13+3 Breathless

[Rhiandrath]

I am pregnant with my first baby and all has been well so far (apart from feeling horribly sick at the start). My scan seemed fine and there were no issues flagged. In the last week I have started feeling breathless, mainly when going up stairs but to some extent when I am sat down as well. It just feels like I'm 'hungry' for air and I yawn alot as well.

I went to the GP this morning and they checked all my stats, couldn't find any swelling and listened to my chest with all being normal. Whilst this was reassuring, I can't say I feel that much better as I am still having the breathless feeling.

Has anyone else experienced this symptom from this early on? I thought this was something that happened later in pregnancy.

Could you be anaemic? That's how I felt. Also could be all your organs moving about making more space for baby. X

Thank you- I did wonder, but they checked my bloods and they looked fine. I'm taking a pregnancy vitamin as well, but I will ask the MW at my next appointment, which is luckily only a couple of weeks. It just feels so disconcerting to suddenly not be able to climb the stairs, when I was running and riding not so long ago! x

Yes it does knock you for 6. I always expected to be fine until further along. But the first 3 months are exhausting, tiredness like no other. I have a 3 year old, 6 month old.. and just found out I'm pregnant again (not at all planned). I am anaemic anyway so feel breathless from that, but now add the new baby exhaustion and early pregnancy exhaustion.. argh.

I had this when my ribs began to expand and my uterus started pushing up. Just make sure you take your time and do catch your breath.

All the best in your pregnancy.

I was also thinking low iron but if its not that could it be all the extra work your body is doing pumping blood around and making a new human. I sometimes feel particularly sluggish after I have eaten certain foods like cereal. It's exhausting!

Breathless feeling can also be a symptom of anxiety

I felt like this, turns out I had a chest infection.

I did. It was one of my first symptoms. I walk up a fairly steep hill on my way home from work and I’d never had problems with it before. I found I had to stop at the top and get my breath back. I’m 17w now and it’s better. I had bloods at the time and there were no issues with anaemia. I was just told it was part of pregnancy.

www.healthline.com/health/shortness-of-breath-early-pregnancy#why-it-happens

I thought that breathlessness was something that only happened to heavily-pregnant women, but I was very wrong. I was very active prior to pregnancy. At 6 weeks pregnant I remember doing my usual (as I had been told was fine) and hearing a weird, on-off whistling noise. Turned out to be my breathing

If you are having breathlessness whilst at rest (does it get worse lying flat?) your GP should get an ECG done.

www.npeu.ox.ac.uk/downloads/files/mbrrace-uk/reports/MBRRACE-UK%20Maternal%20Report%202019%20-%20Infographic%20v1.0.pdf

Call them and state that as per the 2019 MMBRACE recommendations you should have cardiac investigations.

(That’s not to scare you, it’s almost definitely normal but they should be following the recommendations)

Hello! No, it's fine when I'm lying flat and it doesn't wake me at night. She seemed to think it was ok as no chest pain, but I will most def keep an eye on this and ask for an ECG if it starts to change or get worse xx

@Tableclothing Thank you- that's reassuring! I was chatting to my mum the other day and she said I sounded out of breath. Doctor didn't think there was anything sinister and a friend said hers started around now as well, just a bit of a strange feeling for a previously active person who now dreads the two flighst of stairs at work!! xx

@Snowflake9 Thank you :)

@Betsyboo87 That's how I feel! I walk to work every day and have some stairs to do in the office and I'm puffing at the top. Feels bonkers as I'm not even really that visibly pregnant yet x

I felt like this too! I’m 22 weeks now and it’s calmed down for the most part unless I’m running up some stairs.

I got out of breath when walking up the stairs in my first trimester too. I wasn't running up them either!

I'm 23 weeks now & it's subsided.

I read on one of the pregnancy apps at the time that it was normal as your body is working really hard to pull the extra blood round your body.

@Moongirl10 @MarshmallowsOnToast I feel better for reading these responses! I think as it is my first baby I just have no idea what is a normal feeling. I did read some sites that said it was normal and others panicked me, doctor seems to think it is ok for now! xxx thank you