Horrible Insomnia During Pregnancy

Hi M. A,

though I cannot speak from experience (by that I mean I don't have clinical insomnia), I just wanted to give my support.

Sleep is absolutely a necessary component for good health. Especially during your pregnancy. Your body is working doubly hard on the inside. Couple that with an active 2 yr old you are bound to get exhausted in a clinical sense.

I don't know how willing a doctor will be to prescribe any medication during the first trimester, as development is in a crucial phase.

I asked my doctor about taking Melatonin (it's the chemical in our bodies that is at it's highest when we are falling asleep),.. it helps get you into sleep. As for staying alseep.. .that's another story all together :)

I also took Valerian for severe anxiety, and an added component to taking Melatonin for those nights when sleep escaped me for a while after getting into bed.

I am not normally so 'homeopathic' - If I have heartburn, I take OTC meds, if I have a headache, I take something...sometimes this means i am taking some pill for 'something' more than 3 times a week... so I am not opposed to OTC drugs :)

but both Melatonin and Valerian worked for me, though I didn't have clinical insomnia, just some sleepless nights. If you are so inclined, and your doc won't prescribe Ambien for you during your pregnancy, or during the first trimester, ask if those things are ok to take.

Good luck to you... I know I can be a HUGE "B" when I've not had enough sleep... may God bring you patience during this rough time :)

~J.~

Insomnia is often an inability to calm the mind & body which can develop into a habit.
I recently had a pregnant client who needed help letting go of fear of childbirth. The process included several weekly hypnosis sessions plus the daily use of a custom recording to use right before bedtime. She was pleased that she now felt peaceful & positive about the upcoming birth with the additonal benefit that it resolved her insomnia better than the benadryl she had used previously.
Consider consulting a certified hypnotist for a natural solution. It's even possible you may relieve your insomnia with the use of a self-hypnosis recording that you can find at bookstores or online.
Wishing you wellness!

Hi there, I'm sorry to hear about your insomnia. As someone who's often had sleep issues, I know how miserable it can make you! My OB did prescribe me Ambien CR during my last month or two of pregnancy with my second child. My grandfather had just died and at the same time I had to put my cat to sleep - and when combined with the general uncomfortableness of sleeping that far into pregnancy, I was basically only sleeping a few hours a night. My doctor saw how exhausted I was & asked if I was sleeping well. When I said no, he without hesitation offered to prescribe the Ambien CR after assuring me there was absolutely no risk to my baby. I took it for about a month until my son was born, then stopped. I know some may disagree with this - some don't even take Tyelenol when pregnant (to each her own) - but I was miserable and simply needed to sleep. If you think it will help you, get the okay from your doctor and maybe give it a try again. Good luck...and get some rest!

Hi there. I am so sorry to here about your terrible insomnia. I had it pretty bad the second half of my pregnancy. After going MANY MANY sleepless nights or nights where I only slept a few hours-I went and saw my dr. in desperate hope that she could help me. She definitely was able to see how exhausted and totally out of it I was and agreed it was time that we tried something. I was working full time and felt SO overwhelmed. She put me on Ambien the last 3 months of my pregnancy and it was the best thing I ever did. I still couldn't sleep through the whole night but at least I was able to sleep! I took it up until the night before my daughter was born and she is perfectly healthy and as beautiful as can be. I don't know if I would start on it so early, you might just try to hang in there and do the best you can at least until you are out of the 1st trimester. Maybe try some conservative treatments during the 1st trimester..but definitely talk with your dr about it. You need sleep to keep you and that baby healthy. Take Care!!!

What helped me was 2-3 drops of Lavender essensial oil on the pillow case right before bed time. It's relaxing and I slept like a baby ;-)