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Mommy2008
03-26-2009, 04:40 PM
My DS is 13 months old. Since about 12.5 months he has been down to 3 feeds per day: AM, afternoon, and bedtime.

This last week, starting on wed. I tried to just get him to nurse AM and PM. and, since he is with the sitter or my mom during the day while I sleep a few times per week, this has worked out fine.

On sat. I was with him in the afternoon and he was giving me a hard time going down for his nap, plus he's teething and maybe a slight cold as well, so I just ended up nursing him that day.

Sunday, DH was home so DH put him down for his nap and he did fine.

Sat. night though. I had a problem falling asleep. I dont know why. I am totally ready for DS to cut back on nursing and soon be done totally. I NEVER have problems sleeping. and, I was dozing off on the couch when DH said, why dont you just go to bed, and we both went to bed. Nothing had changed as far as our night time routine. We watched TV for a few mins and turned it off and I still couldnt fall asleep[&:]. By 2am I couldnt take it anymore and ended up taking a benadryl. I still didnt fully fall asleep until close to 5am[:(], and then had to sleep in yesterday morning cause I was sooo tired. DH got up with DS and took care of him till I got up.

I was so tired yesterday. So, last night around 830pm DH and I both went and laid down in bed. Dh fell asleep right away[which is unsusual for him, Im usually always sleeping before him, always] and I couldnt fall asleep. so, around 9pm I took another benadryl and by 10pm I still wasnt asleep. I took a hot bath and when I got out took another benadryl and was alseep sometime around midnight and then slept all night.

I do work nights at the hospital so I do sleep during the day a few days per week and dont sleep at night 2 nights per week, but Ive been working nights almost 2 years now and never had a problem sleeping at my normal time on my nights im off.

I am trying to determine if this is just a fluke thing, or if its related to at all, with weaning.

We are not abrputly weaning, so I didnt think it would be that. I was laying in bed last night thinking about anything that has changed recently and the only thing thats really changed is us weaning. There arent any other major things going on in our lives.

i know that there is a hormonal shift when weaning, I just wasnt sure how us moms are affected and I really didnt even think about it until last night.

I really dont want to keep taking benadryl to sleep. And, I havent taken anything for sleep since DS was born. and this isnt like me at all. I am not emotional or sad and I dont feel depressed at all.

Have any of you experienced anything similar? if so, how long did it last?

thanks alot

librarygirl
03-28-2009, 07:58 PM
Hi Mommy2008,
Have had similar problems, unfortunately. When I weaned my first son at about a year old, I started having BAD insomnia -- usually 3/4 nights a week I only got a few hours of sleep. I never went to the doctor about it, because I wanted to try to get pregnant again and didn't want to be on meds at that point. The insomnia continued for about 5 months until I got pregnant again. Well, my second son just weaned, and guess what? The insomnia is back. I'm so dismayed. I think this time I'm going to go to the doctor, I just can't live like this! I need sleep! So sorry you're dealing with this same thing. I'm having trouble finding info. about this phenomenon on the Internet. Right now I'm using Tylenol PM and Simply Sleep, but I would rather get on something Rx. Do you think you will go to the doctor about your insomnia?

Mommy2008
04-02-2009, 12:35 PM
Hi Mommy2008,
Have had similar problems, unfortunately. When I weaned my first son at about a year old, I started having BAD insomnia -- usually 3/4 nights a week I only got a few hours of sleep. I never went to the doctor about it, because I wanted to try to get pregnant again and didn't want to be on meds at that point. The insomnia continued for about 5 months until I got pregnant again. Well, my second son just weaned, and guess what? The insomnia is back. I'm so dismayed. I think this time I'm going to go to the doctor, I just can't live like this! I need sleep! So sorry you're dealing with this same thing. I'm having trouble finding info. about this phenomenon on the Internet. Right now I'm using Tylenol PM and Simply Sleep, but I would rather get on something Rx. Do you think you will go to the doctor about your insomnia?


Ive already talked to my OB about it at my annual checkup. It actually got better last week and I slept without benadryl 4 nights in a row, and then last night, after working all night mon. night and sleeping about 5 hrs yesterday when I got home at 8am, I didnt sleep again last night. I took benadryl, about 75 mg ina total of 3-4 hrs and still didnt get to sleep till 3-4am. it sucks. do you find that simply sleep works better than tylenol pm?

all the bloodwork they did on me came back normal and my DS has been down to 1 bedtime feeding now for 1.5 weeks. Maybe my prolactin levels are going down again? i dont know, but I want my sleep back

librarygirl
04-02-2009, 01:01 PM
Hi Again,

I think Simply Sleep is the same thing as benadryl -- diphenhydramine. Tylenol PM is diphenhydramine plus a pain med, which I don't really need most nights (unless I have a headache or body aches). I don't really find a difference in the effectiveness of S.S. or Tylenol PM.

A relative of mine suggested melatonin, which she said is naturally in your body but diminishes as you get older. I bought some today at Wal-mart and I'm going to take some before bed and see if that helps. I hope so!

JoyceWong
06-09-2009, 06:22 PM
Hi there,

Are you two doing alright now?

I have terrible insomnia after weaning. It has been 5 months now, and I still cannot sleep at night. I took 3mg of melatonin before sleep, and didn't work. I can sleep 2 to 3 hours after 6am in the morning after taking Chinese medicine. Feel a little hopeless...any suggestions how long it will last?

clwmommy
09-24-2009, 05:03 AM
I am starting to wean my son who turned a year on the 15th. I am having terrible trouble with insomnia. I get very tired and yet if i lay down i can not settle to sleep. I will finally fall asleep when my body kinda just shuts down. Its very frustrating when baby boy is asleep sound and i cant.

kharada
01-10-2010, 01:29 AM
I am not weaning but I am breatfeeding. My first child a boy was bottle fed a year ago so i am not sure if this is normal but it is similar. My second child a girl is three months old. She is just staring to sleep through the night, however I am not. I can't take males cuz my three year old wont have that, but if I am up all night staring at the clock I have a hard time being awake. I am feeling like a horrible mother. What I can't balance both. What can I tie that won't hurt my daughter that will give me the sleep I need to take care of my son. Mind you I feel wonderful on days I sleep. I have little stress even if I am reasonably rested. I just maybe need to know its ok and very normal. Maybe find some relief.

StillSingingMom
01-10-2010, 11:45 AM
I have had some trouble sleeping as my nurslings stopped night nursing.

What works for me is getting outside, and getting lots and lots of exercise outside. I don't know if that's possible for any of you ladies, but it really helps me.

Getting a lot of natural light can up your own production of melatonin.