How Common Is Tiredness during Pregnancy
Tiredness during pregnancy is extremely common.
In fact, some women first suspect they are pregnant because of how exhausted they suddenly feel.
If you are pregnant, you are most likely to feel tiredness during early pregnancy and late pregnancy, though many women experience fatigue throughout their entire pregnancy.
What Is The Relationship Between Pregnancy And Tiredness?
Progesterone has a relaxing effect that can translate into fatigue when combined with all of the other factors that may cause tiredness during pregnancy.
Obviously, your body does a huge amount of work during pregnancy. After all, you are supporting the growth of a new human being! In addition, as the pregnancy progresses, you will, of course, gain weight.
Carrying extra weight can also cause fatigue. You may also find that you need to urinate more frequently as the baby grows and presses on your bladder.
If you are getting up often during the night to use the bathroom, you may not be getting a good night’s sleep – another factor that can contribute to feeling tired during pregnancy.
Tiredness in Early Pregnancy
Early in pregnancy, your body is undergoing many changes in order to prepare for the needs of your developing baby. Hormonal shifts are most dramatic in this stage so it is very common to feel exhausted throughout the first trimester – or approximately three months – of pregnancy.
During the second trimester, the growth and “work” shifts from the mother’s body to the baby’s body, so tiredness is less common during the middle months of pregnancy.
However, fatigue will usually return at the end of pregnancy when the baby has grown larger and your body is preparing for labor and delivery.
The Emotions of Pregnancy
Many women experience mood swings during pregnancy and some even develop pregnancy-related clinical depression. Both of these conditions can cause lethargy and fatigue.
It is natural to feel an increase in anxiety, especially if this is your first pregnancy or if the pregnancy was not planned. Dealing with the major change that is about to occur can be exhausting.
While these feelings are not uncommon, if you are tired during pregnancy and also feeling sad or experiencing other emotional symptoms, you may want to talk to your doctor about that possibility that you are suffering from prenatal depression.
Other Physical Symptoms and Fatigue during Pregnancy
Pregnancy causes a number of physical changes that can drain your body and cause fatigue. You may experience nausea and vomiting, which can certainly drain you of energy.
In addition, iron-deficiency anemia is common during pregnancy. Depleted iron levels can result in feelings of tiredness during pregnancy because your body needs iron to carry oxygen through the bloodstream to the organs and tissues of the body.
What to Do About Tiredness during Pregnancy
If you are feeling tired during pregnancy, there are many things you can do to increase your energy level. First, take a nap during the day or get to bed earlier than usual so that you have more time to rest.
Involve family members in household tasks or, if you can, hire someone to help with your daily chores.
If you work outside the home while you are pregnant, try to take as much time off as possible during the pregnancy, take frequent breaks throughout the days that you are at work, and make sure not to overload your schedule.
Also, don’t be afraid to say no to social invitations if you are feeling too tired to participate.
Be sure to eat energizing foods and to eat enough to support the increased energy requirements of pregnancy. Pregnant women usually need an extra 300 calories per day.
These calories should be in the form of highly nutritious foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein, not junk food that further deplete your energy!
Drink enough fluids to stay hydrated since dehydration is another cause of tiredness during pregnancy. Also ask your doctor to prescribe a prenatal vitamin/mineral supplement to be sure that you are getting all of the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy and energized throughout your pregnancy.
Moderate exercise can also help you keep your energy level up. A twenty-minute walk or a prenatal yoga class or other exercise program for pregnant woman can be very valuable in keeping tiredness during pregnancy at bay.
Breathing properly to increase the flow of oxygen throughout the body will also help you feel more energized. There are simple breathing exercises that you can learn and practice when you feel your energy decreasing.
If you want to find out more about tiredness in general, the “End Tiredness Program” ebook can provide you with the information you need.
The program provides targeted strategies for understanding the causes of tiredness, overcoming fatigue and living an energetic life.