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JMarie
09-28-2002, 02:51 AM
Okay, I'm only four months along (five? I'm eighteen weeks - almost to the half-way mark...) and I've gotten pretty used to the wake-up-in-the-middle-of-the-night-to-pee thing, but now I can't get back to sleep. It's not really a matter of being uncomfortable - I've gotten used to sleeping on my left side and my WONDERFUL husband even switched sides of the bed so that he could spoon with me and support my back - he is so warm-blooded I don't need a heating pad for my lower back pain! I've looked at pictures of other women who are at the same stage as I am, as well as a good friend at work who is due three days after me, and I am not showing nearly as much, so it's not the extra tummy in the way. I could sleep on my stomach if I wanted, actually! Anyhow, now I wake up, go to the bathroom, and I'm completely awake - my mind is racing a mile a minute. I've tried getting a night light for the bathroom so that I'm not adjusting to the light, but that only worked for one or two nights. I've gone back to the gym (don't tell my OB's...) but that also has only worked a couple of times. I feel terrible keeping DH up every night, although, as I said before, he is just being wonderful about all of this. I just don't know what else to do. We run a humidifier, keep the condo at 68 degrees at night, and have room-darkening shades on the windows. I do usually sleep from ten to three before getting up, but it's starting to wear on me. Does anybody have any suggestions, or is this just something I have to look forward to for the next five months? Thanks, and I'm jealous of anyone who gets their full 8 hours (actually, my Shape magazine said women need 9.25 hours a night - RIGHT!)...

JMarie
EDD 2/28/03

jojo2324
09-28-2002, 08:24 AM
I think this happens to EVERY woman who is pregnant at some point. Maybe not so early though. I used to just wake up in my third trimester, no peeing needed. I would have trouble falling back asleep also. (I must note that I had the luxury of working in the evenings, so I could sleep late.)

Is your husband a very light sleeper? Mine could honestly sleep through an atomic mishap. (At times he sounds like one too, great fun!) I used to just start reading a particularly heady book and that would put me off, usually something by the Sears. (I know, some of you love the Sears, but at 3am... :) You probably shouldn't read anything pregnancy/baby-related at all. That might not slow down your racing mind :) Breathing and visualization techniques might help too, and those can prepare you for labor.

mama2be
09-28-2002, 11:43 AM
JMarie,

I'm one week ahead of you and have gone thru this exact same thing...my Dr gave me a script for Ambien a sleep aid, I only used it twice and I think it helped set me back on my schedule becasue now it is not so bad. NOW I do wake up at about 6:00-7:00 and can not go back to bed though I can if I could...and want to, my body just does not let me.

Lately my last few hours of sleep have me wiht a head ache which really stinks...every morning I awake with a headache...I wonder if it is sinus, I odn't know...

YOu might need a little safe sleep aid...again it was OB who gave me this.

candybomiller
09-28-2002, 11:55 AM
JMarie,
I also had a problem like this and my ob had me take benadryl before I went to bed. After I started doing that, I had no problems sleeping at all...well, ok, except for the getting up to go to the bathroom. I would talk to your ob about this, you definitely need all the sleep you can get!

Candy
-SAHM to Matthew Nicholas, born 5/22/02

luvbeinmama
09-28-2002, 04:49 PM
You might try eating a little something when you get up to pee. I've had nights where I got up, peed, went back to bed, still awake 2 hours later, got up, ate a few crackers or whatever, went back to bed & was asleep 5 minutes later.

JMarie
09-28-2002, 10:45 PM
I ended up doing that this morning at four-thirty - after being up since one-thirty - and went back to bed at five. I realized I was starving and had a bowl of cereal. Went back to bed and I was dead to the world until almost ten, and I just don't sleep past eight on the weekends (I'm up at six during the week). I can handle the sleeping in on the weekends, but I start work at seven during the week and since I'm a supervisor (one step below manager), I can't exactly be late. I don't know if I can handle any sleeping pills with my IBS - I think most of them can irritate the digestive system - but I will ask my OB's about the benedryl. I know I do have some allergies and maybe they're just exacerbated right now. At this point I will try anything for one night of restful sleep.

JMarie
EDD 2/28/03

Shirale
09-29-2002, 08:53 PM
Hi,
I went throught he same thing, mostly in my first and beging of second trimester. I would wake up at 5 and thgat was it (after going to bed at 1...) but I had hyperemesis so who knows what was up with me! I did find that in my last trimester I could sleep 12 hours at night (with bathroom breaks) and still need a nap!
One suggestion-
try excersize (light of course) like a brisk walk, swim, it helps you sleep better ansd is great for your body! Have your husband take a walk with you in the eve...hope something works for you!