I am still not used to sleeping on my side, even though I've been doing it for about six months now. I have a body pillow that I use, but it doesn't change the fact that my shoulders just do not like being slept on. I've been waking up 5 to 7 times a night (usually to use the restroom, but also because of being in physical discomfort). If one shoulder hurts too much, I'll sleep on the other side to get back to sleep. But lately, my hips have been killing me, and I can find no relief.
The other night I woke at 2 AM with hip pain, and try to get back to sleep for almost an hour, before I decided to just get up, recognize that I was not falling asleep with that kind of pain, and started to do some stretches and exercises to find some relief for my poor muscles! Not fun.
But at least I won't be too shocked when the baby comes and I'm sleep deprived! I've been living that way for a few months already, haha :)
I am just very tired - and home alone this week. Food prep for this week means that I am eating chicken burgers and butternut squash for lunch every day, grapes, carrots, and yogurt for snacks. I switch back-and-forth between cereal with flax milk and banana for breakfast and my usual cottage cheese with sunflower seed butter and blueberries.
For dinner, I totally went to super easy route, and got some frozen dinners (from Amy's- Mexican and Indian). I just simply do not have the energy to make dinner when I come home, deal with the dog and get the house cleaned up, before writing my dissertation. I hope not to rely on frozen dinners in the future, but this week, I simply didn't have it in me. I had to admit that... I'm starting to get overwhelmed and weepy! Adding dinner prep, cooking and dish washing was the sacrifice this week.
In bed by 8 pretty much every night (and I get home around 5:20 from work, so you can see that I really don't have a lot of time to spare in the evening) and up around 6 to walk the dog.
Making what fits, fit. Doing what I can, and try not to get too down on myself that I'm not the picture of health and fitness and clean living right now!
I can totally relate to this! My sister told me that it's like our body's way of preparing us for sleep deprivation when the baby arrives- like you said. Sleep is horrible when you're pregnant. I had the worst pain in my wrists, fingers, and arms and it was a lot worse at night.
ReplyDeleteYou'll get through it!
Hang in there. Rest when you can. Your job is to keep the baby alive and keep yourself alive. Everything else can and will fall into place.
ReplyDeleteTry different pillows under your head, to relieve crunch of shoulders. I sleep with two pillows under head, and the top one is folded in half, long ways.
ReplyDeleteI was a stomach sleeper before pregnancies.
Had to get used to sleeping in my side.
After birth of babies, had to stay on my sides because of very full (milk) breasts.
Honestly, my kids nursed a long time. And about the time I was weaning, short break, moved on to next pregnancy, so I was on my side for many years.
I just got used to it. Still sleep on my side.
If you are planning to nurse, find out where lactation consultants are in your area in case you need help. A pet peeve of mine is nurses who are not lactation consultants and work with moms in hospital. No real training. And, because the moms go home, they do not actually learn/grow in their teaching. In other words, they could be handling problems all wrong, sabotaging nearly every mom, and not realize it.
Lactation consultants are trained, and really good. One might offer classes in your area.
Hospitals tend to use the word lactation consultant loosely. Make sure it is an actual certified consultant. ASK pointedly.
LLL is also good at teaching moms.
You might not agree with some of the other things that LLL people tend to favor (homeschooling, home birth, etc). But that is the people, not LLL itself. Take what is helpful and leave the rest.
Do not wait until birth of baby to figure out nursing, if that is something you plan to do. Bottles and pacifiers disrupt milk production, big time, for example. There are basics you need to know in advance. LLL usually has good lending libraries. And their meetings are set up to teach.
I would be very leery of just picking up a book in a bookstore or public library. Get one from actual consultant or LLL.
Be extremely cautious of taking advice from general public. Find out their nursing history. If they made it just a few days or weeks, for example, they probably are giving the wrong advice. Or if they only nursed one child, they are very limited.
There is a reason most women do not make it nursing. They very rarely have mothers and grandmothers (who nursed all their kids for a long time) to guide them. Nursing requires knowledge and support. Especially in this age of a lot of really bad information.
And pumping to return to work, if that is what you are going to do, requires major support. Lactation consultant can help with resources for supplies and information. There are consult stands who work with moms on that. They will probably come to your house to help.
My kids are now 25, 21, 17 so sometimes I have to think for a while, to remember.
DeleteI slept with a pillow in front of me (on my side, top leg/ knee on pillow, I still sleep that way). And when I was pregnant I think I also slept with firm pillow behind me, to support some of the weight. I think that made a great deal of difference. I was not doing yoga then. So it was a pillow. Now it would probably be my large, dense bolster.
You are doing great. Use whatever tools will ease this last month of pregnancy. Can you ask friends for a wee bit of help too?
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