Sooooo Tired!!!!

As a nursing student, my first thought is that you need to evaluate your "lifestyle." I would suggest these 5 simple changes:

1) Make a habit of having a healthy breakfast: for example, a high-fiber, substantial cereal in milk, such as Quaker Oatmeal Squares (and yes, they are delicious!) with a hard boiled egg and orange juice **Just a side note: fatigue can be a sign of low blood iron; consuming vitamin C (i.e. OJ)with iron (i.e. cereal) greatly increases its absorbtion!**
2) Take a good miltivitamin daily
3) Make sure you are getting enough protein throughout the day
4) Get at LEAST 6 hours of sleep (ideally 7-8) every night
5) Take a walk! Just 30-40 minutes per day (strap the kid in the stroller and go!)

Do these religiously for 2 weeks, and if you are still exhausted, call your Primary Care Provider.. you may need to be evaluated for low iron.

I am glad you have recognized a problem!! The last thing you want to do is run yourself to the ground! You have 2 kids to take care of already!!

Talk to your OB at your next appointment. You may need more iron. My bedtime changed to 9 p.m. every time I was pregnant. I just needed more rest than normal. Do whatever you need to do to feel rested.

Are you a stay-at-home M.?? If so, I would strongly suggest you make yourself take a nap when your 2 year old does. And I hope this nap is pretty much at the same time every day. Also, as long as you are not a high-risk pregnancy, EXCERCISE is suppose to bring energy to you. While the weather is nice, go for a walk. Maybe you can go for a walk by yourself. Spending time with YOURSELF can also energize you. Maybe your husband or a friend can watch your 2 year old while you go for a half hour (or more) walk. A girl needs a little time for herself. It sure helps ME to be better to MY family!! SLEEP! EXERCISE! TIME WITH YOURSELF!! Good luck and God bless.

Every pregancy is different. You could have a third child and be bursting with energy. With my second child I wanted to sleep 24 hrs and my first was 7 yrs old. I felt as if I was having the life sucked right out of me for about the first 4-5 months. I was sick with anything I tried to eat. Not actually throwing up but always feeling sick. I struggled to get up and get my oldest daughter up for school. After 4-5 months it did get a little easier. When I got pregnant for my third I figured It would be the same. Not at all. Once again I was bursting with energy. I cleaned house more then ever. I guess it is real what everyone was telling me. All kids are different the same as all pregnancies are different. My best advice is nap when your child naps or whenever you can. Your body is telling you that you need sleep so do it. You are growing a baby with God's Help. Help your body by sleeping when it lets you know you are tired. Being cranky comes with being tired......look at your child when he/she is tired.

First symptom of pregnancy = PEEING every few minutes
Second symptom = FATIGUE and/or LETHARGY
This, too, shall pass. Just rest ALL YOU CAN, and look forward to the day when you feel like 'yourself' again (soon).

Way normal... I was exhausted as well with my second pregnancy-- there is no extra time to rest-- but you will get more energy after the first trimester. My kids are 3 and 5 years old now-- but I still remember it.... Get your hubby to take your 2-year-old out to breakfast on the weekend so you can go back to bed..... :O)

Mel

Has your doctor checked your bloodwork to see if you might be anemic (low iron or not enough red blood cells)? That occurs very frequently in pregnancy.
Tell your doctor how incredibly tired you are.
Good luck!

Hi there! I am also expecting my second one and chasing around my almost 2 year old. You will have much more energy in the second trimester so just wait a couple of weeks and meanwhile take a nap when your first one naps and forget the house chores for a while... Try to have more quiet activities like reading books or building blocks. Also if you have a sand box nearby, my son plays there by himself very well and I even get to sit and read while watching him! It is getting much better as the pregnancy goes as well (so far for me at 7 months). I hope this help a bit!

oh, don't worry..... I was pregnant with a 17 month old and was sooooo tired that I couldn't even see straight let along remember driving to work some mornings.... it will get better - i promise. the best advise... sleep whenever you can and the rest of the family and friends will have to understand that house will not be clean or the laundry not done. but it will get better.

protein seemed to help me as well... the more I ate the less tired I was.... but that was just me. during those months I would go thru a large jar of Jiff peanut butter in a WEEK!!!!

Hello,
I too have gone through this extreme fatigue as I am 36 weeks pregnant now and it was really really hard during the first trimester. But remember that that your body is building a person and it requires twice as much energy as before. So even when you're relaxing on the couch..your body is not resting or relaxing at all!!!! It's hard at work building your baby and the best thing you can do is provide it with the fuel that it needs. Eat lots of protein and iron filled foods! Enjoy a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a glass of milk with the 2 year old for lunch sometimes for a quick protein and calcium filled meal. Also, find out what foods have more vitamins and minerals and less empty calories. My morning sickness was terrible and shortly after it disappeared, I made a point to find good, healthy, snacks and the more I ate the better I felt. Take your vitamins and get plenty of rest. A combination of all of these things will make you a happier, healthier, rested, pregnant woman and a more patient mommy whne it comes to the chasing of the two year old. I hope I helped and Congrats!!!!

The most common reason women fill tired is that they are anemic. Ask your doctor what you hemoglobin and Hematrocrit values are. Meanwhile you might just want to assume you are anemic and take a NATURAL supplement to boost your energy. We as midwives suggest: Floradix (Iron and Herbs) or Black strap molasses, or Chlorophyll.

You might want to get your thyroid levels checked out. Also, have you checked for gestational diabetes yet?

Once you get into your 4th month things should start to improve, but if you are still extremely tired you should have your blood checked. You might be anemic and need to take iron. Have your doctor test you if things don't improve.

I used green tea - make sure it's not just any green tea however - it should be high in L-theanine which is a non-essential amino acid - the L-theanine calms you down and energizes you too - weird! I studied bio-chem/nutrition in grad school. L-theanine also comes in pill form. The best that I found was ultra-L-theanine by Sunsomething??? It's on the web. Every pregnancy is different. My first, I was teaching and I was zombi - the second I was so energetic - God Bless.

probably a combo of both, but i would definitely have your iron checked. the baby gets his/her resources first so if you don't have a lot of iron in your system, it could be lower than normal. it certainly makes one tired and irritable to be anemic. i found that hemocyte works really well (seemingly better to me than the most generic iron supplements). it is otc but usually behind the pharmacy counter. of course, ask your doctor first!!

Hi

I feel exactly the same way! I have a 16 month old and I'm 12 weeks pregnant. Does your 2 year old play pretty indepedently? If so, I would try laying on the couch or something where you can still see and hear him or her, but get some rest at the same time. And even if housework needs to be done, you can always nap when he naps. I've found some relief to my tiredness, but the irritability I have not :). I wish you the best and hopefully the tiredness will ease up in the 2nd trimester.

look for a mothers day out program they normally meet 2 days a week. i did this with my oldest and would just sleep the whole time she was there! it helped a ton

I can see there are lots of other responses, but you should address this with your doctor. Out of my four pregnancies, one was especially tiring. I mean way, way, way more than any of the others. This symptom was due to very low iron levels. I was told to take iron supplements which probably helped, though I don't exactly remember it that way. If this is the case for you, take a stool softener every day. It's important for staying "regular" and to protect against hemorroids.

I worked full time up until the birth and routinely came home after work and collapsed on the bed waking a few hours later asking my husband and older son "where's dinner?" According to their reports, then I'd shower and head back to bed. This went on for nearly the entire pregnancy. Best of luck - get plenty of rest.

You are probably through the worst part of it as far as fatigue goes - I think the first three months are the toughest since your body has to build all the "infrastructure" to support your baby. That said, I also struggle with energy issues (even when not pregnant!) and I have found that chlorophyll - either in liquid form or capsules - and lecithin help me significantly to have good energy throughout the day and neither have any harmful side effects. You can get them at local health food stores, but the least expensive I have found is www.SwansonsVitamins.com. They charge a flat rate for shipping (no matter how much you buy) and they get it to you very quickly.

Also, my mother is an expert on natural health solutions and she is just starting a blog (after a year of us trying to convince her to do this!). She has studied nutrition, herbs, massage, hydrotherapy, etc., and how the body works for over 35 years and taught courses and worked with many people. Right now, the blog is not quite ready, but you can e-mail her if you have any questions regarding health at: ____@____.com'd be happy to help you.

Hang in there, and God bless you and your pregnancy!

M. G, Feeling ill and irritable is definitely tiring! Are you getting enough good nutrition in your body these days for you two? It is important to keep your immune system up also. Are you able to schedule time for yourself during the day, a quiet time for you?

If you are interested in maintaining a healthy immune system I suggest you look at In-Liven a probiotic superfood good for you and the whole family. It also comes in a gluten free liquid. It has helped me alot, since I work closely with people all the time. The website is
www.blueridge.mionegroup.com. Please let me know if I can help!

E.

Talk to a nutritionist, not just your ob. You may need to take extra vitamin B, or there may be other vitamins and minerals that you are low on. But you don't want to supplement on your own. There is a product called "super food", which is a powder that you can add to juice and can get in most health food stores. It should be ok to add to your diet without checking. Even some health food stores have nutritionists who work there, but be careful because sometimes the people who work there act like experts but they're really not. And drink LOTS AND LOTS of water, just being dehydrated can make you tired.

Try to nap when your child is napping. I kept waiting for the burst of energy when I was pregnant with our second child (who is almost nine now!) and never got it. When I asked my doctor, he said that I had that burst of energy, which is how I was able to keep up our hectic pace, but I didn't realize it because I was using it up so fast! :)
Just remember that it will pass, and you can do almost anything for 6 months! :)

you need to tell your obgyn that. You could have a problem. It could be anything from thyroid to vitamins to hormones. Sometimes when you are pregnant you get really sleepy and tired but if you feel it is abnormal you should call your obgyn and talk to his nurse and tell her to relay the symptoms to your doctor. Don't wait. Sometimes they can switch your vitamins and you will be ok. You just never know but there is no since in feeling this way if you don't have to.

If you are doing this on your own yes that can be so very stressfull.
You need help so you can have time to yourself for a while.
Like ask a dear friend who is near and knows you well to help you with your child of two. Yes they do keep one busy.The child of two I mean. You need some time to your self. the littleone in you feels all that and will act upon it in or out of you. And maybe affect it's new life later.
And if you have relatives that love you as you are in many ways. Just ask if they could help you in your growing family That you truely want to have and cherish as a good mother.
And I feel you are a great M.. You just try to get some rest. It will take some time to get it all figure out. But that is what life about. Time
I hope you have a good day Today

Vicki W.

Make sure you take your prenatal vitamins everyday. Don't skip them. Sounds like your body is telling you to slow down and it needs a rest. Ask your gynocologist and he may be able to give you a shot of Vitamins or test you to make sure you aren't deficient. Last time I felt like you are describing, I'm old by the way 51 and not pregnant, I went to my doctor and told him I just didn't have any energy and that I wanted to sleep all the time. He checked my iron and it was 9. He said it never is suppose to be below 18 and goes up safely to the 200's. Mine was 9. My point is, your body is telling you, you are tired for a reason. Listen to it and rest and tell your doctor.

It sounds like you need to take vitamins. Your iron may be low too. If it is you will have very little energy.
Talk with your doctor. Have your iron tested, and start taking vitamins regularly. Having a regular exercise routine will also build your energy level. Start at a minimum and keep it up. You'll be surprised how quickly your strength comes back to you.
God bless,
L. C.

You are going to be tired, especically with your second child b/c you have no time to rest. But you could be low on iron, that will make you tired. Just call your doc and ask them if they can recommend anything. Or, just try a little extra iron, you can over do it so be careful. When I was pregnant with my second child, I had my first sit right on front of me and play or watch tv. I would nap on the couch while he played. Lock the front door and put a gate up if you have to just to make sure he doesn't get out but if you sleep light like me after having kids, you will know if he even stands up. It really helped. Also, nap while your child naps!

Hey M. G! have you talked to your OBGYN about this? Maybe it's not normal to be so tired at this time in your pregnancy. I know having a two year old to tend with is tiring without being pregnant again. Talk to your doctor and ask for help. Ask if someone can watch your two year old so you can take a nap in the afternoon to build up your energy. Can you put your two year old in a Mother's Day Out program one or two days a week to give you a break? First of all talk to your doctor and see what he/she has to say and make sure you are ok.

You didn't mention your age, but when I had my two daughters and in my early thirties, I had to nap every day. I constantly got exausted so easily and had such terrible brain fog that I couldn't think straight. Also, my joints ached, and I was irritable a lot. My skin felt like it was crawling! I now realize I had most of the symptoms of Fibromyalgia. I say "had" because I changed my diet and cured every one of my problems. I stopped eating all petroleum-based artificial colors, flavors and preservatives, cut way back on refined sugar ( I was a sugarholic! ) started eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, whole wheat and grain breads, organic meat and dairy and I drink lots of filtered water (no sodas - especially no DIET!) Look up www.feingold.org for info on the artificial ingredients in our foods. Feingold is a 30yr old non-profit organization whose purpose is to inform the public about petroleum-based artificial ingredients and the many harmful side effects they cause. It can take months or even years to start feeling energetic again, so don't give up. I've been eating healthy for 6 years and I feel better every year. Best wishes.

L. B.

M. G,
Hello you are pregnant and tired. Hopefully you have family around to help you use them use them use them for your two year old and take a nap. Forget the dishes, etc. When your child is not with you take a nap. Have you looked into daycare? I work for Child Protective Services, if you are military there are places on base where you can drop your child off for a few hours, here in my town there is a place called Kidz Bidz where you can drop your child off for a few hours without signing a contract. Also, our Dept of Social Services has a drop in daycare for about 1-3 hours but you have to call in first. I would love help but do not know where you live. If you are military call the Community Counseling Center on your base or the Childcare facility. In your community I am sure there are drop in daycare facilities. You and the baby need the rest. If you have friends who are willing to take the two year old for a while use them. With my second child, luckily my family lives here around me, they had to take my oldest so I could sleep I was so overwhelmed and tired all the time. You could also ask your doctor about a B12 Shot they gave me one once a month and it helped with energy. Some people cannot take the B12 pills because their bodies do not absorb them and I was one of those people. Depending on you income DSS may be able to pay a portion of daycare. I think daycare facilities are great because they get the children use to being social, and they teach them and get them ready for school. Do some researching, DSS can also help with that or Smart Start, You want to check the stars and I prefer personally centers rather rather than in home. Hope this helps.
A.

My heart goes out to you. I can never understand why women want the children so close together. My first 2 were 31/2 yrs apart. The older child was wonderful and prepared. He still needed nurturing, but was not getting into everything, and a constant whirlwind. The next child was born when #2 was 21/2-I know your exhaustion. I lay on the floor, so sick to my stomach, but being on the floor was better for the 2 yr old. It will pass, but you are a M. now, and you have lots of years of exhaustion left. Learn to take your husband's help whenever you can get it. Buy things that are easier for you, easy to prepare foods, a swiffer cleaner etc. Hire someone to help if you can afford it. Put 2 yr old in playschool if you can afford to.
I am a grandma now, and I love it. Those really hard, exhausting times are gone, but you never forget them. Hang in there.

You might track down a naturopath (N.D., naturopathic doctor/physician) to check you out and see if you can get any help from that route. They have so many more things up their sleeves to try than MDs, I have found. It's not normal to be so tired, although pregnancy can certainly do that, but they likely have things that can help.

When I was pregnant my worst period of exhaustion was right on the end of the first trimester. I think that's pretty common. You probably will not stay this tired throughout the remainder of your pregnancy.

Just make sure you get at least 8 hrs. of sleep at night, eat well, drink enough water, exercise, take prenatal vitamins, and nap when you can.