Feeling down in the first trimester

[cakehappy]

Pregnant with DC2, 8 weeks on, and I must admit I am feeling very depressed. The pregnancy was planned and am happily married and have a wonderful DS1 but am just so depressed all the time these days! Its very difficult to feel happy about anything at the moment and I put alot of it down to hormones. I dont remember feeling this down in my first pregnancy but can't say for sure. Anyone else feel this way in their first trimester? Should I go to the doctor?? Not sucidal or anything, just very lethargic, tired and blue.

Sorry you're feeling that way. I think you're the best judge of if you should go to the Dr's or not. You know yourself & how serious it feels. Is it something you can talk to DH about?

I'm also around about 8 weeks & I'm very lethargic and tired, this pregnancy thing has absolutely wiped me out. It must be so much harder if you already have a DC. I wouldn't say I'm blue or down but I wouldn't describe myself as cheerful or upbeat either. I also seem to be quite adept at random inappropriate crying which is odd. It's defo hormones for me though, no question about it (its such a sudden change it only could be).

I'm confident it is normal & am confident it will pass when things settle into the second tri.

You're not the only one!

I hope it passes for you soon, until then don't be too hard on or over analyse yourself.

Congrats!

OP, I think it is completely normal for many people to feel really down in the 1st trimester, it is the hormones going completely upside down, and the nausea and tiredness doesn't help either. I felt very very low in my 1st trimester, but by the time I got a chance to speak to my midwife about it, it was all over as I was in the 2nd trimester, and was back to normal by then (and it just felt so good to feel normal again!). If you think it would help, do speak to your GP. I also got signed off sick for a short while due to that and other problems I was having.

I would say, talk to your Dr and MW - it's very common to feel this way and there is support out there.

Try and keep busy and force yourself to do things (harder than it sounds but enlist your DH/DP to help ensure this happens). I've suffered from depression in the past and keeping busy really does help.

I'm on anti-depressants at the moment (11+4) and apart from some hormonal meltdowns (which many women get anyway), I've felt generally ok. Having said that, I do have days when I just want to go back to bed/chick in my job etc...My Dr has been amazing and I'm now being consultant-led in my pg just to get extra check-ups on my baby.

I am 8-9 weeks and feel like crap, tired and blue. Depression never occurred to me, and doesn't now in my case. I am certain it is fatigue, toddler to care for, endless viruses, nausea and dreadful weather. So what I'd say is that it really does depend on whether your feelings are really beyond what could be caused by this sort of thing....

you are not alone! (see my previous posts re: is my life over??!!)

i've been feeling very up and down too. we've had a death in the family this week and for the first time ever in my working life of 20 years i'm actually considering getting a sick note and signed off work for a few days.

my work is very high stress, high pressure and 14 hour days, and whereas normally i can cope with this, today i have cried, twice, for no 'real' reason other than i feel like am having a heart attack (stress) and really sad and not coping.

i am hoping that this is normal and that once i hit the 2nd tri i will return to my positive, kick ass self!

best of luck and congrats on the pregnancy.

It's worth speaking to your GP/midwife if you're struggling. I agree it's quite normal to just feel wiped in the first trimester, resulting in low mood. However it has the potential to become more serious. I've got a history of depression and my midwife said she would be happy to closely monitor me and if I found myself struggling, she could see me weekly. I haven't needed it but its been good to know that option is there. Do make sure you're getting your daily intake of vitamin D and I found a magnesium supplement helps to balance the hormones too.

Thanks everyone for your replies, its good to know that I am not alone!! I will stick it out for the next 5 weeks and hope I feel better once I get into the 2nd trimester. I dont think it helps that my toddler has given up on sleeping through the night after doing so for over a year, what a shocker!!Like I am not tired enough as it is.

Kelly, I think part of the problem is I too have a stressy job,which I think/worry about constantly about. I own my own business and things are getting very very busy....I struggle like crazy with taking care of my DS part time and working full time as it is, and I just dont know how I am going to be able to handle the business, my DS and a newborn...my husband is amaazing but is terribly busy as is aswell... lets hope you and I return to our kickass self sooon!!!!

The thing that bothers me the most is that instead of feeling happy about the pregnancy, I just feel slight terror and I can help thinking...how the hell am I going to cope? Instead of excitement, I feel dread...My DH says we were so lucky to concieve again so quickly (was a random feeling sexy, what the hell, lets see what happens,we are on a romantic weekend holiday, we will want another baby one day and who knows how long it will take to concieve...senario, apparently it didnt take long) and I am sure I will be so happy soon, just think my hormones are taking the stuffing out of me. Just got really cross at the pots and pans in my kitchen for not stacking and falling out everywhere, I starting shouting FUUXCKKK YYOOUUUU POTS FFUUXKK OFFFFFFF!!!!sigghhhh... really, must get a grip. And some sleep. I do feel better gettting this out though so thanks for listening.

I felt like this, all advice said it was probably antenatal depression. I'd cry all the time for no reason at all, felt utter despair. I wouldn't leave the house. Then I'd feel guilty because I did want the baby so couldn't understand why I was so so sad. anyway, it disappeared the same time as sickness, so when placenta took over. I've felt great ever since, definitely doesn't mean the start if depression, could just be how your dealing with the hormones. I wasn't like this with my first pregnancy either. Hope you feel better soon too.

Hey, I can certainly relate - I am 6 weeks preg and crying all the time, feel lethargic and unmotivated. And my OCD worrying traits have been triggered big time by the pregnancy - second guessing everything I did before I knew I was pregnant and feeling guilty about it. Have now become ambivalent towards having the child whereas the day I found out I was over the moon as it was my first pregnancy at 40! When I realised it's first trimester antenatal depression (ie raging hormones), I felt better about it but am aware that part of me wouldn't even mind that much if I miscarried (yes that's how bad it is, thinking going through a whole pregnancy is not worth the anxiety!). Although that's probably preparation for the fact that I think I may well actually miscarry (due to my age and the fact that I haven't felt the embryo tuggings in the last day or so so wonder if it stopped growing).

I just want to thank you all for what you have shared - I thought I was going mad! It’s been so reassuring to hear I am not alone in the way I am feeling. I am 5 weeks pregnant with a desperately wanted baby but have been feeling so low this past week and couldn’t understand why, when I should be so happy. I seem to have lost the pleasure in life and just want to shut myself away from the world (and from my partner). It is not like me at all. I was starting to think I had made a big mistake. I feel reassured now that it is just hormones and it will pass. Fingers crossed x

Hi ladies,

Thanks for sharing.
I’m in week 7 of my first pregnancy and I haven’t got a clue what’s happening to me.
I feel so low, lethargic and sick all of the time and it’s getting me really down.
It’s good to know I’m not alone and that fingers crossed it will pass in the next few weeks.

1st trimester is awful! Exhaustion, nausea, vomiting, concerns about the baby etc etc etc. I agree to see GP about it if you're worried. You have my sympathies, 37 weeks now and this is a MILLION times easier than those early weeks.

7 weeks into my first pregnancy and so far have felt totally miserable! Feel exhausted and sick. Working full time as a nurse so on my feet all day. I don’t find having time off helps that much either as I can’t help but focus on feeling nauseated! Never expected to feel like this but so glad I’m not the only one.

I’m happy to say it did pass.
I’m now 15 weeks. No more tierdness or nausea.
A few mood swings every now and again but certainly not feeling as depressed as before.

@joseve. This is exactly how I’m feeling! Even down to the thoughts I’m having. I’m 7/8 week along.

I went to the Gp on Monday and he completely shrugged me off saying it was normal. And that I need to got on with it an it should pass when I get to the second trimester. I left his room in tears, literally.

I have a 9 year old daughter with ASD, and feel like I’m going to start failing her and the baby once it arrives.
I’m at such a loss.

Reading these comment have helped a lot!

I’m 10 weeks into my pregnancy. Over the majority of the sickness, thank goodness!

However although I have been wanting to get pregnant for a while now, I can’t kept but feel down. I’ve never felt so alone although surrounded by a great partner and plenty of family and friends.

I’m really hoping this is going to pass soon so I can start enjoying this pregnancy.

:)

It does help to read the comments above, I must say. I'm in my 6th week, 42 years old, have a 7 year old and a history of anxiety and depression. I'd already been on antidepressants when I got pregnant. I tried to take down the dose to minimise any possible harm to the foetus, which - together with hormones and sickness etc - sent me straight down the anxiety/depression spiral, so that my GP says I should stay on the dose I was on before, if not increase. Two days ago I was crying almost constantly and the pain of anxiety was too much. I also don't really feel like I 'want' this baby, I had actually given up on becoming pregnant, due to my age. Today, I wasn't crying much but I feel sick and low and have to force myself to do things. I just want this state to pass... Let's hope it will happen soon..

Never really joined anything like this before but reading the comments has really helped ladies so thank you. I no longer feel alone. My previous pregnancy ended in a miscarriage which gave me a lot of anxiety when I got pregnant this time. It’s my first baby and me and husband have been wanting one so this time we were both anxious. Luckily I had a 9 week scan due to anxiety and this time there was a gorgeous little baby moving around and a heartbeat. I’m 11 weeks now with my 3 month scan next week and I can’t wait to see it again but still anxious as I hope its growing as it should. I’ve been so stressed living with in laws and I hope it doesn’t affect my baby. Although I should be happy, the symptoms are making me feel so down. I’m always so tired, I work full time then go back to a home I’m not too happy in. I’m suffering with sickness although it’s getting slightly better. I lost my appetite. I’m randomly crying and I feel like I constantly need husbands attention. He is being amazing but I wanted my own place with just me him and baby but financially he cannot give me the space I need right now. I really hope 2nd trimester gets better because I’ve always dreamt of a happy 1st time pregnancy and right now I’m not happy.

Hello everyone,
I am 8 weeks pregnant with a 2 year old. This was very much a planned pregnancy but since becoming pregnant I’ve been feeling a bit tearful and blue. I have quite a lot going on in my life (I know everyone has something) but I have a chronic pain condition and I haven’t had one good pain day since finding out I was pregnant so I’m struggling physically at the moment. I also have a Mum with dementia and over the last few weeks she has really deteriorated and we had to phone social services for help yesterday. I’m feeling very emotional at the moment but can’t work out if it’s just hormones, or that things are very hard right now or if it’s something more that I should be talking to my GP about... I am concerned that things are going to become more upsetting/harder with my Mum throughout my pregnancy as I think we’ll be going through the process of putting her in a home which I think will be emotional so am worried about the effect it may have on the baby too. Does anyone have any advice, similar experiences or even kind words? Thank you 😊