Is there anything to be done for the exhaustion?

[annettemarie]

At the very beginning of my pregnancy, I had a couple good hours in the morning before the exhaustion set in. It started getting worse and worse, and then I found out I was pregnant with twins. To be honest, with the exception of one or two days, I have spent the past two weeks pretty much sitting on my butt in bed. I am so sick and so exhausted. And it's even beyond that-- I just don't really care about anything. My 11-year-old has been making lunches, the house is a sty, I'm just absolutely lethargic. I'm taking vitamins, I'm trying to eat enough protein, but in reality I have no energy.

I'm hoping it will pass, but what if it doesn't? Is this normal? This is my 8th pregnancy and I have never felt like this before. I feel like I am letting everyone down. 200 years ago, I would have just had to suck it up and do what needed done. Why can't I do that now? Is there anything I can do?

[MaerynPearl]

Have you had your iron level checked? I know that gets to be a huge problem for me, even taking my vitamins and eating the right foods I STILL struggle to keep it up. And I only have one baby in there...

[annettemarie]

Who would I ask to do that? I don't have another midwife appointment for 4 weeks. I do have a boatload of lab work I have to get done. Maybe it would show up there?

[2sweetboysmom]

Pregnancy (at least for me) has become remarkably more difficult each time. Add to that physical difficulty the emotionally draining quality of PAL and I am toast this time too. You have all that AND you are making 2 people instead of just one!!
I have done well to try doing things in 20-30 minute bursts with a bunch of rest in between. These are my survival tecniques----
-Unloading/reloading a dishwasher only actually takes about 15 minutes.
-Oldest kiddo can sort and run laundry and put it on my bed to be folded and then they can put it away.
-Most dinners can be started in the oven or crock-pot in just a few minutes. Again the older kiddos can be pressed into service making the side dishes while I rest on the couch and supervise/troubleshoot.
-Vacuuming really should be someone else at this point anyhow so we get a pass on that one too.
-Bathrooms can get a quick clean in just a few minutes. (If you can convince your boys to always sit then it will stay clean longer too!! )
-Set a timer for 5-10 minutes a couple of times a day for all kiddos to do a quick pick-up of cluttery stuff and get toys put away.
The house is still not wonderful but WAY better than it could be.

This is not the season for you to be super wife/mom/homemaker/wonderwoman... Relax and rest, make those babies, love your hubby and snuggle your kiddos!

[MaerynPearl]

Originally Posted by annettemarie

Who would I ask to do that? I don't have another midwife appointment for 4 weeks. I do have a boatload of lab work I have to get done. Maybe it would show up there?

If your midwife ordered it you can call her and ask if that is in it... or whoever you are doing it through (even the lab itself if they already have the order) can tell you if it is included.

I know for myself most times I have bloodwork done they check my iron levels.

[taralv]

Try floradix to help with iron levels. It's a liquid supplement that is easier for the body to absorb and it does not constipate, which is a big deal for me. This is my fourth pregnancy and by far the most exhausting! I have had to ask for more help from my husband and my older two children, as well as friends who live nearby. And I have also lowered my expectations for what the hose should look like and what I should look like as well. It is hard to feel so tired, but I do feel a difference when I pay attention to my iron levels. Hope this helps!

Tara

[annettemarie]

Thanks. I sent my DH out for somr Floradix. It took a while before he understood what I was asking for though, .

I have just never had a pregnancy as exhausting as this one-- my history is a third trimester miscarriage, 4 healthy pregnancies over a span of 7 years, another third trimester missed miscarriage followed pretty much immediately by a 7 week miscarriage, and now, 5 months later, pregnant with twins. I just feel so beaten down and apathetic to pretty much everything. And it's not like I want this. I want to care. I wake up in the morning and it takes me an hour to get up the energy to get in the shower, and then half the time I fall back asleep before I even get dressed. It's bizarre.

[queenofchaos]

I am in my 30th week of pg with twins and can relate to the exhaustion. This is my 9th pg, I have 6 kids. (One abortion and one miscarriage.) I am constantly trying to keep up, but having the worst time cuz pretty much everything wears me out.
Getting iron checked is top priority. My iron has been low this pg. It has helped to address that. Are you drinking enough water? A gallon a day is the recommendation. That seems like a ton, but is necessary. But really your body is working hard. You have a large family and that is a lot all by itself. Now your body is doing double duty.
I will play amateur psychologist for a 2nd and suggest maybe a bit of depression might be mixed in? Those miscarriages you had are not something to be taken lightly. I would think that would have a great impact on how you are feeling about this pg and how you are functioning. I don't know you at all, but it is something to consider.
I am sorry you are feeling this way. Get the rest you need and don't beat yourself up. If you continue to feel this way much longer, you should definitely talk to your midwife about it. And don't feel like you have to wait for your next appointment.

[phoebemommy]

I've been prone to exhaustion, too. With both of my pregnancies I've done daily or almost daily the hypnobirthing relaxation CD. I think it's known as "the rainbow" relaxation, or something like that. I usually zonk out for a couple hours with it, but when I come back around I'm totally refreshed and energetic, at least for a few hours. I don't think you have to be doing hypnobirthing for it to work -- I started doing it before I took the class and it still worked wonders. Also, there are probably plenty of other guided relaxation type things that would do the same for you.

[taralv]

Just thought I'd mention that I would mix the Floradix in orange juice or cold water - it's easier to drink that way. I also suffer from hyperemesis, so it's not always easy to get supplements down, especially supplements that have strong flavor. And I also wanted to say that I second the suggestions for maybe addressing the depression. I get really down during pregnancy because I do get so sick and I sometimes feel like my whole life becomes a struggle to get through each day. I have to "talk myself down" sometimes. It can be difficult, and it can make it even harder to motivate myself to get up and get ready and face the day. So, maybe that would help, too? Anyway, your comment about your husband's reaction to the name of the iron supplement kind of cracked me up. I would never have sent DH out to get it because I'm afraid of what he'd come back with!

Tara

[annettemarie]

Originally Posted by taralv

Anyway, your comment about your husband's reaction to the name of the iron supplement kind of cracked me up. I would never have sent DH out to get it because I'm afraid of what he'd come back with!

Tara

Yeah, his exact response was "Four? You don't even want one!"

Anyway, he couldn't find it. Sigh. So I'll maybe look at the grocery store.

I actually got up and got out today. I don't know if I am dealing with depression, exactly, but I was in the middle of spring cleaning when I found out I was pregnant and the whole house is just trashed. I mean, who wants to get up when all it means is a ton of redoing what you just finished cleaning?!? Plus none of my clothes fit. But I packed up the kids and went to a couple thrift stores this morning and got some maternity pants and spring/summer shirts and I feel a little more human. Yesterday was REALLY bad, sickwise. In all my pregnancies, I never threw up like I did yesterday. I'm hoping things will start getting better soon.

Thanks!

[butterflies]

Well, I've had 2 easy prior pregnancies and I could not believe how hard I was hit by exhaustion and nausea this time around. Until I learned about the twins, I assumed I was either unlucky or getting old.

Within the last week I can definitely see that there IS a light at the end of the first trimester tunnel. I'm almost 11w and my nausea is still present but less frequent. I'm not waking up sick in the middle of the night anymore. I still have times when I feel like I'm moving through molasses but not all day long. (otoh my house is still pretty messy. ) I hope it improves for you too!

It was an adjustment for me and also for dh-- we both assumed I'd just breeze through this whole pregnancy thing again.

[taralv]

Yeah, I have only found the Floradix at health food stores/groceries like Whole Foods. Still laughing about your husband's comment. That's something my DH would say. So I hate to send you on a wild goose chase looking for Floradix. That's the last thing you need is to have to go searching for something you aren't even sure works. I feel for you mommas of twins - I struggle with my single baby pregnancies.

Tara

[annettemarie]

It's really expensive! Oh my goodness...

[somegirl99]

Another option is blackstrap molasses, make sure when you eat it with something rich in vitamin C (for example, I put it on my oatmeal with raspberries).

[JTA Mom]

Originally Posted by annettemarie

Thanks. I sent my DH out for somr Floradix. It took a while before he understood what I was asking for though, .

I have just never had a pregnancy as exhausting as this one-- my history is a third trimester miscarriage, 4 healthy pregnancies over a span of 7 years, another third trimester missed miscarriage followed pretty much immediately by a 7 week miscarriage, and now, 5 months later, pregnant with twins. I just feel so beaten down and apathetic to pretty much everything. And it's not like I want this. I want to care. I wake up in the morning and it takes me an hour to get up the energy to get in the shower, and then half the time I fall back asleep before I even get dressed. It's bizarre.

The pregnancy right after my late loss was the hardest one. First, because I, like you, had a short space of time between losing one baby and suddenly being pregnant again. Each pregnancy uses up stores of nutrients that take time to replace. Plus with two babies, your body needs more nutrients than usual, so the demand is higher. Your body is under more stress than with 'just' a single baby.

Secondly, I was scared of losing the pregnancy. You have lost two pregnancies in a row. Now you are pregnant with twins, which is 'riskier' than a singleton baby. Not to mention the thought of caring for TWO babies is a bit overwhelming.

I notice that for me, the depression started as apathy. It was a nice, numb place I could retreat to because the alternative was to be really, really freaked out. And I would alternate between freaking out and complete apathy. A big, overlooked sign of depression is lethargy. I'm not saying you don't feel tired, but that it's not necessarily caused just by the pregnancy itself. Rather, it's a mixture of being pregnant with multiples AND stressing out (consciously or unconsciously).

That being said, you need to find some outlet. Start divvying up chores. Can you ask for friends to come over to finish the spring cleaning you started? Sometimes looking at a huge mess is enough to turn off any desire/ability to clean it.

Are there any friends who would assemble freezer meals for you? You could have your dh buy the stuff, have them put it together and in the freezer. That way you just need to pop it into the oven?

Ami