They also may be on high alert, listening and waiting for signs that their newborn needs them, significantly diminishing sleep quality.Īs your baby grows, changes, and develops, different things can throw them off schedule including illness, teething, nightmares, or growth spurts.

To accommodate these frequent feedings, many mothers are forced to adjust their sleep schedules. Some evidence shows that breastfed babies require even more frequent feedings than those that are bottle-fed, however, their sleep routines (including falling and staying asleep) often stabilize sooner than non-breastfed infants. Their schedule doesn’t change when the sun goes down which means most babies continue to wake every few hours throughout the night as well, causing major sleep disturbances for mom.

It’s no secret that newborns wake up every 2 to 4 hours for feedings. This is the biggest change that new moms experience. Research suggests that women with PPD and postpartum anxiety are at higher risk of developing postpartum insomnia. Negative thoughts and fears nag at your mind as you question your abilities as a new mom and feel guilty over a lack of emotional connection to your little one.įor most moms, PPD symptoms subside over time but in severe cases, medication and therapy can help ease symptoms so you can function and get much-needed restorative sleep. The more overwhelmed you feel, the more difficult it can be to sleep. Several factors can cause PPD but most often it’s due to hormone imbalance and the overwhelming responsibility of parenthood. The most common symptoms of postpartum depression are mood swings, sadness, irritability, lack of motivation, loss of appetite, inability to bond with the baby, and insomnia. While these feelings are usually temporary, as many as 15% of women experience PPD which is a pervasive mood disorder that persists much longer. Postpartum Depression (PPD)Īn average of 85% of new moms experiences a brief period of postpartum sadness known as the maternity blues. Each step in this process plunges you into a dangerous state of sleep deprivation. Many new moms with postpartum insomnia enter a vicious cycle of stressing about parenting, losing sleep, and then feeling nervous or anxious about not sleeping. Without adequate sleep, stress and anxiety can increase, only making matters worse. This is especially true for first-time mothers who have little experience caring for a newborn. Your body and mind are on constant alert following delivery. Even if you do fall asleep, many new moms wake unexpectedly and often, regardless of if their baby cries or not. Worrying about doing things correctly, their infant getting sick, and a myriad of other parenting decisions can make those first few months of motherhood overwhelming and stressful, creating endless sleepless nights.Ĭonstant worry over not hearing your baby cry or something happening to your infant during the night can make it impossible to sleep. Nearly 10% of new moms experience postpartum anxiety. Stress and anxiety are the leading causes of insomnia, including postpartum. Let’s take a closer look at the specific causes of postpartum insomnia. It’s no surprise that these drastic changes to both your physical health and the environment can disrupt your natural sleep patterns. Even when these women manage to fall asleep, their sleep quality is not good and they’re awoken easily and more often.īecoming a mother is one of the biggest life changes any woman can undergo. Both pregnant women and new moms can experience a mix of chronic and acute symptoms. Acute insomnia, though equally as disturbing, lasts for less than three months. If you struggle to stay and fall asleep more than three times per week for at least three months, you’re battling chronic insomnia. Some mothers continue experiencing insomnia symptoms long after their infant starts sleeping longer and more consistently. Postpartum insomnia has its own set of unique causes with the main culprits being nighttime feedings, anxiety over motherhood, recovery discomfort, and other nighttime interruptions. Heartburn, back pain, and frequent bathroom trips are just a few sleep disturbances you can expect. During pregnancy, many expecting mothers have pre-parenthood stress, vivid dreams, and countless physical changes.

As the name suggests, pregnancy insomnia is different from and precedes postpartum insomnia.

Insomnia after giving birth