by Audrey-Anastasia Alleyne

Created on: September 24, 2009   Last Updated: September 26, 2009

Insomnia or the inability to sleep appears to be the order of the night for most pregnant women. Many of them are subject to headaches or getting up from bed for frequent urination, or finding difficulty to actually fall asleep. In fact, insomnia can be an absolute nightmare for many pregnant women.

Sleep is as essential for the proper functioning of our bodies, as is food and drink. The pregnant woman has to find ways and means to get rid of insomnia and enjoy a proper night's rest. There are many reasons for the problem, and they need to get to the root of it.

When I was having my baby, I suffered from terrible headaches. I would wake in the night, unable to lift my head; so terrible the headaches were, like migraines. The worst part was I needed to go to the bathroom so often, and those headaches would persist.

One day, an old lady told me to use the wonder leaf called "Wonder of the World' in Trinidad and Tobago. It is a medicinal plant with thick, fleshy oval shaped leaves with a scalloped edge, and known by different names in tropical islands. The Jamaicans call it "Miracle Leaf' while the Puerto Ricans call it "Hoja Milagro."The horticultural name is Bryophyllum Pinnatum.The old lady told me to place soft candle, which is whale or paraffin oil on about three leave, and heat them on the stove; then place them on a cloth, and tie around my head.

I followed her advice. I did wake to use the bathroom after that, but the headaches had disappeared forever. I never felt one of those headaches again, and I was able to sleep more peacefully. In order to combat your insomnia, you need to identify the cause. Do not struggle to sleep. Make sure your room is dark and comfortable, and take care what you eat or drink before going to bed. Do not eat for three hours before bed.

Take a warm, (not hot) shower before bed. If you cannot fall asleep immediately, read a book or magazine. Reading usually makes people sleepy, and you can use this time to read up on information concerning pregnancy; there is always a lot to learn. You can also watch television; that usually makes one sleepy. Say your prayers, or if you are Catholic, say the Rosary. It is amazing how rolling those beads between your fingers can relax you. You find yourself drifting off to sleep and even forgetting at what stage of the prayer you were. You may wake again, but eventually the rosary might just slip out of your hands as you fall asleep peacefully.

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