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!

You are due the same time as me and I was due to finish work this week (finished a few weeks earlier due to pgp). I am knackered and could not have worked any longer. I'm now mainly chasing my toddlers every day but less tiring than work!
I have never worked past 34 weeks as believe you do need the time to rest and prepare for your baby. My first I finished at 32 weeks - bliss
You are bound to be tired with twins, but maybe just get your bloods checked to see that you aren't anaemic. I would also definitely reduce my hours or finish altogether if I was you.

Sorry for the slow reply and thank you very much for all your lovely responses! klaw87 I am on half term and very much enjoying the break! I basically got home on Friday and went to bed, lol. I hope you're getting a good break - I often think that TAs have a way more tiring job than teachers!

Doubletrouble42 the way you describe how you felt at half-term is basically exactly how I'm feeling now! I've definitely been doing plenty of in-bed-with-netflix this half-term break...

The reason I'm trying to keep going was because I took on a leadership role at short notice, although the school was aware that I was pregnant when they offered it to me! I was in two minds, but it is basically my ideal role and I didn't know if I'd get another chance, so I said yes. I also said that since it's twins, I'd likely have to go off a bit early, but that I'd do as long as I could.

Anyway, I always forget what a killer this term is and this year's seems to have been worse than usual! I'm still undecided... perhaps I should go back and do 2 weeks in order to transition with somebody, then go off?

Doubletrouble42 yes, it's the 37 week date!

And LumpySpaceCow - thanks for the advice and perhaps I will get my bloods checked, it can't hurt to ask anyway!

BTW, tessa87 have you had your twins yet?

Not at all pathetic. I am also pregnant with twins and sounds like mine will probably be born the same week as yours. I am totally exhausted and achy most of the time at the moment. Tomorrow is my last day at work (mostly office job) and i very much doubt i would last any longer. I would second getting your bloods checked just in case but i had a midwife appointment yesterday and was told my iron levels were spot on so it isn't necessarily anything to do with that.

Ah, congrats for making a sensible decision and going off tomorrow! I'm sorry you're feeling so tired, but it's also kind of a relief to know that it is not just me! Do you know whether yours are boys or girls or one of each?

It’s totally normal to feel exhausted with one so can’t imagine with two! I’m also a teacher (currently 30 weeks with one). I noticed a massive decline in energy levels a few weeks ago and blamed it on a parents evening that I stayed late for. I turns out I’ve got gestational diabetes so it’s definitely worth getting checked up for the usual likely issues if possible as you never know. Enjoy your half-term - sounds like a well deserved break!

Wow, I can't imagine how exhausted you were feeling working through GD without realising. Glad they have got it now and hope you are feeling a bit better! I was checked quite recently, so I'm pretty sure I'm OK. I do have a (minor) heart murmur, which I take regular medication for, but wasn't expected to be an issue in pregnancy. However, I was told that it might cause me to feel 'more tired' in the third tri, so perhaps it is also that... I kind of dismissed it at the time because I thought, doesn't everyone feel tired in the third trimester anyway?!

I was told by the cosultant at 16 weeks to think about starting maternity leave at 28-30 weeks so I worked from that. I would imagine teaching is exhausting even when you aren't pregnant! Mine are both boys but not identical.

I worked until I was 34 weeks. They were booked for planned c section at 36 weeks. I left Work on the Friday and went into hosp that evening! I didn’t feel well that afternoon. They were born by emergency c section on Monday (due to me being poorly). I had no time to rest before they arrived. I would defo recommend you take plenty of time off before and reduce your workload prior if you can x

omg if you're being pathetic carrying twins & working then I really need to buck my brain up 😂

I'm on pregnancy number 3; this is without doubt the worst so far. I am not enjoying it one bit & just want to hibernate for nine months. I'm carrying one. And I gave up work (not for pregnancy reasons, just coincided nicely) so don't even have that as an excuse 😱

You're doing brilliantly to still be at work now!! I'm 25 weeks with just one and I'm exhausted. Plan to work to 37 weeks if I feel ok, can't imagine going any longer than that as I'm already sick of it 😂

Thanks for all the guidance - the truth is, obviously, that we're all doing amazingly ;)

I think my decision is that I'm going to ask advice at my appointment tomorrow. I was going to meet a friend this afternoon and we live in different parts of London, so we usually fix a halfway point. Anyway, I got to the underground station (which is about 10 mins walk) and everything started going black in front of my eyes, I actually thought I was going to faint! Back to normal now, but I don't want that to be happening in school next week!

I am a primary school teacher and due 27th December and officially start my maternity leave at 31 weeks and 3 days (although I finished last Friday for half term). I feel like a complete wet weekend finishing so early but I have spd, sciatica and carpel tunnel in my fingers (they swell up like big, fat sausages lol) and have struggled through this half term on crutches so I just couldn't do any longer. I am really annoyed with myself as I would have only finished early December but honestly it is the best feeling ever now I'm actually done. Some days I was doing 12 hours and working through lunch and the rare days I did get home before 6 I would spend until 10 on the laptop. Be kind to yourself as I really struggled and I am only pregnant with one and I am 3 weeks earlier than you are due. Could there be any chance you could do part time hours for a few weeks?

Sounds like you have been having a tough time Coi123 - hope you are having a restful time off so far.

In the end I've decided to do two weeks after h/t (this week and next week), plus 3 days the following week to sort out hand-over with my replacement. Hopefully it's going to work out! I'm trying to sit as much as possible. Typically, the lifts have broken this week though, so yesterday I had to heave myself up 4 flights of stairs multiple times, lol.