Insomnia during pregnancy is common. They can have several causes and sometimes impact the future mother after childbirth. Rachel Halimi, midwife explains everything you need to know about insomnia during pregnancy.
Some pregnant women can suffer frominsomnia at night during their pregnancy. This is a fairly common phenomenon. Usually they appear at first trimester of pregnancy. These insomnias tend to exhaust expectant mothers who are already tired from pregnancy symptoms. Over time, lack of sleep can even have consequences after pregnancy. What are the causes of this insomnia in pregnant women? What to do ? Answers and advice from midwife Rachel Halimi.
When do you have insomnia during pregnancy?
“Insomnia can occur as early as the first trimester for some women and disappear, or persist throughout, there are no real rules”, explains the expert. However, she notes that expectant mothers generally suffer rather towards the end of pregnancy for various reasons: baby is moving, the woman is more tired or she cannot find her position, her belly is heavier, etc. However, “there are women who, from the very beginning of pregnancy, know that they are pregnant because they lose sleep, are woken up at 3 a.m. every night with no logical explanation, it’s just hormonal,” she observes.
“Insomnia can occur as early as the first trimester for some women and disappear, or persist throughout.”
Why does a pregnant woman have insomnia?
Insomnia during pregnancy is very common. Moreover, a pregnant woman can suffer from insomnia during a pregnancy and no longer have it for another pregnancy. Nevertheless, it is necessary to distinguish two types of insomnia :
Physiological pregnancy insomnia
They are related to pregnancy and of hormonal origin. “It’s a normal phenomenon”, reassures the healthcare professional. Even if it is not necessarily easy and obvious for future mothers to live with insomnia”. Hormonal changes, which take place during pregnancy, can disrupt sleep patterns and habits. These physiological ailments of pregnancy could even help prepare mothers for the future rhythm they will have during birth of their baby since, as detailed by the midwife “these insomnia create a state of hypervigilance which prepares them for the nocturnal awakenings they will have to experience”.
Insomnia caused by the anxiety of childbirth and maternity
These are more worrying. Over the months of pregnancy, the pregnant woman becomes more psychologically fragile, vulnerable. Of the anxietiesof stress and of theanxiety can then rise to the surface and result in insomnia. Some mothers-to-be are also very apprehensive about childbirth and motherhood to the point of not sleeping a wink. In this case, the specialist considers important “ofprovide psychological supporta speaking space where the woman will be able to exteriorize, evacuate his anxieties.
Back pain to treat
Among the causes that can prevent expectant mothers from sleeping well, lumbar or ligament pain are often singled out. Two ailments also typical of pregnancy. It is then necessary to treat them in order to relieve the pregnant woman and help her sleep better.
gastric reflux
If the nausea are quite present in early pregnancy, “they rarely occur at night”, underlines the expert. On the other hand, we can suffer from nocturnal reflux which prevents the future mother from sleeping. Treatments can then be administered to relieve these gastroesophageal reflux.
Can hunger cause insomnia during pregnancy?
No, “Hunger is not a reason for a insomnia during pregnancy“, assures the midwife. On the other hand, even if it is difficult to go back to sleep, it is better do not succumb to nighttime cravings at the risk of getting used to it and then waking up the other nights to go snack. Similarly, in the evening, Rachel Halimi advises prefer a light meal, not too late for better digestion often going hand in hand with good sleep. Maintain physical activityespecially after meals to facilitate digestion, is also recommended.
Can we take Donormyl in case of insomnia during pregnancy?
Pregnant, if you suffer from insomnia you can take medicationas the Donormyl, to help you fall asleep. Of course this requires the opinion and advice of your doctorgynecologist or midwife following you.
What to do in case of insomnia during pregnancy?
► In the first trimester of pregnancy, when fatigue is particularly intense, try to recalibrate your sleep by respecting a bedtime and a wake-up time. Because often at this stage of pregnancy, pregnant women go to bed very early and wake up around 4-5 am.
► If you wake up in the middle of the night, avoid turning on the television or looking at your phone, so as not to wake you up more.
► Take a nap in the afternoon may also help. “Ie sleep calls for sleep, so taking a nap can help you relax and sleep better at night.” explains the midwife.
Is homeopathy effective against insomnia during pregnancy?
There are also several gentle alternative methods that can help you relax and sleep better during pregnancy. Among them there ishomeopathybut also the thereprenatal oga, sophrology, hypnosis or even acupuncture. In the case of homeopathy, your doctor can prescribe you certain homeopathic granules such as Passiflora Incarnata, Coffea cruda or even Ignatia amara which help to fight against sleep disorders. You should also seek advice from your practitioner.
What are the consequences of insomnia on pregnancy?
Suffering from significant insomnia during pregnancy and letting it settle in without reacting can sometimes have consequences after pregnancy. In effect, accumulating lack of sleep can promote postpartum depression. However, the midwife indicates that “for some, childbirth will on the contrary free them”. Indeed, the confrontation with the real baby and the past childbirth releases them from a burden. She also qualifies by saying: “Untreated insomnia will not necessarily have somatic consequences, the more the woman feels good in her head and in her body, the more the pregnancy will develop in a harmonious way”. However, the better we sleep and the less we are prone to stress.
Can we have a work stoppage in case of insomnia during pregnancy?
Yes, “a work stoppage can be offered to the mother-to-be so that she can rest and recuperate”. In general, during pregnancy follow-up visits, the midwife or gynecologist asks the future mother about her sleep. The reason ? “If the patient does not sleep well at night and she has to work 12 hours a day, perform very well during the day, it will be complicated for her”, notes the midwife. This risks creating a vicious circle by further fueling his anxieties, his stress and impacting his sleep. Some pregnant women can then feel very quickly overwhelmed, burn-out, and therefore in this case the work stoppage is necessary.
Is insomnia a sign that labor is starting late in pregnancy?
“At the end of pregnancy, insomnia is not a sign that labor is about to start”, assures the specialist. If women sleep less well in the last few weeks, it’s usually because “the baby takes up more space, whether they suffer from ligament pain or contractions that will wake them up”.
Thanks to Rachel Halimi, midwife in Paris.