For about four weeks now I wake up around 4 am and stare into space for a couple of hours. The alarm goes off at 6:30 and I stay in bed while my husband gets dressed, by 7 I am ready to pass out. Most days I get too, some days I have projects to do that need to be done early and I don’t get that luxury. So I am dragging a$$ by noon. This has been no fun. My daily productivity has been decreasing as this has been going on.
I am not overly stressed, my body doesn’t ache, Zakumi is not kicking yet so I can’t blame her/him, the bedroom is dark so there are no lights to distract me, and I am not waking at that time to pee in the middle of the night. The only noise in the room is the low hush of the humidifier and the lights on it are blacked out with electrical tape.
When I wake up I generally keep to myself. Sometimes I roll onto my stomach with wide bent knees and relax in child’s pose so my belly is not squished. Sometimes I climb on my husband and relax in this pose on him resting hips on his legs with my head on his chest or belly. Or else I use him as a body pillow with my leg resting on his thigh and throw his arm around me so I can nestle my head on his chest. It is cozy, his breathing is rhythmic, but I am wide awake.
I cannot be much more relaxed before going to bed. I wind down. Last night I had a late night 90 minute yoga session ending in meditation. I felt more rested at the end of that than I do this morning.
If I had extreme insomnia before pregnancy I would make a tea with valerian root. Given that I am pregnant I don’t want to take anything besides chamomile, and even that does not seem to be helping.
I have speculated and read that perhaps my body is getting ready for the rigors of a baby’s schedule. Perhaps. For now I am concerned that my lack of rest compounded with a system that is already immunosuppressed by pregnancy can only make me susceptible to getting sick. I also hope that this lack of rest is not harming Zakumi. Any advice, anyone?
I had horrible insomnia towards the end. It just sucked. The only thing that worked for me was to get out of bed and get active. Cleaning up for an hour or exercising for a 1/2 hour was enough to wear me out.
And I don't care how bad the insomnia is…when the baby comes and needs to be fed every 2 hours it is WORSE! I didn't think it was possible to be that tired. The good thing is that it gets better. 🙂
Thanks for comments that have not been able to post. I have been suggested Benedryl to aromatherapy. I think I'll try the aromatherapy trick first… rosemary and lavendar oil on my pillow.
Dude, no advice. I think it's a cruel, cruel world that women don't sleep near the end of their pregnancy. Shouldn't we be allowed to stock up before reality hits?
Insomnia all by itself was never a problem. I couldn't sleep because of sheer discomfort and carpal tunnel numbness I developed towards the end. Ugh.
FYI I saw my midwife today. I will be dedicating a post to her advice to me involving herbs and tea for insomnia. However she thinks my cause may be hunger. My insomnia seems to coincide with the increase in my cardio intensity. Perhaps my workouts coupled with the pregnancy are leaving me hungry as a bear and I wake up in the middle of the night from dip in blood sugar.