What Did You Do to Get Energy When You Were Pregnant

Unless you can sneak a nap in every once in awhile, maybe you can have someone come help you get some things done. =) Just do what you can and don't over do it. Good luck and congrats!

I simply explained to my eldest child, that Mommy is pregnant and I need to rest and take care of my tummy. She understood. We even napped together.
I simply told her, that I cannot be running around all the time. It is difficult.... she understood.

also, get help for all your errands and with your other kids. Your Husband can certainly help, right? With your 'to do' list, too.
Just tell him.
That is what I did.
Make your Husband a part of it all.

Pregnancy, does make a woman EXHAUSTED. It is normal.

all the best,
Susan

To know (although it may or may not apply) some women bypass PPD, by their hormones getting depressed DURING their pregnancy instead of afterward (PPD is almost unheard of in my family, but most of us are *massively* depressed while pregnant). Both are a response to hormones. Most women react badly to greater or lesser degrees (aka are happy/ loving life/ fabu when pregnant and crash as the hormones leave, some like me and most of my relatives react to them being in our system, period. Who knew that "the suicide hours" aren't a universal thing that happens to pregnant women (for me it was for almost an hour each and every single day... which was useful, actually... because I learned to have faith that how miserable I was would pass if I could just whiteknuckle it a little bit longer).

2 pieces of good news IF this is the case:

1) The *moment* your baby is born you'll start feeling a gazillion times better. Even sleep dep and new baby life seems like winning the lottery as every single day you're more and more yourself :D :D :D

2) I didn't know about it (because the women in my family just joke and help each other through), but one *can* actually go on antidepressants while pregnant.

You can get energy when you are pregnant??? lol....Your body is telling you it needs a break. Pregnancy takes alot out of you because the baby is demanding so much of you and your nutrients. Get lots of rest and don't stress about all the things that need done, it'll only make things worse. Can you find someone to watch the two little ones and give you a break for the day? and i mean a break, not time to work on your list. :) If you can't, just relax and take it easy. Let the kids play together by themseslves, you don't need to join them. Spend time with them by reading to them. You will be needing even more energy once the baby is born. oh and drink tons of water!

The right vitamins! Most vitamins once they dissolve in your lower intestines turn into free radicals. A friend of mine and I both started shopping and buying vitamins from this 26 year health and wellness company and noticed a huge change. I was not pregnant but she was...we both love them. Plus if you are paying for vitamins too, you want to make sure they are being absorbed right? Well that is why we shop here now they are the ONLY vitamins that are proven 85%+ absorbable at the cellular level! I am not a sales person for them, I'm just a happy very loyal customer and they allow us to share our 40% discount too, if you want to try them yourself! Happy to help! ____@____.com

I don't know how women do it with more than one child! I just have one son, and being pregnant was exhausting! I'd come home from work, grab a snack, take a nap till dinner time, cook something quickly, eat, go to sleep.
And then of course the sleeping through the night was disturbed by needing a snack (a piece of cheese was fine) and using the bathroom, and then my feet would get so hot I had to keep wet wash clothes in the fridge so I could cool them off. I don't think my energy came back till my son was 3 months old and sleeping a bit better through the night.

I feel for you. Being pregnant is very tough in Florida. I can't deal with the heat when I'm not pregnant but it's brutal when you are. I always drink tons of water but basically like all the gals say, "rest, rest, rest". Although, I always felt like I didn't get any rest. It's also twice as hard when you have other children. I took iron pills and extra vitiman B but I still felt the same.

Staying off your feet will help. Do the best you can. I always felt that my son lost a year of me because I was pregnant and my prenancies are tough; very draining.

Remember, you get that wonderful prize in the end. Sometimes the energy comes back right away and other times it comes back a month or so later.

Try to stay out of the heat as much as you can. I believe the heat causes me to have hypertention in my 3rd trimester. I feel like my blood is boiling. I was running around chasing after a two year old/almost 3 year old in the florida summer heat. I got to the point I just couldn't do it. My husband got hurt at work and I had to get up early and take him to his appointments and try to find something to do with my son 3 times a week while he was in physical therapy. I got to the point or my body got to the point where I just had to say no.

Rest is the key. Even with all the physical draining of pregnancy, I loved being pregnant. It is the most wonderful feeling in the world.

I would try to juice if I were you. Get things with greens and cloriphil (sp). You will feel so much better.

I'm 20 weeks and I've started using New Chapter Organics perfect prenatal vitamins. I got them on vitacost because their price for most stuff is better. I got it after reading reviews for vitamins, and several people mentioned their energy level improving on these...they are a whole food vitamin. I do have a lot more energy, but it might be that I started them around the beginning of my second trimester. Today while my daughter was at school I dismantled some old aluminum awnings that had been on our house, hauled them to the car, and took them to the recycling center. 82 lbs altogether....anyway, I feel great right now, but I still have a long way to go. Good luck.

Gosh it sounds like me! You are not alone... I'm also pregnant (33 weeks) have a 3 1/2 year old and a 22 month old. After just minutes of being outside I'm short of breath and my braxton hicks contractions are in full force. What I do is take a nap with my 22 month old at midday. My son is in preschool so it's easier. When he wasn't I would try to get him to sleep as well. After that nap...it takes a little while to get back into the day, but it makes a huge difference! Also drinking lots of water or coconut water. Supposedly it's filled with all these electrolytes. But even so...by 4pm..I'm about to have this baby again...so what helps me is giving the kids their dinner early like 5-5:30pm and at 6pm we ALL head to the shower. They play with these foamy toys in the shower...get cleaned up...and it really helps me relax since it's one of the few places that they are not fighting! That's how I've been dealing with this 3rd pregancy in hot Florida. Also....I do any shopping/errands as early as possible in the morning. I H. that helps!
PS....I even got tired chopping up a butternut squash yesterday and just dragged a tall stool to the kitchen...that's where I'll be sitting while doing dishes or food prep...Ha! Just ordered a stool for the shower (from Target) so I can sit and shower too. :)
Good luck!!

Hi Hopie. Congratulations first of all. And, I can totally relate to those hot energy draining summers.

Some ideas:
1. My toddler loves to help mommy. When you can, can you tell your kids that mommy loves them but needs to rest. ask them to bring their books to you to read etc. Put their snacks on a low table so they have access etc. Or ask them to play while you watch.

2. This is not pc, but once in a while, pop in a family dvd tv show or movie. my best friend and husband are truly brilliant people. I recently asked and they do let their LO watch some TV. I was so happy to hear. So go ahead. (not that i need their permission, but it did make me feel much better :))

3. Drink lots of water.

4. Give some of your "to do" to a friend, your hubby etc. or hire a teenager to help.

Take care of you.

HTH Jilly

Drink tons of water
Drink green juices and smoothies. That will give you energy and iron (from the greens)
Swim a lap at the pool, then spend the afternoon recovering. The next day, swim two, etc... That really helped me a lot. Most of the time I felt like a beached whale while pregnant, the water rejuivinated me, but it was an enormous effort to get started, but once I did, I always felt better and more energetic. Take a friend so she can watch the kids while you swim.
Good luck.

My pregnancies were both tough so I really understand. I found that if I took a nap in the afternoon, I could recharge my battery. Sometimes I just laid down and got rest, other times I slept for 2 hours. I also got a Netflix subscription so my son had something new to watch to keep him busy when I needed to get rest. You are in the home stretch but at this point, you have to give yourself a break and know that you will do more after the baby arrives. I also did my grocery shopping or going to Target after 7 pm when it's cooler because you are right about the heat zaping your energy. I had to be off my feet because I was swelling so much so take good care of yourself. You'll be off in running by Thanksgiving!! Best wishes.

I agree--small kids in Florida in the summer plus pregnancy just is exhausting. Get them to run around with each other whenever possible! If dad can take them out to playgrounds on the weekend, or even take them for a quick play in the yard after work, you might get away with more quiet stuff when you're alone with them.

Also, if you really feel like it's not right to be so tired, tell your caregiver. You might want to get your thyroid (TSH) and your iron checked. If there is a thyroid problem, it is important to know because it's strongly linked to PPD--it won't entirely go away when the baby is born.

Good luck and take care of yourself!