39 weeks pregnant completely exhausted

[janeausten1775]

Hi,
I guess I just feel like having a rant / hearing other women's experiences and I'm tired of always just complaining to my husband (the poor man puts up with a lot from me). I'm 39 +3 weeks today with our second (DS is 19 months) and absolutely fudging exhausted. First pregnancy was fairly smooth (bad morning sickness but managed by medication) but ended in quite a traumatic birth. This pregnancy has been the absolute worst. Hyperemesis gravidarum for the first 4-5 months was horrendous (so bad in the first 3 that no medication would help, I lost a ton of weight and got really physically weak). Then we moved back to the UK from the States in my second trimester which was exhausting mentally and physically (new jobs, new house, dealing with a toddler at the same time). I had maybe 1 month of relative peace before my back pain and insomnia started, and in the last 3 weeks I've completely stopped functioning. I've put on stupid amount of weight because I'm in so much pain in back and legs that exercise is impossible. I'm so swollen my face looks like a giant balloon; I now snore and drool in my sleep and basically feel like a whale. And after all of this, my hopes of going into labour any time soon have been dashed - a couple of weeks ago I started having painful contractions and lost my plug but since then absolutely zero signs of labour. I really want to go into labour naturally even if it means waiting longer since with DS I had an awful induction turned EMCS so I'd rather not go down that path again. But I am SO tired. I've literally got to the point where I am resentful of my husband for not being as unwell as I am (crazy I know, someone needs to keep the house running, but I've lost the ability to be rational). Not even looking for sympathy, literally just needed to vent. Feel free to vent in return if you're also pregnant and miserable.

I am so here with you but at 38 weeks 😞Absolutely fed up. Cried for a good hour this morning as I am still suffering with hyperemesis in the form of all day nausea so can’t get anything done. Takes all my energy to just shower. I am stuck in bed most the day feeling so unwell with the nausea. My Braxton hicks are annoying me, like really annoying me. No sign of baby turning up anytime soon so I’m just going to have to be a crying miserable mess for the next potentially few weeks and I don’t know how much more I can take. And this is only my first pregnancy.. can’t see me EVER choosing to do this again it’s been the worst 9 months of my entire life. Been pretty much bed bound the entire time! Hope your baby makes an appearance soon :) thanks for the space to vent 🤣

I'm so sorry 😫HG is so debilitating. I was working/studying full time when the HG was at its worst (literally throwing up in between classes) and it was one of the worst times in my entire life. Honestly you are doing brilliantly even just getting up to shower. And I get crying from being fed up. People keep telling me to take advantage of this time to rest, but how can I rest when I'm in constant pain and up every 1-2 hours at night to pee? I can't even watch TV anymore my attention span is so short from how tired I am lol
If it helps at all, my first pregnancy was way better than this one - I was up and about walking around the city literally hours before giving birth. If you ever choose to have another one, you could have a totally different experience. It seems that how bad each pregnancy gets is kind of random 😬
Hope your baby comes soon too. Keep us updated

@janeausten1775 oh my don’t know how you worked. I have been signed off my whole pregnancy, absolutely no chance I could work. All I want is to wake up and not feel sick then I will be happy! Yeah I have heard about every pregnancy being different but I do know with my luck with this pregnancy that would not happen 🙃Do hope things get better for you as we reach the end. Let me know when baby makes an appearance and I will still be here dreaming of the moment!

Currently pregnant with DC2, 33 + 5 and feel like a beached whale. I have no idea how I will get through the next 6 weeks.

Hope baby makes an appearance soon, OP, and wishing you a safe and speedy delivery

Oh trust me it was out of necessity and looking back I shouldn't have been. Have been doing very little since the third trimester - I just can't!
Haha you never know your baby could decide to make an early appearance! Hoping for some relief for us both!

Thank you!! and yes, like a beached whale, that's exactly the right phrase!! Yesterday I displaced the bed slats under our mattress from my bump being too heavy. DH found it funny. Never been so mortified haha

Ooh I'd love to join in the moaning!

I'm 36 weeks. Had morning sickness from 7-20 weeks (though mostly constant nausea rather than vomiting luckily - I feel for you), then SPD took over from 20 weeks (has eased up a lot now though). Stress incontinence & painful piles. Diagnosed with gestational diabetes at 28 weeks, finger pricking 7x per day and really restrictive boring as hell diet, also millions of appointments and overwhelm from this. Carpal tunnel syndrome started a few weeks ago, worse at night and having to wear wrist braces - still the pain wakes me up at night. I'm weeing between 2-4 times per night. Baby is fully engaged and I'm so achy. Husband snoring also keeps me up. Low iron levels meaning I'm permanently knackered. Now have a cyst in my groin that's really painful. Also had to have dental work in the middle of it all. Working part time and looking after 3.5 year old and dog. Husband working full time and often overtime at weekends.

This is my second and definitely last pregnancy. It sucks. Still I've been told "this is the easy bit, you just wait till you have the baby"!!

Can I join 😂 I'm almost 38 weeks, no HG or sickness but I have the worst SPD/pelvic girdle pain. Had it since 30 weeks and been kind of managing but now baby is low ans engaged im on crutches by the end of the day. No stopping either as my DC1 is on half term! I can't bloody wait til I can roll over in bed without my pubic bone feeling like its being split apart!! Anyway moan over!!

Argh OP i'm with you, especially on the frustrating stop/start labour. I'm 40 wks today and twice in the past two weeks i've felt like labour started, painful contractions for 2 hrs then everything would stop suddenly. I think it's termed prodromal labour, the only positive being that often once real labour starts its usually fast (?? Hopefully!)

My first baby arrived bang on 40 wks so I'm simply not mentally prepared for an overdue baby. I'm in the beached whale club, totally exhausted from just existing and 0 patience for my toddler which is making me feel like an awful mum!

Hoping our babies both get going naturally ASAP

Me too! Please let me whinge! Only at 34 weeks and don't know how much more I can take. First pregnancy was straightforward but this one The splitting groin, the broken back, the puffy legs about to crack open from oedema, extra stones in weight and acid washing up my throat like lava. Baby pressing on my bladder and bowel at liberty. It's hell. Rank rank rank. It's so hard!! I feel guilty for complaining too as it's all such a miracle and I am excited but my god it's taking chunks out of me!

This sounds so rough, especially the gestational diabetes!! It seems like with pregnancy either you have a straightforward one, or ALL the ailments pile up. I can see why you're done after 2 tough ones 😭 I've always wanted at least 3 kids but after these past 2 pregnancies I need at least a long break!
Also people don't know what they're talking about. Waking up at night constantly to pee while being that physically unwell is definitely harder than having a newborn in my opinion!

SPD is horrible. I feel for you. And yeah how are we meant to 'rest before the baby comes' when we already have a toddler/child at home lol

Praying that you go into labour soon! I have heard that if you have prodromal labour when actual labour begins it's less painful and faster, so fingers crossed!!
And yeah I feel guilty about my toddler too but can't be helped, Ms Rachel is my coparent at the moment 😅

Same here! Good first pregnancy but knackered this time!!
Oh gosh I'd forgotten about the heartburn, I'm so sorry it's that bad for you!!
Of course, children are a miracle and I'm eternally grateful for mine, but it's just so much nicer once they're out 🤣

Ignore me here to rant as it’s very much needed as dp is driving me crazy with the hinting I’m pregnant what did I expect and have no one else to unload to (he defo doesn’t mean it that way but hormones make me feel he does!) Im only 29 weeks with my first and genuinely feel like I’m dying of tiredness, hg the first 5 months then pgp and I’ve spent the entire time waiting on the “second trimester burst of energy” and loss of those irritating symptoms but clearly im never going to get that! I’m convinced I’ll feel more rested once baby is here than I do now, mid moving in with dp so I have no help 99% of time and spend way more time crying in exhaustion unable to find the energy to even get up to go toilet than I’d like to admit. Gotten to the point where I’m convinced there’s something wrong with me as no way can it be normal to be this tired! Had a cry the other day after seeing a thread on here about how maternity leave was everyone’s best times, days out, spending time with friends, shopping trips and leisurely strolls…oh how I wish that was me I can’t even spend an hour shopping in person without swelling and feeling like I haven’t slept in days whole body aching!

Hoping you get the birth you hope for, you must be so so fed up by now, the just wait till they’re here comments really piss me off too, I don’t think they realise we’re longing for the day of even an hour of comfortable sleep and slowly gaining our energy back. I’m struggling so much now and it’s just me and the pets to look after while like this so I can’t imagine how draining it is parenting and running after a toddler along with it! The ones of you doing so genuinely deserve a medal (or a weekend of peace and sleep where you actually wake up feeling rested and normal )

I feel like my pregnancy enjoyment has been completely robbed from me after wishing for a miracle after so many losses and rather afraid my mental health has gone to shit again due to it but convinced myself stupidly that getting help for it is going to fuck up everything when logically I know I have no reason to worry about anything like that! Hope all you ladies are feeling a little better today the weather definitely isn’t helping me atm

Men can say the stupidest stuff and then just say they didn't mean it like that 😅 I read bits of your post to DH and he told me he can definitely see his younger self saying something like that just out of complete lack of tact 😅 they improve with age clearly haha
I'm so sorry your pregnancy has been so tough, but about being tired, it IS normal and there's nothing wrong with you!! Some women just have an easier time, my first pregnancy was a breeze compared to this one for example. For some reason, with other pregnancy 'normal' is feeling like trash basically the whole 9 months. It sucks so much but you're not alone ❤ but yeah I was one of those people who spent the last 2 weeks before birth just shopping and sightseeing with my best friend and feeling happy and excited about my first baby. Not this time around 😭
If your mental health has taken a turn for the worst, definitely talk to your midwife. I put it off until 2 weeks ago and it was a mistake not to ask for help sooner. Midwives see this stuff every day, it's their job to be supportive!!
I don't know if this helps at all, but think about how amazing you are as a mother already that you're willing to put up with feeling so horrible for the sake of your baby growing. That's incredible. If we're going to feel like trash, we should at least be proud of ourselves for keeping these little ones alive!!

How are you doing now @janeausten1775?

Had a sweep at midwife appointment yesterday at 39 + 5 and was told that I'm 3cm dilated already. Didn't think too much of it because it's a second baby and I know that can happen even weeks before labour starts. Then an hour later cramps started and I've had them on and off all night (still managed to get a bit of sleep luckily). I thought they were BH but they haven't gone away and are definitely painful enough to be called contractions. I don't want to get my hopes up too much but I would LOVE for this baby to come today or tomorrow. Midwife confirmed that my back pain makes sense with baby's position so I may be bracing for back labour, but I'll at least get better quality rest after she's here. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!
How's everyone else doing?

Exciting development then! I’ll be thinking of you today 💕
well speaking of period like cramps, I actually woke up with them yesterday morning and had baby by 9:25pm! I honestly can’t believe i’m sat here with a baby after what felt like the longest pregnancy even though she was only a day late in the end. Wishing everyone fast and (relatively) easy births 🙏

@amispeakingintongues oh my gosh you had your baby!!! I'm so happy to hear that. 😊😊😊🥰 Hope delivery was smooth and hope to be able to announce the same soon 😅

I think you will have some exciting news veryyy soon @janeausten1775 xx

You were right - she's here!!! After a tough but much quicker labour than with my son!!!

Yayyyyyy!!!! CONGRATULATIONS so good to hear this!!!! 🫶🫶🫶🫶 hopefully you’ll get some rest and enjoy it all being over with xx

Thank you!!!

Aw... congratulations!