I Can't Stay Awake!

Definitely ask about the IRON. I went through the same thing and my iron was seriously low. When I was that tired, they put me on iron and then tested my iron level 3 weeks later. Three weeks later, I was still lower than the lowest acceptable level (even though I had been on iron tablets). FOr my 2nd pregnancy, they put me on iron from day 1 of the pregnancy and I felt much better through the whole thing.

Oh man I remember that feeling!!! It was NUTS! In my case, my Dr. and I increased my iron and I started eating smaller meals more often. (I felt like a grazing cow sometimes), but I kept grapes in the freezer and munched on those. (I think the cold woke me up!)
Good luck! Here's to hoping you wake up!!!! lol

You may need more iron, but I also recall having alot of fatigue during that time period. Since you have 2 other children and are working, in my mind, it's TOTALLY normal that you are this tired. Your body needs the sleep to start building that baby. I remember coming home from work with my two year old and just laying on the couch for an hour before I could fix dinner, going to bed at 8:30 am sleeping 8+ hours and then having that same fatigue at work. One thing that might help is to limit your carbs during the day as those are very sleep inducing. I found that if I had protein in the morning (eggs) and just one slice of toast and then a salad with meat/fish (salmon is very low in mercury) or leftovers from dinner (meat/veggies), I did much better in the afternoon. Also, if you've dropped caffeine for this pregnancy (a good thing for your baby), your body may still be in withdrawal.

However, if it doesn't resolve by around 12-16 week timeframe, I would ask your doctor to test your Ferritin (the most accurate test for iron deficiency) AND to test your thyroid. It is not at all unusual for hypothryoidsim to be triggered during pregnancy. You may have been borderline before and pregnancy pushed you into the hypo range where you might benefit from thyroid hormone. This is REALLY important for the develpment of your baby, as well, I strongly recommend you talk to your doctor about this, particularly if the fatigue persists.

Ask your doctor about your thyroid also, just to be safe. I have a thyroid condition that had to be monitored during pregnancy - no big deal, but your thyroid needs to be at the right levels for baby development as well. It's a simple blood test and they can check for it at the same time they check for anemia. Good luck!

I think Mary has some great advice. I do remember finding it hard to keep my eyes open during the first trimesters as well.

I would suggest you talk to your doctor, let them know and perhaps they'll do some lab work....iron levels, hormone levels, blood sugar, thyroid, etc. (Any chance you're carrying twins?)

Rest when you can and stay well!

Yes, you may need more iron. Talk to you doctor. Also, are you drinking lots of water..it can give energy as well.

Have you talked to your doctor about this? It's possible that your labs are off and you may have a deficiency, anemic, too high of iron, etc... Pregnancies do make you tired since the baby's taking everything to grow, but you shouldn't be that tired. You stated you're back to work. Maybe that's taxing you more. That's a major lifestyle change for you and requires more rushing, stress, etc.. which could be adding to it. Definitely get labs done and talk with your doctor. If everything is fine, I think it's working, raising two girls, being a wife that's fatiguing. Eat healthy, exercise to get more energy (yes, it does) and make some time each day for YOU. Hope you get feeling better.

Try eating 5 small meals rather than 2-3 larger meals. This will help keep your blood sugar level so you're not dosing in between meals.

Hi. I had the same problem during my first pregnancy. It turned out my thyriod was/is underactive. I would have the doctor check when you go. It is common for pregnancy to make you tired, so its hard to tell if it is normal or not.

Congrats on the 3rd one! I am shocked you were not like that with your first two, :-). I was the same way during that time with my second one - work, home, kid, caffeine withdraw... No matter how much sleep I get at night, I am still tired by mid-morning. One thing I did and it helped, was going to gym during lunch time and walk for 30 minutes. It really helped me thru the afternoons. Of course, that's if you have all the tests other mom suggested, and feels okay to exercise.

Good luck,
S.

Oh I remember those days. With my second pregnancy I really couldn't keep my eyes open. I would fall asleep sitting upright reading to my oldest daughter. I kept telling myself it was just normal pregnant tired. It turned out my iron was low even with the iron in the prenatal vitamins. My doctor gave me an additional iron tablet. After I started taking that it was like night and day. I was no longer a walking zombie. Even my husband noticed an immediate change. Talk to your doctor. There may be something you can do to give you a boost. :)

In my experience, it's just part of the first Trimester. I was exhausted right up until about 12 weeks, then I got my energy back. Rest when you can, maybe take in a nap at lunch time. Congrats on your pregnancy!

Of course check with Dr. to see if anything else is going on, but sometimes our body can just take care of family and household when pregnant and can't ad a job on top. I know a person always think they need the extra money,but it just may be that your body can't handle extra right now.

Make it to your 2nd trimester and you will wake up!!!

Have your doctor check your thyroid levels at your next apppointment. I had the same thing that was what wrong but it took until my daughter was 9 months for me to realize I needed to ask for the test.

Hi Manda, Congrats! The same thing happened to me in my first pregnancy, and the doctor told me I just needed extra iron, same as Tammy G. Get checked. And like others have mentioned, this is probably not the time to be going back to work... God bless!

I would ask your doctor about Iron deficency, however sometimes it's just simply that you are tired. I have had six kids, and sometimes you are just that tired.

You are growing a life inside of you and that puts a lot of stress on your body and makes it work overtime, and sometimes sleep is what your body needs.

So check with your doctor about the iron, but it may just be you need sleep. Unfortunately working full-time doesn't always allow that. But definately take those little 20 minute cat naps where you can.

Best of Luck!

Hi Manda, I was a zombie and I couldnt seem to wake up my first trimester and If I didnt go to sleep around 8 at night I would start having nausea. The only thing I could do was during lunch I would eat a quick bite and then nap in my car. I would stand up and type, stretch, splash my face with cool water, and get up about every 20 minutes and walk down the hall if you can. Good luck and congradulations

Welcome to Pregnancy! That's all a part of being pregnant it happens during your first trimester and then again your third.
This to shall pass. Sleep as much as possible. go to bed as early as possible, take naps during lunch and even after wk if possible and sleep/nap as much as possible during the wkend.

Good Luck.
M.

I was like this really bad with my first pregnancy. I was off work during the summer for my first trimester (I was a teacher). I remember going to bed about 9, waking up to say good bye to my husband at 8 and sleeping until about 10-11 and having a nap in the afternoon. I wasn't as tired my second time, but I am with this 3rd one. As I remember, it's just a part of the first trimester. Some people get morning sickness, I walk around in a tired daze!

That's completely normal. It happened to me too--very embarassing! I ended up just breaking my lunch break into naptimes throughout the day. Just make sure people know that's what you are doing, or they will think you are "geting away" with sleeping at work. It helps if you have a private office. It will get better, though. Watch what you eat. Try to eat things what won't make your blood sugar spike, then plummet. By the end, I couldn't even eat a piece of cake without practically going comatose! Good luck!

I am sorry to say that this is probably just a side affect from being pregnante and still being in the first tri-master. Once you are in your second tri-mester you should start to have more energy. I went through the same thing with my daughter. Hope you start to feel better and good luck!!!

Just do the best you can for another month or so and you will get some of your energy back during the 2nd trimester.

first accept that you're gonna be tired throughout pregnancy.

you might try a b12 vitamin, they're for energy and OK to take

watch your diet and eat plenty or proteins if you're able to hold 'em down. also, for a qucik natural jolt eat fruit.