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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

vegetarian pregnancy, Very very tired.

22 replies

sanielle · 31/08/2010 08:18

I am waiting for my second trimester "glow" to begin. I am nearly 21 weeks pregnant and still knackered. I don't fall asleep wherever I am sitting anymore, but I often feel I could.

My hair is falling out in great chunks and I feel really weak most of the time.

I am have been told (perhaps by big fat liars) that the 2nd trimester I'd finally have all my energy back and be running rings round the place.

Are there any vegetarians on the board? Do you find yourself to be more tired than your other pregnant friends?

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StealthPolarBear · 31/08/2010 08:19

Well I'm vegi and don't think I was more tired, although with DD i was very tired in the first trimester.
Could it be your iron levels?

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 31/08/2010 08:19

It sounds like you need more iron - are you taking a supplement?

fifitot · 31/08/2010 08:20

Hi - I am vegetarian and recently had a baby. Could you be anaemic? If not may just be pregancy but would suggest you get your bloods tested just in case.

I was anaemic and once the iron tablets kicked it I was a different woman!

LittleSilver · 31/08/2010 08:20

Why are you linking this specifically to be vegetarian?

FunnyLittleFrog · 31/08/2010 08:23

I'm not veggie but had this in the 2nd trimester. You definitely should get your iron levels tested so you can get a prescription for iron tablets. Spatone supplement helped me a lot too.

tortoiseonthehalfshell · 31/08/2010 08:25

I was vegetarian during mine, and didn't have this at all. You poor thing. This is not inevitable, you need to talk to your GP.

Stokey38 · 31/08/2010 08:26

Hi, I'm vegetarian and felt really well and energetic with my first DC and very tired and lethargic with my second DC and iron levels really good with both pregnancies. Think just all pregnancies are different. I spoke to my midwife at the time who said as long as I ate a balanced diet then I should get all the nutrients etc needed. I found the first trimester horrendous with DC2, tired all the time but second trimester much easier.

colditz · 31/08/2010 08:26

i was shattered during my pregnancy with ds2 but I am a committed red meat eater. I put it down to hormones. I was so tired I used to fall asleep on the wall I was sitting on whilst waiting for the playschool to open.

Original poster

sanielle · 31/08/2010 08:28

I was taking iron supplements before I met my midwife for the first time, I mentioned it to her and was told off for taking them... So haven't since.

Because I eat a healthy diet littlesilver and do everything else you are meant to do. Everyone else I know seems to be doing fine, the only thing I do differently is vegetarianism. This is why I asked if any other vegetarians had this specific problem, so I could rule it out.

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MrsTittleMouse · 31/08/2010 08:31

I am veggie and had two exhausting pregnancies. No "glow", just feeling like I had been sedated for 9 months. My iron levels were fine though, it was just bad luck. Hope you feel better soon.

Original poster

sanielle · 31/08/2010 08:33

Thanks everybody for your answers,
I think I will go back on iron supplements and see how I feel then. If nothing works at least I've only got 19 weeks left! ((I've told the baby it can't go over due! I'm confident it will listen to me))

OP posts:

bigstripeytiger · 31/08/2010 08:35

I'm vegetarian. I didnt notice that I seemed more tired in pregnancy than anyone else I knew.
I dont think that this is likely to be down to your diet.

I would agree with the suggestion to see your GP - it isnt normal for big chunks of hair to fall out in pregnancy, and it would be a shame to ignore something because you are attributing it to your vegetarianism, IYWSIM.

spiritmum · 31/08/2010 08:43

I'm vegetarian and although I eat well the little parasites darlings that I was carrying still managed to leech out all my iron and I was anaemic for all three. The only downside to taking supplements is that you end up constipated, which is a hazard for pregnancy at the best of times, so you need to go overboard with the leafy veg and fruit.

That said, I agree that I've never heard of hair loss during pregnancy. Either way you need to get yourself checked out. You should be having regular blood tests anyway and if you're not, go and stamp your feet and demand them!

cupofcoffee · 31/08/2010 08:47

As others have said i would see your GP and ask if they can check your iron levels. Also it would be worth asking them to check your thyroid function as an underactive thyroid can cause tiredness and hair loss.

japhrimel · 31/08/2010 10:00

I've been knackered, but despite not having eaten meat for 18 years (I now eat fish so am not a vege) my iron levels were great. Definitely get them checked out - and other minerals & vitamin levels. Hair loss is not normal.

I think it's worth takign a good prenatal supplement throughout pregnancy. If nothing else, the vitamin D is recommended - and low vitamin D can make you very tired too.

splashy · 31/08/2010 10:31

im vegetarian and pregnant. ive been taking iron supplements throughout (pregnacare) and all my blood tests have shown i am not aneamic. i don't see why you have been advised not to take iron supplements, i would do if i was you. i was also advised to take vitamin d (this is also in pregnacare).

i do feel tired, but i think this is just standard pregnancy. felt better in the second trimester (a little) but am feeling more and more tired now as i near the end.

agree with cupofcoffee - you may be hypothyroid, and a blood test would confirm/rule this out. if you are it is very easily treated.

good luck

Giddyup · 31/08/2010 15:36

get yourself some Spatone, I did a couple of days ago and it has transformed me (31weeks) I feel like my old self again. Midwife said my iron levels were low last time I saw her and I had started feeling really crappy. Now I am feeling really good and ready to start on some DIY and nesting!

WalkTheDog · 31/08/2010 18:27

Sometimes veggies need to take B12(pretty sure it is 12!) to help iron uptake.

PaulineCampbellJones · 31/08/2010 18:32

I am not veggie and had the same symptoms, also had HG.
It turned out to be dehydrstion and borderline anaemia.
A tonne of fluids, broccoli and spinach and I felt much better!

saoirse86 · 31/08/2010 18:37

I'm Veggie and have been anaemic throughout my pregnancy despite taking the high dose iron tablets I've been described.
I have been tired but not noticeably more tired than my twin sister (who's not veggie and also pregnant). I think it's quite normal to feel tired, but as others have said, not normal to have the hair loss.
I don't know about this glow thing people talk about. People keep telling me and my sister that we look glowing but we don't feel it!

me23 · 31/08/2010 20:39

I'm veggie and 10 weeks pregnant I have been suffering from exhaustion since before pregnancy, so much so I had to be signed off work. pregnncy has made it a lot worse, I am anaemic and borderline hypothyroid. So I think this is why. I would ask your mw or gp to check your thyroid levels.

niamh29 · 31/08/2010 21:00

I have been veggie for 17 years and I'm pregnant with no3, my first pregnancy I didn't take anything but my last and this one I took pregnacare and I definitely see a difference in my energy levels, I'm still tired but I can get by. I found pure iron too hard on my stomach and I always take the tablets at night on a full stomach!

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