Insomnia

Herbal tea
Music
Benedryl
Melatonin
Herbal supplements
A shower
Sex
TV
A little alcohol
A lot of alcohol
No Alcohol
Co-sleeping
Not co-sleeping
Earplugs
A fan
Counting backwards from 100
High protein snack
Getting up after 30 minutes, doing something else, and then trying again
Reading
Positive thinking
Negative thinking
Calling my brother early in the morning because he's on the East coast and is awake
Exercising during the day
Napping
Not napping
Not drinking caffeine after 2 pm
Back-rub from Jesse before bed
Complaining
Not complaining

These are all of the things I have tried to help me fall asleep. I have insomnia. I sleep well for several days in a row with Max waking me maybe twice per night (not bad for a 2-month-old). Then, he'll surprise me...maybe he wakes up 4-5 times or stays up really late and I get a really crappy night of sleep. I'm very tired the next day. And for the next 2-3 days I have insomnia. This is the cycle. It seems to just need to run its course.

So far I think I'm handling it well. I've been through it before when my first two kids were born. I know this is temporary and once my babies start sleeping longer at a time my insomnia passes. But it's still hard. I kinda want to cry... I start to dread going to sleep because I'm afraid I won't fall asleep. I lay in bed with waves of anxiety passing over me. I worry about all the repercussions of my exhaustion but then nothing bad has truly ever come of it so all the worries seem to be for nothing. I know people have worse problems but I need to share right now. I know I'm not the only new mom with this problem.

Note to other moms: I don't nurse my babes if I've had melatonin or lots of alcohol...My doctor said benedryl is safe while nursing though and so are some herbal supplements such as Chamomile tea