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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

Anyone else suffering from ridiculous levels of fatigue?

26 replies

localcrackpot · 13/03/2011 14:40

Hi,
I'm hoping you can reassure me; I feel like such a wimp at the moment. I'm 6+2, fortunate not really to be feeling sick at the moment unless I haven't eaten enough, but I am so tired I'm not really coping.

I had pneumonia just before I conceived and was really struggling with tiredness while recouperating. Now I'm very nearly entirely wiped out. I'm a secondary school English teacher, and there's so much pressure all the time - loads of people are retiring this time because of it. Every day I think "I'm going to have to go home" but I drag myself on to the end of the day. When I get home I can only sleep. DH makes the supper and I eat some and fall asleep. I have worlds of work building up to bite me on the arse.

My department are so nice, but I feel like I'm letting them down. I had 2 weeks off with the pneumonia (had kidney infection too so was awful) and my colleague ran himself ragged trying to keep all the plates spinning.

Please, someone just tell me you're feeling similarly pathetic! I don't even have other children I have to run round after, I can't even look after myself!

Thanks :)

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Butterbur · 13/03/2011 14:44

My child bearing days are over, but I remember this vividly. Not only the overwhelming urge to fall asleep, but also the complete lack of energy to eg climb a flight of steps. I was like an eighty year old.

It passed by about 12 weeks. Not much help now, I know. But you just have to go with it,and get as much sleep as you can.

Fluter · 13/03/2011 14:45

puts hand up

Have just come on here after feeling flat out after lunch and falling asleep for an hour. And after 2 hours yesterday afternoon...and the afternoon before that... and........ I keep being told it'll get better after 12-14 weeks

(Am 7+3)

Noddyrocks · 13/03/2011 14:45

Me, I havent even really got up today! I think I felt worse in my first pregnancy though, I was always heading to bed!

speffles · 13/03/2011 14:50

I was completely exhausted until about 17 weeks. I dragged myself through the work day and was utterly useless at home. It did pass. I wear myself out much more easily than before I was pg but I am my normal self again.

Original poster

localcrackpot · 13/03/2011 14:52

Oh good, thank you ladies (sobs gently due to relief and being so effing tired!)

OP posts:

scepticalexpat · 13/03/2011 14:53

I'm 5 + 5 and have been exhausted for about the last ten days. Luckily for me (kind of) I'm unemployed at the moment, so I've been able to just go to bed for a couple of hours every afternoon. It seems crazy to be so shattered when so little is visibly going on, but I think we have to accept that we just are! I keep clinging to the hope that it'll be better after 12-14 weeks too. Good luck!

StoneBaby · 13/03/2011 14:58

I was exactly like this when pregnant. It lasted for the 1st trimester. I was so tired that it was quite usual for me to fall asleep at my computer at work during the afternoon

Original poster

localcrackpot · 13/03/2011 15:13

If I fall asleep in the afternoon some little swine will make me over with marker pens!

OP posts:

Original poster

localcrackpot · 13/03/2011 15:16

I can sit up to eat, otherwise just lie down. Sleep for hours - I'm normally a 6hr/night girl, now that's doubled. I'll tell my midwife at my first appointment tomorrow, but I'm sure she'll just tell me to get over myself and deal...

OP posts:

BreastmilkDoesAFabLatte · 13/03/2011 15:16

Me too. 28 weeks and not even able to get out of bed some days, and can't walk anywhere. You're not alone, really!

FluffyDonkey · 13/03/2011 15:20

Another exhausted pregnant lady here!
11 weeks and at the weekends I cannot force myself to leave the flat. I'm just to tired. I cope with the weekdays on autopilot.

lolajane2009 · 13/03/2011 15:45

13 + 2 atm and exhausted. I fell asleep against my will yesterday afternoon then couldnt sleep last night. I am so frustrated.

jenga079 · 13/03/2011 17:11

I'm also shattered. I hate to worry you, but it doesn't seem to get any easier. I'm 20+4 and still exhausted! I'm also a secondary English teacher so I have two words for you: Peer Assessment.

Honestly, you have to do everything possible to make life easier for yourself. For me, this means:

telling my classes that I am no longer marking their books, only their assessed work
reusing resources from last year and stealing things from teachit, the TES website and my colleagues rather than creating new ideas
perching on the edge of my desk or sitting down rather than circulating the room
getting pupils to come to me if they have a problem rather than going to them
leaving on the 'b' of the bell every afternoon and having a nap before tea
avoiding the staffroom on my free periods so I can get all my planning done during the school day
only marking at weekends (and then only for an hour or two)

By the way, I'm still not showing so I haven't had to tell my classes I'm pregnant to get away with this. I've just slowly introduced the changes and they've gone along with it. I've no doubt I'm still a good teacher; I'm just easing up on myself slightly!

If you come up with any other ways to make life/work easier please let me know. Otherwise, good luck. I'm sure it'll be worth it in the end

Pippaandpolly · 13/03/2011 17:14

I'm working 7am - 5pm, having naps 5pm - 9pm then getting back up for the 9pm - 11pm shift, then passing out for the night. Although I work horrible hours (boarding school) I reckon I'm actually getting about 11 hours sleep a night...and it's not enough! (12 weeks tomorrow. Am hoping it will pass...)

Particles · 13/03/2011 17:22

Almost fifteen weeks and just starting to feel better as I was prescribed iron tablets for anaemia and they are starting to kick in - knew something wasn't right as although tired with my first pregnancy I wasn't completrly exhausted as I was this time around! Have you had your blood tested to rule out anything like this?

Original poster

localcrackpot · 13/03/2011 18:25

thanks jenga079. Unfortunately I'm already doing all of those excellent ideas, apart from planning in school time. If it's a day with a free period I tend to spend that free period with my head leaning on the wall in the staffroom because there is genuinely nothing else I can do, nothing at all. I don't know how I can explain this - it isn't normal 'OMG I'm tired I don't know how I'll cope' teaching feeling, it's genuinely 'I may collapse any time now and actually die'. I'm lying here crying. I can't get anyone to take me seriously apart from DH and mum - they've seen me get worse and worse from before I had pneumonia to now, and I'm just desperate.

I'm sure I sound full of histrionic self pity, but I don't know what to do. I try to be chipper and get on and not say anything at work, but it isn't just the pregnancy.

particles I will do that, thank you. I am seeing the midwife tomorrow. They gave me blood tests when I was collapsing in January but not for platelets.

thanks all, don't mean to be pathetic, I'm just desperate.

OP posts:

sethstarkaddersmackerel · 13/03/2011 18:28

go to your GP and get signed off for a rest. It is quite normal.
you will get yourself in trouble at work if you are underperforming but if you are signed off it's all above board and there's nothing they can do.
it doesn't last throughout pregnancy, fingers crossed you will have one of those energetic second trimesters.

coastgirl · 13/03/2011 18:35

I'm another secondary English teacher and struggled through some terrible weeks earlier - I'm 18 weeks now but from about 11-15 weeks I felt so so tired all the time and I could hardly bear it. I really felt some days like there was no way I could make it to last period and sometimes I just mustered the energy to whack on a DVD and hope they would be quiet!

Everyone said it would get better and it did in terms of the terrible, tired-to-my-bones feeling but I am still very tired at the end of the day. I didn't want to take time off either because it's twice as hard when you get back. I just try to sit as much as I can in lessons (am sure my TAs thought I was just a lazyarse for a while but who cares) and to do exactly what I need to and no more.

jenga079 · 13/03/2011 18:36

I genuinely do know what you mean. One of my friends (also a teacher, had her first last year) said "it's like you used to feel tired and kind of want a nap, but now you just HAVE to SLEEP" Last week one of my colleagues went and started my lesson because she could tell I simply couldn't stand up.

Have you heard the term 'strategic sickie'? Shhhhh, don't tell any of the non-teachers on here, but sometimes there simply isn't enough time to get all the marking done (I know, I kmow, 13 weeks holiday, yadda yadda, but not when you need them!) so you have to take a day off simply to mark? I think you might need a few days off to sleep.

If I understand it correctly, work should also do a risk assessment. Mine never have, but I've never felt I needed it so never asked. However, it might be a way to push through some much needed help (e.g. how many 'duties' do you do? Are they in busy parts of the school? Could they be reduced or moved to easier places? Are there any 'Learning Managers' at your school? Could they be assigned to your lessons when they are not covering other staff so you have another adult in with you to help take the strain? Do you have any PGCEs in at the moment? If they're any good could they be assigned some of your classes to give you a break?)

I really do feel for you. Have a x

coastgirl · 13/03/2011 18:38

I also found one person to confide in before I had told everyone - even before I told my HoD. I knew I could trust her and it made a difference to have a friend who understood (she has three children herself). She would give me good advice, lots of sympathy and even offered to take classes for me when I was struggling - I never took the offer up but it was nice to know I had the option! Is there someone like that you can talk to?

coastgirl · 13/03/2011 18:40

And I do genuinely know how you feel, too! One day we had parents' evening and a colleague went home instead because he had a cold and was "really tired"! I must admit I saw red over that one.

MrsVidic · 13/03/2011 18:43

I'm 19 + 3 and it's wearing off a little now. I have found going to bed at 8 pm and trying to get some excersize helps

Original poster

localcrackpot · 13/03/2011 18:52

oh, bless you all! (sniffle!) you're all so lovely. It's so nice to speak to people who understand. Thank you for saying all that, it's made me feel so much better.
s all round :)

OP posts:

painfullyhonest · 13/03/2011 19:19

LC, just to say my DSIL had pneumonia last year and it took her several weeks to recover, my DMIL had to come and help her care for her DD, doing school runs etc. I am very surprised that you are back at work already, and I really think you should go back to your doctor, list all your symptoms and explain that you are not coping with work. Really important to let yrself recover. Really hope you get signed off and can get some proper rest, sending non-naff hugs as I know the tiredness is bad enough on its own.

Froggy81 · 13/03/2011 19:42

Dear localcrackpot,

Another teacher here and I can tell you that I am absolutely exhausted too. I'm 15 + 4 and hoped it would pass after 12 weeks, but it hasn't...

I'm not too bad in the morning after I've taken my time for breakfast but past lunchtime, I'm a gibbering fool who just thinks about sleeping! I do 12h nights at the weekend, feel better on a Monday, then am useless for the rest of the week.

As jenga079 said, make your life easier, I teach MFL but have discovered the joys of peer assessment too. I just do the bare minimum to survive.

By the way, I'm glad I'm not alone feeling knackered and useless.

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