Benedryl for pregnancy insomnia?

Dannylion24 · November 2014

soooo ... I've been suffering from pretty vicious insomnia on and off the last few months, and it's gotten really bad of late. I called my OB today and her advice was to take benedryl at night. I had tried this in a previous pregnancy and it just makes me feel very zombie-ish and spaced out. My concern is that I have a 1 year old who sometimes still wakes at night so I can't be completely out of it. I'm going to go for it tonight, but like I mentioned, it didn't really work out last time.

Just to note I've tried tea, warm milk, showers, walks, reading, and tylenol PM. I still can't seem to get the sleep I desperately need. Last night it took at hour to fall asleep and then I was up from 2 to 5am.

Wondering if anyone else takes benedryl? Or had any other advice? Id read online about melatonin (which I've taken before when not pregnant and liked), but my OB doesn't approve.

Thanks in advance, ladies.

Sahara6971 · November 2014

I take Unison every night. I have had pretty bad insomnia my whole life and was all about Ambien before I was PG. Maybe you could try Unisom? There are 2 types. One is a pregnancy category A and the other is the same as Benadryl.

MapleMomma · November 2014

What about 1/2 a Benadryl? Maybe that wouldn't knock you out to the world but help you sleep?

racheltherose · November 2014

I'm with PP, I used to take half a unisom all through my entire first trimester and sometimes on the weekends. It doesn't leave me groggy the next day, unless I have more than half

rosieo52 · November 2014

I have taken Benadryl to help me sleep. I don't do it regularly, only when I'm really struggling. But I have experienced the same thing as you. It does make me a little groggy the next day because I have take 2. 1 does not seem to do the trick for me. Maybe try taking it an hour or so before you plan on going to bed. That might help you be less groggy the next day.

SaraL1175 · November 2014

I have taken benedryl and it does knock me out. I only take it if I'm really desperate as I also have small children.

Can you talk to DH and ask him to run night duty just tonight so you can get a guilt free sleep? That's what I do.

tropicbreeze · November 2014

I have taken a child's dose of Benadryl to fall asleep. I haven't felt groggy the next day. Maybe because it is the children's version?

dreemkin84 · November 2014

I take it for congestion and to sleep if really needed (usually when I need to get a good nights rest to wake up at 5 for work (part-timer)). I usually just take 1. FYI, Tylenol PM has the same ingredient as benedryl but it doesn't seem to work as well for me as a sleep aid, so you could try that.

Dannylion24 · November 2014

@Sahara6971‌ and @racheltherose‌; thanks for the suggestion of unisom. I haven't heard of it and will bring it up with my OB on Monday. @MapleMomma‌ and @Knottie52468216‌ and @rosieo52‌ yes my last preg I was taking 2, so doc advised to try 1 this time. I'm spacing it out before bed as pp suggested. Hoping maybe that's the trick! I do have kiddie benedryl around here somewhere too that I can give a try. @SaraL1175‌ DH being on baby duty is definitely the plan for tonight!! @unconventionalatbest‌ curiously my OB also said for me to start taking 250 mg of magnesium, though it was for leg cramps. Very happy to hear it may help with the sleeping (or lack there of) as well! @dreemkin84‌ I had no idea tylenol pm and benedryl had the same active ingredient. Well, I guess I will see if there's a diff for me tonight since I took the tylenol last night to no avail.

Thanks for all the help!!!

chicagojackie · November 2014

Sahara6971 said:

I take Unison every night. I have had pretty bad insomnia my whole life and was all about Ambien before I was PG. Maybe you could try Unisom? There are 2 types. One is a pregnancy category A and the other is the same as Benadryl.

acutally Unisom (doxylamine) is a pregnancy risk C. It is still used for morning sickness in combination with VB6 (pyridoxine) which is pregnancy risk A, because Vitamin B6 is simply a water soluable vitamin.

OP should clear the Unisom with her OB.

FWIW Benedryl (diphenhydramine) is a risk B in pregnancy.

there are no risk A drugs that are used in pregnancy. even tylenol (acetaminophen, paracetamol) is a risk C.

MaryS001 · November 2014

You may also want to try no screens the hour before bed. I know the nights I don't check my phone, play on the computer, or watch tv after 8 or 9 I fall asleep much faster.

Clearly not doing that tonight-- bumping at 10:30-- but I'm off work tomorrow, so doesn't matter as much tonight

firelizard83 · November 2014

As a note: benadryl (diphenhydramine) is the same active sleepy ingredient used in most otc sleep aids, including Tylenol pm. So if that's not working for you, then benadryl might not either.
Also curious what the arguments are against melatonin during pregnancy. I haven't researched this at all, but from what I know about melatonin and how it works and naturally occurs in our bodies, I can't personally come up with an argument against it.

Ace226 · November 2014

firelizard83 said:
As a note: benadryl (diphenhydramine) is the same active sleepy ingredient used in most otc sleep aids, including Tylenol pm. So if that's not working for you, then benadryl might not either.
Also curious what the arguments are against melatonin during pregnancy. I haven't researched this at all, but from what I know about melatonin and how it works and naturally occurs in our bodies, I can't personally come up with an argument against it.

I second this; I was surprised to read that she didn't support you using melatonin while pregnant.

firelizard83 · November 2014

Oh and to add, my sister has a weird insomnia trick. She goes and stands somewhere in the house, in the dark, and does nothing. Just stand there staring into the abyss until you become tired... like I said, weird.

Sahara6971 · November 2014

chicagojackie said:

Sahara6971 said:

I take Unison every night. I have had pretty bad insomnia my whole life and was all about Ambien before I was PG. Maybe you could try Unisom? There are 2 types. One is a pregnancy category A and the other is the same as Benadryl.

acutally Unisom (doxylamine) is a pregnancy risk C. It is still used for morning sickness in combination with VB6 (pyridoxine) which is pregnancy risk A, because Vitamin B6 is simply a water soluable vitamin.

OP should clear the Unisom with her OB.

FWIW Benedryl (diphenhydramine) is a risk B in pregnancy.

there are no risk A drugs that are used in pregnancy. even tylenol (acetaminophen, paracetamol) is a risk C.

Huh, my dr. Looked it up in front of me and said it was safer than Benadryl. Strange... Eta - Dr. Google lists doxylamine as a category b

MapleMomma · November 2014

My ob is ok with unisom or Benadryl...

Surprise with the magnesium, it should help you poop! (low magnesium can cause a back up issue, resulting in leg cramps from too much waste in your body)

srcr2011 · November 2014

I'm up every night some times for 1.5 hours, sometimes for 2.5. My OB asked me if I was sleeping/waking up on my back when I told him I sleep like crap. Unfortunately, yes I do. He suggested I prop myself with pillows to keep me from rolling over so I wouldn't decrease blood flow by 30%, feel like crap, and wake up. I did not help. I am not mad that he did not offer me an alternative.

Dannylion24 · November 2014

Ace226 said:

firelizard83 said:
As a note: benadryl (diphenhydramine) is the same active sleepy ingredient used in most otc sleep aids, including Tylenol pm. So if that's not working for you, then benadryl might not either.
Also curious what the arguments are against melatonin during pregnancy. I haven't researched this at all, but from what I know about melatonin and how it works and naturally occurs in our bodies, I can't personally come up with an argument against it.
I second this; I was surprised to read that she didn't support you using melatonin while pregnant.

Over the phone the nurse (reading the dr's notes) offered no explanation as to why my OB didn't approve of melatonin. I have my normal monthly appointment on Monday and plan on asking.

Irishcurls · November 2014

Ace226 said:

As a note: benadryl (diphenhydramine) is the same active sleepy ingredient used in most otc sleep aids, including Tylenol pm. So if that's not working for you, then benadryl might not either. Also curious what the arguments are against melatonin during pregnancy. I haven't researched this at all, but from what I know about melatonin and how it works and naturally occurs in our bodies, I can't personally come up with an argument against it.
I second this; I was surprised to read that she didn't support you using melatonin while pregnant.

I recall reading on Mayo Clinic that it's contraindicated for TTC, so I gave it up awhile ago and just haven't had to go back. I don't know exactly what it is that makes it unsafe though, Google might.

Dannylion24 · November 2014

Irishcurls said:

Ace226 said:

firelizard83 said:
As a note: benadryl (diphenhydramine) is the same active sleepy ingredient used in most otc sleep aids, including Tylenol pm. So if that's not working for you, then benadryl might not either.
Also curious what the arguments are against melatonin during pregnancy. I haven't researched this at all, but from what I know about melatonin and how it works and naturally occurs in our bodies, I can't personally come up with an argument against it.
I second this; I was surprised to read that she didn't support you using melatonin while pregnant.

I recall reading on Mayo Clinic that it's contraindicated for TTC, so I gave it up awhile ago and just haven't had to go back. I don't know exactly what it is that makes it unsafe though, Google might.

I will def Google before Monday. But the reason Id initially asked about it was bc id read on one site several instances where preg women were saying their dr's had actually recommended they use it ... So I was surprised to be told no.

janedean77 · November 2014

My ob's explanation for not allowing melatonin was that it hasn't been tested on pregnant women and that just because it's natural doesn't mean it's safe for baby. So I take a unisom every night.

MapleMomma · November 2014

A handful of walnuts has the same amount of melatonin that a pill would. Try a handful of those before bed?

Irishcurls · November 2014

Dannylion24 said:

Ace226 said:

As a note: benadryl (diphenhydramine) is the same active sleepy ingredient used in most otc sleep aids, including Tylenol pm. So if that's not working for you, then benadryl might not either. Also curious what the arguments are against melatonin during pregnancy. I haven't researched this at all, but from what I know about melatonin and how it works and naturally occurs in our bodies, I can't personally come up with an argument against it.
I second this; I was surprised to read that she didn't support you using melatonin while pregnant.

I recall reading on Mayo Clinic that it's contraindicated for TTC, so I gave it up awhile ago and just haven't had to go back. I don't know exactly what it is that makes it unsafe though, Google might.
I will def Google before Monday. But the reason Id initially asked about it was bc id read on one site several instances where preg women were saying their dr's had actually recommended they use it ... So I was surprised to be told no.

Yeah I'm not seeing anything other than the standard "hasn't been tested" which is pretty common for many drugs while pregnant. It can impact ovulation, which is why it's a no for TTC, but that's all I found.

chicagojackie · November 2014

I think it's because melatonin regulates a lot of things not just the pineal gland. I wouldn't mess with second messenger systems but that's the biochem dork in me.

"Melatonin is a hormone produced in the pineal gland from the amino acid tryptophan and goes into the blood and cerebrospinal fluid. It conveys signals to distant organs, principally the brain, and affects the synthesis of second messengers and, ultimately, sleep and circadian rhythms."

chicagojackie · November 2014

@Sahara6971‌ your doc may not have the most current pharmacy references...they are expensive. Ugh, pharmacy!

The 2015 pharmacopeia lists it as a C as above as does a peer reviewed clinical database. As for what that means for clinical safety for each pt you have to go with your doctors advice and your own judgment about how bad your symptoms are and if they warrant you taking meds.

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