Time for Battle - Sleeping Strategies

leighbrek · August 2018

You're feeling it... The tossing and turning, the achy hips, the snoring, the peeing a gazillion times, the restless spouse, the breathing dog... How the hell do you manage to get any sleep? Other ladies would like to know your secrets!

leighbrek · August 2018

I have a U-shaped pregnancy pillow that takes up exactly 1/2 of our queen sized bed, which stops hubby from crowding me. It also allows for me to roll around and not have to adjust the pillow, because the pillow surrounds me at all times. I use it to sleep on my stomach, because it currently gives me enough lift that my belly doesn't feel squished, or I pop it under my hip so that I can back sleep... Or I just throw a leg over it and side sleep. It's also a good tool for keeping me warm, so I don't mess with blankets all night as I'm moving around.
I drink less before I go to bed, so I only have to get up once a night go pee. And I simply smother my husband when he starts snoring (but really, I had earplugs handy).

That's my amazing sleep story.

molosmiles · August 2018

I mostly sleep on my right side and I was feeling guilty about it knowing left side is recommended....so I googled it just before seeing this! Left is best and right is next. I guess sleeping on your back increases your risk of still birth!

skilouise · August 2018

I have five pillows: a Medcline side sleeper wedge pillow, three regular pillows (of various thicknesses and materials), and a Boppy side sleeper pillow.

For the most part, I alternate sleeping on my right and left size on the wedge, with a regular pillow for my head, between my legs, and one to hug. The boppy makes it harder to unconsciously sleep on my back (though it isn't as risky with the wedge, I'm still trying to avoid it).

Lately though, my hips have ached if I sleep too long on one side. So another position I've used (still on the wedge) is to use the Boppy and a thinner regular pillow under my right side, you tilt me a bit to the left. The leg pillow then goes underneath both of my legs (rather than between) for extra support. This is mostly comfortable, though for some reason it can cause my left arm to fall asleep.

DH isn't thrilled with the arrangement since it's kind of isolating, but understands the need and admits it's not as bad as if I used the Snoogle. He calls all my pillows the "Fortress of Pillowtude" lol

saltedcaramel518 · August 2018

I love my Snoogle.

I usually get up once per night to pee, and I try to not look at the clock or think about anything besides going back to sleep or else my mind starts thinking about all the things.

If I’m tossing and turning and know that going back to sleep soon is hopeless, I will read on my Kindle Paperwhite (love that thing!) for 15-20 minutes. That usually helps my mind wind down.

If all else fails, I move somewhere else-the couch, guest bedroom. I don’t know why that helps, but it does.

kns1988 · August 2018

I'm not having trouble yet, but last pregnancy, my hips would KILL me in the middle of the night. I also had horrendous cramps in my calves. I'm not looking forward to that nonsense.

tosh24 · August 2018

My husband moved to the spare bedroom. Best decision ever. He has sleep apnea, snores, breathes like he's going to suck the entire house through his nostrils, and is such a heavy sleeper that he doesn't even realize that he rolls on top of me sometimes during the night (I've woken up in a panic before because I can't breathe). If I don't fall sleep before him, there's no way I can without a pillow over my head. Same for when I wake up during the night - impossible to get back to sleep. He'll likely be out of the master for the next 18 months since I sleep with baby once born anyway. Now I have ALL the room in bed for my pillows! I'm still dealing with insomnia so that's what keeps me up rather than being uncomfortable. I sleep mostly on my left, alternate to my right when my left hip and shoulder start to ache, and use a wedge under my right hip for short stints on my back. I always have a pillow between my knees. I've been wanting to start my magnesium supplement back up to help with the insomnia, but my IBS has been acting up so I don't need anything that will make my bowels any angrier....

KLS123 · August 2018

Here are my strategies that have been working so far:

I am a fan of the snoogle and have been using it religiously since week 12
I try an load up my water intake early in the day and back it off leading up to nighttime to reduce the number of times I have to get up and pee in the MOTN
I ready before bed rather than watch TV and have my phone switch to "Night Shift" to reduce exposure to blue light
I have a white noise machine going at night so my dog snores or DH bathroom run won't wake me up
If I am really struggling, I take a Unisom tablet

emmaaa · August 2018

I have a Snoogle from when I was pregnant with DD but haven't started using it yet. I feel like last time I used it a lot earlier. It takes me a while to get comfy but it's manageable. For now I mainly sleep on my left side but always wake up to pee on my back and I did the same thing with DD up until I gave birth to her. I'm naturally a back sleeper

saltedcaramel518 · August 2018

@tosh24 my husband is such a heavy sleeper too. He’s always rolling over on me. It’s why we’ll never co sleep with a baby.

tosh24 · August 2018

@saltedcaramel518 We've always had the rule that DH is not allowed to sleep with the kids, even as they get older - I mean, a 2 or 3 year old still wouldn't be able to move him off of them! Sometimes he falls asleep with them when putting them to bed, but it's only a short while before I wake him up and move him. This is another reason why he moves out of the room once baby is born - not only because I can't get back to sleep with his snoring after night feeds, but because I like to co-sleep and it's not safe with him in the bed. I'm the kind of person that takes up maybe a foot total of space in bed right on the edge and wakes up in the same position I fell asleep in (well, when not pregnant) so I never get close to baby at all, but DH can't be trusted. Must be nice for men to sleep so soundly at night......

wkuandrea · August 2018

so I've always been an awful sleeper -- good news, MOTN feedings and less sleep won't be so jarring? ANYHOW, I have a Snoogle and I hate it. I've tried twice now (giving a few days between) and I just can't get comfortable. Am I supposed to lay ON it (like belly to the "C" side)? My belly isn't "high" enough to get a pillow under it I don't think. I try sleeping in the middle of the "C" but wind up in a half-on-my-back-on-the-snoogle position, which is not comfortable, or rolled as far away from it as I can in a semi side-stomach ball (which doesn't feel great when you wake up, btw). If left to my own devices sans Snoogle, I will sleep on my right side (I come back from MOTN bathroom breaks and lay on my left, but always wind up on my right).

I do LOVE sleeping in bed alone, but my DH gets sad about it. (we've only been married a year, give him time) Already established that we will take turns sleeping in separate rooms with baby because both of us are crazy light sleepers and it's stupid for us to both be awake all night every night.

BitterBetty12 · August 2018

@emmaaa I could have written your exact post. Like. Same to everything you said. I actually did just use the snoogle for the first time last night. With DD I loved it but this time I still manage to wake up on my back every time.

Kabazaba · August 2018

Just posted about this in my weekly check-in! I have been trying to side-sleep (normally a back sleeper) since I was 15/16 weeks, and I HATE IT. Some nights are OK, but most nights my hips ache and I'm constantly tossing and turning (with a U-shaped body pillow between knees, ankles, and propping me from behind as well). I also gets bouts of insomnia and have had insomnia a couple days every few weeks since getting pregnant. Midwife Monday suggested a new sleeping position: propped up, with the pillow closest to me long-ways and behind just the left or right side of my body (so the back is at an angle, and your whole body is propped up anyway). I've tried that the past few nights and it's a VAST IMPROVEMENT to side sleeping (for me anyway) - though I still have day dreams of being able to flop on a bed and nap however I damn well please.

ANYWAY - Midwife also suggested a magnesium powder - Natural Calm - as a kind of pregnancy cure-all including insomnia, constipation, migraines, etc. I've ordered some off Amazon so TBD how wonderful it is but the internet seems to confirm the midwife

Hoping this works (along with tea, no electronics, white noise, etc.) before turning to the hard stuff (Tylenol night).

mrsmang · August 2018

I have a smaller kind of comma shaped pillow, and a wedge. I was trying to avoid the whole body pillow situation I normally sleep on my right side, so not the worst, but I’ve been trying to sleep on my left side. It’s been causing a good bit of shoulder pain, mostly while trying to sleep or right when I wake up. The pillows don’t seem to be doing much to keep me in place, I find myself waking up more on my right side than my left, although it does vary. I don’t have any great solution, if anyone does I’d love it. I’m also planning to ask my dr tomorrow how much of a difference she really thinks left side makes and if I should worry too much.

emmaaa · August 2018

@BitterBetty12 I don't think I know where my Snoogle is actually lol. My SIL may still have it? Who knows.

saltedcaramel518 · August 2018

@wkuandrea I sleep on my Snoogle like this most of the time, though I will occasionally turn the other way.

Image: https://www.stagecoachdesigns.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Snoogle-Total-Body-Pillow-Cover.jpg

kns1988 · August 2018

I'm another one that almost never sleeps in bed with DH. It's funny how many couples do that. For us, it's because I go to sleep 3 or 4 hours before he does, and he likes to fall asleep watching TV. We don't have a TV in our room.

luckymay2x · August 2018

I'm a regular side sleeper, so I dont have to force myself to sleep in a new position, its mainly a matter of finding a pillow arrangement that alleviates back and hip pain.

I never liked the snoogle last pregnancy, ane this pregnancy a regular rectangular body pillow is working much better.

I was having back pain for a few days this week and kept trying different sleep numbers on our sleep number mattress to see if there was a magic setting. Should be after we splurged on that thing! Anyway, for some reason setting it on like 15, which is equivalent to a moatly deflated air mattress has eliminated my sleeping back pain. I sleep in like a divet in the bed, seems like it should be horrible for my back, but pregnancy is weird!

rooonilwaazlib · August 2018

I'm traditionally a stomach sleeper so that's obviously a no-no, especially this far along. I'd prefer my back because like a lot of gals here, my hips are aching from sleeping on either side. I have Sacroiliac Joint pain to begin with, so the hip pain from side to side sleeping is just exacerbating it. I've had a snoogle since week 10-11 which I actually really like, mostly for the leg propping. I fall asleep sleeping on my left side and spooning the snoogle, but will often wake up on my right side.

For those who have wedges, can you recommend ones that are good? I'm going to try that or something similar under my hips and see if it makes a difference. I like the look of this (below) and might give it a shot. Anyone ever tried this before?
https://www.amazon.com/Boppy-Side-Sleeper-Pregnancy-Pillow/dp/B01N3Y3848

skilouise · August 2018

@rooonilwaazlib I have both a wedge and the Boppy. The wedge I have is the Medcline, which is designed for side sleepers and has a cut out for your arm/ shoulder. It definitely required an adjustment period, but I like it a lot now. It also helps a lot with my snoring, so I don't feel guilty about bothering DH (or have to deal with him prodding me awake). Fair warning though that the Medcline isn't cheap, even with the 40% off sale that they run almost constantly, but for me it was worth it.

The Boppy is really helpful also. With just the wedge, I was rolling onto my back a lot in my sleep. The Boppy reduces that quite a bit, and keeps me at a slight tilt in the event I do roll towards my back.

sweetyjenj · August 2018

I love my Snoogle! I got it during pregnancy with DD and loved it, and have been using it lately, too. I still sometimes wake up on my back, but less often.

Mandamay1414 · August 2018

I need to bust out my snoogle.. it's in the crawl space that's behind our bed along with all my other newborn/baby stuff, so I need DH to help me move the bed.. It's still too hot at night here for me to want to use the snoogle though. Last time I stopped using it at 30 weeks because of the heat (DD was due in July), so I'm hoping to get a lot more use out of it this time

DLpanda08 · August 2018

I bought a u-shaped pillow from Amazon and it’s been fantastic. I forgot to bring it when we went out of town once and I got almost no sleep. I’m usually a stomach sleeper, so having one side to prop me up and one to cuddle against has been the best. I also have three king sized pillows stacked to make a sort of incline. The u-shaped pillow is over that so I’m sleeping slightly on an incline. Otherwise I get way too congested and intense heartburn.

greenhillgirl · August 2018

I was given a snoogle at about 8 weeks and have been experimenting with it since then. At about 12 weeks I started sleeping in the second bedroom. DH works nights and it had never bothered me before, but I was hot, cranky, woken up easily, and wanted more room. I have my little set up in what will be our daughters room and love it. A bit before bed I precool it with our window unit AC and I use the snoogle on one side and a memory foam pillow on the other side. As long as we're still having sex and getting along, I have no shame about sleeping separately. I feel like I'm bonding with her and taking care of myself.

My doctor said I don't have to sleep on my side yet and when I do it doesn't matter which side.

Augusta108 · August 2018

I have a U shaped pregnancy pillow that was working great for a bit, but over the last week or so I keep waking up with hip pain anyway. Maybe I need to try some of these other options!

BitterBetty12 · August 2018

I do agree that you can generally tell when your back is a no go. Right now I am still comfortable on my back but I’m paranoid about it so I always go to sleep on my side.

But i do remember there came a point in my pregnancy with DD where laying on my back for any kind of extended time was so incredibly uncomfortable that I wanted nothing to do with it.

kaf1788 · August 2018

I generally still feel comfortable lying on my back normally. The drawback is that anytime I sleep on my back one of my cats will decide to sleep on my stomach and the extra weight is very much not appreciated. I've generally been falling asleep with the snoogle/an overall pillow fortress keeping me propped up on my side but sometimes I do still wake up on my back (usually with a cat on me).

kianarain · August 2018

@kaf1788 lol at your cat comments. I thought it would be so sweet being pregnant and having them lay on my belly, but everything feels so smooshed in there anyway that the extra weight is a no-go. Luckily my kitty mostly sleeps in between my side and the edge of the bed, so we still get snuggles. Kind of nervous for when we have the bassinet there though, because he's going to feel so betrayed lol.

rooonilwaazlib · August 2018

@kianarain @kaf1788 SAME about the cats. The little one who doesn't like me anyway still doesn't seem to care. My big guy is a bit clingier and more territorial of me, and wants to still lay on my belly. As he is a 16lb chunker, this is really not an option anymore. I can tell this frustrates him! My poor lil chubbz.

mtengl · August 2018

For Christmas DH gave me a full body pillow that he named gene... Gene is my best friend at night and since I have had the pillow since December i am pretty good at moving the pillow when I switch sides without realizing it. I am getting up more at night to go to the bathroom several times and I try to only look at the clock briefly mainly so I can tell myself I have a lot more time to sleep. Also a couple of years ago I switched to reading before bed for a half an hour and that really helps. There is no TV in my room. The biggest change is I am in bed and usually asleep by 9... I feel guilty because it means less time with DH after work but I feel like I need as many hours as possible.

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