I Sleep in a Pillow Fort

I've always had insomnia, but sleeping while pregnant has come with some additional challenges. If I don't get my set up just right, I wake up with horrible back pain (often in the middle of the night), and my hips often bug me (pinched sciatic nerve), as well as my knees.

I did buy one of those fancy pregnancy pillows, but unfortunately that was a waste of money for me. What most pregnant women find to be a godsend, I was even more uncomfortable, especially my shoulders and neck. I tried to supplement the thing with extra pillows or a rolled up small blanket under my neck, but no dice. I woke up each morning with terrible neck and shoulder pain on both sides, and the pillow kept getting more and more stretched out, which negated the benefits of preventing me from rolling over onto my back during the night. In case you don't know, back sleeping is a big no no in pregnancy; especially once your second trimester starts.

So now I sleep with 7 pillows. Yep, that's why it feels like I'm setting up a pillow fort each night when I get ready for bed. I sleep with a pillow in front of me, a pillow behind my back (tucked slightly under my back so that I don't roll onto my back completely), a pillow behind my legs, and a pillow in front of my legs. Laying on my left side, I tuck those two leg pillows so that my left leg always sits on top of a pillow rather than the bed, and if I roll over, my right leg would do the same. Then I tuck another pillow between my legs. Then I tuck a small flat pillow under my belly (I could use a towel instead, but the flat pillow works). Then I have a pillow under my head, and another behind my head. I also have my stuffed panda bear for hugging in addition to the pillow in front of me.

This set up (because you're supposed to sleep on your left side as much as possible), is about the only way I can presently sleep comfortably *most* of the night, and that is not a guarantee the entire night. Eventually, I have to roll over onto my right side because even with the extra cushioning, my left hip inevitably starts to hurt.

Sometimes, I create a pillow throne so I can "lay" on my back to start out the night when my hips are really bugging me (which is really sleeping in a semi-seated position). So the pillow behind my head gets tucked under my head pillow. The pillow that usually sits under my belly, goes behind my low back, the two pillows from either side of my legs get stacked under my knees, the two pillows on either side of my front/back are now arm rests, and the pillow that goes between my legs and my panda bear go on either side of my head so that when I inevitably fall asleep, my head isn't left at an odd angle.

I also listen to a 20 minute meditation on my phone every night which starts out with a breathing exercise, and I usually pass out about half way through it.

This blog isn't complaining. This is me laughing at the ridiculous lengths I go to get some fucking sleep each night. Maybe it'll help someone else find their 'trick'. Because everyone is different, and everyone has to figure out what works for them.