Increased heart rate/breathlessness

[pancakes22]

Hi all

I've noticed my heart rate is higher since being pregnant and I can really notice my heart beat sometimes around 115 when I'm just sat on the sofa not doing anything. The thing that annoys me the most about it is where I'm trying to practice slow breathing in and out like counting in for 4 but out for 8, I just can't manage it as I'm feeling breathless and just automatically taking a quick breath rather than keeping it slow and calm.

Does anyone else get this and any tips for how to conquer the slow breathing thing while feeling breathless and fast heart rate as I'm just thinking I want to be in control of breathing for labour.

I had this in my first pregnancy and it was because I was low on iron.. so I would contact your midwife or doctor and get blood test done

Anaemia, most likely. Get some ferrous sulphate from the chemist (talk to the actual chemist who will advise you). Also, if you’ve had recent blood tests, ring the surgery for the results.

I had this and I was a bit anaemic, you need to get some bloods done. I also found it difficult to breathe when dd was breech as her had was shoved up into my diaphragm.

I wrote this post here two weeks ago! I thought it was normal, baby pushing everything up and making it harder to breathe. Mentioned it to midwife at appt and she sent me to a&e to see a doctor to be checked. It was due to my iron levels dropping, this meant I didn't have enough red blood cells so my heart was racing to make up for it causing the breathlessness.
I was put back on iron tablets and after a week I was back to my normal self.

That is so interesting I would never have even considered that could have an impact like that! Funnily enough I am already on iron tablets for low iron and have been for a few months so makes complete sense. I am seeing the midwife next week for
more bloods so will mention it then. Thank you all