Boobs and Sleep

I had a strange experience yesterday morning: I had just washed my face and was about to straighten my hair when I noticed a wet spot on my nightshirt. Naturally, I figured I must have splashed some water on myself while rinsing my face...until I touched the spot and realized it wasn't wet, it was dry. I had put my pajamas on just before crawling into bed the night before, so I knew I didn't spill anything.

Then it occurred to me: my boob leaked during the night! (TMI?)

I thought I was still too early in pregnancy for this, but I guess not. Hopefully this a sign that I have super boobs capable of producing plenty of food for my baby.

Speaking of boobs, I've accepted the fact that mine might hurt for the next year or more. I thought they were supposed to feel less sore in the second trimester but mine still hurt quite a bit...achy, stinging pain. Attempting to sleep without smashing my sore boobs is just one of several obstacles to my getting a good night's sleep. But at least I'm not still sick! I do still have my days when my tummy feels a little off--for example I did not feel great today--but I've felt worse.

Thankfully, so far nothing in pregnancy has compared to the misery I felt just before egg retrieval (extreme bloat, stomach aches, night sweats, ovary pain, excessive urination). I get the occasional night sweats, but never more than once in a night and episodes are few and far between. And of course I still wake up twice a night to pee.

I do wish I slept better. I understand that sleeping lightly during pregnancy might be my body's way of preparing me for the sleepless nights ahead of me once the baby comes, but does my body really need to prepare for 9 months? I feel like the last trimester when I'll be physically too uncomfortable to sleep well should be preparation enough! On the upside, if I'm too exhausted I can usually plan time for a nap (for now) sometime in the day-even if it's just 20 minutes (which is just enough to make me realize just how tired I am).

Light sleeping could also explain my dreams. I have very vivid dreams--and multiple dreams each night--that I remember when I wake up most mornings. I know that people dream every night, but those dreams are only remembered upon waking when they happen during lighter sleep cycles. I've always thought of dreams as brain workouts: a way to exercise my imagination without effort. I don't think pregnant women have more vivid dreams than not pregnant women; I think pregnant women just remember their dreams in more detail because they are sleeping lighter.

Maybe it's not all just the hormones to blame for making pregnant women emotional either; maybe it's the sleepiness. I might blame pregnancy brain on exhaustion as well. Add the lack of good sleep to the fact that your body is exhausting lots of energy growing a human being and it's a recipe for disaster. I think even most men can agree that they too are moody and not as sharp when they are tired. Try being tired for 9 months. And then years after as these tiny humans wreak havoc on your life...explains mom brain too.

<disclaimer: these are only my opinions and rambling theories...I did no research and have no scientific evidence to back anything in this post>