Why Women Suffer from Constant Fatigue When Pregnant
Men have no idea what it is like to be pregnant and that comes as no surprise, as after all, you need to experience something in order to know it. One of the main complaints that women have when they are pregnant is the constant feeling of being fatigued, which is hardly surprising when you consider how your body needs to change in order to accommodate a growing human being.
What causes this condition?
Progesterone is one of many hormones that a woman secretes and when you are with child, there is a sudden spike on progesterone levels, which kind of acts much like a sedative. Another pregnancy hormone is human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), which begins to be secreted within the first 9 weeks of pregnancy and while this hormone helps to keep your baby in the right location, it does sap your energy. Most women suffer with first trimester exhaustion and there isn’t much that you can do except ride it out.
Emotional rollercoaster
The first trimester could be described as an emotional rollercoaster ride, as your hormone levels rise and fall to help your body deal with these dramatic changes that occur at this time. It can be quite a shock when you find yourself bursting into tears for no apparent reason, which is not unusual and when it happens, smile, take a deep breath and remind yourself that your hormones are going through the roof. It is important that your partner understands that your emotions are all over the place and that they need to be extra tolerant.
Lack of sleep
There are many reasons why you might not be getting good quality sleep and this can certainly cause tiredness during the day. If you wake up in the morning and still feel drowsy, it might be due to lack of deep sleep, which could be caused by anxiety or simply that you can’t seem to find a comfortable sleeping position. Click here for tips on how to lose body fat.
Multi-tasking
The human body is an amazing creation and a pregnant woman not only has to deal with the normal pressures of life, she also has to create more blood and build a placenta, all while feeding the growing baby. Of course, something has got to give and feeling like you have just run a marathon is a result of all that activity; lots of rest and a balanced diet are two ways that you can combat fatigue and remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day!
Mainly first trimester
Once you reach the start of the second trimester, the constant feeling of fatigue should be waning; most women report that the feeling of tiredness gradually declines as they move into the second stage of their pregnancy. Of course, we are all unique and what works for one person might not work for another and through the mum app, you can communicate with other mums and get the benefit of their experience.
There are UK government resources for pregnant women, which you should check out when you have time and hopefully, the fatigue will eventually fade away and you will return to your energetic self.