Ok, the short version is I'm 6mo pregnant and I know it's 'supposed' to make you a bit sore and uncomfortable. I also know there are a lot of people here with kids. Soooooooo, Anyone here have advice as to a good way to get comfortable enough to sleep at night. I currently weigh 15lbs more than I've ever weighed in my life and I think my body objects ;). Unfortuneately my doctor is thrilled that I'm gaining exactly what I should :lol:. My back and knees are just sore enough to keep me up and I'm keeping DH up.

Any help is appreciated,
Cheryl

I found it most helpful to sleep on my side with a pillow under the upper knee. best of luck

I walked more when I was pregnant. The extra exercise made me more tired and kept my joints from getting sore.

Also, try getting a body pillow, they helped a ton with getting into the perfect position for sleeping.

Sorry, that is all I have. I was miserable both times, but the end product is worth it. :)

Have you tried soaking in a warm bath before bed? Maybe some warm milk (for drinking, not soaking:)) You could ask your doctor or midwife about the use of Tylenol or Tylenol PM for occasional use. How about sitting up in a recliner to sleep. Heating pads or cold packs on the sore area.

I worked Labor and Deliver for 24 for years (I'm an RN) and your complaints are not unusual so at least know you are in good company.

Good luck! I'll add more suggestions if I think of anything.

When my back ached, due to all the extra weight in the front, I took a fanny-pack and filled it with rolls of quarters, and wore that in back. Kind of a counterbalance.

It was quick, low-tech, I already had the fanny-pack, and I was able to spend the money afterwards.

:thumbup:

If you're able to reduce the ache during the day, you might be able to sleep better at night.

I had 5 children and the last one made me very uncomfortable. The only way I could sleep some weeks was to sleep in a recliner. I hope you aren't working during the day because if you can't sleep at night then you need to get a nap during the day. Try everything. A comfortable sleep bra, pillows supporting knees, tummy, reading a dull book, etc. What works this week may not work in two weeks time, but conversely what doesn't work now may work like a charm in a week or two. Tell your doctor - he/she should be a good partner in your well being and sleep in SO important.
I would guess a lot of your discomfort is based on the position of your baby and you can't do anything about that, but I found that talking to the baby and playing music for him helped both of us to settle down. Good luck.

So, I guess I'm making a body pillow...... to the sewing room! LOL


Taking tylenol fairly regularly but the heating pads are a no go according to my OB. The milk and bath sound good and I'll try the recliner.

Thanks everyone, and keep them coming I'll take all the help I can get :).

Cheryl

Hope your pregnancy is going well otherwise - - -

Why "no" to heating pads?

i would sujest going to a cyropractor that specailizes in working with pregnant women. i did that when i was pregnant with my second child and it realy helped and it also made my labor shorter. also a body pillow is a big help and if you can get your hubby to massage your back it might make you sleep better at night. Hope somthing works for you i know it can get realy tiring not getting enough sleep and if your to tired you might have a longer labor and thats no fun. exercise is good to as long as you have no complications.

OB says no on heating pads because "it's bad for the baby. Your body temp is already high and if we raise it anymore it will harm the baby." I don't know if she's being extra careful or I'm uniquely warm, but I'm pretty sure my temp will raise in a couple months any way :). (Summer in upstate NY..... ugh :P).

sound like shes being a bit over careful the risks off overheating and causing damage to the baby are mostly in the first trimester and when you are totaly submerging yourself in somthing hot like a hot tub. i used hot water bottles to realeave stress especaly toward the end off my first pregnancy and it never did my daughter any harm.

A pillow between your kness and one against your back may help. :thumbup:

With my last pregnancy, I had to sleep on the reclining side of the cough. It was the only way I could get comfortable. When I was laying flat, it just hurt my back too much. Putting a pillow between your knees will help to. Experiment a little bit to find out what works best for you.

Your OB would freak if you were in Texas. We're already around 100 degrees daily. You wouldn't need the heating pad. Just walk outside. If a heating pad isn't OK then I would think hot tubs, hot baths, etc. aren't either.

My SIL with 5 kids swears by a chiropractor, another with 4 liked massages, etc. I think everyone likes different things. My joints really ached when I was pregnant and I ended up using a body pillow and a recliner a LOT.

Taking tylenol fairly regularly but the heating pads are a no go according to my OB. The milk and bath sound good and I'll try the recliner.
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What about Epsom Salts? That would relax you, and also add some much needed magnesium to your body. Check it out with DR.
Many people in the world are low on magnesium. Perhaps that is why so many swear by Epsom Salt for helping with aches and pains. From what I read on the Internet, every country in the world is terribly deficient in it except for Egypt.

No, she is right about your internal temp being higher. We always told our patients who complained about being hot is that with the baby's metabolism, it is like you have a little furnace inside. And raising your temp can't be good for the baby over the long term. When I suggested a heating pad in an earlier post, I was thinking about your knees/legs and should have specified. My bad. What about trying an ice pack?

There is also a pregnancy support thing that you can wear to support the weight of your, ever-enlarging, belly. Can't remember what it's called but it's is elastic like the girddles of the "olden days". The cause of most of pregnant women's backaches is the change in the center of gravity and the way your posture changes because of it.

Pregnant women tend to run a higher temperature than non pregnant ones. They will also tell you to avoid hot baths and hot tubs. First, when you temp goes up so does the baby's. When your temp goes up so does you heart rate...as does baby's. Also when you get in a hot bath or hot tub, it opens up your blood vessels and can have an effect on your blood pressure....AND when you stand up all the blood you brain needs to function, goes to your feet and can cause fainting (trust me it does :shock: ).

Try sleeping on your left side with a body pillow. As your uterus gets larger and you get short of breath more easily, the idea of the recliner is a good one...but try not to rest directly on your back, but tipped a little to one side. Keeps the full weight of your uterus from compressing the larger blood vessels in your abdomen and constricting the blood flow.

Best wishes...I know you can't wait for the little one to get here!

Nothing made me confortable the last couple of months. The only thing that worked was giving birth.

I have 6 kids and what really helped me was our waterbed. It was warm and put no pressure on any joints. Extra pillows help too.

Thank you everyone SO much! I just finished the body pillow....... I'll post a picture sometime if my camera decides to work. It's kind of a found object body pillow lol. They wanted between $40 and $300 for one online :shock: , so I took an old dust ruffle and just, pinned, drew a line and sewed then cut it out. I stuffed it with my husband's old puffy winter jackets (he hates them and they're filled with down!). So I'll try that. The recliner let me get some sleep and Dr. approved Epsom salts as long as the bath temp is below 102 degrees.

Thank you, thank you!

Cheryl

http://www.hammacher.com/Product/75405?promo=search

This is pricey but it is wonderful! I bought one for sciatia and lower back pain. One of my friends said that her daughter used it when pregnant. Now I cannot do without it! You can google a free shipping code too!

My right rib is still and the last of 5 children is 42.

make DH rub your back and knees in with Ben-Gay. I also slept with a pillow at my back and leaned on that at night.

Nothing helped me as much as a hot shower and a massage from my wonderful hubby.

I agree with Quiltbeagle - a nice warm shower and a massage. If you can fit it in your budget for the last trimester, a pregnancy massage is very good. If your husband does it, have him use baby powder - it's fabulous!

Sorry can't help you on this I had one of the easiest time while carrying my son no pain. I could of danced the night away, but didn't. The only thing I remember from the delivery I kept asking is he here yet I was pretty out of it because he was coming feet first I had a car accident 2 weeks before he came which made him turn.

Sorry can't give you any ideas, never had too much trouble with my pregancy except last one a boy, lost lbs. instead of gained. Never so glad to have him be born.

I ended up sleeping in a recliner. Gained over 50 lbs each time and the indigestion was unbearable. Best wishes with your delivery

pillows,pillows,pillows or if he will let you I curled up to my hubby and that helped. Good luck to you/

pillows,pillows,pillows or if he will let you I curled up to my hubby and that helped. Good luck to you/

Find a good massage therapist who does pregnancy massages. Also, a warm "rice bag" on the lower back won't hurt the baby. It also won't keep getting hotter like a heating pad might.... Massage can become addicting, like quilting, but oh, the relief. If nothing else, get a good foot and leg massage. You won't be sorry. Good luck in your pregnancy and may you and your child be healthy and blessed.

yes, the body pillow, sleep on your side and prop one knee on the pillow and allow your belly (and baby) to rest on the bed - mom of 7.

I agree with the "get more exercise" folks. Besides making you tired enough to sleep better, it will help with muscle tone and maybe make your time pushing out your sweetie-pie shorter. At least it did for me!

I know this sounds crazy but I got "charlie horses" alot and was told to eat chicken and bananas. If your legs hurt really badly, try adding these to your diet. I think it has something to do with being potassium deficient.

Lay on your side and put a pillow between your legs.

Former childbirth educator and doula here suggesting:
*massage
*accupuncture with a pregnancy specialist
*chiropractic adjustments with a pregnancy trained doctor. (Google pregnancy chiropractor to read several articles about how chiropractic care can benefit all the way through pegnancy, labor, and the postpartum period.)
*spend lots of time sitting on an exercise ball large enough to allow your waist/hip angle and your thigh/knee angel to be 90% or a bit more. Most women between 5'4" and 5'8" can use the 60cm ball. This ball helps strengthens your core, aligns your spine, opens your pelvis, and helps baby get into prime position for birthing. (Yes, there is one position in utero that creates an easier birth for both mom and baby than any other position. Google Optimum Fetal Positioning for several sites about this vital issue.)
*tell yourself every day that for *this* baby, you are the only one who can do this; it's not about YOU but the baby, his safety, his growth, his health. Only for this time will you have the baby totally to yourself, not having to share him with anyone really, even dad, because he's inside *your* body.
*Hold this time close to your heart every day, telling your baby to take all the time he needs for his health and optimum growth, no matter how uncomfortable or impatient *you* are, because it's really all about him, not you.
*Don't consider it as suffering, but as truly sacrificial giving to him. :-)

State of mind can overcome many, many physical issues.

Best to you on this awesome, miraculous joourney!

Jan in VA

I loved being pregnant and really didn't have much problem but maybe that is because I did all of the following.

walk, walk, walk. Exercise is a magic pill
pillows between my knees, one under my stomach and one anywhere else that feels good
reflexology - it is the foot massage to end all foot massages
Call around and see if you can find a massage therapist that has a pregnacy table, it is so nice to lay on your stomach for awhile
I don't understand why Tylenol would be okay but I always made sure that I go enough calcium, potassium and magnesium to ward of leg cramps
nap every afternoon - if you have other kids nap when they do

Cheryl I had great success during both of my terms with WALKING DAILY. I started out at the beginning walking and walked daily until the due time, even the day before each. Everything went quickly and smoothly . I don't know if this is the answer for everyone, because everyone has different problems, but I know it sure helped me. I gained 20 lbs with each.

Nobody mentioned swimming - Ask the doctor if you can, because being submerged in water takes all the wierd pressures off for long enough to let us feel a bit rested.
My son was a perpetual motion kid,
and he drummed on the inside of my ribs so hard during the last month that they felt bruised...One time my son managed to give my husband a hard enough shove to wake him up, and when he complained to me, that I tried to kick him out of bed, I told him that he was complaining to the wrong person, that I was not even capable of kicking the tiny kitten out of bed! LOL!
Just count your blessings...it isn't forever....and not everybody has such a live wire baby!
He was standing at 8 mos, walking at 10, running like a deer at 12! He considered that a chain link fence was a stairway to freedom until his diaper got hooked on the top links and we went to the shoe store and bought another pair of shoes that fit over his regular shoes and were too big to fit in the holes in the chain link fencing.
Thank goodness babies haven't figured out shoelacing double bow knots! LOL!