Shortness of Breath

[expatinscotland]

Am 17 weeks along, so baby is not big enough to be pressing on my diaphragm and squishing my lungs up.

Dunno if it's the heat or what, but I've started waking up at least twice a night gasping for breath. It's an awful feeling, like you just want to run outside (no possible as we're in a 2nd floor flat w/no balcony) and gulp air.

I've started to hate lying down b/c I feel like my breathing is compromised.

I now sleep propped up on 3 pillows (lying on one feels REALLY oppressive) and am still waking like this.

Anyone else encounter this whilst pregnant?

I think that's what the food standards agency says too: prawns and shellfish are ok if they're cooked. I haven't eaten any in a restaurant (bit wary about ice-cream out too) but at home would be find. Same with blue cheese etc. If you're blasting it in the oven at 200 degrees, there's not much that's going to survive...

'Fine', I meant.

Huh? I don't eat prawns. Sorry, wrong thread.

Yes - I have had this since week 25 - its scary, its been 6 weeks now. My doctor gave me an decongestant - but it hasn't really helped. I think my problems stems from snorring. I wake up alot - every hour often sometimes I get 2 hours sleep in a run! My doctor says this is the effect of progestorone and estrogone in my system - and will go once baby is here. Sorry this is more understanding than help - I do find I'm worse in the heat.

yep... had it the whole way through!
VERY scary sometimes, and on a couple of occasions was wanting toi go to hospital but it subsided eventually...

told the doctor who just dismissed it and said it was one of those pregnancy things...

I have also started to experience this! this is my third pregnancy and i never really had it with my other 2! this time just recently (im now 29 weeks) i have found myself to be suddenly gasping in the night and the day aswell occasionally, i find it worse late in the evening! its not nice at all and can make you feel a little panicky i think - its quite a scary sensation! xxx

When it wakes me up it's quite scary. I literally want to run outside and gulp air. It's starting to make me afraid to go to sleep.

And the baby's only around my tummy button just now.

I'm hoping for a chilly Autumn.

expat... although i had this all the way through it did get better the further on i got. in as much as it was far less frequent.. and not as extreme!

do talk to your GP though, because it could be low bp (well, that's what they checked when i mentioned it!)

expatinscotland - it could also be anaemia - as lack of red blood cells can couse extreme shortness of breath - I'm on iron tablets at the moment - so I hope it will start to better soon!

This was happening to me at 17 weeks as well. I found that if I had a nice cool drink it did the trick . Could be de-hydration????

Bami xx

Don't think it's dehydration. I drink 3ltrs a day in this weather. Yesterday, I had half a litre just before bed as it was muggy here last night.

Rang the GP and got an appointment to have BP and iron levels checked.

Man, it's freaky to wake like that. And the way it feels when I lie down. Yuck. It's somewhat better when I lie on my left side but invariably I roll around whilst sleeping.

Blimey - Then I must be de-hydrated! I don't drink that much a day. Probably about 1.5 ltrs.

Anyway - you've done the right thing by checking it out with GP.

I too toss & turn thru the night. Start off on left side then end up all over the place

I pop two peppermint tea bags in a 2 ltr pitcher and cover with boiled water. Refrigerate. I do the same w/a 1 ltr water bottle - for on the go water.

I may give that a try. I always find that water alone always leaves a funny taste. I like pepper mint as well

It's not just baby pressing that leads to shortness of breath but increased blood supply and workload for the heart. I was short of breath early on too.

I just get the Sainsbury's stuff. Tap water makes me sick.

i also suffer from anaemia. i found that it took me ages to get to sleep, and then i would wake after a couple of hours gasping for breath. i went out and bought a v shaped pillow, sleep with that and 3 other normal pillows and now get more uninterupted sleep.