Sleeping aids for mom post partum

by Daniela
(Abu Dhabi)

Question: What sleeping pills can I use post partum? I have suffered from severe insomnia prior to and during the pregnancy. Please HELP! Thank you, God bless....

Heidi's Answer: Dear Daniela, I am very sorry to hear you are going through difficulties sleeping. I am not a medical professional so for medication I will have to refer you to your pharmacist or doctor, of course mentioning to them if you breastfeed.

Besides medication, there are other efficient ways to help with insomnia.

Going to bed and getting up at regular times is the great classic to start with when having trouble with sleeping. But with a newborn around that may not be possible at all.

But do try to keep your sleep as regular as possible.

Eliminate all stimulating food and drinks - this includes coffee, tea (even most green and white teas), fizzy and sugary drinks, chocolate and any sugary snack. Nicotine is also stimulating and can disturb sleep a drastically.

Relaxing herbal teas (such as chamomile tea) and hot milk will be much better choices from the afternoon onwards.

And lastly, relax. Often easier said than done, simple things like taking a few moments each day for yourself can help.

This means, when your baby naps, don't stress about "I have to sleep too" or getting some chores done. But take this time to do something you really enjoy (like reading a book, listening to some music, dance, ...).

This can have the same effect as 12 hours of sleep.

Simple relaxation techniques can definitely help as well, with the Deep Relaxation Body Scan as a top tip!

Take care,
Kindly,
Heidi