Fatigue in pregnancy trimester by trimester: why does it appear and how to deal with it?
Fatigue during pregnancy is one of the first symptoms that expectant mothers experience during pregnancy. What does it depend on? How to overcome it? And above all, is it normal to feel so exhausted?
Fatigue is a very common symptom in pregnancy, even if its characteristics can change from woman to woman. The sense of fatigue, in fact, can appear in the form of drowsiness , weakness , difficulty in concentration or severe exhaustion .
The intensity can also vary: a particularly hectic lifestyle or disturbances such as nausea , insomnia or back pain can accentuate tiredness during pregnancy.
Finally, this symptom is not constant for the entire duration of pregnancy, but tends to be present above all in the first and third trimester , following physical and hormonal changes .
Fatigue in pregnancy in the first trimester
For many expectant mothers, tiredness is the first symptom of sweet expectation , even before the non-arrival of menstruation. In fact, drowsiness and exhaustion tend to appear already at the beginning of pregnancy , often starting from the 5th week .
The causes are mainly hormonal . In the first weeks of gestation, in fact, there is an increase in progesterone levels , the same hormone responsible for the tiredness and mood swings typical of the premenstrual period. Among its effects, there is also a lowering of blood pressure , which can cause weakness , dizziness and even real fainting .
In addition, already in the first months of pregnancy, expectant mothers experience an increase in the volume of circulating blood , which requires some time for the heart to get used to the effort, contributing to the sense of exhaustion.
Finally, fatigue in the first trimester can also depend on psychological factors . Whether the search for a child has been planned or not, in fact, the woman can be overcome by fears and doubts , worry about the health of the child or even have mixed feelings about the pregnancy. Emotions greatly affect physical well-being and fears can increase feelings of sluggishness.
Fatigue in pregnancy in the second trimester
The second trimester represents a period of “rebirth” for many pregnant women . In fact, together with nausea, fatigue tends to disappear almost magically in most cases and energy levels begin to rise again.
This happens because the expectant mother’s body and mind are adjusting to the pregnancy . Furthermore, the fact of having passed the first trimester (associated with a greater risk of miscarriage) contributes to greater serenity from a psychological point of view.
For women who instead feel tired and exhausted even in this second trimester , the advice is to consult a gynecologist . In fact, these symptoms can be caused by a lack of iron in the blood (so-called anemia ).
Fatigue in pregnancy in the third trimester
Tiredness and drowsiness tend to increase in the last trimester and especially at the end of pregnancy .
The weight continues to grow and makes it increasingly difficult to walk and carry out normal daily activities.
Furthermore, in this period many expectant mothers begin to suffer from insomnia , due to the size of the belly , the baby’s nocturnal movements and disturbances such as the increased urge to urinate , back pain , leg cramps and heartburn .
Emotional factors can then be added to this , such as anxiety about the birth or worries about the future role of mother .
Furthermore, many pregnant women feel a feeling of tiredness before giving birth , accompanied by the need to sleep or “be quiet” at home with their partner.
How to cope with fatigue?
First of all, don’t feel guilty if you can’t maintain the same rhythms you had before pregnancy: tiredness is a signal sent by the body, which is asking you to rest. Don’t forget that your body is spending a lot of energy adjusting to the pregnancy and supporting the growing fetus.
Therefore, limit unnecessary commitments, ask your partner or family for help to carry out normal daily tasks and adapt your sleeping habits to your new needs: if you have time for a nap after eating, do so and bring forward the time to sleep if you are tired.
Having made this necessary premise, we offer you 5 tips to deal with tiredness and sleepiness during pregnancy .
- Eat small , frequent and healthy meals : in addition to guaranteeing you the right energy and avoiding excessive weight gain , they will help you counteract first trimester nausea .
- During the day, keep yourself well hydrated , but avoid drinking too many liquids before sleeping , to limit awakenings due to the need to urinate.
- If you’re at work and can’t keep your eyes open, try some deep breathing exercises or get up and take a walk around the office. Instead, limit caffeine-based drinks , which can have harmful effects on the baby.
- When you are on a break or have some free time, go for regenerating walks . More generally, remember that regular exercise increases energy levels because it stimulates the release of endorphins .
- Get used to sleeping on your left side : this position promotes digestion , relieving nausea and heartburn. Lying down on your side also helps reduce back pain . Especially in the third trimester, to make sleep more comfortable, try keeping a pillow between your legs and one under your belly .
Tiredness in pregnancy: when to worry?
Feeling tired or sleepy is completely normal during pregnancy. In some cases, however, it is advisable to contact your doctor to rule out the presence of any complications. Let’s see which ones.
- Excessive tiredness, which tends not to decrease: it could be anemia . In this case, your gynecologist may recommend the use of iron supplements or iron therapy , as needed.
- Frequent dizziness: could depend on excessively low blood pressure . If they occur on an empty stomach and are accompanied by sweating, it could instead be hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
- Depressive symptoms: The presence of profound sadness or irritability , severe anxiety or feelings of inadequacy , or loss of interest in activities that were previously considered pleasurable can be a sign of depression in pregnancy . With the right help, this condition can be treated, with innumerable health benefits for mother and baby.
Tiredness in pregnancy: male or female?
According to one of the many popular pregnancy legends, severe tiredness or drowsiness during pregnancy would be a sign that the expectant mother is expecting a boy .
Naturally this is a false myth : in fact, there is no correlation between these symptoms and the sex of the future baby. In most cases, therefore, to find out if you are expecting a boy or girl, you will have to wait for the morphological ultrasound , which is generally carried out during the 20th week of pregnancy .
Kathryn Barlow is an OB/GYN doctor, which is the medical specialty that deals with the care of women's reproductive health, including pregnancy and childbirth.
Obstetricians provide care to women during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, while gynecologists focus on the health of the female reproductive system, including the ovaries, uterus, vagina, and breasts. OB/GYN doctors are trained to provide medical and surgical care for a wide range of conditions related to women's reproductive health.