Written by Stephanie Watson
Baby isn't even here yet, and already you're exhausted. It's hard to drag your big weary body out of bed each morning. By dinnertime, all you want to do is plop back down and climb underneath the covers.
Fatigue was one of the first signs of your pregnancy. And it can keep nagging you throughout most of the 9 months until you deliver.
During your first trimester, fatigue is at least partly due to changing levels of pregnancy hormones. You'll perk back up in your second trimester, but that renewed energy likely won't last long.
By the last 3 months of your pregnancy, you may be wiped out again. The extra stress on your body can wear you out. Plus, with your belly weighing you down in bed and your baby pressing on your bladder all night, you may struggle to get a full night's sleep.
Sometimes fatigue during pregnancy can be a sign of a medical problem, such as:
If fatigue is just one of several new symptoms you're experiencing, see your doctor. You may feel more energetic once you get treated for any condition that's sapping your energy.
During your pregnancy you need to be well rested. In just a few months, you'll be on call 24/7, and a full night's sleep will seem like a luxury.
To get as much sleep as possible right now, follow these restful suggestions:
Don't stop your pregnancy sleep routine once your baby is born. Use these same tips to help you through the first few months of motherhood. Continue to get the help -- and the rest -- you need, so you can keep up with your growing baby.
Get medical help if:
Growing a human is exhausting. It’s as if a magical spell was cast the day your pregnancy test came back positive — except Sleeping Beauty’s fairy didn’t gift you with 100 years of rest and true love’s kiss is what got you into this.
If only you could sleep more…
It’s completely normal for a pregnant woman to feel fatigued, especially during the first and third trimesters.
Somewhere between morning sickness and elastic waistbands, Little Bo-Peep has lost your sheep (she probably sold them to Sleeping Beauty) and there are none left for you to count to sleep.
One of the first signs of pregnancy is fatigue. It smacks you by surprise, like the sliding glass door you assumed to be open.
Beginning as early as conception and implantation, pregnancy hormones instantly affect your body, mood, metabolism, brain, physical appearance, and sleep pattern.
In the second trimester, which begins at week 13, many women get a fresh surge of energy. This is a great time to tackle those important before-baby-arrives chores, because as you enter the third trimester, which begins at week 28, that extreme exhaustion returns.
Simply put, you feel tired because you’re growing a baby.
In addition to hormonal changes, physical and emotional changes also lower your energy levels and make you feel fatigued.
Some of these changes include:
If insomnia, restless legs syndrome (the uncontrollable urge to move your legs while resting), sleep apnea (a potentially serious disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts), preeclampsia, or any other condition is hindering your sleep, talk to your doctor or midwife during your next appointment.
Other reasons to contact your doctor or midwife include, if you:
Your healthcare practitioner can help you uncover any problems and offer additional solutions.
Growing a baby obviously takes a toll on your body. Don’t ignore the signals your body is sending you. Reach out to others if you’re struggling to sleep throughout your pregnancy. Ask for help from your partner.
No matter how tired you get, you should avoid taking any over-the-counter medicines as a sleeping aid.
Most pregnant women should spend at least 8 hours in bed, aiming for at least 7 hours of sleep every night.
If possible, try going to sleep a little earlier than usual.
As your body changes, make sleep a priority and follow these tips to combat pregnancy fatigue:
Create the right atmosphere for optimal rest.
In order for your body to reach deep sleep, cover any windows with blackout curtains. Turn off any digital clocks and unplug nightlights illuminating a glow (cover the display with electrical tape if you don’t want to completely turn the device off).
Set the bedroom temperature a little cooler than the rest of your home, for optimal quality of sleep. Eliminate any needless clutter and wash your bedsheets often. Save your bed for sleep, cuddling, and sex.
Napping can make up for any sleep lost at night, due to frequent trips to the bathroom, body aches, and every other pregnancy irritation. Avoid napping in the late afternoon and early evenings.
If your employer frowns upon nap time, find a good spot in the breakroom and put your feet up while you eat lunch.
In the beginning, pregnancy can also lower your blood pressure and blood sugar, which can make you feel tired. But a lack of sleep can cause your blood sugar levels to rise, increasing the risk for gestational diabetes.
Keep your blood sugar and energy levels balanced by eating often, such as six small meals a day. Frequent meals that are high in nutrients and protein help to combat fatigue.
To avoid nighttime leg cramps, stay hydrated by drinking enough water and fluids throughout the day.
Keep a journal throughout your pregnancy. If you’re feeling anxious or stressed, try writing in it.
Pregnant women experience more vivid dreams and better dream recall, due to hormonal shifts affecting sleep patterns, increased fatigue, and repeatedly waking in the middle of a sleep cycle.
Sleep diaries can also be enlightening, providing concrete data about your bedtime, how long it takes for you to fall asleep, nighttime awakenings, awake time, and sleep quality.
As far as stimulants go, caffeine may keep you awake long into the night or cause you to wake more frequently. It can also keep your baby active, kicking and rolling around inside your belly as you try to sleep.
Experts recommend pregnant women limit their caffeine intake to two home-brewed cups of coffee, or less than 200 milligrams, per day.
Ask for help from family and friends. Take a warm bath. Ask your partner for a massage. Take a break.
Wear soft, non-restrictive clothing and sit in a cozy chair with a good book and read for a little bit. Light a lavender candle. Play soothing instrumental music. Have a cup of warm chamomile tea.
You get it.
The demands of pregnancy together with the weight gained puts an enormous amount of pressure on your body.
In addition to more restful sleep, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists states the following benefits of exercise during pregnancy:
It can take a few hours for your body to fully wind down after energetic workouts, so plan for any physical activity to take place earlier in the day.
If the exercise is light, like yoga, it’s unlikely to interfere with your sleep.
Always check with your medical practitioner or midwife before beginning a new exercise program during pregnancy.
Pregnancy can be a tiring experience — both emotionally and physically. It’s important to remember: You are not alone.
Nearly all women experience more fatigue than usual at some point during their pregnancy. Take it as a message from your body. It’s telling you to rest, and you should definitely listen.
Properly taking care of yourself during pregnancy, you will maintain your health and the health of your unborn baby. If you think you may be pregnant, do not delay your visit to the antenatal clinic. If the fact of pregnancy is confirmed, then you will be registered and will be helped to go through all the stages of bearing a child.
• Keep your doctor's appointments as scheduled.
Don't skip appointments.
• Eat right. During pregnancy, you may gain 8-16 kg, but this crucial period in your life is not the time to lose weight.
• Rest whenever you feel like you need to relax and unwind. For most people, eight hours of sleep is enough for a good rest, but this figure can be quite individual.
• Any medicine, even the most harmless at first glance, is permissible to take only in consultation with your doctor.
• Avoid strong odors such as varnish or acetone. This also applies to business assets. Always wear gloves and work only in a well-ventilated area.
• Avoid tobacco smoke and never smoke yourself. If you have smoked, quit as soon as possible!
• Do not drink alcohol in any quantity. And, of course, no drugs.
• In order to avoid infection, dangerous for pregnant women with toxoplasmosis, ask loved ones to clean the litter box.
Otherwise, communication with a domestic cat is completely safe.
• Maintain adequate physical activity. Walking in the fresh air and swimming will have a beneficial effect on your health and will help you avoid excessive weight gain.
• Intimate relationships during pregnancy are quite safe and physiological. They cannot harm you or the baby. Sexual desire may increase or decrease. This is also quite normal and should not cause you concern.
• A little about precautions during sexual intimacy. It is not recommended to lie on your back. As your belly grows in size, you may need to look for more comfortable positions. If you have had miscarriages in the past, your doctor may advise you to abstain from sexual activity.
Never hesitate to ask your doctor questions or tell you if you feel unwell.
Contrary to myths, there are no “magic” foods that all pregnant women need.
Even the simplest food can be extremely beneficial. By the way, there are very few banned foods. These are the foods you've been allergic to in the past. Also, limit your intake of sweets and fats.
Your diet should resemble a pyramid
• Your body needs more folate and iron. Be sure to include eggs, legumes, kidneys, leafy vegetables, yeast bread, fish, meat, cabbage, tomatoes, milk in your diet. take vitamins and iron supplements as recommended by your doctor.
• Don't overeat. If you have a good appetite, eat small meals 5-6 times a day.
• Drink about one and a half fluids daily. Preferably water. Don't drink more than 3 cups of tea or coffee a day. Coffee and tea taken with meals interferes with the absorption of iron.
• Limit sugar in drinks.
Pregnancy is accompanied by significant physiological changes in the body.
In some of its periods, many women experience some discomfort. This usually happens in the first and last trimesters. You shouldn't worry too much about this. These are natural problems that will disappear when the baby is born.
• Frequent urination.
• Increased fatigue, especially in the first trimester. Give yourself time to rest, do some light exercise, and eat a healthy diet. So you can feel less tired.
• Nausea. It usually goes away after the first trimester. Eat small meals, avoiding spicy and fatty foods. Eat a piece of bread or a cookie in the morning.
• Swelling of the feet and ankles. Raise your legs up more often and sleep on your side. This will help reduce swelling.
• Heartburn. Most often appears in the fifth month. Avoid drinks that contain caffeine and don't lie down immediately after eating.
Dairy products can help relieve heartburn.
• Constipation. Drink at least one and a half liters of fluid a day and eat foods that are rich in fiber, such as vegetables and bran bread.
• Back pain in the last months of pregnancy. Avoid high heels, don't lift heavy things, and if necessary, don't arch your back.
Unfortunately, pregnancy does not always go smoothly. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience any of these symptoms:
• discharge of blood or fluid from the vagina;
• increase in temperature up to 38 and above;
• severe pain in the abdomen that does not subside in any position;
• pain and burning in the vagina;
• pain when urinating;
• sudden swelling of the face or hands;
• severe headache and blurred vision;
• abdominal trauma;
• the baby makes less than 10 movements in the last 12 hours (after 6 months of pregnancy).
In any case, if something worries you, even if it seems insignificant, consult your doctor.
Trishkin Alexey Gennadievich
Head department of ART, obstetrician-gynecologist, reproductive specialist, gynecologist-endocrinologist, ultrasound diagnostician, Head of the Department of New Reproductive Technologies, KemSU, Associate Professor, Doctor of Medical Sciences
Bochkarnikova Hasmik Gerbertovna
Obstetrician-gynecologist, reproductologist, gynecologist-endocrinologist, ultrasound specialist
Zueva Galina Pavlovna
Deputy chief physician for medical work Krasnaya Gorka on the South, obstetrician-gynecologist, reproductologist, gynecologist-endocrinologist, ultrasound doctor, head of the RAHR department, associate professor of the Department of New Reproductive Technologies, KemSU, Candidate of Medical Sciences
Grigoryeva Olesya Vladimirovna
Obstetrician-gynecologist, reproductologist, ultrasound specialist
On the South, st.
Yu. Dvuzhilny, 10
Zueva
Deputy chief physician for medical work at Krasnaya Gorka on the South, obstetrician-gynecologist, reproductologist, gynecologist-endocrinologist, ultrasound doctor, head of the RAHR department, associate professor of the Department of New Reproductive Technologies KemGU, Candidate of Medical Sciences
Kuzmina
Obstetrician-gynecologist, reproductologist, ultrasound specialist
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During pregnancy, a woman gets tired faster than usual, sometimes without even doing anything special. This is normal, because hormonal and psychological changes take place, and the body prepares for childbirth. Such changes can be stressful for a woman, which adds to the feeling of fatigue.
A pregnant woman develops insomnia, heartburn, heaviness in the back, spasms and cramps in the legs, and excessive fatigue may indicate anemia, especially if symptoms such as pale skin, shortness of breath, dizziness and palpitations are present. Iron deficiency in pregnant women occurs very often, as the need for iron increases due to the needs of the baby, and the hemoglobin produced by iron delivers oxygen not only to the tissues of the mother, but also to the child.
Nutrition of a pregnant woman should be BALANCED. Be sure to have a large amount of vitamins and minerals, especially iron and protein. A large amount of iron is found in the following foods: red meat, seafood, poultry, legumes. When consuming iron-rich foods, try to drink freshly squeezed citrus juices, which will help your body absorb minerals better. Do not forget about special multivitamin complexes for pregnant women.
Drink more fluids Lack of fluid in the body leads to rapid fatigue, but do not overdo it in the third trimester, when there is a tendency to edema, especially before bedtime.
If there are no contraindications and your doctor has no objection, then try to exercise regularly. It will help to relax not only your body, but also charge you with positive. It is not necessary that this be a daily set of exercises, hiking in the fresh air is enough.
Do not refuse help, the care of your loved ones will be very necessary for you during this period. Not only do not refuse, but also ask for help yourself when you need it.
Relax more, try to spend a lot of time doing activities that give you pleasure and satisfaction and avoid stressful situations. Use special breathing techniques to relax.
Rest more time, use every opportunity that falls to lie down to rest. If you are busy with work, be sure to take breaks, restore strength.
As for the third trimester of pregnancy, here, among other difficulties, there may be HEAVY AND FEELING OF TENSION IN THE lumbar. The baby has already grown up and gained weight, so long walks are becoming harder and harder. In such cases, prenatal bandages can be used to relieve heaviness in the back.
But the SPECIAL BANDAGE may not suit all women. Many cannot choose the right and suitable option for themselves, because it can put pressure and create discomfort. 9 will help you in this situation.0237 sling scarf . You can tie up your stomach with them, and it will not squeeze the child, creating inconvenience, but will provide support for both the tummy and lower back.
Many expectant mothers who have tried SLING AS A BANDAGE noted that it is really more comfortable and pleasant than a special bandage.
After childbirth, the sling will come in handy not only for carrying the baby, but also for tying up the pelvis and abdomen, which will help the uterus contract faster. Often, the bandage simply tamps down the lowered organs and flattens the stomach, while tying it with a sling will just lift and “put in place” the organs and fix the stomach.
For information: in Mexico, for example, SLING, or rebozo, IS AN ESSENTIAL TOOL FOR MIDWIVES. Rebozo is used there not only for carrying children or as a part of the national costume, but also as an assistant to a pregnant woman. So, for example, in addition to supporting the abdomen and lower back, a midwife can use it to make a special relaxing massage for a woman in labor and even change the position of the child in the womb with special techniques and exercises.
In postpartum practice, rebozo is used as a tool with which a woman returns the energy and body tone spent during childbirth. In this practice, the technique of sequential bandaging of seven zones is used: forehead, shoulders, area under the chest, abdomen, mid-thigh, mid-calf, feet.
