I am 34 1/2 wks pregnant with identical twin boys. i have a 2 yr old boy as well. this pregnancy has been really hard for me. 6 wks ago i started just not being able to fall asleep at night, in the day . . not ever! mostly an anxiety thing. i am def uncomfortable physically, but i think its mostly the build up and worry of how i am going to do two new born babies. i am scared to death about it! also they are both breach right now and i will most likely have to do a c section which scares me as well. my dr advised me to try to take otc sleep meds like unisom or benadryl. all they do is make my head fuzzy, but no sleep. she then perscribed ambien which i have been taking every night for the last month pretty much and sometimes that doesn't even work. i feel soooooooooooooo guilty about it. i don't even like to take tylenol when im pregnant, but my sanity has been at stake lately. has anyone else struggled with this. . am i ever going to calm down and feel like myself again. with so little sleep and pregnancy hormones and the stress of a multiple pregnancy i don't even recognize myself anymore. i know i am close to the end, but every day and every night is sooo long!!!
Thankyou so much to everyone that has responded to me! I appreciate it so much. I am now 35 wks and proud of myself for getting this far. I have had a couple good nights in a row and am feeling better this evening. I worry about the nights still and take ambien to help me get to sleep, but i have been going back to sleep on my own after i have to get up or wake up which happens several times during the night. I would like to try to take 1/2 and go down from there. But i worry that i will just freak out again. Anyways. . .i am grateful for the empathy and ideas. Thankyou!!!
I had a friend who just recently told me she found it harder to be pregnant with twins than to be the mommy of twins. I hope that helps.
I know how you're feeling. I remember when I was pregnant with my twins I was so uncomfortable and so tired, when I laid down to go to sleep they would start moving all over, I would just lay there and cry cause all I wanted to do was get some sleep. I do think some of my problem was anxiety. I also had a 2 year old. I ended up having a c-section which I didn't want, I thought it was so much worse than a vaginal delivery. Do what ever you can to get sleep once they are born, mine slept in swings for the 1st 6 months but I would do anything for sleep. You do survive even if the first 6 months is a blur. Mine are now 5 years old and it is much easier. I wish you the best, sorry I have no help for getting sleep now.
Hi L.,
I know this is a bit after the fact. I just saw your request on "the spotlight" and thought I'd respond. I also have a two year old and identical boys. My twins are now five months and I after they were born I never thought I'd live to see this day. It is much easier to sleep now that they're out of me (unless they're hungry...) and I hope you're getting some sleep now, too. I just thought I'd let you know that I'm in the same situation and here to commiserate if you ever need it. Hope you and your family are getting the sleep you need.
L.,
I didn't suffer so much from insomnia while pregnant but I do now. I don't like taking any type of medication at all. The advise Kathy offered is very good. You just need to take your mind off things and think of things less stressful. Another thing you might try is keep a journal. Write in it every night. Write all your worries and your stess about every thing not just the pregnacy. I'm a single mother of two teenagers. I stress about money, work and how my kids are going to be as they get closer to adulthood. I write all this down and sometimes it is nice to just get it out of your head and on to paper. Music and creative thought patterns are also very good.
M.
Well, I have never had twins but I suffered from a simular thing with my last baby. She was 9 1/2# at birth. I was so uncomfortable. My stomach had stretched and the skin just burned like it was sunburned. My back ached so badly. I tried the over the counter stuff but it made me uptight and dried up my sinus's so I couldn't sleep. Finally, my doctor told me to try a glass of wine. I was in my final trimester and he said the effects of the wine would be less harmful than medicaion and probably would loosen me up to be able to sleep. I was very nervous about having my 3rd girl a the time. I also find it easier to sleep in a recliner or propped up on the couch. If I laid down, I would loose all the feeling in my legs. I don't now if any of this will help but I wish you and your family best wishes. L.
L.,
Calm down and have a glass of red wine. It won't hurt at this stage of the game and you need to relax a little. I think every pregnant mom gets to this point maybe not as stressed because not all are about to birth twins but I remember with my youngest I was sooooooooooooo uncomfortable and stressed. I couldn't sleep and felt overwhelmed and the hormones just rage so bad.
The Ambien becomes inaffective after a while because your body is use to it. That is a side effect no one tells you. Try a warm bath, a glass of wine, and no one demanding anything. Have your husband take your son anywhere so you can have a little peace. This to will pass (but not soon enough)
Your ok and normal and are beautiful.
C. B
I have suffered from insomnia for much of my life. What I would recommend is to try sleeping somewhere other than your bed for a while, maybe the couch or another bed, or even have your bed moved to a different part of your room. My mind races at night when I sleep, particularly when I was pregnant. I try to imagine a story in my head and just keep concentrating on that story and elaborate in my head as much as I can so my mind does not get bored of the story and before I know it I am dreaming of the story I created and I am fast asleep! If that doesn't work I put on a movie that I have seen a hundred times (even if it is a kid's movie, which I usually pick - how many kids movies do you see over and over again!) and lay down, close my eyes and listen to the movie and concentrate on what is being said and what is going to come next. It might sound weird but it helps me to go to sleep because I am not thinking of what I am going to do tomorrow or what happened today or anything like that. We have to train our bodies that bedtime is not the time to unload our worries, it is time to rest. I have even put my favorite musicals on and closed my eyes and followed along with the words in my head. The other good thing to this is that most babies in utero love music and it might even calm them down a little! When I was pregnant with my oldest we use to listen to a soundtrack with classical music on. After she was born we noticed that when we put that cd on she calmed down and seemed to be listening to it!
Anyway, I am rambling but I hope I have helped a little! Worrying doesn't help right now because you do not know what it will be like to have twins until you actually have them. Good luck and enjoy those babies!
Just lay down and try to rest as much as possible. I have twins boys who are almost 5 now. I had two when I was pregnant with the twins, 4 and 1 1/2. Your body goes through so much right now. It is great that you have made it this far!!!! Congrats on having twins. If you have any questions feel free to email me. Good luck
I think this is your body's way of preparing for the lack of sleep that is yet to come when the babies are here! That said, it still isn't any fun. I had a lot of trouble sleeping with my pregnancies, too (just single births, no twins). I spent the time laying in bed, because at least that way I was resting. Have you picked baby names yet? You could think of that while you lay there...try drinking warm milk with honey, or sleepy time tea. Both of those things helped me a little. Try not to worry; anxiety is your sleep's biggest enemy. I know that's easier said than done!
Nap, nap, nap! Turn on a show for your son and lay on the couch and/or bed and take 15 minute cat naps...anything helps (and don't feel guilty about turning on the TV for your kiddo)...I did that for my almost 2 year old when I was pregnant with my 2nd son...and still do now that the baby is born...I turn on the TV in my room with low volume, get him set with a glass of milk and dry cereal in a bowl, close the bathroom door, baby-proofed our room completely, turn on a fan in a safe place for white noise so I don't hear the TV as much, gate the hall so he can get between my room and his so he can play with his toys if he tires from his show (or if he hasn't woken up yet...then I don't have to get up to get him- he's in a toddler bed) and I snooze with my new baby as much as possible (and when I was pregnant too). For some reason, I always found it easier to sleep during the day with cat naps than all night in bed- besides...without hubby there, I could steal his pillows and pack them around me and REALLY spread out (we only have a full size bed- small!!!)! Unfortunately now my son can climb on my bed too and likes to jump, but I'm usually so tired now that I sleep through most of his moving and usually wake with a pile of toys on and around me!!! LOL! Good luck! Yawn!
I remember when I was at 33 weeks along with the twins I had 22 months ago. The dr. gave me ambien also. It really did help. Don't worry about having twin newborns, if you stop to think about how much you do, you will feel overwhelmed. Just always remember the best advise I was ever given, ASK FOR HELP!!!! I did, and it was the best thing ever. I also had other children at home to deal with, But I always remember that you are only given what you can handle. If you want, there is a great club called mothers of multiples that helped me alot. Good luck.
I don't really have advice. Just empathy. I remember after having my babies realizing that even though I got less sleep it was much more productive sleep than the little bit of sleep I'd get when I was pregnant. I could actually take a nap and wake up feeling refreshed which wasn't the case when I was pregnant during that last month. It will not last. It will get better. Most likely this is the worst of it for you.
