Should exercise make me this tired at 21 weeks?

[yellowflowers]

I am fat an unfit and 21 weeks pregnant. I used to swim three times a week - about half a mile (32 lengths) each time so while I was still fat and unfit at least I did some exercise. I got out the habit when we had snow last feb and the pool was shut but decided to take it up again as pregnant exercise a few weeks ago. Took a couple of weeks but I'm now back up to my level of 32 lengths each time. Went this morning though and am still shattered 8 hours later and even though pool was warm I just can't stop feeling chilly. Am I overdoing it do you think? Am keen not to get even fatter and unfitter during pregnancy than I was beore and I also find swimming calming.

Sounds like you maybe over doing it a bit, especially since you have had a bit of a break. Swimming is very good for you in pregnancy, and I am impressed that you are doing any exercise as between morning sickness, insomnia and SPD I haven't managed anything. Plus I seem to have quite low blood pressure and was getting knackered even going up the stairs at 21 weeks.

Just take it easy and listen to your body. Remember as the baby gets bigger your lung capacity will decrease, I found that the hardest thing to get used to when I was swimming first time around. There seems to be a lot of bugs going around at the moment too and I imagine the pool is quite a breeding ground!

I had managed to get relatively fit before I got pregnant, was swimming roughly 3/4 mile in 30 minutes and going to the gymn a few times a week.

When I came back to it at 16 weeks, it was noticeable how much I had slowed down, and could only manage 1/2 mile in the same amount of time...

Just take it easy - I found that I lost my "push" to go that bit faster, so haven't been trying to build back up - just maintain what I have. It is still tiring though.

Now 29 weeks, I swim/go to the gym still, but keep up a steady pace for a set amount of time - so will still swim for 30 mins, but now manage maybe 50 lengths (small pool) rather than 70.

thanks both. Felt wiped out for whole day. Perhaps I will just go for a specific amount of time as suggested by jazzandh and not worry about how many lengths etc. Maybe I will switch to the slow low instead of the medium lane!

Midwife is very encouraging of swimming and says it is good to do. Interesting about lung capacity too - hadn't thought of that.

I foudn exercise around 20 weeks to be particulalry hard because that is when the baby really starts pressing on your lungs so the breathlesness can make you very tired. It actually got easier later in pregnancy, although now I am 39 weeks it's tough again! Your symptoms sound normal to me - take it easy for a bit. Gentle, regular exercise is more important than shooting up a down a pool - just make sure you do walking each day.