Bone-crushing tiredness - first trimester

[Rhinestone]

I am soooo tired it's unbelievable. I sleep for 10 hours and still wake up tired. When does it stop? I'm actually starting to feel rather down about it because I just don't feel up to doing anything.

I'm eating well - making sure I get daily protein, calcium, 5 fruit and veg a day etc, and my pregnancy vitamins. What else can I do??

[puzzlesum]

Basically there's nothing you can do but wait - it does pass, but it is staggering how tired you get in the first trimester.

Be kind to yourself: there's nothing that can't wait til the second trimester, even Christmas if you want to .

[AlpinePony]

It stops the day your baby is born, you'll then be lucky to sleep 6 hours a day! ;)

Seriously, I'm 32 weeks and I can count the nights I've stayed up later than 11 on one hand!

[VeronicaSpeedwell]

I'm 18 weeks pg with my first, and two months ago I felt exactly like you. I went out to buy a pair of tights one day and had to stop in two different coffee shops on the half mile walk back from the shop because my whole body ached with fatigue. You just have to give in to it as much as is feasible, I think, which I know isn't always possible. I really thought there was no way I'd ever get the washing up done again, let alone manage to look after a baby at some future point, but one day at around 14 weeks I suddenly switched back on like a lightbulb. I feel like I've emerged from a thick fog! Good luck .

[bemybebe]

For me it tails off after 14 weeks... your body goes through major hormonal shifts and physical changes in a very short time and your energy is diverted to previously not-so-important organs. afair we are pretty close in due dates (i am 22 June)

[SingingSands]

It usually starts to wear off once you are into your second trimester. I remember it well, it was like living in a fog. Similar to the first 6 weeks with a newborn!

If it continues for longer, it's worth mentioning to your midwife and she can check you out for iron deficiency.

[Rhinestone]

Thanks all. bemybebe yes, I'm 25th July.

The only time I've felt more tired is after running the London Marathon BUT I recovered quickly from that. Have never felt this exhausted for this long. In that sense the marathon was easier!

[KatAndKit]

You can't do anything about it except go to bed. You will find yourself in bed at crazy early times. No point trying to fight it, it is stronger than you so you might as well give in! For me it got better after about 9 weeks. I had a brief respite of normal sleep and then pregnancy insomnia kicked in.

[Florin]

I don't think I could even explain the tiredness to someone who hasn't been pregnant it is just awful I honestly don't know how I got through some days. I did used to get organised as much as possible the night before work so could get up as late as possible. Bought simple dinner food for dh to cook in my lunch break so when I got home I could just sleep until dinner was ready then go back to sleep after dinner, at weekends I would sleep in the afternoons too. I have just hit 14 weeks and it's starting to wear off I am not about to be out until 1 in the morning but can now function relatively normally.
Try to rest and literally do as little as possible, let the house get a bit messier than normal just concentrate on you for a bit.

[Rhinestone]

Thanks everyone and yes, I am doing no housework! DH is being wonderful.

But poor guy, I am also completely off sex. We have only done the deed once in the last month. I know that's normal but still feel a bit bad about it.

[itchyfootedlady]

DH calls 3pm my cinderella hour as after that i no longer function without a nap. At 13 weeks and 2 days and counting down the days until i feel better again! Hope you feel better soon!

[ITryToBeZenBut]

Also just wanted to say hang on in there. I was doing nothing but coming in from wor and sleeping and getting bac up again and starting over which was depressing but felt much better after 14 weeks. I was totally taken abac by the tiredness - hadn't expected to feel like that at all but it does go for most people.

I'm 3rd trimester so it's back but have started coming in from work and sleeping for an hour then up for a couple of hours which also helped first trimester - might be worth havign a nap if you can? See if it works for you.

And re libido. I have never had the infamous horny stage. Done the deed less than half a dozen times since I fell pregnant in May. Poor OH. I have never felt less like it in my life. I think he's hoping for a romp for Christmas this year.

[hermionejgranger]

Agree with zen and bemybebe - I was totally exhausted for the back half of my first trimester and was totally unprepared for the bone-crushing (as you so accurately describe it!) exhaustion. Don't fight it - your body is busy! Mine eased off after about 14 weeks as well (waved goodbye to that and the morning sickness at about the same time) but has returned (albeit slightly less so) now I am 32 weeks. The difference now is that I feel absolutely no guilt at just sitting down and having a sleep when I'm tired - even if I'm at work, whereas to start with I'd be battling it when it hit me at 2:30 in the afternoon!

re libido too - although I've felt like it more than I've done it, neither I nor DH are particularly comfortable with it, which I was really surprised about. It doesn't help that due to insomnia which has been present for the majority of the pregnancy we have not shared a bed for more than about 2 months in total!

[broccolitrees]

i could have written this post rhinestone and i am due 5 days before you. it's awful, my house is a mess, it irritates me but i can't do a thing about it, my dh is lovely and doing everything. i have to go to work tonight having been off for the first time in ages and i am dreading it :(

[broccolitrees]

have no advice except to empathise. i think the 'do nothing' advice is probably the best it's just frustrating

[IfYouSeeKaySanta]

I'm 13+5 and still suffering with extremem fatigue. And to add insult to injury, I've had pregnancy insomnia since about the 4 week mark. I work full time and am beyond exhausted. Am slightly encouraged by those who say it improves at 14 weeks....fingers crossed!

[Xmasbaby11]

Mine stopped at 12 weeks. The fatigue is awful, isn't it! Just cut out anything none essential and accept that your body is making a huge adjustment and you will get your energy back.

I've had pregnancy insomnia most of the way through, but it no longer makes me knackered!

And congrats!

[Oeisha]

My fatigue got slowly better in 2nd trimester. No miracle cure I'm afraid, but rest and gentle exercise (I swam). Oh, and giving less of a shit at work...

[Rhinestone]

Thanks all, reassuring to know it's normal. I will keep calm and carry on.

On the upside I'm getting virtually no morning sickness so I should probably stop complaining.

[MacBondi]

I am also suffering from fatigue to the point that I am not sure how I manage to get home from work! I felt like crying on the way home couple of times! So tired... On top of that I started to have those cold shivers which was not nice in combination with tiredness.

I went to my GP and explained that I feel so exhausted it does not feel normal. I barely functioned. He said that its probably due to the fact that I was in my first trimester (7 weeks). He did however refer me for a blood test and it turned out my iron levels were really low. I was prescribed additional tablets to take on top of my supplements.

I feel a bit better now although the fatigue is still there and I wake up tired most of days although I sleep for many hours!

Hang in there ladies!