mum cant sleep!!!!!!!!!

[siy]

Hi in the last week I have been getting up to see to my 13 week old baby at 2-3am, and have been unable to go back to sleep.  I have slept without him twice and managed to get a tidy sleep but same thing happenned last night.  woke at 1.30am and didnt go back till 5am.

getting to the stage now where i am almost scared to go to bed as I now it's going to happen again and am worried that it's a sign of depressionor postnatal or a breakdown as I am feeling very emotional.

does anybody else suffer or am I going mad? 

help please

[theycallmemom]

Hi there
you are not going mad!  I have been having the same problem since ds was about 4 weeks old (he's now 9 weeks)  I think my body and mind has become used to being up so much that it forgot how to sleep.  Even on the nights dh gives the baby a bottle so I can sleep, I still wake up every 2-3 hours.  Very frustrating.  I think once the baby is sleeping through the night it will get better.  I am thinking maybe a sleeping pill for a night or 2 to remind myself what it's like to sleep.  This can't go on forever!  Just know you are not alone!
Darci

[Deb_in_oz]

Hi Siy.  you mention you are feeling emotional so want to ask further about this because sleeplessness can be a sign/early indicator of PPD  OR it can also just be normal reaction to sleep deprivation.

what else is going on?  is this the only issue or are you also having any other listed signs of PPD?  you can either check out the sticky on the PPD board or write it here or PM me or another member if you want to discuss it privately.

i am only pursuing this line of questioning because usually people who query PPD have a good reason to do so and could probably use a chat. 

i suffer PPD / anxiety and personally never had insomnia (trouble falling asleep at night) but did suffer from an inability to get BACK to sleep if i woke up (for whatever reason, even non-baby related)

[Katet]

i know that feeling well I had it with ds #1, surviving on about 2 hours sleep is no fun... fortunately Iv'e not really had the problem this time around, as I've learnt some strategies.
& Yes it can be an indicator of PPD, but not always, but it is worth looking into PPD as if it is the case the sooner you get a diagnosis & help the better for you... I got well really quickly & I think it was the quick response to it.
When you are trying to get to sleep slow your breathing... start by breathing in for count of 3 & out for count of 3 & slowly move to 4, 5, 6 etc... sometimes I am at in to 10 & out to 10 by the time I fall off to sleep, but it gives you something to concentrate on & stops you thinking about all the things keeping you awake... like not falling asleep & also is great to make you relax, so even if it takes an hour you are slowly relaxing at the same time.

[Tammy: Ethan & Kaden's Mom]

I agree with Debra.  Sleeplessness can be an indicator of PPD.  I also had anxiety (pre-ds), and then after his birth, it came roaring back with a bad case of PPD.  I could not sleep at all.  I laid awake listening to every little sound.  Ds slept in the same room, and I couldn't sleep at all with him in there.  We finally moved him to his room, but I still listened on the monitor.  I would get anxious feeling every single time he made any noise, afraid he would wake up.

I wound up seeing someone for PPD, and the first thing he did was get me a very tiny prescription for sleeping pills.  At that point I had not slept more than 2 hours a day in weeks.  And then when I would lay down, it was like I was so anxious about everything, including falling asleep!, that I couldn't fall asleep.  So, I had to take the sleeping pills for a few nights, and dh had to do baby-duty at night.  He was so amazing, he actually slept in another room with the baby monitor, so that I could sleep without hearing a peep.  After one night of full sleep, I felt like a new person.  I also had to get on an anti-depressant.

Anyhow, you may check out any symptoms you have and see if they match up to PPD.  If they do, I would suggest seeing someone as soon as possible.  There is help out there, and it's really important to get some!  I felt like a war survivor after I got back to "normal".  I wish I had those early weeks back with my ds now, so that I could enjoy them like I should have then.   :cry:

HTH!