Preggo Sleep Suggestions

oh, my poor FB! it sounds miserable. i wish i had something useful to contribute. just the usual bromides- mint or sleepytime tea, lavender spritz on the pillows, warm bath, good book.
i myself would set up a little shrine to Hypnos. i realize this isn't an option for most.
good luck, sweet girl.
khairete
S.

yep. I'm there right now hon. I feel your pain!

and I was thinking (about 3 am one night) that I likely won't get a good night's sleep for a good year or two. *sigh*

I've been going to bed earlier, keeping Tums by my bedside, packing myself in between pillows like a sardine, and putting a fan directly on me. I still have to get up to pee but I've got it down to about once per night. Oh - and taking naps on the weekends, a must. I don't think there is a "fix" - just an "adjust and do the best you can".

Good luck!

A body pillow was essential for me to get sleep when pregnant.

Besides just pillows or long body pillows (which made me feel hotter), try a wedge-shaped pillow. I had to make my own from a chunk of "Tempurpedic" foam a friend gave me, but I am sure there are wedge-shaped (and fairly firm!) pillows out there, possibly even on some sites aimed at pregnant women. The idea is that you can lie on your side and slide the wedge under your belly until it is in position to give the support you want. It really did help me be far more comfortable than just lying on my side without a support, and the wedge shape worked better than just stuffing regular pillows under me! A second wedge might also help with the sore breasts if you slide it under your breast as you lie on your side, so the breasts get more support. Good luck. The wedges won't help with all the issues, but might help some!

Can you raise the head a bit? We put our head end of the bed frame on 4X4's and it helps reflus and stuff so much! Then I put my feet on a thick pillow to help with swelling. I sleep on my side pretty much all the time so I look odd. Feet up, head up, hiney in a hole...lol.

I had to use a wedge pillow to relieve some of the issues you mention. It helped keep me on my back comfortably. Also it helped with my never ending heartburn and nausea and the frequent congestion. As for the rest well the good news is it only lasts a few months. :) Good luck.

Yeah, pregnancy has it's challenges!
I remember having trouble sleeping because my feet felt so hot.
I started keeping damp wash cloths in the fridge to put on my feet at night.

Generally getting up in the night meant
1 - I had to pee (there was no avoiding getting up for that)
2 - get a drink (I had several glasses of water - I was going to have to pee anyway - avoiding water wasn't going to change that)
3 - needed a Rolaids (I ate those things like candy)
4 - I was HUNGRY (hunger could just come on so quickly and aggressively) (my go to quick snack was 2 slices of Velveeta cheese - it seemed to quell the hunger so I could get back to sleep)

The last few months of pregnancy it was hard to get more than a few hours sleep at a time (guess it's preparing you for a newborn!) so napping became very important.
I'd come home from work, eat something, take a cool shower and grab a nap.
Pregnancy doesn't last forever but those last few months make you feel like it takes WAY longer than it does.
Spend as much time in a swimming pool as you can (if your dr says it's ok).
It takes the pressure off your back for a bit and helps with circulation (so it helps with the swelling feet).

my dr said a half dose of benadryl would help. but i never did it. (you could call your dr for recommendations for sleep aids too) i tried sleeping in the recliner, which helped a few times.
http://www.holo-lilo.com/
if i ever get pregnant again i am getting one of these. i am a tummy sleeper too
i also found that yogurt was a fast snack that filled the tummy without making heartburn worse, and sometimes even calmed it
i hope you get a good nights sleep and can rest up before baby arrives