Anyone else this exhausted? How did/do you cope?

[MB34]

I'm 29+2 all throughout this and my first pregnancy I was so tired. Obviously with DS1 I could go to bed whenever I wanted and as I used to sleep all night right up until he was born, I didn't worry about napping in the day. Also, in work, I had the opportunity to sit for most of the afternoon (whilst working).

This time, I'm not sleeping well at night, I'm off work sick due to not being able to stand for long (in the afternoons I was expected to stand for 5 hours straight!) and it's worse as I have a 20mo to run around after.

However, some days, an hour after I get up, I feel as though I could go back to bed for the day. If I stand for longer than a few minutes, it feels as though I've just run a marathon - out of breath, heart racing, limbs/body really heavy, have to sit down. I'm worried about napping in the day, since I don't sleep well at night, I'm afraid this will make it worse.

I'm very lucky that DH works shifts and is only in work in the day for 2 days out of 8, so on these two days DS goes to grandparents to give me a rest. I can't take DS out on my own unless I know he'll be in the pushchair the whole time or to a playgroup that's contained in one room as I find it difficult to walk/chase after him.

This is my 4th day now of feeling like this and I'm at my wits end. I'm praying DS2 will be born early so I can get rid of this feeling.

Anyone else in the same boat? How are you coping?

Yes I feel like this, I am severely anaemic borderline for transfusion which explains a lot if my symptoms- extreme fatigue, breathless, dizzy etc
Hae you had your 28 week blood results do you know what your haemoglobin level is?

Yes, I've had my levels done - my haemoglobin is fine but ferratin is a bit low, so I'm taking a pregnancy vitamin and 2 sachets of spatone a day.

It's horrible feeling like this isn't it?! How far along are you?

I'm only 10 weeks but also like this. Luckily I'm currently on summer hols but feel that I'm wasting them by being lazy and in bed or sitting around most of the time. If I do try to do much then I find myself in bed for a few hours afterwards. Helping at a summer club next week, luckily mornings only. Back to work in a couple of weeks and hope I'm not this bad then.

Midwife took my bloods last month but hasn't got back to me about them. I've always had a bit of anaemia and can feel it being worse even though I'm taking extra iron.

Yes, spatone may well help. I've never felt do exhausted in my whole life but spatone makes me feel dramatically better. On the napping situation, just sleep when you can. I suffer from bouts of pregnancy insomnia and have just woken up from my afternoon nap as DS just had his. I live for naps at the weekend when I'm not at work and DH around. Do whatever you can to look after yourself.

I know it sounds daft but gentle exercise gave me a boost. There was a pregnancy aqua-aerobics during my 2 pregnancies I went to once a week and I always felt better for it.

It was at 8pm near my work so I used to stay inwork late (!), swim/frolic like a loon, them drive home (1hr commute) and I certainly wouldn't have gone to all the bother if it didn't make me feel better IFSWIM. Maybe worth a try? I think it gave me more restful sleep afterwards.

The other thing I did was occasional 7pm bedtimes once dd1 was asleep. I did this once or twice a week when I just couldn't keep my eyes open in the evening.

I'm really really struggling now!! I'm 37 +2 and have a very highly strung 3.5 year girl!! She is wetting herself about 6 times a day! She is going for an operation tomorrow to have her tonsils removed as she has sleep apnea and is staying in over night!! I having the worst period and shooting pains in my tummy! DP is working every single day and evening! He's been at work all day today! I can't stop crying at everything! I cried because the bread went mouldy!! I have PGP and it's really getting to the point where my pelvis feels like it's going to snap! DD just wants to go out and do something every day! Been in and out of hospital because of my history of preeclampsia as well!! Just about had enough now!!! Want this baby out!!!!!

I've been really tired for the past 6 weeks I'm now 28 weeks and I have to have a nap most days, my son is disabled I care for him full time which can be quite draining, can't wait to feel normal again xx

I'm exhausted to. I'm only 16 weeks but dd3 (7 months) demands to be fed 3 times during the night so I'm thinking this has a lot to do with why I'm extra tired.

I'm going to try and eat healthier this week to see if that makes any kind of difference.

Agree re the spatone. I can't take iron tablets as they make me constipated but spatone is fine. I had my haemoglobin levels checked at about your stage and they were fine but I still had the exhaustion and heavy limbed feelings that you describe.

I actually started taking the spatone to try to help with restless legs and it has helped with that, but also my energy levels have gone up and I don't have the heavy limbs anymore at all. I'm 39 weeks now btw.

I'm 30 weeks now. It's so awful feeling so helpless and tired! Hopefully the spatone will help you.
I have noticed a slight difference in the week I've been on high dose liquid iron so hoping I will keep improving over the next few weeks and will avoid transusion.

I am sooo exhausted. I previously had anaemia so I'm on iron tablets anyway for that. I'm early on so I have to keep making excuses about not doing stuff. I'm trying to eat nutritious food like eggs and a tablespoon of molasses (my mum used to make us eat this when we were small) and making honey and lemon drinks etc.

I'm so sorry we all feel like this but I don't feel so alone now. My boss was being a cow about it so I thought I was the only one who ever felt like this! She'd make snide comments if I went to sit down and only gave me a 15 min break in the afternoon (between 1pm and 6pm) because I asked if I could change my hours and finish at 4 and she wouldn't let me!

I wish I could do a regular exercise class but DH is on-call when he's not in proper work so I'd have to constantly make other arrangements for childcare. But I do try to have a walk into town and back a few times a week.

Becca you sound like you're having a tough time of it, I hope your DP is looking after you when he is home. Just think though, when you have your baby in your arms in a few weeks, most of us on this thread will still be pregnant!

I think the spatone is working - I started taking it last Wednesday and Ive felt better this afternoon. Let's all raise our glasses of iron supplements cheers

Chicken you said you were trying to eat healthy, does that mean, like me you're craving non-healthy food too? How is everyone else doing on this front? Most of the time I really don't feel like cooking and crave pizza, chips, Chinese food etc. Luckily most nights I can't go out, so have had to make do with a sandwich or a few heroes!

I'm 28 weeks and the tiredness has really hit me in the last week. I feel like I could fall asleep at any moment. I have the kind of job where being anything other than alert simply isn't an option. It's a constant struggle. I just want to sleep.

MB34 I've been lucky in that my appetite is reduced due to general nausea. I'm waiting for some really inappropriate craving to kick in. I usually love my food. How are u getting on?

My plan was to try to eat stuff that's full of nutrients and energy but I think I over did it with the five tablespoons of butter Lol!

The tiredness is like nothing else.

Five tablespoons of butter?!? That's enough to give anyone nausea! Cravings never make sense - these babies have a lot to answer for!

I had meat cravings in the first trimester which have calmed down, now I see an advert for something and really want it - this week it's pizza! I do try to eat healthily other times by sort of menu planning - I make a list of about 3 or 4 meals and shop for those ingredients so if we aren't out and about/don't have leftovers from DH's work, I can whip up a meal without thinking too much about it.

I agree with the tiredness is like nothing else - DS was going to be an only child because of it...until I gave birth to him!