Out of breath all of a sudden?

[Naisy]

Hi, I'm 15 weeks tomorrow and have been walking about an hour a day everyday since before I was pregnant. Although in the past two weeks I have noticed I get really puffed really easily and wondered if this was normal?

I'm healthy BMI havn't put on any weight yet, although starting to show. Yet walking upstairs or at a brisk pace for more than a few blocks really noticeably shortens my breath, especially if I'm on talking?

Anyone else get this?

Yes! Although I have asthma too so I'm always pretty conscious of how well I am breathing.

I'm 30+6 now and sometimes when I'm sitting down I just get randomly out of breath - I checked and apparantly it's the baby pressing on my diaphragm. I did find in earlier pregnancy that I would lose my puff much quicker when walking and found I had to sometimes go a bit more slowly than my usual (reasonably quick) pace or take a break.

If you are worried, speak to your GP just in case.

It is normal in pregnancy, due to the increased carbon dioxide in your system, you have to breath harder to exchange enough gases for two.

Additionally as your abdomen pushes up against your diaphragm your breath becomes more shallow and so you have to take more breaths as you can't take as deep breaths.

Between the two changes on your body it causes a noticeable difference to you. :)

Can also be low iron. X

I could've written your post, op - apart from walking an hour every day - way too out of breath for that
Sometimes I find I get breathless when I'm completely inactive, and have to breathe through my mouth when going to sleep as breathing through my nose just doesn't feel like I'm getting enough air, iyswim?! Have heard it could be low iron or low blood pressure, both of which I'm susceptible to.

I'm 26+1 and have had to stop walking and talking to people on the phone at the same time, apparently I sound like I'm about to pass out or in labour because I'm panting so much!! I read somewhere it's normal or common or both

Yes! I was fairly fit before getting pregnant and have kept active all the way through (now 33 weeks) but have been struggling with breathlessness the last month or so even when I don't think I've really done anything strenuous. When I mentioned it to the midwife I just got a rather shirty ' well you are carrying an extra person around with you' and was told to take it easy! But then they also tell you to keep fit so you can't win!

I have it too - and it's a bit of a bugger as my job currently involves walking up quite a lot of hills carrying kit. Now doing it very slowly! I gather it's a lot to do with the extra progesterone which makes you more sensitive to CO2 and affects the muscles around your lungs too. I seem to remember it happening last time I was pregnant and had conveniently forgotten what a pain it can be!

Might have known it would have something to do with hormones!

I posted about this just yesterday, it was really panicking me! I'm 14+4 so we're about the same stage, too - so it seems normal but I'm going to get my iron checked just incases :)

Thanks all - very reassurring to see it's quite common!

I haven't heard anything back from any blood tests to date so assuming they're normal for iron and have never had asthma so guess it's a combination of the CO2 and pressure. Although maybe more Co2 than presurre at this early stage!

I'll mention it at my 16 week midwife appointment next week to be on the safe side. :)

Completely relate to not being able to talk on the phone while walking anymore Susieloo!

If it is at all reassuring, with my first pregnancy I was training for a half marathon pre-conception.

One week I comfortably ran a fast 10 miles and felt I could have done double the distance without difficulty, literally within 7 days I couldn't go up the stairs without pausing to catch my breath!

It was as dramatic a difference as that and definitely nothing to do with lack of fitness!!!

That is reassurring - thanks Gin Palace! 10 minutes into my walk and I could barely hold a conversation today!