Why am I always so tired? 4-5 weeks

[bethruss]

I think I'm 4-5 weeks pregnant and I'm feeling very very tired all day every day & feel as though I need to sleep all the time, is this normal!? This is my first pregnancy and my doctor didnt really tell me anything and a midwife still hasn't been in touch so I'm kind of oblivious thanks

[Skyblueboston]

Oh yeah was exhausted in the beginning,I'm now 20 weeks not so tired! It normal due to hormonal changes and body changes.

[bethruss]

Thanks I clean mon to fri 4 hours and it takes me one hour to get there walking it really does take it's toll

[Skyblueboston in reply to bethruss]

Wow that's very physical work, I couldn't do that!

Make sure you are taking pregnancy vitamins and drinking lots of water, and make sure u are getting enough rest

[bethruss]

I can't do i! Lol. But I don't know how to go about things ... Could I go on the sick/talk to work? I don't know how they'd take it & if they would take it off my maternity

What vitamin tablets do I need to take? & I will drink plenty of water

Thank you for your advice it's really helpful as I am only 18 and don't know how things work Lol.

[Skyblueboston in reply to bethruss]

Go sick, I have! I have really bad sickness maybe five ones a day, I went to the doc he has signed me off, I don't plan on going back as I hate my boss, he tried to sack me when I told him I was pregnant, but I manged to prove him wrong, so now I get ssp.

I'm surprised tat nothing changed regarding your job, I thought u might not be able to lift a vacuum, I can't coz of my back pain.

[bethruss in reply to Skyblueboston]

I have really bad back pain, my boss doesn't understand what it's like (he's a man) lol I think I might book an apoionment with my GP and see what he says

I haven't had any sickness yet

[Kaleidoscope]

It must be hard having to walk for an hour to get into work. Early pregnancy is exhausting. Your body is doing some fascinating and exciting things which just sap your energy. I had started a labour intensive course (I didn't know I was pregnant when I signed up!) and could only manage a week as I was beyond tired.

I would recommend seeking another mode of transport to work if at all possible. Bus or car share or lift from someone. I can't remember at what point it is good to let your employer know about your pregnancy. I'm not certain but I believe that they are obliged to carry out a risk assessment for your role as they have a duty of care to you as their employee and must come up with some way for you to be able to perform your job. Hopefully you will have supportive employers who will help you. Staying with your employer will mean there is a job to return too and also that you could get SMP (statutory maternity pay) you may not be eligible to go on that until further on in your pregnancy though, I think there is some info from HMRC if you google SMP. You may be entitled to job seekers but will have to actively be seeking permanent work and as you are early in your pregnancy getting either on going temp or permanent work is still possible and will still hopefully entitle you to SMP. Nothing to be concerned about if you aren't eligible for SMP as you will be able to apply for maternity allowance (you apply for this if you are self employed because as a self employed person there isn't someone external who is able to pay the SMP)

I'm 20 years older than you expecting my first too, and I still don't know how things work! Welcome to pregnancy! Wishing you luck on this journey!

[bethruss in reply to Kaleidoscope]

it is hard, i get tired walking there then i can't do my job as i am just to tired...

where i work is in the middle of no where no buses and its 5-9 people dont get back from work in time to take me and my partner works 2-10 which is a pain! lol...

ive had a risk assessment but nothing in my job role has changed, my eployer isn't the best lol

i've tried looking in to things such as going on the sick but apparently its to early, but personally i think its the most exhausting time in the pregnancy and i dont want to leave my job as i would like to get maternity pay

how far gone are you? wishing you look too, i am very excited

[DrFluffy]

I was completely shattered until about 13 weeks! As I was told the chances of me ever conceiving we're slim, I'd convinced myself I had cancer!!! The having to get up 2-3 times a night to pee and not being able to sleep properly (very shallow sleep when I'm usually completely comatosed) we also features of my first trimester that I am not missing!!!

Feel much better now though - not entirely glowing though!

[DrFluffy]

PS - if you feel well enough to walk to work, keep doing it! Great cardiovascular exercise and good for baby too! I'm still managing 12 day straight stretches at work and night shifts, and intend to keep doing so until 2 weeks before my EDD (health permitting)!

[bethruss in reply to DrFluffy]

Thanks I will be trying my best, I worry a lot as I haven't reached the "12 week mark" & I'm very emotional, is this normal!?

[DrFluffy]

Definitely! Progesterone does odd things to your brain! I had to tell my employers I was pregnant as soon as I found out (I work in an infectious disease/immunology unit and we had mumps, parvovirus, measles and secondary syphilis on the ward at the time!!), which made me completely paranoid about increasing my miscarriage risk by early disclosure rather than infectious diseases!! Would cry at really not very sad things on TV too!!

[bethruss in reply to DrFluffy]

im glad i am not the only one lol, i cry at silly things.. and it find it difficult to stop lol, i also cry and laugh at the same time...

[mellymoo]

Hi, I am 5-6 weeks and am exhausted. Didn't realise it would wipe me out so much! Also had light bleeding once or twice a day over the last few days. Doctor wasn't concerned and said it could just be one of those things. Very nerve wracking though. Making me very emotional which is hard to hide when I am at work. Seeing the GP tomorrow so hopefully he will put my mind at rest.

[bethruss in reply to mellymoo]

I didnt think it was going to make me feel like this either, it's amazing how much change is going on with your body isn't it

I hope everything is ok for you! Do let me know

[tigernoodles]

I was exhausted until about 16 weeks (but I had food poisoning followed by a bad cold at 13 weeks). it will pass but you do need to be kind to yourself and rest as much as possible.

it does pass I promise and you will feel energetic and much less tired. but just to warn you, it does come back too towards the end. I am 35 weeks and even though I'm sleeping 7/8 hours a night, I am very tired, not the same type as in my first trimester but really worn out and low on energy. so grab every opportunity to rest all through your pregnancy.

[bethruss in reply to tigernoodles]

I feel tired after doing my house work in the morning then feel like I have literally got to drag myself to work every day it's really bad and my boss is very pushy too

[Hidden]

I just found out today that I am 4-5 weeks pregnant. So a lot of the symptoms mentioned above sound familiar & lots of odd things are falling into place now...

Working in fitness, my job is pretty physical, and luckily, I have had no trouble teaching fitness classes, going out running & swimming as usual & getting through each working day, but I've been desperate for some early nights & by Friday I've been totally wiped out & in bed by 8-9pm! I thought it was just the January rush & the long grey nights making me lethargic, but now I know... hormones!

My emotions have been a bit up & down, too. I am quite irritable & even woke up crying for no apparent reason last week.

I've been a bit queasy, but so far, no major sickness - fingers crossed. But certain smells have been making me feel a bit queasy, including, my husband's aftershave, the car air freshener, the pickled cabbage festering in the back of the fridge...they all have to go now!

The most obvious symptom & the one that led me to take the pregnancy test today (as I haven't been having periods for over a year, so that wasn't an indicator for me) was that my boobs are really tender & swollen. My husband wasn't shocked when I showed him the positive result as he said it was either that or I'd had a sneaky boob job!

Sorry to ramble on, but I've not spoken to anyone about all this stuff, apart from my husband but of course, that's not the same!!

Good luck to everyone on here, it's a freaky yet exciting time :o))

[bethruss in reply to Hidden]

yesterday I woke up at 10 from an 8 hour sleep had almost 2 hours nap in the day & then still felt terrible so went to sleep at 12 & woke up at 10 this morning & I am exhausted still! You are so lucky to have the energy still my emotions have been terrible but thinking about my moments they are kind of funny and my boyfriend gets freaked out lol yes I am the same no sickness but little things make me feel queasy too

& haha! he would have known if you had a boob job my boobs haven't felt tender at all but they have gotten slightly bigger lol

I'm glad you rambled on lol it gives me an idea that my symptoms are normal/not normal so thanks & I haven't had anyone to talk to about it either as I feel it is boring to other people

Good luck to you too!

[Hidden in reply to bethruss]

Have you seen your GP about the extreme tiredness yet?

I was thinking it may be worth asking him to check your iron levels because if they're low that would make you feel even more fatigued. You can take iron supplements to help boost your levels.

Other supplements I've read that we should take are folic acid (up to 12weeks) & Vitamin D. A multivitamin is a good idea but make sure it doesn't have Vitamin A in it as too much of this is harmful, apparently...

Also to fight the fatigue, try eating little and often to keep your energy levels up - have something light every 2-4 hours. So little snacks in between meals such as fruit, yoghurt, nuts, rice cake with peanut butter, veggie sticks with humour. At the moment I'm off rich foods & have to keep it really plain. I mostly fancy carbs & dairy & anything a little bit salty- maybe that says something about nutrients I'm lacking...!

Food for thought for you anyway ;0)

[MummaMia3]

Hi hun.... (i'm 33 weeks with baby number 3) firstly.... don't be alarmed that the midwife hasnt contacted you yet.... you probably wont hear a thing until around 10 weeks when baby's heart beat can be heard and you'll be ready for first scan etc (exciting!).

Secondly the tiredness..... with my first two children i didn't suffer any fatigue at all.... with this one I have been utterly wiped out the whole way through. Every pregnancy is different, unfortunately i've found out we cant select the symptoms we would like to have it's kinda a lucky dip lol.... make sure you're taking folic acid and vit D supplements plus eating/drinking enough..... none of this made me perk up in the slightest lol .

Your 1st blood test will show any discrepancies so don't worry about it.... if you need to go sick at work then go sick.... there is absolutely nothing they can do about it, especially if you get signed off. These first weeks are vital for your little peanut, take it easy and don't push yourself. Plenty of naps, plenty of pampering and get friendly with those symptoms..... they're not going anywhere for a while. We have to learn to live with em