Pregnancy Fatigue
By Cherie Brunetti, Contributing Editor
Besides morning sickness, one of the most common complaints during the first trimester is fatigue. Or, as I like to call it, being freaking exhausted all of the time. Feeling so tired may be very frustrating but rest assured that it is perfectly normal. Remember, you are growing a person!! It’s going to be draining and take a toll on your body.
Fatigue during pregnancy is caused by hormonal changes as well as the fact that your body is working overtime supporting and growing your little peanut. You may also find that, even though you walk around during the day like a zombie, you are having trouble sleeping at night due to aches, stress, heartburn, or the fact that you have to get out of bed 20 times a night to pee.
You cannot do much about the hormone induced sleepiness but it is important to do what you can to sleep at night. Try starting a relaxing night time routine for yourself. Take a warm (not hot!) bath, drink a caffeine free herbal tea, and do some stretches or breathing exercises to relax your body.
Be sure that you are eating a healthy diet. Your body is burning through tons of energy in order to support your growing baby. Fatigue can be lessened simply by eating the right foods and getting enough vitamins and nutrients to support both yourself and your baby. Eat an extra 300 calories per day in HEALTHY snacks. Do your best to avoid junk food. Although giving in to temptation once in a while is OK and will probably help you to avoid the craving crazies. The craving crazies occur when you end up snapping and flipping out on some poor, innocent bystander because the grocery store ran out of Oreo Cakesters (Note: your husband is NOT an innocent bystander because it is HIS FAULT that you are pregnant and craving delicious chocolatey goodness in the first place. This may not be fair but it is just the way it is).
Although it may be the very last thing that you feel like doing, exercise regularly. It will help you to feel more energized and will even help you sleep better at night. Be sure to take it easy and don’t overdo it. Take a walk around your neighborhood or go for a swim. I had a prenatal yoga video that was great for me. It was strenuous enough to give me a workout but I was also able to enjoy the poses and relax. I was also able to do the workout throughout my entire pregnancy because they had women in all stages of pregnancy doing the routine and they showed modifications for the second and third trimesters.
Remember, pregnancy fatigue is normal and it is your body’s way of telling you that you need to rest. Do your best to respect your body and get as much sleep as you possibly can. After all, you’re sleeping for two!
