Conference moira::parenting_v3

    How far along are you? With my first pregnancy, I found that if I
    didn't get right to sleep (or right back to sleep after waking up) that
    my leg cramps would start. So I'd get up, read for awhile, eat cereal,
    and then try again.  I remember bringing it up with my doctor - she
    just smiled and said it preps you for being up with the baby!
    
    Naps on the weekend are my lifesaver now - the minute Ryan goes in for
    his, I'm in for mine.
    

    I generally sleep easily, but while I was pregnant I'd frequently wake
    up and not be able to fall back asleep.  I'm not too good at just
    staying in bed and thinking about everything.  So, I'd usually get up. 
    I'd clear papers off my desk, read, watch TV, or whatever.  
    
    Sometimes I'd get tired and go back to bed.  Near the very end of my
    pregnancy I'd wake up at 5:00 a lot.  Actually, I woke up at 5:00 on
    the day that I went into labor (around 2:00 pm).  I dozed when the
    contractions weren't too strong, but I basically got very little sleep
    and the baby was born at 9:00 a.m. so I got about 4 hours of sleep in
    28 hours.  I don't recommend that at all.  Next time I'd try a lot
    harder to get a nap in.
    
    judy

    
    It's called "pregnancy insomnea" and it's fairly common.
    
    Despite being exhausted, I awake around 3am and can't get back to
    sleep.  I have found it best to get up, and do something.  I usually go
    downstairs, make myself a cup of herbal tea, lie on the couch in the
    den with a blanket over me...and watch tv.  Middle of the night CNN was
    great during the war.  Now I usually turn on Nik at Night and catch
    Alfred Hitchcock!  Before I know it, I've dosed off, and next thing I
    know, my husband is waking me up, telling me it's time to...
    
    Lately, I've been sleeping through the night--even with a 2-hr. nap in 
    the afternoon.  I only have 5 more weeks to go--I don't know if that
    has something to do with it.  But, I am VERY HOT at night--kick off the
    covers right away and am having fitful sleep and very vivid--somewht
    disturbing dreams.  I remember this pattern when I was pregno. with
    Hannah too.
    
    Don't sweat it.  It's not real insomnea---just hormone related.  Just
    go with the flow and believe me--when you have the baby--you won't be
    able to sleep enough!
    
    Bonnie
    
    

    You might try sleeping in a recliner, if you have one.  That
    helped me with the backache and generic discomfort. 
    
    Also, I found that if I drank more, rather than less, water, I
    might have to get up to use the bathroom, but I was overall more
    comfortable and had less swelling, tingling limbs, and other
    little nagging problems that can make it hard to get back to
    sleep.
    
    --bonnie

    re: .4

    It was explained to me, that by drinking more fluids, you are more
    likely to "flush" your system, rather than retain the fluids.

    re: .5
    
    That makes sense.  It certainly seemed to work that way for me.
    
    --bonnie

    Getting back to the basenote...

    When I was expecting and couldn't sleep, I would cuddle up next to my
    husband. This would make me feel better and the baby must have sensed
    it, as he would start kicking. The kicking would make me more mellow
    and I would nod off to sleep.
    
    One thing leads to another...
    Norma

    I never had too much trouble, but my babysitter hasn't slept in over a
    year ....
    
    She got so used to NOT sleeping when she was pregnant, and then NOT
    sleeping when the baby was born, that now, even though the baby is 5
    mos old and sleeps fine, SHE can't sleep because she's so used to not
    sleeping.
    
    For any type of 'insomnia', they suggest getting OUT of bed so that you
    don't accustom yourself to laying awake in bed.  Make your bedroom a
    place where you only sleep (well, and you know) - don't sew, read,
    watch T.V., or anything that might make your body think you should be
    doing anything other than sleeping.  When I can't sleep, I'll give it
    about 10 mins, and then I'm outta there.  In that 10 mins I count
    backwards from 1000, and concentrating on THAT usually slows down my
    brain enough so that I can get back to sleep ... of course I HAVE made
    it to 500 before! (You have to make sure you say each number the whole
    way out 999,998,997 - don't skip that 'nine hundred').  
    
    SOMETIMES reading or eating/T.V. helps, but usually I find that I'm so
    wired anything like that just provides MORE stimulation to keep me
    awake.  If you have a rocker, get up and rock in a dimly lit room and
    think about peaceful thoughts (the ocean, a walk in the woods etc). 
    And in times of utter desparation, sitting outside and gazing at the
    stars might work!
    
    In any event, I think it's important to learn how to get BACK to sleep
    because that little one will have you up and down so many times, if you
    can't get back to sleep, it's going to be a LOT harder!!
    
    GOOD LUCK!!
    Patty

    I had the same problem.  Cleared up after childbirth.  I was hungry
    many times, though I didn't feel that way.  Having a cup of hot cocoa
    (warm milk is tranquillizing) and some crackers helped me get back to
    sleep within 30 minutes, usually.  The milk is so nutritious when
    you're pregnant and need a lot of protein.
    
    Laura

    I've had off-and-on bouts of insomnia during both pregnancies. With
    this one, I tried acupuncture during my first trimester and found 
    that it helped. Now that I'm about 5 months, it is not as severe and
    I don't do treatments anymore. 
    
    A friend of mine has *very* severe pregnancy insomnia (like 1 hour of 
    sleep a night) and she too is having good luck with acupuncture.
    
    Lucy
    
    PS - send me mail if you want more info or a recommendation.  

    For me insomnia was the first *sure* sign of pregnancy!  along with
    very tender breasts I knew before the late period or blood test.  It
    continued for the whole nine months.  I'd be exhausted, and sometimes
    come home from work and have to take an hour's nap before dealing with
    supper.  Then I'd fall asleep before 10 oclock and like several others
    be up sometime in the middle of the night.  Many nights I'd get up and
    warm a glass of milk or have a bowl of cereal or toast and be able to
    settle back in.
    
    A nurse-friend of mine said to watch the time you woke up.  She said
    for her the time she woke up with both of hers, was about the time of
    their actual birth......!?!?!
    
    Lyn