Normal to still feel shattered at 19 weeks?

[Fishandjam]

Hi everyone,

Just wanted some views on whether it's OK to still feel utterly exhausted well into the second trimester. I had a brutal first tri (lots of sickness and exhaustion) and while the sickness has eased, the rest of it hasn't. In my first pregnancy I didn't exactly bloom during the second tri, but I did at least go back to feeling normal! Whereas with this one, I can just about struggle through the day but (especially on a work day) come the evening, I get DS to bed and I've then got nothing left - can't manage to even cook dinner.

I'm taking a decent iron supplement so I don't think I'm anaemic.

Any ideas/hints/tips?

All my books/NCT emails are cheerfully telling me that I am supposed to be feeling some kind of burst of energy now (I'm 18 weeks), and even laughably "you may feel more energised than ever". I struggled to get off the sofa/bed at the weekend, more tired than the first trimester I think, so I do hope it's normal! I don't have much advice I'm afraid, this is my first, so I can't imagine how I'd be coping if I already had one like you. I think I'm making it worse by lying on the sofa panicking about everything I'm not doing, so I am considering yoga to make myself calmer, if not less tired. Quite a few people have now told me I'll feel better at 20 weeks, so I am optimistically looking forward to that...

I was tired for most of my recent pregnancy. I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes at 28 weeks and once the treatment dose was right I did perk up a bit. Might be worth getting your glucose levels checked. On the other hand you might just be tired!

Hi Fishandjam. I am also on second pregnancy (26 weeks) and feeling a lot more tired. First time round I was still going to the gym 3 x a week until 7 months and can't believe I managed that! I have been told by MW/friends that you are more tired because you have a child already to run around after rather than being able to put your feet up. Just been trying to get to bed earlier.

Having DS to look after must make you more tired I'm sure? Plus your first trimester really put you through the wars so you were already shattered anyway? Your body is obviously exhausted.

I'm on my arse shattered at 14 ish weeks, in fact I didn't get this in first trimester?

Had to get up stupidly early for a breakfast seminar with work today and I already feel

I have taken to batch cooking and freezing in portions.

We're now getting a little peeved of spag bol, chilli, curry, tuna pasta etc on rotation! Need to add in a few more ideas!

Can someone have DS for you on a Saturday so you could zzzzzz for the day to try and catch up a bit???

Having another child doesn't help does it! If you really are struggling it is always worth getting your iron checked though (make sure they check ferritin not just hb). No Dr will tell you you are being daft for asking to have it checked. I got stupidly anaemic this time round even though I was taking 2 sachets of spatone a day.

I have felt exhausted for most of this pregnancy. I haven't had any sickness in either pregnancy but this one left me feeling like I had been shot with a tranquliser dart for at least 16 weeks.

I asked the midwife if this was the difference between having a baby in your twenties and having a baby in your thirties (will have a 5 year gap) and she said "No this is the difference between having your first baby and having your second" she said nothing will exhaust you like looking after children, and I think she's right.

Annoyingly now, at 28 weeks I feel more energetic but actually can't do much as I am measuring very big for dates because of fluid.

I am 20 weeks and feel the same. Last time I was fine at this stage, now I am asleep at 830 on the sofa every night. Still waiting for the surge of energy!

Thanks for your advice and support ladies. It's good to know I'm not alone in feeling less than blooming (and that I can't necessarily blame it on advanced maternal age ). I'm trying the "eat little and often" route to see if that helps at all - though it's only 10.20am and already I'm halfway down a big bag of dried prunes and on the outside of several Krisprolls....