31 WEEKS+...How do you sleep?

[Sheryl-Lynn]

Hi all,
I'm up early again...couldn't sleep! I was wondering if anyone can offer some advice on sleeping positions for us BIG BELLY gals! Sleeping on my sides isn't comfortable anymore. My big body pillow isn't cutting it now! How am I going to sleep for the next six weeks?!:confused: HELP!!

[MichMom]

Sheryl-Lynn,

I completely sympathize with you! I don't think real comfort is a possibility any more, for me anyway, but here's what I do... I start off sleeping on my side with a small pillow between my knees and a pillow or rolled towel behind my back. After a little while this becomes uncomfortable because my hips hurt. The pillow/rolled towel behind me allows me to roll onto my back, but remain on a slight angle (being flat on my back is a no-no). This position seems to be comfortable for a longer strentch than lying on my side.

Good luck finding some comfort!

[BabeABabeB]

I understand where you are coming from as well. I am 27 weeks and I have been uncomfortable for the last month. I am up every 2 to 3 hours to use the washroom and if I don't snack on something during those inconveinient breaks, I'll lie in bed tosssing and turning listening to hunger pangs.
Keep trying different sleeping positions with pillows. I think it's all you can do. Your not alone.
I still have to Dec. if I can keep them in that long!!!!!!!!
I am sure my family is getting quite tired of my complaining.
Take care,
Katrina

[Burkstwins]

Sleep? Is that still possible? Well for the first several hours I flop back and forth from side to side and in between I'm in the bathroom. Then the next few hours I sleep on my side until something starts to hurt or falls asleep like my hands or ribs. Then I get up and use the bathroom and return to bed on the opposite side. That is pretty much all I do all night and just hope I get a few ZZZs in beween. Two newborns is starting to sound like more fun than what I'm going through right now. Only 5 more weeks!

[Kari]

Remembering back to when i was pg.

I would switch from one side to the other all night. I couldn't lay on my back either because of the babies being so high. At the end of my pregnancy i would wake up my dh everytime i had to roll to the otherside and he would help me, or i would roll out of the bed to go pee and get in on the otherside of the bed and lay on that side..dh had to switch sides too. Unfortunatly it doesn't get much better. My friend slept in her recliner.

I really did get more sleep when the babies were born!

Good Luch getting some shut eye.
Kari

[Liz in SC]

We found a great (if unorthodox) solution to the sleeping position problem.

Many years ago (after a Mexican vacation), DH bought me a Mayan or Yucatan hammock. You lie perpendicular in these hammocks, so your entire body weight is evenly supported and your body is in a slight V with legs and head both elevated. (Here is a website that sells them: http://www.hammocks.com/hammocks/ma...atan%20hammock.)

It's been in a box since we moved to SC 9 years ago, since we couldn't think of a good place to hang it. About a month ago, when I started having bad insomnia, DH decided it would be just the thing for me to sleep/rest in.

He hung it right across our bedroom -- from door jamb to door jamb, right into the studs, so it is well-supported. It does not look elegant now (and we will have to repaint the door jambs afterward), but boy is it comfortable. I can sleep only 1-2 hours at a stretch propped with pillows on the bed, but 4-5 hours straight in the hammock (my bladder seems to be the rate-limiting factor!). An added benefit is that ours is hung right under the ceiling fan, which makes it much cooler for my overheated metabolism than the bed.

I'm only at 27+ weeks, but so far so good.

Good luck at finding a solution that works for you.

[A Hunter's wife]

Ahhh a hamock sounds wonderful!!! I have one stored somewhere at my mama's house, but that won't do me any good! I bought an egg crate & put it on my side of the mattress & of course hug the body pillow & have part of it between my knees. It seems to work for me. I'm 34 weeks & feel huge! What is a real pain is then to get out of bed! Ouch, that hurts!!!

[TwinMom2Be]

Jenny-- Sounds like you are 'sleeping' just like me!! I start on one side, get up and pee, have a contraction and roll onto the other side. Then approx. 2 hours later, same exact thing.

I LOVE the hammock idea!! I mentioned it to my fiancee about 3 days ago 'cause we have a pool 'floatie' that is basically webbing supported by a tube all around, so you are mostly in the water. I CAN LAY ON MY BELLY IN THE WATER ON THAT THING!!! Of course now the temps are back down to the 70's, but here in NC when they were in the high 90's it was wonderful!!

So, unfortunately, there is no real answer for comfortable sleep. If it gets really really bad, call your doc and see if there are any OTC sleep aids you can take. My docs say Benedryl is ok; if ever I feel I have to sleep and can't I will take 25 mgs and it knocks me right out. Don't notice how uncomfortable I am 'till I have to get out of bed to pee!

Best of luck!!
TMTB

[Sheryl-Lynn]

Thanks ladies!;)

I tried Lisa's idea of putting a small pillow behind my back while sleeping on my side. I lean into the pillow, so I'm kind of on my back but mostly on my side. That works because I felt as if I was squishing which ever baby was on the side I was laying on. They're big enough now (4 lb.+) to give me some resistance (preasure I mean).

Last night was much better, but my hips are starting to hurt. I guess this is no time to be a cry baby, everythings gonna start hurting now! Thanks for relating and for the advice.:) I was also told to ask my Dr. about Tylenol PM. Maybe I'll give that a try. Hang in there everyone, and sleep well.:rolleyes: HAHA!

[proudmomoftwins]

I remember towards the end of my twin pregnancy, I couldnt sleep more than 3 hours at a time. I had to get up for about an hour and watch tv before going to sleep again.

One comfortable sleep position involved me on my side, and propping my top leg's knee on top of my husband's hip. It was just the right height. Of course, my husband could feel them kicking his back or stomach and wake him, but I didnt care!

Dena
Calvin and Jacob 6/14/2003

[proudmomoftwins]

Oh yeah, my hips and knees ached a lot when I was trying to sleep! But if I got up for a while they would feel better.

Dena
Calvin and Jacob 6/14/2003

[mommyof5]

OK, well, just to let you know, I am 36 1/2 weeks. I don't know if this is the norm or not, but I can only get about 5-6 hours of sleep at night. I sleep about 1 1/2 for a nap during the day. It's so uncomfortable, no, not just uncomfortable, its actually downright painful at times. I've been in the recliner for 1/2 the night for about the past 3 weeks. I start out in the recliner with big fluffy pillows at my side for my arms to rest on. Then when I get up to pee, I lay in the bed, since I'm so tired by then that it's easier to fall asleep in discomfort. I think I got up a record # of times last night, must have been about 8. Usually it's like 4-5 times. The babies are 6 pounds each now, so I don't suspect it will get any better!@ I have 2 weeks till my scheduled C-section, so I'm trying to hang in there! I bounce back and forth between thinking "I cannot go on another day" and "This too shall pass". Someday, we will get sleep again. Until then, Thank God for recliners!!
Kathrine

[Sheryl-Lynn]

Mommyof5,

Two weeks to go!! Oh man.... I feel your pain:o
...or I will soon enough!:confused: