wake up in the morning for the day open all your curtains and sit in the sunshine for a few minutes it will help reset your circadian rhythym, only use your bed for sleep and sex, keep a notebook in your room and write down any nagging thoughts, use a sound machine (Target has a Homedics one for around 30 dollars), do NOT worry about not sleeping and let your guests in on your need for extra help during their visit. Talk to your doctor about your anxiety symptoms at your next visit (racing heart, etc.) Talk to your dr about a support group for spouses of depressed spouses (even an online group would probably help you out more than you can imagine!).

Relax and enjoy! You only live once just try to make the most of it!

You'll be just fine this will be a memory before you know it,
R.

When I have had a lot of trouble sleeping in the past, I've had wonderful results from using 5HTP and melatonin. I'm told that some have nightmares when using melatonin. I never did. I've never heard of anyone having nightmares from 5HTP. The melatonin is supposed to help immediately, whereas the 5HTP may take a couple of weeks to take effect.
If you're stressed, try praying. :)
Wish you the best!

Hi M.--
I went through this with my kids--extreme insomnia like you. This insomnia is related to adrenal-fatigue. Things you can do to treat your adrenals when you are pregnant include extra b-complex and c vitamins--take them before 2pm or they will keep you up. There are some adrenal formulas that can be prescribed by natural doctors--I can recommend two that got me through my pregnancy and post-natal stuff. I also did something called neuro-emotional technique which was great! Again, I have a doc for that. Homeopathy is also great because it does not effect the baby. There is a company called historical remedies that makes homeopathic drops. I used a combination of moon drops, calm drops, and stress mints. You can also use Hyland's Calmes Forte. Bach's Flower remedies makes something called rescue sleep. When you use these homeopathic remedies you sometimes have to take a lot initially because it takes some time to build up in your system. Sometimes you have to take more in the middle of the night. You can get all these at Vitamin Cottage.
Like I said, I went through this at extreme levels with both my kids. I finally am sleeping when my 8 month old isn't keeping me up, but it took a long time to get on top of it. I am glad to go further into what worked for me if you need more help. Please don't hesitate to ask! I wouldn't want you to go through years of this like I did. Please use my knowledge if you need to.
J.

M., good luck with trying to catch some z's. This is what I would do when I was going through a very stressful time during my pregnancy. Try drinking a glass of warm milk. It must be quite warm and whole milk. 2% lacks the same amount of the amino acid tryptophan, like in turkey.
The other thing that helped was visualizing something very relaxing to me. Mine was scuba diving. What ever activity relaxes you is what you visualize. Take care!

sounds like you're having anxiesty attacks. I would talk to the midwife about some gentle excersize, as well. some walking or stair stepping, as well as stretching. That will tire your body just enough to hopefully get some better sleep.
Also, having just having had a medical scare with my father- in- law, just be glad the relatives are alive and well enough to be there. It's always nice to have everything perfect......but if you're TOO focused on the perfection, you'll miss the family time, you will/are also setting yourself up for a BIG disappointment. The important thing is to relax and enjoy the family....Nothing is ever "perfect" and trying too hard to make it so is even worse.
Take a deep breath...let it out slooooowly.....
there.......much better

Have you tried taking a warm long shower before bed to relax your body? I'm a mother of 2 (5 and 3) and am 39 weeks and 3 days as of today. That is the best sleep I ever get is a hot shower before bed after soaking as long as I can under the water. I turn off the lights and leave 1 candle in the shower with me on the side to help relax my mood. I'm not sure if anyone has suggested it yet, but it DOES work for me every night :) Congrats on the pregnancy, and good luck on sleep!!

Hi, M.,

It very well may be stress, but it also sounds very much like hyperthyroidism. Have you had your thyroid checked?
Maybe keeping a journal would also help. Getting your problems out and down on paper might allow you to relax more.

Good Luck!

Instead of lying in bed, get up and do something, even if it's just to write down a list of what needs to be done. Prioritize the list. It helps me to just figure out what is really bothering me. I lay awake when I'm subconsciously afraid I'm going to forget something important. If I write it down, it's easier to decide on a plan of action. Then try to cross one big thing off the list each day.
Good luck!

Hi M.,
Sounds like you have lots of things that can be contributing to the busy head insomnia. The racing heart is probably a result of the stress and anxiety you are feeling.

I struggled for years to sleep after having kids. I don't think you ever sleep as deeply because you are always listening for someone to need you. Look at your sleep habits - no TV or computers for 2 hours prior, go to bed when you get tired (I often push through and then miss my window of opportunity), no evening exercise, no TV in bedroom, use the bed only for sleep and sex, etc. Other natural remedies include 5 HTP and calcium/magnesium. However, the thing that helped me the most as well as others is a sleep system from Nikken. It utilizes numerous technologies including magnetics, infrared and negative ions and more. I was a huge skeptic, but there have been times that everyone is talking about the wind keeping them up all night and I'm clueless. Its a wonderful feeling as getting deep restorative sleep is critical for your body to repair itself. Email me if you want more info.
Sweet dreams.
S.

Do you think it could be anxiety or even your thyroid speeding up? I went hyperthyroid and had your same symptoms. I've also had anxiety issues, and that kept me awake too. St. John's Wort has helped with that . . .

Chrissy

Hi M.,

I had insomnia for about two weeks a little while ago; I don't know if the same things will help you, but I am falling asleep within an hour of going to bed these days.

I started taking my prenatals (except the calcium) only in the mornings: there is a massive dose of B vitamins that I think was giving me a huge burst of energy in the afternoon and evening. I stopped reading books about psychology before bed (or anything really interesting) and I haven't done it yet but a friend of mine suggested reading those chessey novels (which she loves) to just let my mind kind-of wander off on irrelevent topics.

I started excersizing everyday to burn off extra tension and stress energy, eating a smaller dinner earlier, and a cup of peppermint tea with honey before I go to bed, to unwind and clear my sinuses- that have been irritated since we turned the heat on. My dad drinks warm malted milk before bed because the proteins help him sleep through the night and turkey has sleep inducing tryptophan- might be worth a try.

Also I realized that my gums and teeth were hurting really badly- I was really tense and I was clenching my jaw and the pain was keeping me up; I used throat numbing spray on my gums that reduced the pain and helped me relax more.

The best idea is to figure out if you're in emotional or physical pain or just anxious, then identify a good way to redirect or reduce that energy- if I feel like there's no way that I'm going to get to sleep: I just go to the living room and finish some of the stuff that's keeping me up- at least I'm not laying there for five hours worrying about stuff that will take only two hours to do!

Stay positive your body will fall asleep when it needs it- Good luck:)

P.S. "PERFECT" is an unrealistic goal just go for nice and everything will get done wonderfully.

I don't know if this will help because I think you're right, the insomnia is stress induced. However, I have found when I exercise a lot and regularly I can sleep much better. My body and mind are better able to relax. The endorphins help with the stress and I seem to be able to let go when it's time for bed. This is especially true when I am pregnant and my body and moods are out of whack anyway. Talk to your doctor about what types of exercise you can safely do during pregnancy. During my last pregnancy I ran for the first five months and then I rode a stationary bike, walked, and lifted weights (I had been lifting before I was pregnant). The stationary bike was great because I didn't feel the extra weight much while I was exercising, and I get HUGE.