Getting comfortable at night...

I'm 24.5 weeks pregnant with b/g twins. I know this is just going to get worse, but I'm having a REALLY hard time getting comfortable at night. I remember being uncomfortable with my ds (singleton) about the last month, but it was never really ALL that horrible. I have a body pillow, but it just doesn't seem to tuck where I need it to tuck. I should also say that I'm TERRIBLY congested with this pregnancy, so I have to prop myself up or I can't breathe. If I lay on my left side, Baby B (who is breach up near my ribs) gets squished and we're BOTH uncomfortable. I can tolerate my right for a while, but no matter how I try to tuck pillows arouond me, my side and ribs start to ache. The only position I can maintain is propped way up on my back (almost sitting up) with pillows under my knees.

Any suggestions? We don't have a recliner, but I'm tempted to borrow one. Of course, not sure how I'd get in and out of it!!! Any other ideas, special pillows or tricks you used? Did any of you have to use Ambien toward the end of your pregnancy (know I'm not there yet, but worried since it's just getting worse)?

TIA!!!

 

I'm right there with you. I use a neti pot before bed, which helps with the congestion. But, I usually sleep propped up, and have also found that getting DH to rub my hips before bed relaxes them a bit.

Do you see a chiropractor or massage therapist. Both have been been tremendously helpful in reducing my nighttime discomfort.

 

Just letting you know that you are not alone. When I had a cold I took tylanol cold nighttime at night, and that helped A BIT. I do sleep on my side, and I can't use any body pillows or I wake up very sore. I pee a million times at night (disturbing DH's sleep too), and turning over is a huge production involving significant crotch pain. However, I should tell you that I've also had good and bad weeks for sleep, so just because you feel awful this week doesn't mean that next week will be as bad. Hang in there! Laura

 

You are definitely not alone. I'm only 19 weeks and have been having problems sleeping for weeks. At first it was waking up hungry in the middle of the night, but now I toss and turn. My poor DH has taken to sleeping on the couch because my tossing and turning keeps him up and he's so tired for work. I've even noticed that I can no longer just "roll over" to a comfortable position...I have to literally get up on all fours, rearrange my pillows and then lay back down. Sadly, I've been a tummy sleeper my whole life and (as you said) with my singleton pregnancy I found ways to make it work. But this time it's just not working out for me.

The only thing I can suggest is to have two body pillows and about 2 extra pillows that don't go under your head. I use one of the body pillows under my back so I can lean back on it without being flat on my back and then another body pillow in front of me and then a couple of regular pillows between my legs. My DH lovingly calls it my "nest".

Good luck on getting comfy!

 

The only way I could get comfortable was the recliner. I slept in it for about 8 weeks. Maybe you could borrow one from a friend?

 

I started sleeping on the couch at 26 weeks. The bed was too flat and I couldn't get propped right. They gave me Ambien while I was in the hospital for PTL so I imagine it's considered safe. And yes, it will only get worse! But now I know from personal experience that you'll survive it.

 

I am very congested too and kept waking myself up snoring last night (I don't snore unless I'm pregnant). I broke down and took a Sudafed (the behind-the-counter stuff) last night, and it cleared my sinus pressure but I still couldn't breath through my nose!

Right now, I'm sleeping with a pillow on each side of me. That way, as I toss and turn every 30 min or so, I don't need to bring my pillow along to the other side. I also use a memory foam pad that is getting pretty old, so we might get a new pad. Do they still make those back-support pillows? My Dad had one in the 80's. It was for people to prop themselves up when they lay on the floor to watch tv. I bet one of those would help keep you more upright when sleeping at night.

We do have a recliner, and I've been tempted to sleep in it, but I've never had a good, restful night sleep in it (had to use it a few times recovering from surgeries.....or when I was mad at Dh, lol).

Maybe this is natures way of preparing us for the sleepless nights ahead

 

At 31 weeks, when I can get to sleep I can now sleep comfortably, which was not the case in my mid-to-late second trimester. I am still a bit restless at night, what with the frequent trips to the bathroom and the difficulty rolling over.

In any event, here's what I did, hope something works for you!

- Weekly acupuncture and nightly Rhinocort (prescribed) eradicated my sinus/allergy issues. I used to love the Neti pot, but I haven't used mine recently.
- Standing yoga, e.g., tree pose, has resolved my hip pain, which had been *horrible*. Not sure if you're experiencing this, but apparently it's common.
- Prenatal massage helps me relax. Unfortunately, it can be expensive and my insurance doesn't cover it. But, massage schools often have deals.
- Going to the pool. The Y usually has indoor heated pools and you can just purchase a day pass.

Good luck.

 

Thanks for all the suggestions...keep them coming! Unfortunately, I'm not permitted any exercise/actvity as I'm extremely high risk and on sort of a 'modified bed-rest' (not quite that strict yet though). I had PTL with my son and now have an irritable uterus with a lot of contractions. I'm sure that doesn't help the whole 'comfortable at night' thing either. I'm going to ask my peri what he suggests tomorrow, too. I'll share any good advice he has.

 

I would second the chiropractor & massage, but found a generic blow-up mattress to be my best friend. It contoured my big ole body & eliminated the need for the vast quantities of pillows. My DH also chose to leave our bed by the mid-2nd trimester as I was disturbing his sleep & queen sized myself, in our bed, without him.

It does suck- hang in there!

 

Definitely let us know what the peri says. I hope you get some relief soon!

 

I don't have suggestions but man, do I feel your pain.

I've started having that god awful 3rd trimester ribpain... oh, the ribpain.... and I'm only 21 weeks. I work at the computer all.day.long and I'm already at the point where you feel like sitting at the computer is going to suffocate you in your own boobs and belly.

Hope you find some relief soon. And if you do, please tell me what you do to ease the ribpain.

 

I've got the rib pain, too! Although until I read this I really wasn't sure what to call it! I've been telling my DH that it feels like someone has a belt around my ribs under my boobs and has it tightened as tight as it would go! Bah! I think I need a support belt because my stomach muscles and back muscles are always feeling so stretched out!

 

I bought an "all nighter total body pregnancy pillow" it was at walmart.com for 50$. & it was one of the best things i have done this pregnancy. I started to get really uncomfortable around 22 weeks and now I'm 34 I only get up 2x a night to pee! I really think it's because of this pillow - at least it's worth you taking a look at it. good luck!

 

I'll have to look into that pillow. Yeah, my ribs are really uncomfortable. Someone mentioned a belt...I got a maternity belt off ebay (the Loving Comfort one from Motherhood). Definitely look on Ebay though, because it's way cheaper that way. And it has helped my back and ribs A LOT during the day! My peri is 45 minutes away, and my lower back used to hurt so badly when I drove I had to shove my coat behind my back. With the belt it feels great! I haven't tried sleeping in it though, not sure it would be all that comfortable. I'm glad I'm pregnanct with twins in the winter instead of the summer though...I can't imagine how hot and uncomfortable I'd be wearing that belt! The trick to making it comofortable is to wear a BellaBand under it. Also, make sure you put the belt on BEFORE your undies, or you have to take it off each time to go to the bathroom...NOT convenient!

 

I have been getting more & more uncomfortable at night over the last few weeks too!
I already use a body pillow on my left side, a normal pillow on my right, & an extra pillow under my head!
Besides rolling over every half hour or so, getting up to the toilet at least 3 times a night, I have started getting what I think is called 'restless legs', only my whole body does it! Does anyone else get that? I dont remember experiencing that with my previous 2 single pregnancies.

Day or night, I can never seem to get truly comfortable for any great lenth of time!

 

I experience restless leg syndrome, as well. I just read today that it may be mitigated with increased iron and folic acid intake. Oh, and walking.

It *is* hard to get comfy these days. Especially with four feet, fists, and elbows poking me everywhere!

 

Restless legs can also be prevented by taking a ton of Omega 3 every evening. Right now I am taking about 6 1000mg tabs. (I take the flax one so I don't get the fishy aftertaste.) I learned that when I had RLS with my last pregnancy, and it works great. Plus I've heard being pregnant can leech the Omega 3 right out of your brain to give the babies, so it's good for that, too!

 

It is really unpleasant!

Trying to sleep but besides being uncomfortable, I get 'twitchy' and have to keep moving positions.

Magnesium/calcium would also be good I think. Not sure, I'll have to check if it's suitable.

 

Until a few weeks from the end, I slept on my back in a reclining position, with about 3 pillows behind my head/back and another couple under my knees. Around 35 weeks (I think) the babies got so heavy that I couldn't breathe even in that position, so I resorted to sleeping on the couch, on my side but sort of leaning against the back of the couch, with every single part of my body supported by a pillow. (I even had a sweatshirt whose entire purpose was to be wedged into the cracks between my foam wedge and the curve of my belly.)

I was also super-congested, and wore a Breathe Right strip every night. It helped noticeably, though didn't entirely solve the problem.

If I had known about Ambien then, I would have been mighty tempted. The nurses did give it to me when I was in the hospital for one night with threatened PTL at 29 weeks, but I didn't know there were prescriptions being handed out like candy. (I have one now. :laughing: ) But although it is considered OK for occasional use during pg, I would worry about using it often. It just hasn't been around that long, and is clearly a powerful drug -- sometimes I even worry about the long-term effects of using it on myself, let alone a fetus.

"Hang in there" is probably the most overused phrase on this board, but... :hug: