Hello Mommies,
I am extremely excited to say that I will be giving birth to my 2nd beautiful daughter this coming Monday, January 4th. Talk about an incredible way to start the New Year! My dilemma however, is this - I have issues with sleep. I usually have no problem falling asleep initially, but FALLING BACK ASLEEP if I've been awakened for whatever reason is what poses challenges for me. I will lie awake for anywhere from 1 up to sometimes 3, maybe even more hours, and then eventually exhaustion usually takes over, and I may get a touch more shut-eye before I need to get up for the morning. It was obviously a major cause of daily delirium for me during the newborn phase of my firstborn, and still happens just about any time my sleep has been disrupted for any reason since. I do get up from the bed and start doing some mundane activity when I can't sleep sometimes, which may help a little, but what I am really looking for is a way to even avoid that (relaxation techniques, anything), especially since this little bundle will no doubt be waking more than once during the night in the very beginning, and the more sleep I can get in between the better.
Obviously Ambien or any other prescription sleep aid is out of the question with a newborn, as I can't be dead to the world! ; )
Congrats and best of luck with the new baby! I posted the same question and got lots of great ideas. Search "Sleep help for mom" from July 2008 and read my responses.
Good luck!!!
Hi There,
I often have the same issue when I am awakened in the middle of the night. When I was nursing newborns, I would have my husband get out of bed, change the baby and bring them to me (my husband would fall right back to sleep no problem!). Then I would lie in bed to nurse, or sit up and close my eyes and try to stay as relaxed as possible. I would return the baby to the crib (you could get a co-sleeper to have right by the bed), then try to go back to sleep with minimal interuption. Try to keep the room dim and quiet... don't watch TV. If I couldn't go back to sleep, I would read... try not to get up and move around... that could just wake you up more. You could always have your husband get you some warm milk or Sleepy Time tea to drink while you are feeding the baby! Good Luck!
Hi J.,
Two thoughts: co sleeping so that you can breastfeed in bed... if this is an option you are comfortable with, sometimes you can nurse without either you or baby fully waking.
The second thought I have is something that has worked for me in the past. I have used a meditation cd called holosync. It uses binaural tones to induce delta or theta waves which are the waves we are in during sleep. It is a little expensive, but other binaural tones can be purchased on an ipod or itunes for a dollar or two. I don't know anything about the companies that make them, or if they are as effective but they might be worth a try.
Wishing you the very best for your upcoming birth!
Warmest Regards,
C.
When I can't "shut my mind off" (usually my problem if I'm awake for too long in the night...) I sing 99 bottles of beer on the wall. The activity of counting backwards is enough to preclude other thoughts, but it's also mundane enough to lull me to sleep.
The other thing I realized (after first DS was born) was I was going to be awake (either after going to the bathroom, or after nursing him) for an hour. Once I realized that was the pattern, I stopped worrying about how much sleep I was missing, and I fell asleep faster.
HTH
First, if and when you do need to get up, keep the lights off. Get some LED night lights for areas where you need to see. They give off a blueish white light that is enough to see without waking you up. No bright lights or TV.
Second, a couple of supplements you can try are Melatonin, a natural enzyme created in the brain at night to help you sleep. Available in tablet form. Also Valarian Root. This plant derived supplement available in capsules, helps you relax & get some rest. Both of these are not like sleeping pills. They do not make you groggy. You are able to be awake when you need to. Just need to experiment with dosage. Try lowest dose first, then more if needed. The relaxing effects normally last from 4-6 hours depending on your body type, & level of sleep.
Also, sharing the responsibilities with your husband will help.
Supplements that are natural maybe be good that someone mentioned but I don't like the idea of using medication someone else mentioned. I remember being told and tried it and it seemed to work. Get a book that won't keep you awake, but bores you and lean your back against the wall with your legs out a little in front of you. Not where you can't get yourself off the wall that is for pregnancy nowadays.
I have three children and I learned that while two are sleeping, napping my time is to sleep. When they are awake, spend time with them or put the oldest in playpen so you can do some dishes or vacuuming or whatever you feel that needs to be done because you have no dishes to eat off of. If you get some help from family, take advantage of it and let them help by tending to the children so you can sleep for couple of hours and when the baby is hungry then you can get up and feed the baby. You may be amazed how much a great sleeper this baby is or may not be a great sleeper. My oldest was great, but it was work for my second one and more so with my third one because they are all so different.
Hi J.,
I would cut out ALL caffeine from your diet. Caffeine can stay in your system for 12 hours, so even a soda at lunch time could affect your sleeping. I am in the process of trying this as well, and it is tough!! I am addicted to my Pepsi, but I do feel much more relaxed overall. At least now if I wake up in the middle of the night, I can relax easier, if not fall back to sleep with less struggle.
Good luck,
L.
I have heard of a "device" that emits a blue dancing light onto the ceiling, you watch the light and it's supposed to put you to sleep, for some reason it's important that it's blue. Watching it puts your mind in a relaxed state and sorta washes out all other thoughts. It's not bright enough to wake you or keep you wake, just bright enough to watch. I wish I knew the details but I don't I'm actually thinking of getting this myself. Saw it on Dr Oz
J., I don't know what your plans are for this baby, but keeping the baby in your bed or in a cosleeper attached to your bed and breastfeeding in bed will help you fall back to sleep more easily. Less disruption since you don't even need to get up, and the breastfeeding hormones start to make you sleepy. It was great not having to get out of bed to feed the baby last time around, especially once I went back to work. You might also want to keep a white noise machine in your room and keep a thermos of some type of "sleepy time" tea at your bedside.
Good luck!
Hi J.,
I agree completely with Theresa Q!! If you can get your husband to get the baby when she wakes up and change her diaper and bring her to you, you can nurse her and "sleep-walk" her back to bed when she's done nursing and you don't really have to "wake your brain up" to do either of those things. This is what my husband and I did and it worked GREAT for me!!!
Since he's the one out of the house working, he may have some objections to this, but you are the one who will need to be far more alert and patient during the day, caring for 2 kids.
Best of luck!!
