Sleep

One of the most common things people say to first time parents before their baby is born is that they should "stock up" on their sleep. That would have to be one of the stupidest things ever said to new parents.  Sleep doesn't work like that.  You can "catch up" on lost sleep, you can even have a good nights sleep and feel good the next day and might even cope better with a subsequent disturbed night.  But you CANNOT stock up on sleep like some squirrel hoarding nuts for the winter shortage.  It just doesn't work like that.  The other reason that it is a stupid thing to say is because for the pregnant mother, sleep disturbance happens a long long time before the baby is born.  It can start as early as the first trimester.  And with all those extra hormones running around making you more than a little loopy anyway, sleep deprivation just adds to the fun.  There is a reason that sleep deprivation is used as a torture.  Losing sleep not only  leaves us feeling grumpy, tired and having trouble concentrating, it can also have a negative effect on our health. 

Why does the sleep deprivation start so early?  Well the first reason is a pregnant woman's bladder is NOT her friend.  The additional hormones stimulate more urine production and even the small weight of that tiny fetus and growing uterus resting on top of the bladder make holding on for too long impossible.  By the time you get to your second or third pregnancy the muscles that control all of this can be a bit weak too so the urgent signal can come at any time through the night "wake and go pee or you will wet the bed!"

Another reason for sleep disturbance is the vivid dreams that come with pregnancy.  I don't know why this happens and I am not sure anyone does.  I have heard from someone that it is to do with hormones but who knows how true this is?  Last night I had nightmare after nightmare.  Not a good nights sleep.  Dreams from me trying to leave to get to a presentation I am doing on Saturday just to find myself standing at the door suddenly naked, or without my notes or other necessary items.  Then the dreams about premmie babies or deformed babies or forced abortions complete with babies screaming.  No prizes for guessing where those dreams came from.  It is my 12 week ultrasound this afternoon and being 37 I am a bit worried about the health of this baby.

The final reason for my problems sleeping, and I don't know if this is common to pregnant women or not, is the changes to my bodies thermostat.  Leaving the covers off left me feeling cold after a while but when I put them on it wasn't long until I woke up covered in sweat.  Gotta to love a body that doesn't know what it wants.  Sigh I just hope I get a decent nights sleep tonight before my big presentation tomorrow or I may just find myself trying to leave the house sans clothes ;-)