Anyone on here have trouble falling asleep once you wake up?

[Odonata]

Just wondering if anyone has any tips for getting  back to sleep once you wake up middle of the night.

I'm a very light sleeper and usually once I'm up...I'm UP.  I'm getting much less sleep than I should with the baby.  She's actually pretty good and will go back down quickly after a feeding but she's up again in two hours.  For me, I will climb back into bed but then lay there for two hours awake until she cries again.  I've been spending long stretches of maybe 4-5 hours awake at night.  Napping during the day is just as hard.

I use to sleep with earplugs to keep myself asleep at night because of this but obviously that isn't something I can do now.

Right now H is here to help but once he goes back to work I'll be on my own during the day so leaving her with him to crash won't be an option.


Anyone have tips on how to get back to sleep quickly so I can get more rest?  Or is this something maybe my body will get use to?

[changedname]

No tips but I have trouble too. I found it got a lot easier once she go quicker at feeding. Before, I used to go on gbcn or watch tv in order to stay awake while she was nursing. Now it only takes 5 minutes so I just try and keep as asleep as possible.

[smock]

I have the same problem, and it was particularly bad around 6-ish weeks. And a few nights ago it took me two hours to fall back asleep.

So I'm not sure I have great tips, but here's what has helped: reading for a little while, counting backward from 100, concentrating on breathing, and NOT looking at a clock. I get really frustrated if I check the time.

I also tried not playing on my phone when I was up with her in the MOTN, but that didn't seem to make a difference for me.

Plus I found I slept very poorly after busy days, like if I was running around working or doing chores during every nap. I was getting anxious during the day which was making it really hard to shut my brain off at night.

Good luck, I know it stinks!

[Odonata]

Oct 20, 2014 7:40:53 GMT -5 changedname said:

No tips but I have trouble too. I found it got a lot easier once she go quicker at feeding. Before, I used to go on gbcn or watch tv in order to stay awake while she was nursing. Now it only takes 5 minutes so I just try and keep as asleep as possible.

Oh man, she's FF and downs 3 oz in 5 minutes!  Then she's OUT.  I think that is what annoys me the most - she eats and then is asleep again so the whole ordeal (with a diaper change) is maybe 15 minutes but my stupid brain won't let me get back to sleep!  In theory, I should be getting great sleep, relative to having a newborn, of course! 

I think maybe I'm getting more annoyed and it's making the situation worse.

[Odonata]

smock I get it with the running around. I'm usually too busy to sleep. Maybe I'm becoming overtired so my anxiety is too high.

I should focus on my breathing more - maybe try to meditate. Sleeping is really hard work.

[kermit]

I'm really bad about this. I've been up since 1:30 a.m. I try taking melatonin when I wake up motn but it doesn't always help. I was doing okay for awhile when K was only up once or twice in the night but the last month or so she's been up every hour or two after her first 4 hour stretch so it's rough. Last night I read a book for awhile but that didn't help either.

[gibbinator]

Are you breastfeeding? I find that if I can get ds2 asleep really quickly after a feeding I have an easier time. I read somewhere that bf hormones make it easier to sleep.
If I'm awake too long though I just toss and turn forever.
Eta: I also sleep better when I eat better and take vitamins regularly. Exercise also helps. Treating my body well makes sleep better and easier.

[undecidedowl]

Oct 20, 2014 7:43:42 GMT -5 Odonata said:

Oct 20, 2014 7:40:53 GMT -5 changedname said:

I think maybe I'm getting more annoyed and it's making the situation worse.

This was big for me. I nursed so it was a little different, but try for the least amount of stimulation possible. Are the bottles already made so you don't have to think about that? Keep the lights dim, try not to talk, recline and close your eyes while feeding if you can. And whenever possible, don't look at the clock! Knowing the time and how long I had been up was NOT good for me. 

[leonard131]

I had a really hard time for the first couple months and then I think as the MOTN became more of a routine I was able to get back to sleep as I was just on autopilot. I also think in think those first couple months you are just so overtired it hard not matter what.

Hope it gets better for you soon.

[barefootcontessa]

unisom helps me get back to sleep. I take it at bedtime.

[dcrunnergirl52]

Oct 20, 2014 7:43:42 GMT -5 Odonata said:

Oct 20, 2014 7:40:53 GMT -5 changedname said:

No tips but I have trouble too. I found it got a lot easier once she go quicker at feeding. Before, I used to go on gbcn or watch tv in order to stay awake while she was nursing. Now it only takes 5 minutes so I just try and keep as asleep as possible.

Oh man, she's FF and downs 3 oz in 5 minutes!  Then she's OUT.  I think that is what annoys me the most - she eats and then is asleep again so the whole ordeal (with a diaper change) is maybe 15 minutes but my stupid brain won't let me get back to sleep!  In theory, I should be getting great sleep, relative to having a newborn, of course! 

I think maybe I'm getting more annoyed and it's making the situation worse.

If she's FF, could your DH feed her? DH did a lot of our MOTN feedings with DS2 (who was EFF) b/c most of the time, if DS2 woke at 2am to eat, I'd be up for the rest of the night. I wouldn't go back to sleep again, and it was miserable. DH, on the other hand, could feed him and be back asleep within 15 minutes and barely remember it the next morning.

[Odonata]

barefootcontessa I'm worried I'll be in too deep of a sleep if I take any sleep aids. I'm usually knocked out cold by them. But I have thought about it.

Bottles are made so all I have to do is grab one and feed. I will usually doze when I'm feeding her and will crawl back into bed tired, but as soon as I'm there I wake up. Maybe I'm expecting her to cry (which she sometimes will do on occasion) so I won't let myself fall back to sleep again? I should just turn off the monitor since she does make little squeaks and grunts as she falls back to sleep. I mean, I'll hear her if she really cries, shes' right across the hall, right?

[Deleted]

Oct 20, 2014 8:18:54 GMT -5 @pnkybrwstr said:

I had this problem when O was little. He'd go right back to sleep and I'd lay in bed staring at the ceiling until he woke up again.

I found what helped most was trying to avoid getting fully "awake" in the first place. I'd keep the lights off, try not to go on my phone or use the TV (this was after the first few weeks when we were up at all hours), and kept my eyes closed while he was eating. Since you're FFing, can you try making the bottles ahead of time (if you're not already), so that you can do as little as possible when you wake up?

I ff DS and had this problem as well. I got a mini fridge and put it right next to the bed and made all the bottles ahead of time. Then when he cried all I had to do was sit up  a little open a bottle feed, burp, and put him in back in the RnP. I didn't have to turn a light on or anything. It was alot easier to sleep that way. 

[Odonata]

Oct 20, 2014 9:13:31 GMT -5 dcrunnergirl52 said:

Oct 20, 2014 7:43:42 GMT -5 Odonata said:

Oh man, she's FF and downs 3 oz in 5 minutes!  Then she's OUT.  I think that is what annoys me the most - she eats and then is asleep again so the whole ordeal (with a diaper change) is maybe 15 minutes but my stupid brain won't let me get back to sleep!  In theory, I should be getting great sleep, relative to having a newborn, of course! 

I think maybe I'm getting more annoyed and it's making the situation worse.

If she's FF, could your DH feed her? DH did a lot of our MOTN feedings with DS2 (who was EFF) b/c most of the time, if DS2 woke at 2am to eat, I'd be up for the rest of the night. I wouldn't go back to sleep again, and it was miserable. DH, on the other hand, could feed him and be back asleep within 15 minutes and barely remember it the next morning.

He does feed her also but I'm usually up for that as well.  Also, he has zero patience with her at night when he's half awake so I usually will go in and hold her a bit if she doesn't fall back to sleep right away (so, what, maybe 20 minutes more? NBD).  Usually around the 2 am feed she's awake and won't go right down and if he's up for that one he gets frustrated and comes in and asks me to "take over" after a while.  But, I'm usually awake anyway.  

[Deleted]

Also if you are FF can you do shifts? Like on your H sleeps next to the baby from 8-12 while you sleep in another room and does all the feedings and then you do all the feedings ( and sleep next to the baby ) from 12-morning?

DS would eat at 8,10, and 12 for awhile so I could actually sleep from like 8-2 and then sometimes 2:30-5:00. that way and H could sleep from 12:30-7am when he had to get ready for work? We each got a 6 hour stretch and were much happier people.

[Odonata]

Oct 20, 2014 9:20:21 GMT -5 @savestheday said:

Also if you are FF can you do shifts? Like on your H sleeps next to the baby from 8-12 while you sleep in another room and does all the feedings and then you do all the feedings ( and sleep next to the baby ) from 12-morning?

DS would eat at 8,10, and 12 for awhile so I could actually sleep from like 8-2 and then sometimes 2:30-5:00. that way and H could sleep from 12:30-7am when he had to get ready for work? We each got a 6 hour stretch and were much happier people.

We had shifts going for the first two weeks but now H is sleeping through her cries over the monitor (she's across the hall) so I have to wake him.  He's a really heavy sleeper.  Once, she was napping in the room with him in the pack n play and I had to go up and get her b/c she was screaming and he was snoozing right through it.  Meanwhile, I'll be wide awake if she just burps.  

Maybe we'll get into more of a routine soon.  DD has changed her eating times as well so I guess once that becomes more regular it will be easier to get a shift down. H is more than willing to help (so he says when he's wide awake) but our sleeping patterns are both so different.  And he's a total bear when he's up in the MOTN.  

[Blue Moon]

I am having the same problem lately. I am a high maintenance sleeper, I know, and used to rely on earplugs and white noise to be able to sleep. Without my sleep aids, since I need to be able to hear the baby, I'm struggling a lot to fall back asleep MOTN. I'm nursing, so I try to shuffle into the nursery with my eyes closed as much as possible, feed the baby, and stumble back to bed. Before, I was playing on my phone during feedings and that was making it even worse. I can totally relate to the anticipation of hearing her cry preventing sleep as well. It's so frustrating because I'm so exhausted I expect to just fall asleep easily.

[catsarecute]

I do. I end up just closing my eyes and resting but not really sleeping. Especially if I know the baby is going to wakeup in X amount of time. I don't want to get into a deep sleep only to wake up so I just stay awake.
It sucks. But it won't be forever.

[niq]

I have this problem. It's worst when I'm stressed and/or not exercising. I don't have much advice beyond "exercise" and "manage stress" but I want to oder commiseration.

[Deleted]

Can you keep her closer to you vs in another room? The getting out of bed seems to be the problem. If you had a rock and play or bassinet or cosleeper next to your bed, you could limit your movement.

[Odonata]

Oct 20, 2014 10:34:14 GMT -5 @mrsspunky said:

Can you keep her closer to you vs in another room? The getting out of bed seems to be the problem. If you had a rock and play or bassinet or cosleeper next to your bed, you could limit your movement.

She started here but ended up in the other room because she would make all these noises in the night and keep me up.  With the monitor I can put it far away from me and only hear her when she starts to cry.

This might just be something I have to deal with until it ends!  I hear "they grow up so fast" and I don't want to wish life away but this stage can pass quickly if it wants to.  

[havarti]

Oct 20, 2014 9:26:04 GMT -5 Odonata said:

I've been sleeping with earplugs my whole adult life and was really worried I'd need give them up when DS was born.  I found that I'm a light enough sleeper that I hear him if he does more that just a little peep even with the earplugs in.  So it helps me to eliminate that level of unnecessary waking up.  Secondly, I DO NOT let myself think.  I have a boring, but interesting routine that helps me to focus on something mindless.  Counting backwards doesn't keep my attention.  Personally, I list three girl names that start with A, three girl names that start with B, etc.  Adjust this to something that works for you (I have a friend who uses birds).  One name wasn't enough for me because I'd get through the alphabet too fast and be frustrated and for some reason boy names don't work as well for me.  I try not to let myself constantly repeat the same names -- the name posts on this board are great for helping me out with that, lol.  It's just interesting enough to keep my focus and just boring enough to put me to sleep.

ETA: Hmm, my quote isn't working -- I was quoting when you said, "Meanwhile I'll be awake if she just burps."

[wavepool]

Yes, I was especially like this in the newborn stage. I had to stop using my phone during wakeups and find another way to stay awake. Phone/tv would overstimulate me, I guess, and I would stay awake sometimes the whole time between feedings, other times it just felt like it.

[wavepool]

Oct 20, 2014 13:05:17 GMT -5 havarti said:

Oct 20, 2014 9:26:04 GMT -5 Odonata said:

I've been sleeping with earplugs my whole adult life and was really worried I'd need give them up when DS was born.  I found that I'm a light enough sleeper that I hear him if he does more that just a little peep even with the earplugs in.  So it helps me to eliminate that level of unnecessary waking up.  Secondly, I DO NOT let myself think.  I have a boring, but interesting routine that helps me to focus on something mindless.  Counting backwards doesn't keep my attention.  Personally, I list three girl names that start with A, three girl names that start with B, etc.  Adjust this to something that works for you (I have a friend who uses birds).  One name wasn't enough for me because I'd get through the alphabet too fast and be frustrated and for some reason boy names don't work as well for me.  I try not to let myself constantly repeat the same names -- the name posts on this board are great for helping me out with that, lol.  It's just interesting enough to keep my focus and just boring enough to put me to sleep.

ETA: Hmm, my quote isn't working -- I was quoting when you said, "Meanwhile I'll be awake if she just burps."

This is a great idea!! 
I just had some havarti for lunch right before reading this.

[havarti]

Oct 20, 2014 13:14:07 GMT -5 wavepool said:

Oct 20, 2014 13:05:17 GMT -5 havarti said:

I've been sleeping with earplugs my whole adult life and was really worried I'd need give them up when DS was born.  I found that I'm a light enough sleeper that I hear him if he does more that just a little peep even with the earplugs in.  So it helps me to eliminate that level of unnecessary waking up.  Secondly, I DO NOT let myself think.  I have a boring, but interesting routine that helps me to focus on something mindless.  Counting backwards doesn't keep my attention.  Personally, I list three girl names that start with A, three girl names that start with B, etc.  Adjust this to something that works for you (I have a friend who uses birds).  One name wasn't enough for me because I'd get through the alphabet too fast and be frustrated and for some reason boy names don't work as well for me.  I try not to let myself constantly repeat the same names -- the name posts on this board are great for helping me out with that, lol.  It's just interesting enough to keep my focus and just boring enough to put me to sleep.

ETA: Hmm, my quote isn't working -- I was quoting when you said, "Meanwhile I'll be awake if she just burps."

This is a great idea!! 
I just had some havarti for lunch right before reading this.

I have garlic havarti waiting in the fridge at home.    mmmmmmmm....havarti.

[anna7602]

Magnesium supplements?

[wavepool]

Oct 20, 2014 13:30:59 GMT -5 havarti said:

Oct 20, 2014 13:14:07 GMT -5 wavepool said:

This is a great idea!! 
I just had some havarti for lunch right before reading this.

I have garlic havarti waiting in the fridge at home.    mmmmmmmm....havarti.

I haven't had garlic havarti! I do love dill havarti, though!

[Odonata]

Oct 20, 2014 13:05:17 GMT -5 havarti said:

Oct 20, 2014 9:26:04 GMT -5 Odonata said:

I've been sleeping with earplugs my whole adult life and was really worried I'd need give them up when DS was born.  I found that I'm a light enough sleeper that I hear him if he does more that just a little peep even with the earplugs in.  So it helps me to eliminate that level of unnecessary waking up.  Secondly, I DO NOT let myself think.  I have a boring, but interesting routine that helps me to focus on something mindless.  Counting backwards doesn't keep my attention.  Personally, I list three girl names that start with A, three girl names that start with B, etc.  Adjust this to something that works for you (I have a friend who uses birds).  One name wasn't enough for me because I'd get through the alphabet too fast and be frustrated and for some reason boy names don't work as well for me.  I try not to let myself constantly repeat the same names -- the name posts on this board are great for helping me out with that, lol.  It's just interesting enough to keep my focus and just boring enough to put me to sleep.

ETA: Hmm, my quote isn't working -- I was quoting when you said, "Meanwhile I'll be awake if she just burps."

You know, this reminds me of something I read about doing when flying.  I get anxious on planes and I read this thing to do to relax.  I can't remember exactly what you do but it has something to do with listening for 5 sounds and then looking for 5 things ...I have to look it up.  But this might work.  I've tried counting as well and it does not work.  My mind needs to be more distracted than that!

[suburbanzookeeper]

I had a white noise app on my phone (combination of wind, rain, and something) that I set with a timer for 50 minutes - long enough to help train me back to sleep but short enough that if he woke up again, I'd be able to get up. It took a few weeks to get used to it but I swear by it now and I'm still using it when I get up in the middle of the night with my foster puppies.

[thebreakfastclub]

I take melatonin and I can hear my son's white noise machine, which helps. I also keep the bedroom cool with a ceiling fan.

Some random nights, DS will make a whimper at 4am and it wakes me for the day. Other times, I can fall right back to sleep.