10w and SO TIRED I can't bear it... please tell me it gets better...

[emeraldgirl1]

Title of thread is probably self-explanatory, really :)
10 weeks pg today and the tiredness has reached a ludicrous level. I am struggling to work (I work from home so it's hard to motivate myself when I feel this wiped out) and can barely even hold a conversation with DH when he gets in. It lasts all day but is worst first thing in the morning and mid-pm. I am getting 8 hours sleep a night and more often than not a nap in the day but it barely helps. This is totally drained, wiped-out, feel like I've just been hit by a train exhaustion.

Please PLEASE tell me this gets better :(

[DillyTante]

Hello and congratulations. It's all a bit of a blur for me but I do remember that all-encompassing tiredness. It's not like that the whole way through. Can't remember when it gets better though.

[emeraldgirl1]

Thanks Dilly, I don't mind when it gets better I am just heartened by you saying it's not like this all the way through!!! Sooner rather than later would be good but I just feel like I need to know there is light at the end of the tunnel. I suffer from depression and the tiredness reminds me a bit of that and makes me worry I am getting depressed...

[PoshPaula]

The tiredness in the first three or four months can be really awful. What makes it worse is that often you're still working and not visibly pregnant, so other people don't know the reason. I found it very difficult through all my pregnancies but it does ease up by the time you get to the middle months. Think of all the massive hormonal changes going on in your body in those first few months! Keep going. Rest when you can.

[OneOfMyTurnsComingOn]

It does get better. Give it a couple of weeks.

[emeraldgirl1]

Thanks PoshPaula and Oneofmyturns - yes, it doesn't help that I'm keeping it quiet for the time being as even though I don't have colleagues I do have deadlines etc and dont feel I can just tell people I'll be late delivering on them cos I need to sleep all day!

[emeraldgirl1]

I have tried to make myself feel less of a wimp by reminding myself that I am growing a brand new person... :)

[guanosoup]

It does get better. I think around the 12-14 week point I started to feel slightly more human.
A MW told me that when a farmer plants a seed to grow into a plant, the fields are already prepared and ready to maintain that growth, but when we plant a baby, we have to make the 'field' to grow it. So, all your energy is going into increasing blood vessels, blood supply, thickening your womb, etc etc...
A very simplistic explanation, but it got me through that early exhaustion.
Can you make sure you have lots of early nights, and grab a nap whenever possible.
and, Congratulations!

[emeraldgirl1]

guanosoup - oooh i like your MW's explanation!!
That really does help actually... I've just never felt anything like this (like I'm permanently on the verge of going down with achey flu or something) and it's almost a bit alarming at times to wonder if I will ever feel like myself again. I'm normally a reasonably energetic person and I had planned (ha!) to keep doing my usual 4x week of exercise etc... what a joke! I can barely drag myself down the road to the post office some days.

[SkinnyMarinkADink]

Im 18 weeks today and this pregnancy has been pretty crappy, i started to really slog last week and had to really force myself to move i started back on the iron tablets and it did help however am still so tired even after 8 hours sleep i tend to hit a wall at 3ish where Im dead on my feet

try to do as much as possible when you have an energy burst, keep up the super energy foods as well

[emblosion]

I felt like this too, think it got a bit better about 16 weeks (and came back at about 36 weeks, but that's ages away!)

[emeraldgirl1]

Thanks SkinnyMarinka and emblosion - will think about iron tabs but annoyingly I suffer from godawful constipation (pre-pg) so i worry about making that worse.
good advice to aim for the energy bursts though...

[FruitSaladIsNotPudding]

Try and get more sleep - I realise you won't see your dh much, but for a few weeks it might do you good to get 10+ hours a night. It's horrible I know. I got into the habit of going to bed at the same time as my toddler for a few weeks though and it really helped.

And it does pass. You'll get tired in late pregnancy too, but imo it's an easier kind of tiredness. I felt like I had been drugged during the 1st tri!

[emeraldgirl1]

FruitSalad that is exactly it!!! I feel like I have been drugged... I long for 'normal' tiredness (will probably regret saying that later on :) I think) because this feels more like illness than tiredness. 10+ hours of sleep sounds like heaven, would mean going to be around 8pm but no arguments here! Feel pathetic as I don't have any other kids to look after (I do have a v demanding job though) and am in awe of people who do this with other children to care for... unless it makes it easier in a way cos you 'have' to keep going?

[madda]

maybe try Floradix liquid iron tonic OP? it really built me up when I was run down and exhausted

other than that, make sure you're drinking enough water to keep your brain and body hydrated, not enough water often makes me drowsy

it does pass - prob in 2 weeks you'll be feeling a bit more human, it's just your body preparing itself

[emeraldgirl1]

Thanks madda - do you know if that iron tonic has any effects on digestive system ie will it potentially make my (chronic, long-term) constipation worse...?
I do feel a bit inhuman, yes! Feel bad cos I know I'm lucky and I know this is meant to be a positive experience :(

[MammyToMany]

I am 17 weeks now and starting to feel slightly more human. It does pass until you get to the last few weeks Congratulations!

[FruitSaladIsNotPudding]

Oh yes, I second recommendation for floradix. It won't make 1st tri tiredness go away but will help lots with the rest of your pregnancy.

As far as I'm aware, it's fine for digestive system -it's natural iron so shouldn't block you up.

[madda]

emerald - no, if I read the bottle I have here it says it 'contains an organic Iron easily absorbed by the body, together with a carefully considered combination of B vitamins and Vitamin C...beneficial to expectant mothers....pleasant tasting due to teh use of pure herbal extracts and blend of fruit juices'

about 16quid from chemist or there is a smaller bottle

otherwise, I've used Spatone - little sachets you mix into a pure orange juice, its label says ' it's easily and gently sbsorbed by the body, should not cause side effects stomach irritation and constipation')

keep up your water drinking, i used to fill a 2 litre bottle and sip it throughout the day, it will also help with the constipation, from then your energy levels should increase, i think it's the constipation really is the issue here, if you get that treated, your energy may well improve?

[littletingoddess]

I also felt like I was drugged in the first trimester - the extreme tiredness was what prompted me to take a home pregnancy test! I felt after the third or fourth month.

It's also important to remember that not only are you growing a new person, your body has had to make a new, temporary organ (the placenta) to house the new person. Imagine if we had to grow a new stomach or liver for whatever purpose and no wonder we get so tired! I was concerned about my iron levels as they have been low in the past but was told by my MW that they were OK.

[madda]

and gentle stretching exercises also, gentle walks to get the bowels moving!! (sorry, sounding like my mum here)

[littletingoddess]

Felt better*

[emeraldgirl1]

mada - you star, thanks so much for all that info!! Will get some of this tonic later today.
Sadly no, water won't help with the constipation, I already drink 2-3 litres of water a day and have had constipation for past year, I have a slow-transit system which basically means the nerves in my colon don't work properly and peristalsis is very slow indeed, food takes about 5 days to work through my system and the ONLY way I can keep on top of it is with movicol (sadly, as I know many don't advise it in pg), lactulose and LOTS of high-fibre food.
It's possible though that the constipation may be making my energy low, though actually I've just about managed to keep on top of the constipation recently which has been a relief!!!

[emeraldgirl1]

madda don't apologise for sounding like your mum, it's all good advice! The constipation is a pain in the bum (ho ho) and I wish I didn't have it but heigh ho.

[SkinnyMarinkADink]

Having a toddler to look after certainly makes me just get on with it. I don't know how i would live without c beebies at the minute

[perceptionreality]

Yes, I vividly remember feeling exhausted at around 10 weeks - your body is working hard to help the embryo develop. Then in the second trimester my energy levels were back to normal. HTH