Avoiding caffeine but sooo tired... what did you do?

[LROM]

For those of you who've already got kids, if you were avoiding caffeine but had serious pregnancy-related tiredness AND you worked out of the home during pregnancy, what did you do to pick up your energy?

[karika]

none of the above applied to me when I quit caffeine. I was childless and in between jobs. I slept for 2 days straight, then had a headache for 2 wks and cravings for 2 months. Now that I am off it I have no desire to let the demon take control again, so I avoid it. I have used when I drove cross country to keep me up though....

So, in your situation, you may want to do a step down approach. Or, stop it all on a friday (or whatever day is before your 2 days off), come home and crawl into bed. your partner will need to feed you, help you to the bathroom, bring you anti inflammatory helpers (I would say herbal, but I don't know what is safe in pregnancy). You and your partner need to tell your children you are sick. You are like a person going through heroin or cocaine withdrawal. It is just as addictive and damaging. It is good for your children to see it maybe so they will know why you will not allow them to have this dangerous drug. You will live through it, though it may not feel this way at the time. I was on caffeine free sodas for years after I gave up caffeine, but you are better off skipping it all and getting off the addictive HFCS too (which is made from GMO corn in the US). I would say try to just sleep as much as humanly possible. Remember you are having a drug withdrawal and be easy on yourself. Make sure your partner knows the seriousness of this, show him the studies of how addictive it is, and that he will be your help. You may need to sleep from the moment you come home until the moment you get up for work again for a week or two, but it will subside. and you will know the beauty of a natural day again. You may have to use sugar (please choose organic natural sugar) to keep you up at work, unless it is an on your feet move around job... if it is a desk job, you may have sleep attacks. Best would be to take a week off. GL be strong!

[lillymonster]

Well, I don't think there is anything you can do. With my first, I only drank soda before I got pregnant, but that was my only food aversion during morning sickness, so I quit it cold turkey because the smell of it made me sick to my stomach. I worked full time during that time. I just came home and took a nap after work.

I don't do caffeine anymore, haven't for 3 years, and I am more tired with #2. I just nap or lay down when I can now. I have a 3 year old, so sometimes that is not possible.

[MacKinnon]

I had the worst pregnancy exhaustion this time, far, far worse than my last two, and went on and on well into the second trimester. I emerged from my fog about a month ago, around 23 weeks. I work out of the home and have a 3 and 6 year old. Mostly, I just slept whenever I could. I would come home from work, feed the kids the easiest possible thing (way too much fast food, I admit! but DH was good about helping too) then baths, pjs, and off to bed, with the kids, at 8:30pm. I slept until 6:45am or so. On the weekends I would sleep in until 10 or 11am AND take a nap! I did virtually no housework, I just couldn't. And honestly, I've also had more caffeine this pregnancy, I couldn't function without it. I make my coffee 50/50 and have two-ish cups. Oh, and my midwives suggested vitamin D and floradix (although my iron levels were good). I tried vitamin D first, since we knew iron levels were OK, and it did help a lot! Best of luck!

[HappyMommy2]

Do you have low iron? that is what makes me REALLY tired. I take Floradix 2x a day.

I limit to one cup of caffeine a day. I think that is "ok" while pg.

[RedOakMomma]

In this pregnancy I avoided caf. in the first trimester entirely. After my early loss (last year), I did some research on caffeine and miscarriage and was really saddened by the data. That might not have been why I miscarried, but because I was a coffee drinker--and only during that pregnancy-- I'll always wonder.

During the first trimester what helped me out were staying on top of my supplements AND getting an extra nap in as soon as my dh got home from work every day. I'd sleep from 4:30 to 5:30 or 6, then stay awake again until at least 8 or 9. Most days I needed almost 12 hours of sleep. I sacrificed all my free time (dh's too) so that when we were both home, I could be asleep most of the time.

Now that I'm in the 3rd trimester, I'll have a 1/2 cup of coffee now and then. Probably twice a week at most.

[lilmiss'mama]

Everything you said applies to me. A nap after work saves me, making sure I drink enough water (which I don't think most days I do), have DP make dinner most nights. Go to bed early!

[luckiest]

Looking back, I truly have no idea how I got through my first tri and kept my job. My m/s was pretty bad, but manageable, but the exhaustion was completely overwhelming. I work in high volume retail/customer service, so my work consists of walking constantly and needing to be "up" and super friendly and energetic.

I stopped caffeine (I was about a two cup per day person) when we started TTC, but even if I hadn't I'm sure I would have when the m/s kicked in. I had a HUGE aversion to coffee. Smelling it, or even thinking about it would make my stomach churn.

That said, I just called in to work when I felt the worst (maybe four or five times during two months...totally not like me), and spent the rest of my days "looking like a wet cat" as my coworkers so kindly pointed out. I guess I got through it by complaining a lot and spending every single moment at home on the couch. Good thing I have an understanding husband who can cook

[Pinoikoi]

I gave up caffeine for a pregnancy in 2003. I eventually went back to an occasional caffeinated drink a couple of years ago, but never was at a daily habit level (I have two friends that do the at least one cup a day thing or they can't function and I am too independent to be ok with that at this point in my life).. this pregnancy I have found that for exhaustion a chiro adjustment followed by an hour long massage really helps. There is a female chiro in my town that specializes in maternity care, and she has limited open hours on Saturdays during the school year. This pregnancy I also tried acupuncture, and I wasn't very impressed with it until I went to bed that night.. my sleep that night was amazing. Every part of my body went to sleep I swear. I woke up a new woman the next day.

[Earthy Mama]

It all applies to me too except for the quitting caffeine part. I cut WAY back from about 8 cups a day to 2 and was still exhausted.

[Quinalla]

Going to bed early, napping after work, going home and catching a cat-nap during lunch, etc. all helped some with pregnancy exhaustion. Also, getting a walk in everyday really helped and making sure to eat well too. For me, caffeine doesn't do much for me pregnant or no with regards to tiredness. I also occasionally took a B-vitamin supplement on days when I really needed to be more awake, but I wasn't comfortable taking that everyday.

Also, I made sure to write everything down that needed to happen at work. It was far too easy to forget things when I was that tired, so my task list saved me!

[AmyKT]

I don't avoid caffeine. I cut it out in the beginning and then stayed way cut back in the 2nd tri, but now I'm creeping up close to my pre-preg consumption, which is still under the acceptable threshhold.

BUT ... when I don't want to have any more caffeine and need a boost, taking a short walk helps charge me back up.

[mizznicole]

I don't avoid it. I enjoy coffee and it has health benefits (e.g. huge reduction in Parkinsons risk). So I try to stay within reason. You can try different brew methods to control the caffeine.

[~Charlie's~Angel~]

I had SEVERE exhaustion with both pregnancies early on, plus I worked out of home. I also work in a coffee factory. After the aversion to it wore off by week 12 or so, I went on enjoying it as I did before. IMO, i didn't drink all that much coffee, and still dont. Maybe 2-3 cups a day. SOMETIMES one in the afternoon. Thats it. I really dont think that is much.

[47chromosomes]

With my first pregnancy I just muscled through until the second trimester when I felt much better. With my second pregnancy, I did the same thing. But with two kids and a busy schedule, there was no way to muscle through.

As a previous poster suggested, what I am doing is slowly cutting down on caffeine. I don't consume all that much anyway--one mug of coffee in the morning. I drank that same amount during the first trimester. Now that I am in the second and the fatigue is less, I am just slowly cutting back with the goal of being caffeine free by the third trimester. I am not all that uncomfortable with consuming some good, organic coffee in pregnancy, though, so if it is not your comfort level, then I wouldn't suggest going back on it. Maybe you can fit in some walks during the work day to get you blood pumping.

[LROM]

Thanks for all the replies everyone! So for those of you who have young kids, I'm amazed that some of you are ABLE to take a nap!

Maybe because DD is only 18 months and is extremely attached to me, AND because I don't usually get home from work until 7:00pm, once I'm home she's attached to me no matter what DH tries to do to distract her. I get her to sleep by 9:30 (she's a night owl...) but then I usually have my own things to do that DH can't/wouldn't do for me, and I don't get to sleep until 11:30 or 12:00.

Weekends, DH usually works one day of the weekend and the day he takes DD away so I can rest, I just have soooo much to do I can't sleep! I wish I could nap, but it's hard to imagine. Maybe I need to imagine harder!

But the advice to take a walk, keep eating healthy, and maybe look into whether I can hide anywhere at work for 10 min and catnap (hadn't thought of that before) are all things I'll try. And maybe not giving it up completely.

Thanks everyone! I'm still reading if there are other ideas....

[crittersmom]

Make sure you are drinking enough fluids, I am amazed at how much better I feel when Ive been well hydrated.It really does make a difference.
As for what to do with the little for a nap.. I used to just close my oldest in my room and gate off the top of the stairs and put a cartoon on and let him play while I napped and sometimes I woke up to see him nestled beside me.It still kinda works for me now too.