Moms Sleepless Nights

I think Tylenol PM is safe to take while nursing, and not that strong. I know its hard to relax and fall asleep when you have a chance to after kids, you need to figure out what makes you sleepiest. Reading books definitely works for me. I remember after my son was born my sister would say, why don't you take a nap while I watch the baby. I would just lay in my bed exhausted with my eyes wide open, listening for every peep the baby made. You have to try to turn your mind off, don't think about the kids or what you have to do when you wake up.

Do you have an exercise routine? Sometimes that helps. I know I sleep better when I do and have more energy as well. Currently pregnant though so when my son naps I often do too :)

Same thing happened to me. Your body gets so used to waking up with the baby that it forgets how to sleep through the night! I was told by a counselor of mine, who also used this product, to try the prescription Trazodone (sleep aid) I took half (25 mg) the recommended amt (of 50 mg) for about 2 weeks. It retrains your body how to sleep & then I was good and did not need to take it anymore. Good luck!! :)

I was in your same boat. I agree that you need a doctor who will help you look at boosting your energy and sleep with vitamins and minerals. Use the over the counter and prescriptions as a last resort. Some vitamins that helped me were B12 and also lots of Niacin.

Some other safe things you can do that won't affect your breastmilk are chamomile tea or passionflower tea, sipping the hour or so before bed. You also may consider taking Melatonin, which normalizes your circadian rhythm--I'm pretty sure your doctor would agree this is safe, but please ask. The most effective form of Melatonin is sub-lingual, the kind that melts under your tongue as a lozenge. It won't make you sleepy, it just helps you rest when you're ready to lay down, and then helps you stay asleep. People use it for jet lag but it helped me at times when I had several nights in a row like what you're describing. Just so you know, I nursed too.

I also find great relief when my mind wakes up in the middle of the night to check the babe and won't "shut down" with Dr. Bach's Nighttime Rescue Remedy. This is a flower-essence formula that is vibrational medicine that affects your energy body, not your breastmilk. Your doctor won't know much about that or be able to advise you, since it's not western medicine, but perhaps a Naturopathic doctor would, or a certified flower essences practitioner. You can also ask a Naturopathic Doctor (ND) about using skullcap, an herbal sedative.

Best of luck, I've been there, and it will get better. Your body needs nourishment. It's good you're trying to get more sleep because that's probably one of the best ways to avoid illness and depression.

It sounds like your body clock is messed up. May I suggest that you read a book at night in as low a light as you can handle in the hopes that you will tire naturally. You need to get yourself back on a schedule and stick to it. I do not take any drugs to go to sleep and when I have fleeting thoughts that keep me awake I choose a topic for example flowers and while laying in bed I will start to name off every flower I can come up with. This is like counting sheep but it brings me peace when I visualize the flower as I say it in my head. Sounds crazy doesn't it? But it did work for me. I felt like my body clock was messed up for years until all my kids were older than 4. While we insist on schedules for our kids, we neglect ourselves. Make sure you are not exercising at night unless you just do yoga or stretches. Otherwise you may work up too much energy! And most of all, cut out all sugar and caffiene in the evening. Good Luck!

You need to retrain your body to sleep and for how long. It might help to take some non-addictive sleep pills. I have some sitting next to my bed because once in a blue moon I do need one.

My daughter is 3 1/2 years old and sometimes I take a 30 min - 1hr nap when she naps, even if there are chores to do getting that rest is important. After my daughter was 1 years old and sleep through the night well I did take non-addictive sleep meds for a few weeks because like you my body was use to getting up at certain times even if the little one did not actually wake me up. So with the sleep meds I was able to relax and retrain my body when to sleep (took me about 2 weeks).

Hope you get the rest you need... not getting the sleep you need or just being tired because you are a mom are two different things. Do not let the doctor tell you it is nothing because it is something that is affecting your everyday activity negatively and THAT is when the doctor should be saying oh lets see how we can fix it.

Changing your diet might also help no eating two hours before bed, as well as only have water two or less hours before bed (but not too much water otherwise you will be waking up to use the bathroom). I have been told that computer and TV time before bed does not help relax the mind so one should read a book to relax the mind... sometimes works for me sometimes not (if it is a football or baseball game it puts me right to sleep). If you have the means try a relaxing bath maybe an hour before you want to go to sleep, use some calming/sleepy time bubbles/scents.

first, get a new doctor. you can probably take a benadryl or 1/2 a tylenol pm to get to sleep w/o affecting your breast milk or knocking yourself out too much that you won't hear the baby cry if she needs you. hope that helps.