Will exercise help?

[SeaSaltMill]

My DH keeps telling me to get up and do something in the evenings, he goes to the gym and has said to me that if I go along with him and do an hour or so of gentle exercise it will help my energy levels.

However, I'm still in first tri, 10 weeks 3 days to be precise, and when I get home work all I want to do is eat dinner, sit down and then its bath and bed by about 9.30 most evenings.

He doesn't seem to get that I'm not just being lazy, I physically feel totally exhausted.

I see where he is coming from though, and I don't like wasting every evening on the sofa. BUT is it likely to help when its pregnancy tiredness, not just normal everyday tiredness?

I can feel myself getting ready to snap at him next time he says it, when perhaps I need to try it? But the thought of going and walking or cycling or swimming after a full day at work makes me want to cry!

I think first trimester tiredness is totally different to normal tiredness. It's worse for me than getting-no-sleep-with-a-newborn tiredness and I could never get rid of it (until the second trimester when it did just dissapear). Your body is going through significant changes and that happens best when you are asleep or resting.
In my experience, eating as healthily as possible (smoothies, fresh veg etc) and getting lots if rest is the best answer so if he wants to help, he can cook you a healthy dinner whilst you have a nap

My usual knee-jerk reaction to that question is that exercise always helps....and it will.

However, I also remember what it feels like to be 10 weeks pregnant (currently 30wks ftm) and there's NO way I would have been heading to the gym for any gentle exercise! I was in the midst of what felt like a 3 month hangover from hell!

The weather is amazing at the moment - could you manage a short gentle 10 min walk somewhere? Is there anywhere near you where you can be near nature - like a beach or a wood or a field or even a park? Taking your shoes and socks off and walking barefoot on sand/soil/grass is proven to energise and calm (at the risk of sounding too hippyish) with very little effort.

Try it! Good luck xx

I do walk to and from the station which is uphill on the way back, that's about 25mins a day, plus I walk around at lunch time and I'm usually running back and forth all day at work, so when I get home I just want to flop!

I might see how I feel tonight and attempt to do something. I just don't want to push myself. He thinks its cos im worried about miscarrying (had 3 previously) but I just cant even think abut moving!!

I'm 23 weeks now and feeling pretty good again, but I remember feeling tired to my bones at 10 weeks.

I went with what my body was telling me - which was that I needed to rest in the evenings (and quite often had a mid evening snooze). Its the most tired I have every been in my life, but when you consider what amazing things your body is doing, I suppose its not that surprising.

I've now come out the other side and feel like myself again and am exercising a few times a week, plus walking the dog a lot and cycling to work. If a few weeks time, hopefully you'll start feeling better and will be able to get back to the gym.

You're not being lazy. Sounds like you're doing more than enough!

Put your feet up, eat as healthily as possible (depending on nausea levels) and wait for that second trimester energy to come your way :) Mine kicked in around week 16, but everyone is different.

When DH has experienced being 10 weeks pregnant himself, only then can he comment!!

Pregnancy and exercise don't follow the normal patterns. The more you do, the worse you feel! Keeping up a sensible level (equivalent to walking the dog and taking a toddler to the park) is fine and healthy, but don't overdo it - you'll feel it the next day!!!

I hear that MissKipper! I am on the verge of saying it to him, but I know he's only trying to help and do something together. I've told him in a few weeks I will hopefully feel much better and then I will start swimming.

I do WANT to exercise, its more I feel I cant physically do it at the moment. I just want to eat soup and sandwiches and switch off.

First trimester tiredness and sickness are about survival mode, getting through them is tough and the normal times don't apply! You could try as hard as you can to eat well, lovely veg etc, do some exercise but if you can't you just can't. My DH found it very hard to adjust to the fact that I just couldn't force myself to do anything my body didn't want to ("I've got to go home now, I'm tired." "OK, I'm going to finish my drink and then speak to so and so..." "NOW NOW NOW NOW!"). It is a totally different tiredness based on the fact your body is using everything it has growing the baby. In a few weeks when you feel better, exercise will be beneficial, I've done lots of yoga and swimming and I've loved it. Can't do bugger all again now at 38 weeks though!

I think if you're walking to and from the station you're getting your hour of exercise. Perhaps say that once you're over the first trimester and your energy levels are back up you'll look into some pregnancy exercise classes.

I know how you feel though; I'm 10 weeks and my husband has joked that if I'm lazy while pregnant we'll have a lazy baby. I'm on hols just now though so usually have the energy to go for a walk or cycle most days. Hope that when I go back to work (13 weeks) I'll have more energy otherwise I don't know how I'll get through the day!

You get a pass in the first tri! I was utterly shattered, although I did try and walk as much as I could each day. Until the placenta takes over and starts doing the hard work it's exhausting, especially during this spell of warm weather.

I'm 21 weeks now and feeling fine, give it a few more weeks and you'll hopefully feel a lot more energetic.

I would find a book by someone respected at the library on pregnancy, or something off the NHS and show him the bit about 1st trimester "fatigue".
It is way more than normal tiredness.

Nip this in the bud now. I know he means well but he has to take that leap from "your pregnant not ill (so in a man's brain that means OK deep down)" to "pregnancy is not an illness but it is a medical condition with hefty symptoms".

You might not be allowed to use some of the gym equipment anyway (due to their insurance basically rather than any actual harm).

I did some gentle swimming floating around in the pool at the gym in the first trimester. On weekends I also went to pump classes and some yoga, but I also did a LOT of sleeping. Usually in the cinema, or at the table in restaurants etc. I tried to keep going out as normal just because otherwise I'd have sat at home slumped and sicky, I needed to try and keep my mind off it.

I suddenly felt better at 11+3 weeks for some reason (placenta kicking in I guess).

Don't beat yourself up about it! I'm 37 wks and I remember when I first found out I was pregnant I was going to stay really active, carry on walking the 10km to and from work every day, yoga 3 times a week etc......but January/February were a complete blur this year! All I managed was rolling out of bed, getting dressed, going to work (on bus), coming home, putting PJs on and going to bed for about 6 weeks. But I did feel a lot better eventually and managed to resume a relatively active lifestyle so you will get there! I'm now in the final weeks and back to feeling tired again....

In my case, yes it did help. Like you, if I went home and sat on the sofa then I felt totally exhausted and wanted to go to bed straight after dinner. If I went to the gym instead, I had tons of energy afterwards. Why not give it a try - if it does not work for you, it doesn't.

I understand where both of you are coming from. Why don't you give the gym a go? Perhaps on a weekend? If it's too tiring, ask your husband to accompany you on a short walk instead.

He can also help by preparing dinner or doing other chores to conserve your energy.

From personal experience exercise really helped but you know your own body better than anyone else and we are all different.