It’s frustrating really. I write this at 11:50 pm which is several hours after I went to sleep. It’s my 3rd pregnancy and I am just over 10 weeks along. I never struggled with insomnia with my first pregnancy but I did with my second. It makes me wonder if we are having another girl*. With our second baby, Ivory, I thought it was because we had just bought a house and my mind raced with excitement thinking about all the changes we want to do; wallpaper to tear down, new counter-tops, chalk paint…and endless to do list really. I would lay awake sometimes for 3 hour stretches tossing and turning, my body crying out for rest, my eyes heavy, but I was unable to sleep. If you’ve been there, you know what that’s like! It’s not fun.


Insomnia is the perception of inadequate or poor quality sleep. It can be caused by a number of things including: hormones, having to pee more, heartburn, a growing belly, back pain, anxiety, or dreams. It turns out a whopping 78% of pregnant women struggle at some point of their pregnancy with insomnia.1 So I know I am not alone, but it’s still frustrating.

I need sleep, especially since I have 2 small kids that need me! It seems like the night’s they are sleeping great, I am not. And the night’s they wake up, I had been sleeping. What’s up with that!?

Here are a few things I have tried and will continue to try:

#1

Limiting caffeine and any I do have, have before 12 pm.

It seems caffeine really affects me and if I have any even in the morning I struggle to take a nap.

#2

Essential oils before bed!

Lavender and Serenity being my faves.

#3

Try not to look at screens an hour before bed.

Yes I know I am writing this in the middle of the night but it seemed timely. I do however listen to audiobooks but realized they can’t be too entertaining or I want to just keep listening and they keep me awake for even longer.

#4

A warm bath.

A bath is always great at relaxing the muscles, mind and soul.

#5

Daily exercise.

Exercise makes you tired and helps you sleep deeper. It also is a stress-reliever.

#6

Trying not to plan things in the night.

Sometimes I find my mind filled with thoughts about the next day or week, blog ideas, my kids, you name it. It seems hard to sleep when my mind is working.

#7

Being comfortable…

in the amount of pillows I have in bed, in the pajamas I wear to sleep, and in the temperature of the room.

#8

You can’t force yourself to sleep

If I know I am awake for 30+ minutes, as much as I don’t want to, I wake up and try to read for 15-20 minutes and then try to go back to sleep.

#9

Sleep begets sleep

I try to take a nap over Calvin’s lunch break or at least lying down to rest. It makes up for a bad night and as the old adage goes sleep begets sleep.

It’s also something to note that doctors can prescribe something if it gets too bad. I would personally rather not go that route, so I am going to keep trying these things and hopefully catching some zzz’s along the way.

What about you? Have you struggled with sleep insomnia while pregnant? What helped you get some rest? I would love to hear from you!


Update: We now know we are having a boy 🙂

1 http://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-health/insomnia-during-pregnancy/

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