Anyone resort to sleeping pills for postpartum sleep issues?

[Brz04]

It's been 18mo since I've slept well. I was sick/had insomnia all 9mo of pregnancy and still can't sleep and DS is 9mo old. Never ever thought I would have to consider taking prescription sleeping pills to help me sleep (I've always been able to sleep TOO much and fall asleep within 5 min). The exhaustion is affecting my work, marriage and ability to be cheerful all day around DS. I guess I'm not coping well on such little sleep bc I'm not used to having ANY trouble sleeping. I figured once my hormones regulated (I just NOW started my first period since giving birth!) that my sleep would return to normal but it still hasn't Dr wants me to take either ambien or trazadone to help me sleep. Has anyone taken either? I can't imagine how people cope with long term insomnia...I really feel for them this stinks!!

 

[sezzolou]

When I went through a bad patch with sleep I took over the counter sleeping tablets. They were brilliant. They probably aren't as strong as the ones you GP will prescribe. Tried Kalms first but they did nothing for me.

 

[irish_cob]

Yes. I've taken zopiclone and zolpidem (ambien) in the post partum period after both my kids were born. I go a bit loopy after childbirth (2 hospital admissions proves that) and insomnia is the main thing for me.

The trouble is most sleeping meds are addictive so can only be taken for a short period (2-3 weeks). This includes ambien.

This time round I saw a specialist peri natal dr who put me on a low dose of quetiapine. At high doses (400, 600, 800mg etc) it is an antipsychotic but at low doses it helps sleep and stops the whirling thoughts in your head. It has worked really well for me. I was on 125mg in hospital but now at 9 mo pp I take 25 or 50mg a night depending on how settled or anxious I am. It's not addictive and can be used long term. Might be another option to talk through with your dr.

I know nothing about trazadone, sorry x

 

[Scout]

I've had sleep issues for years and have taken ambien, trazadone, seroquel, and a few more I can't think of. Ambien didn't do anything for me. Trazadone worked okay. I slept best with seroquel but I had to take 600mg and it was awful coming off it when I got pregnant. I can't take anything now bc I cosleep. Hope you find one that works for you.

 

[susan_1981]

I'm not a medical professional but my guess is that your sleep issue is probably psychological and not something that could be solved by sleeping tablets on a long-term basis. I remember going on holiday and I needed to take malaria tablets. These gave me such severe insomnia. I would go to sleep at 10pm and not actually fall asleep until 5am if I was lucky. This kept going on and on and on. I took sleeping pills but I actually felt the same when I woke up as if I hadn't slept as they really knocked me out.

Not that I'd encourage it, but I really do find a glass of wine in the evening does help me to sleep. Only the one glass and it does work. But I think you need to maybe try some relaxation techniques, maybe yoga and meditating. Never tried either of these because I'm quite happy with my glass of wine but I really wouldn't encourage taking sleeping pills. For me, if I took them more than twice in a row, they didn't work anyway.

This is how it was for me anyway. It's the thought of not sleeping that would stop me from sleeping and you just need to figure a way out to overcome it x

 

[zorak]

I have never been a good sleeper. Prior to having baby I found using ear plugs really helped as I would focus on any and all noises. Now that bub is here I can't do that as my husband is a very deep sleeper and sleeps through LO crying unless I thump him. I've had to 'learn' how to sleep again. One thing that has helped me is having a fan going in the room. If I am having a really bad stretch like a PP suggested I will have a small glass of wine . I have in the past used OTC sleeping tablets but tbh I felt it was a bad move for me because I got dependent on them.

I am lucky in that I will only go about 4 days with poor sleep then my body caves and I do sleep. I can't imagine 18 months of it!

 

[marymoomin]

I would be terrified of sleeping through the baby's crys.

 

[irish_cob]

If you're having trouble sleeping trust me even with meds you're in the lightest sleep and any slight noise wakes you up. I always hear my girls.

 

[mercedybear]

I've always had problems with insomnia and it cam back with a vengeance. I am on 1/4 pill of 7.5 mg of zoplicone a night and melatonin. It helps, you need your sleep!

 

[Foogirl]

Unless there was someone else there who could deal with LO when I was asleep, I'd never resort to sleeping pills, I'd be too afraid I slept through a problem in the night. Speak to your doctor and see if there is an alternative.

 

[irish_cob]

Unless there was someone else there who could deal with LO when I was asleep, I'd never resort to sleeping pills, I'd be too afraid I slept through a problem in the night. Speak to your doctor and see if there is an alternative.

But have you had insomnia so bad it hospitalised you and you ended up with post partum psychosis? Have you ever had insomnia so bad you thought you were going insane? It's not just the odd night not sleeping too well, it's every damn night struggling and suffering anxiety and wondering what on earth you can do and making plans for suicide and writing notes to your kids at 3am when everyone else is asleep and you're still pacing the floor?

Her dr is suggesting these medications. They help you to get to sleep, not knock you out like an anaesthetic. A mum who hasn't slept is far more at risk of things like accidents whilst driving etc, plus at higher risk of ppd and taking her own life. It is a hugely serious thing.

 

[Foogirl]

But have you had insomnia so bad it hospitalised you and you ended up with post partum psychosis? Have you ever had insomnia so bad you thought you were going insane? It's not just the odd night not sleeping too well, it's every damn night struggling and suffering anxiety and wondering what on earth you can do and making plans for suicide and writing notes to your kids at 3am when everyone else is asleep and you're still pacing the floor?

Her dr is suggesting these medications. They help you to get to sleep, not knock you out like an anaesthetic. A mum who hasn't slept is far more at risk of things like accidents whilst driving etc, plus at higher risk of ppd and taking her own life. It is a hugely serious thing.

Nope. I haven't had any of those things. And if I had I would be looking for a solution. Sleeping pills might well be the short term answer but only if I had someone else who could take care of my LO whilst I was using them to sleep. Of course the doctor is suggesting them, it's what they do. Feeling down - take a pill, can't sleep - take a pill, can't wake up - take a pill. Often there are alternative therapies that can help in the situation - not herbal stuff or homeopathy etc, but taking the time to find out what is at the route of the problem is a far better long term solution than just taking sleeping pills. My OH had serious problems with insomnia and was offered pills but refused. He went to a different doctor with a seemingly unrelated problem and was told it was likely that which was causing his insomnia. He was treated for it and his insomnia improved massively.

To say that someone in a drug induced sleep is still likely to react to a child calling for them in the night is a nice theory but isn't always true. When Abby was a baby OH had to wake me a couple of times when she cried from the moses basket right next to my bed, I was so tired and in such a deep sleep it never woke me, and that was without a sleeping pill. It can happen that a baby crying doesn't always wake a mother. This is why I would always ensure there was someone else there who would react if I had to take a sleeping pill.

I agree that a dog tired mum is a risk to a child and for sure looking to fix it is the right thing. Sleep deprivation is used as a form of torture, I understand how important sleep is to a person's health and well being. All I'm suggesting is looking for a second opinion.

 

[marymoomin]

Unless there was someone else there who could deal with LO when I was asleep, I'd never resort to sleeping pills, I'd be too afraid I slept through a problem in the night. Speak to your doctor and see if there is an alternative.

But have you had insomnia so bad it hospitalised you and you ended up with post partum psychosis? Have you ever had insomnia so bad you thought you were going insane? It's not just the odd night not sleeping too well, it's every damn night struggling and suffering anxiety and wondering what on earth you can do and making plans for suicide and writing notes to your kids at 3am when everyone else is asleep and you're still pacing the floor?

Her dr is suggesting these medications. They help you to get to sleep, not knock you out like an anaesthetic. A mum who hasn't slept is far more at risk of things like accidents whilst driving etc, plus at higher risk of ppd and taking her own life. It is a hugely serious thing.

Where in the op is suicide or psychosis mentioned? If these are factors the situation is way more serious than sleeping pills and a psychiatrist is clearly needed- ie a second opinion. not entirely sure whty foogirl was flamed there- it's like two different scenarios albeit the more serious is linked to lack of sleep. It's absolutely necessary for further help to be sought and it was pretty nasty and down right angry to jump down her throat for sound , caring and responsible advice.

 

[marymoomin]

Duplicate post

 

[zorak]

Unless there was someone else there who could deal with LO when I was asleep, I'd never resort to sleeping pills, I'd be too afraid I slept through a problem in the night. Speak to your doctor and see if there is an alternative.

But have you had insomnia so bad it hospitalised you and you ended up with post partum psychosis? Have you ever had insomnia so bad you thought you were going insane? It's not just the odd night not sleeping too well, it's every damn night struggling and suffering anxiety and wondering what on earth you can do and making plans for suicide and writing notes to your kids at 3am when everyone else is asleep and you're still pacing the floor?

Her dr is suggesting these medications. They help you to get to sleep, not knock you out like an anaesthetic. A mum who hasn't slept is far more at risk of things like accidents whilst driving etc, plus at higher risk of ppd and taking her own life. It is a hugely serious thing.

Where in the op is suicide or psychosis mentioned? If these are factors the situation is way more serious than sleeping pills and a psychiatrist is clearly needed- ie a second opinion. not entirely sure whty foogirl was flamed there- it's like two different scenarios albeit the more serious is linked to lack of sleep. It's absolutely necessary for further help to be sought and it was pretty nasty and down right angry to jump down her throat for sound , caring and responsible advice.

This exactly!

 

[Brz04]

Thanks for advice everyone...didn't mean to start a heated debate! My DH is a VERY light sleeper so he sleeps with the video baby monitor right next to his head in case I don't hear DS in the night. I certainly agree about getting a second opinion to try and avoid meds and I have done so with my chiropractor who has recommended other things I can do from home to help such as herbal sleepytime tea, bath before bed to relax and no tv/cell phone an hour before bed! All these have helped a lot as well as taking melatonin however I'm still having issues with sleep My dr prescribed the lowest dose of a med that makes you sleepy/drowsy but not totally out of it so I can still be aware if needed at night! So far so good the past few nights!! And to pp I totally understand how lonely and desperate chronic sleep deprivation can be its awful I hope you were able to get the help you need for your sleep deprivation and I'm here to talk if you ever need. Thanks again everyone!

 

[FAB mama]

I took diphenhydramine (aka benedryl/tylenol simply sleep) throughout pregnancy. It wasn't my doctor's idea, but they knew I took it sometimes and didn't tell me not to. My LO seems perfectly fine so I don't think it hurt him any. It was discouraged after he was born because it can cause low milk supply, but I've recently resumed taking it occasionally and am still breastfeeding.

I take a half dose normally if needed and it makes me drowsy enough to fall asleep (maybe&#8230, but doesn't really knock me out. I've tried Unisom and it was too strong for me and once in the hospital I was having early contractions and they gave me Ambien. I would be afraid to take Ambien now I think with LO. DH doesn't wake up easily.

I've never had any problem waking up with the diphenhydramine. I believe it also helped with my nausea and allergies during pregnancy. I've NEVER been a heavy sleeper and I've noticed that after taking it I still wake up to a quiet alarm clock that's next to me and LO and LO doesn't even wake up at all… so I think I'm still the lightest sleeper ever.