SO SO tired - am I just being pathetic?

[NW10teacher]

It's my first pregnancy and I'm expecting twins, expected date of arrival 7 December :) I'm a secondary school teacher and recently got a promotion at work, so I was planning to work up to the latest point possible.

But I didn't think I'd be this exhausted by half-term! There were loads of issues in school over the last few weeks, and I basically ended up in every day until around 7pm and with pupil meetings at lunch. I feel absolutely huuuuge and I can't get comfy at night, so I'm constantly feeling knackered.

Am I just being pathetic, or is it normal to feel this tired? Would it be unreasonable to ask to reduce duties a bit? I just feel like I can't get through another month of this!

It's normal to be exhausted during pregnancy but you're expecting twins!! Most of us wouldn't be able to imagine that kind of exhaustion. You're due at the beginning of December so you must be absolutely massive on top of it.
Honestly, I admire that you're still going! There's no shame if you need to stop earlier (or at the very least ask for slack), in fact you've been a trooper thus far

I feel exhausted and I'm only carrying one! If it's too much then yes I would ask for a little of the work load to be taken off you, if possible? When do you finish up work? I'm also Due in December x

It's my first pregnancy, so I don't have anything to compare it to... but I feel like a whale! I've been trying to keep off my feet as much as possible, but when I'm sitting down my back hurts, so it doesn't feel much better.

On the other hand, I do know others who've had multiple pregnancies and have worked up to this point, so I can't help feeling I'm being a bit feeble!

I was going to finish on Fri 24/11.

I've not had a twin pregnancy but can only imagine how extra tiring it is rather than one. I think most women feel absolutely shattered throughout pregnancy well in my case anyway. Do you think you can manage working until then? Why don't you take early maternity leave? X

It’s totally normal. Guessing you might have to stand a lot with your job?

I’m a twin mummy and it was hard work, as with any pregnancy. But you’re cooking 2 remember xx

I do seem to end up standing a lot - I'm trying not to, but I've always been quite a standing and walking around teacher, so I find it really weird to teach from a seated position.

It's also been a REALLY hard term and I was really grumpy and emotional by last week. I totally lost it with a poor little Year7 boy and spoke way too harshly - I felt really bad afterwards!

You are growing TWO WHOLE PEOPLE. I think being somewhat tired is only to be expected! I was shattered with just one in there! I finished work earlier than I planned, I had SPD and I was just exhausted - you have to listen to your body, imo, and not try too hard to power through or be influenced y others because every pregnancy is different. I had planned to keep going almost to my due date, but ended up finishing a month before that because I just couldn't keep going any longer.

Could you try a high stool, like a bar chair-type thing, to sort of perch on for teaching? Gives you that extra height but takes a bit of the strain?

Blood and sand woman you're pregnant with twins and still working at this date!

Not surprised you're knackered.

Can you finish earlier?

You need to sit down more. Please don't push yourself. Get people to come to you. Sit as much as possible.

Having done a twin pregnancy and a singleton pregnancy I can assure you that you are not being pathetic! My twins were born 1 Dec last year and I had to give up work at this half term I simply could not continue, I felt pretty much like you. I couldn't get my own shoes on and getting showered and dressed wore me out so much I needed a lie down! I pretty much spent the entirety of November lying on the bed watching Netflix

You are definitely not being a wimp! I was absolutely shattered during the third trimester with twins. The one advantage I found was, during that newborn phase, I felt pretty energetic in comparison!

By comparison with my singleton I went for a long walk and chopped a load of logs the day before she was born at 41 wks! So I knew it wasn't me!

Wow - I was exhausted with one. Definitely ask for reduced duties and see if you can it down more at school. Your employer has an obligation to look after you but you will need to say what they can do to help. Have you had the required Health and Safety check yet at your workplace?

I only had one baby and worked in a sit down job and I was still tired to my very bones.

DD is 6 weeks today and I'm tired through lack of sleep but it's not the same. The exhaustion in pregnancy is total. I was literally going up the stairs on all fours some days. Relax and rest!

I'm currently 29 weeks with ONE baby and also work in a school, I'm a TA so don't have the extra work load that you do and I am absolutely EXHAUSTED!! God only knows how you must be feeling - pregnancy is hard enough sometimes without making yourself feel guilty for not doing more - if you can scale back then do, the school have a responsibility to make sure that you are looked after during pregnancy so please make the most of that. This is an extremely hard term anyway so you are doing brilliantly!
Assuming you are probably in half term as I am - enjoy, put your feet up and try to relax!

In the nicest possible way, you’re crazy for planning to work up to so close you your due date. I work that out to be 38 weeks?? My SIL has just had her twins early at 34 weeks and she was bloody enormous, had awful oedema and just generally was pretty immobile by that point. Think she went on mat leave at 30 weeks, but was advised that for twin pregnancies you should stop at 28. So you’re doing amazingly to still be going! But take it easy and if you need to stop earlier then do. Your health and your little babies are the most important thing, and how late other people have worked is irrelevant, their pregnancies are not your pregnancy.

I'm due a few days after you (with a singleton) but starting mat leave in 2 weeks. Just too tired to carry on! Perfectly normal esp as babies are going through a growth spurt now. Any chance you can start leave a bit early?

You're definitely not being feeble, I'm due 3rd December (single baby), only work 3 days a week in a similar job to yours and I'm shattered! Like you say, it's hard to sleep and get comfortable when you're awake.
I'd definitely ask for fewer duties and go off earlier if you need too, no shame in that.

No idea how you're still standing! You're not being pathetic at all. I'm first time mum of twins too and stopped work at 30 weeks!

60% twins born before 36 weeks I think so best not to leave it too late. Good luck - it's not easy!!

Yeah just noticed your due date, is that the 37 week date or 40 weeks? Because I honestly don't know of anyone who has gone beyond 37 weeks of a twin pregnancy and I've met dozens through groups etc.