Advantages of Being Pregnant

For the most part, being pregnant isn't very much fun. It is cool, in theory at least, but it isn't very fun. However, I have found an amazing side effect: sleep. For the last 12 years or so I have suffered from clinical insomnia. Not occasional sleeplessness, but chronic insomnia. I have tried homeopathic remedies and prescription sleep aids. I have come to terms with this. I know how many nights I can go without sleeping, what truely not sleeping for a whole night feels like as opposed to light drowsing and what the side effects of medically induced, almost comatose sleep can cause. I know when I can get away with taking a homeopathic option, and when I really need to just suck it up and take the Ambien. Some people have insomnia because they can't stay asleep, and I guess Tylenol PM works great for that. I have the kind that prevents you from falling asleep in the first place. Sometimes I wake up and can't go back to sleep, but usually I just don't sleep. Apparently developing this type of insomnia is common in pregnancy. It is caused by an inability to stop thinking. Or stressing. Or whatever. I don't have the ability to "table things" for later conversations. I cannot sleep if I am mad, or worried, or distressed or even nervous. Hell, I used to not be able to sleep if there were dishes unwashed in the sink. OCD, I know. Since being pregnant causes a lot of worry and stress for many women, I was nervous about this. Sleep aids are NOT approved during pregnancy. However, since about week 14, I have had no problems sleeping. I have slept better than I have in my entire life. I can sleep with or without Mike. Don't get me wrong, I still have a hard time not worrying all the time, but it seems that my body doesn't give a shit about my mind anymore, and pure exhaustion just takes over. Yesterday I laid down on the couch at 7:30 and woke up around 10:30, only because my dog was whining at me. I actually don't worry too much about being pregnant (also very odd for me) but even if I did, I think it would just sleep. I feel so sorry for these women that can't sleep because not sleeping and growing a baby would be enough to make me cry, all the time. But for me, I can easily sleep for 12 hours as long as I don't need to eat in that time period. Pure bliss.