Anyone take ambien during pregnancy?

[Carrie123]

Hello,
I have a lot of trouble sleeping and my doctor said i could take ambien but had first suggested i try not to take it. I also take zoloft for anxiety.

Anyway, i'm wondering if anyone has taken ambien throughout their pregnancy and had a healthy baby. Or anyone who is currently taking ambien who is pregnant and who's doctor said it was safe. I take 5-10 mg at night. Thanks so much for your feedback

 

[x__amour]

I was given it when I was in labor to try and rest, it worked fine.

I was advised to alternate between Unisom and Diphenhydramine which are both considered safe in pregnancy.

 

[FirstLadyM]

I was recently offered Ambien but haven't taken my doc up on the offer yet...seriously considering it though as the sleepless nights creep on.

 

[Carrie123]

Thanks ladies, I appreciate your replies. First Lady, let me know if you end up taking it. Benadryl and Unisom dont work for me. ;(

 

[Lilly123]

I have taken 2.5-5mg throughout my pregnancy and doc said it was fine

 

[Arisa]

I have taken Zopiclone which is basically Ambien just a different type its still in the nonbenzodiazipines sedative family like fluoxetine and zoloft are both different antidepressants but are both SSRI drugs in the same class.

Zoloft is not known to show any birth defects which is good since I will be going on that during breastfeeding If I can taper off effexor slowly and I would never stop taking it now as pregnancy depression is worse than my regular moderate depressive disorder.

Zopiclone is similar to ambien in the sense that there have been no adverse reactions to the fetus.
I took zopiclone for sleep and anxiety in the first three weeks of this trimester (the first) but I have since switched to a more sedating drug and mild anti psychotic with the same pregnancy rating as zopiclone (b2) so its not that bad and in 99% of cases there is no damage or breathing and delivery problems whatsoever. This is what my doctor tells me and he has a lot of patients on various sedatives, tranquillizers and antidepressants during pregnancy

I would take it if i were you, just a small dose but still, it will help

 

[ruby09]

So glad you asked about ambien... I was wondering the same thing myself, but I had just assumed it was off-limits. I suffer from severe insomnia before getting pregnant. Right now I never sleep more than and hour without waking up and its really starting to get to me.

 

[SabrinaKat]

I take amytriptyline 75mg to sleep and have for the last few years of ttc, as it appears to be well researched/'safe' in pregnancy, etc. I think, for sleeping, the usual dosage is 150mg, so if I need to take another 25mg, I don't worry too much....

I used to take Prosac and Soloft as well, but when we first ttc, switched to the above. Unfortunately, had a mc in August 2009, but my GP sent me to see the consultant psychatrist (sp) at a well respected maternity hospital here, who said amitriptyline was absolutely fine...

my little one is big and active, and only three months before we meet...mommy needs her sleep now and in February!

best wishes

 

[April2012]

I started taking ambien around week 16, I think?? My OBGYN prescribed it--5 mg as needed (10 mg is also an acceptable dose--which my OBGYN offered me). I have been taking nightly. She said they prescribe it a lot to pregnant women at the clinic.

I read up on it a bit...from what i understand...at extremely high doses (in rats and rabbits), the offspring showed some ossification problems (bone formation). Again, this was caused at extremely high doses. I have a 20-week visit/scan coming up shortly and plan to revisit the subject (with a different OBGYN entirely) to see what she has to say. for now, i am taking 5 mg nightly.

ambien works well for me. it gets me to sleep in no time. note: it does necessarily keep you asleep. so you may still wake up 5 hours later and struggle to find that deep sleep again, but at least you will get a good solid 5 hours in.