Anyone else really suffering in early pregnancy?

[XenaTheWarriorPrincess]

Obviously I'm very happy to be pregnant, but so far I absolutely hate it. Apologies for the super long post, tdlr is I feel like crap, have no energy, am fat and getting fatter and really hating pregnancy. Send help!

I'm only 9+3 and while the vomiting has all but disappeared since week 7ish, I still have on off nausea, but that's not what's getting to me.

The extreme bouts of dizziness and light-headedness are the absolute worst. Unlikely I'm anaemic (although still possible) as I have hemochromatosis, so likely blood sugar/blood pressure related but it's utterly debilitating at times. Was bedbound most of yesterday.

That mixed with the complete and utter lack of energy is doing me in now. Like I have zero energy for 95% of the day. Naps don't help. So little energy I needed to go to the shop on Monday for more food, only made it today and nearly bloody died. Luckily I work from home and am self employed.

Plus I've just weighed myself again and I've put on 4lbs in the last 2 or 3 weeks. I was obese to begin with and haven't had the booking app yet, so I'm gonna end up bmi over 35 now 😭 I keep eating every couple of hours or so to try and help with the dizziness and nausea, it has been helping, especially sweet stuff, but I've no choice but to stop due to the weight gain. I'm just eating far too much (and far too much crap) and barely moving at all.

Still have some food aversion, but I'm gonna have to force fruit and yoghurts down as snacks and have much smaller, healthier meals, try and keep it all down, and pray it gets better in a few weeks, and hope that the midwife doesn't have a go at me me for being so bloody fat at my booking appointment on Friday.

Anyone have similar woes and any healthy snack advice that helped? I'm thinking strawberries, melon, banana, oranges maybe? Any teas that might help with low blood pressure (if that's what it is)? Meals are difficult as I've not got the energy to prepare home cooked more than once a week really, so ready meals, prepacked sandwiches, pizzas and quick air fryer stuff is all I can really manage to make.

I feel guilty for how crap I feel as I imagine so many women would kill to be in my position, and I was ttc, but I just want it to be over with now, it's getting ridiculous.

Booking app is Friday so I'll mention the weight gain and the reason for it and the symptoms, but I imagine all she'll do is send me off to a healthy eating thing or give me a leaflet and a lecture.

@XenaTheWarriorPrincess I feel you completely. I have on off nausea and headaches. I also eat all the f*ing time, but I can never face anything healthy. This evening I had soup which is the height of health for me recently. I only want chips, sweets, curry sauce and crisps oh yes and white bread. I feel like I'll be a whale if this continues. I'm 11w and this week I've been slightly better. But with my son this passed by 13w so hopefully we'll get there soon

If it helps, 1st trimester was the worst part of my first pregnancy - the constant nausea and exhaustion reduced after about 12-14 weeks. I'm 7 months pregnant with my second DC and so far it's been better after the first trimester (the tiredness this time around got better after they gave me iron tablets after my 16 week appointment).

Constant snacking helped me with the nausea too! Do salad sticks work for you at all? I had a pot of cucumber, carrot, pepper, or tomato to munch on which sometimes helped (also loads of sweet stuff but that doesn't help if you're trying to cut down). Nuts? Raisins? You've already mentioned fruit, hopefully that helps too.

Meals are trickier as they need preparation as you say - if you have a partner they should be doing their share (by which I mean sorting all your food and looking after you as much as possible - you're busy growing a baby and at the moment, a placenta which takes it out of you.) If not, is there someone who can help you batch cook some things that you can portion up, freeze and reheat as needed (veg based soups, stews maybe)? Do you have better days where you might be able to do that yourself? I found I ate less at mealtimes but also had lots of snacks, I ate more in the first trimester than I do now (although some of that came back up again...).

Every unhealthy meal or snack you can replace with a healthy one is a win, be kind to yourself. Hopefully you will start to feel better soon!

I'm 6 weeks, and the crappy feelings are just starting to ramp up. Rubbish, isn't it.

A mistake I made with my first was to give up caffeine completely so on top of morning sickness I was also going through caffeine withdrawal, I felt so much better when I started having a couple of cups of tea again but months of feeling dreadful had gone by by that point. I've cut down to the recommended amount this time rather than cut out completely and so far I'm feeling so much better than I did during my first pregnancy (but time will tell I guess, early days).

9+1 here and also feel like I've been hit by a bus. I am so.tired. I have a toddler too so it's really tough-going. Vomiting every morning and nauseous/empty but don't fancy anything to eat. I'd say give in to the cravings – your body wants what it wants right now, and that's also basically beige food for me (I forced down a stir fry last night but it was hard going!). It will likely ease up within the next week or so. I found sweet stuff makes my morning sickness worse, along with caffeine, so I can't even get a sugar hit for energy!

9+4 here & I’m with ya. Exhausted. Eating everything in sight every 2 to 3 hours so I stop feeling awful, mainly carbs. Overweight pre pregnancy (all belly and chin) so the eating and lack of movement is noticeably making me more rotund, so much so, I doubt I’ll he able to make it to the 12 week mark without telling people!

The only healthy snack I can face is a pink lady apple. The thought of yogurt makes me gag.

Sorry that’s all a rant really and no helpful advice in there. But hopefully it helps to remind you that you’re no alone in the first trimester trenches!

Thanks for all the suggestions, support and solidarity everyone ❤️ means a lot to know it's not just me.

Unfortunately partner can't help with cooking, he's able to do about the same as I can currently manage (bunging stuff in the oven or microwave)

I'll definitely get some salad stuff in and make up a little tub of cucumber and peppers and whatnot, great suggestion @JC89 partner can at least chop some veg up for me, so I'll have him do it 😅

He does pop to the shop for me when I can't make it myself, and takes my bins out for me (we dont technically live together but we're neighbours in flats), but that's about all he can do to help right now.

Person most likely to help would be partner's mother, as mine is deceased and my dad is gravely ill, but she is currently recovering from a hip replacement, so wouldn't even be able to get up the stairs to us atm. I was too run down and ill to even face the bus journey to go visit her when she got back from hospital, so just sent partner with some chicken soup and the pregnancy news 😅

Horrible isn't it @Nynm23 I was so hoping to lose weight through healthy eating, but the intention was lost in a sea of just trying to feel better.

Booking appointment tomorrow morning at 9am and I desperately need to shower and wash my hair today but haven't mustered the energy yet :( I keep getting scared I'll have a dizzy spell in the shower and slip and fall, so I've been a stinky bitch the last 4 weeks mostly doing sink washes 😅

If you are worried about falling, it might be worth asking your partner to wait in the next room while you shower just in case!

Do you have a slow cooker? That can be good for meals where you just chop everything, put it in and wait - although it may not be great until the nausea has eased a bit as the cooking smells might not help!

Good luck and hope you start feeling better soon!

Sorry you feel this way. Pregnancy really is emotionally and physically draining. I've never felt so useless in my life.

I haven't worked for 6 weeks due to nausea, dizziness, fatigue, etc and I do virtually nothing at home too. Poor DH is a saint and shouldering all the burden at the moment. But then I try to remind myself I am growing a whole human and it's ok not to be super woman. It's ok for our DPs to look after us at this time because this little person is going to be the light of both our lives and looking back everyone will think it was worth it!

I completely sympathise, I'm 12 weeks today and the last 8 weeks or so have been hell. I did IVF so felt so pleased that I'd finally managed to get pregnant, then have been wondering why on earth I put myself through all that to feel this way. I've then ended up with a cold this week, just when I think otherwise I might be starting to feel better!

Can't really give any advice but just wanted to let you know you're not alone!

@Nynm23 Sorry I had to laugh at 'all belly and chin', that is me too and being in the first trimester is not helping matters 🤣

@XenaTheWarriorPrincess Sorry you're feeling so rotten. The first trimester really is a feat of endurance although some of your symptoms seem extreme. I would be booking a fairly urgent GP appointment for the dizziness, being so lightheaded that you can't stand up to shower doesn't sound right. In the meantime try not to focus on the scales and eat as well as you can but ultimately whatever helps you to feel human. A few pounds on isn't the end of the world and it's far preferable to fainting because you're not listening to your body. If your BMI is over 30 anyway then they're going to probably mention it whether or not you restrict yourself at this point and I'm sure they'd much rather you eat what makes you feel better.

@sugarplum33 I envy those who are ‘all hip and ass’ haha

The nausea and wooziness is driving me crazy. I know there's a light at the end of the tunnel though! This from my husband made me chuckle...laugh through it I suppose!

@Nynm23 My arse is as flat as a pancake! Why does it never go where you want it to go?! 🤣

@Bumblingonby If you don't laugh you'll cry :)