Sleep Problems in Pregnancy
Posted: Monday, February 08, 2010
by Gabriella Gometra
It seems like such a contradiction, being exhausted and yet unable to sleep. It is a situation with growing familiarity as I reach the end of this pregnancy. So after an hour of lying uncomfortably, praying that sleep would take me, I sit to ponder the situation. Why would we have evolved in such a counterproductive manner? It seems unusual that at the time our bodies are most in need of rest also be the time that it is most elusive.
Labor is a word used not just in terms of delivering a baby, but any hard physical work. When delivering a baby that hard work is coupled with the discomfort we have all heard about. This makes me wonder if the difficulty sleeping is really just a by-product of my body preparing itself for the discomfort I am soon to endure. The aches and pains, jabs and pinching sensations, all could be seen as minor discomforts easing me toward the grand finale. I still think that I'd better handle the tough part at the end if I were well rested.
Being well rested is definitely an elusive goal at the current time, but it is still something I think fondly about. I know that they say "pregnancy fog," that absentmindedness that comes along with the third trimester, is due to changes in hormones. Somehow I think that the sleep issue comes into play as well. It has been proven in numerous studies that sleep deprivation leads to decreases in cognitive function as well as emotional instability even to the point of psychosis. I'm sure the hormones affect our emotional state and memories, but I think that those hormones are being exacerbated by the frequent trips to the bathroom and constant comfort-seeking readjustments in bed.
I suppose that it truly is a contradiction. Regardless of whether my body is being prepared for the sleep pattern of my infant or the labor process that will place her in my arms, I know that it will remain a frustration until it all subsides. I do not have to like it, or even understand, but I do have to accept that sleepless nights and fatigue are a part of the package being brought by the stork. I can guarantee that no woman struggling with this cycle enjoys it, but I know that this is a common situation. Like every other mother for thousands of years before me I need to just make the best of it while doing my best to get the rest I need.
Author Credit:
Gabriella Gometra, stay-at-home mother and writer, writes reviews on sundry products, such as the sewing machine extension table and sewing machine cabinets.
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Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)Hi Gabriella, I too am having sleep problems with my pregnancy (second trimester- 19 weeks) and I never really considered before now that it may be natures way of preparing us for those inevitable sleepless nights. I've so far managed to increase the amount of sleep a I get with a bit of lavendar oil and chamomile tea, it doesn't help a great deal, but it has bought me one or two extra hours a night.
Hi Gabriella, I too am having sleep problems with my pregnancy (second trimester- 19 weeks) and I never really considered before now that it may be natures way of preparing us for those inevitable sleepless nights. I've so far managed to increase the amount of sleep a I get with a bit of lavendar oil and chamomile tea, it doesn't help a great deal, but it has bought me one or two extra hours a night.Thanks, Laura. I have tried chamomile tea before, though not when pregnant, and I did not notice much difference. I have not heard of the lavendar oil. I will look into it. Do you add it to the tea or is it used in some other way?
I either add it to my pillow or bath, but only 2 or 3 drops at a time. I don't do both as it shouldn't be used excessively, it is one of the essential oils that my midwife gave me the ok to use after my first trimester, but it has to be used in moderation. It does make me quite sleepy and relaxed, but it isn't a scent that everyone cares for. I don't add it to the tea, I'm only using the essential oil at the moment, and I'm not sure if you can get lavendar tea (although I would be willing to try it if it is available!)I hadn't tried chamomile tea before this pregnancy, it was recommended to me by an OB when I went for an appointment last week. She said not to use it excessively (1-2 cups a day at the most) and to only use herbal tea bags, not medicinal chamomile. I'm not sure whether it is acting as 'placebo' or if it genuinely works, but whatever buys me an extra couple of hours sleep safely is fine by me :).
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