Normal to feel so TIRED in 3rd trimester?!?

[Shanti]

I have felt so tired every day the last few weeks, is it because I'm in the 3rd trimester? I felt so great in the 2nd trimester, had a fair bit of energy and slept well. Now that my belly is bigger and this little monkey is growing fast, is it normal to feel so tired? I'm still working full time (well, 4 days a week) and most nights I go to bed about 8:30pm and get a good sleep although I do toss and turn a fair bit. Started getting up to pee 2 times a night again too as my bladder is getting less and less room.

I'm eating well and figure my iron levels would be fine. I've got a GP appointment tomorrow (my 2-weekly checkup) so figured maybe I should ask for a blood test to check iron levels?

So just wanted to see how others feel in their 3rd trimester? It's normal to feel pretty damn buggered yeah? Especially when we're still working? Is it nature's way of preparing us for the tired days with a newborn perhaps......

It's 5pm right now and I'm sitting here feeling like it's about 10pm!! LOL

TIA

[AliBaby]

Hi Ren, You are further along than me and I have just started to feel really tired again. The last 3 days I have come home and been watching tv on the couch and fallen asleep in the arvo. Like what i did in the 1st trimester.

I think it is the combinations of the baby being bigger, more weight to carry around each day, pressure on all the muscles that are softening, getting up for the bathroom a few times a night, etc.

ALso this time of year doesnt help either. Its so busy and there seems to be so much to do. Just going to the shops and seeing crowds of people makes me feel tired!!

Hopefully we can have a bit of a rest in the hols to recoup some energy. I read somewhere as well that training your body to have short naps is good as it will help when the baby comes and is sleeping at different times of day/night.

Hope your appointment goes well tomorrow. A blood test prob wouldnt hurt.

[~StarBright~]

Hey mate.. yes its normal to get tired in the third tri.. the second trimester is the magic trimester lol- the first and third are not so fun!!

It is a good idea to get your iron checked- they may do this for you anyway- but if not do ask.

Oh and the peeing and sleepless nights just get worse!! lol But i figured kind of like you said- its our bodies gearing up for whats coming- and learning to function on very little sleep once bubs arrives!!!

[*Efjay*]

nothing new to add, just wanted to say OMG your 33 weeks ALREADY! Far out its going so fast!

[DANNIIM]

Yep all normal!
I started my Mat leave basically two weeks ago and the first week i was feeling great, reasonable amount of energy and then it hit me this week, Monday i got up for an hour then i was asleep on the couch for another 4 hrs i think, Tuesday and Wednesday was the same. Today i was up with DP and even had brekkie with him so the energy has kicked back in again. Oh another thing is it doesn't help when you go to bed at 11pm then the loo calls at 1am, 3am and then again at 5am

Our bodies need all the rest we can muster for when we won't be getting it LOL!

[Ginger]

i am soooo tired atm, it's not even funny!

[rufalina]

Towards the end of my pregnancy I was falling asleep on the train on the way home from work, when I managed to get a seat. And the sleepless nights I called my "mummy no-sleep" training. I did have low iron levels and took supplements, but I am not sure if they helped a lot with the tiredness. Hang in there hun, not long to go now, and you will have a whole new lot of tiredness, but also a gorgeous baby to hold too.

[AnyDream]

I have felt so tired every day the last few weeks, is it because I'm in the 3rd trimester? I felt so great in the 2nd trimester, had a fair bit of energy and slept well. Now that my belly is bigger and this little monkey is growing fast, is it normal to feel so tired?

Um.....YES! Yes yes and Yes! There's a reason, you probably need to slow down a bit, rest more if you can, take the occasional sick day at work, etc. Your sleep may be more broken as well, so any lying down or resting you can get in during the daytime will help as well. Enjoy these final weeks of your PG as much as you can!

[smiles4u]

The last few months of my pregnancy i was no longer working ... and pretty much could take it easy at home full-time (lucky me i know) ... even though i wasn't working everyday for especially the last 2mths the moment it hit between 4 to 4.30pm in the late arvo i would seriously crash on the bed & go out to it for a good 30 - 40mins ... and then i would be like new again when i awoke

Mind you i was pregnant with my 1st baby at 40 ... & had high blood pressure due to age ... other then that ALL was really great

[AliBaby]

Just wantes to let you know that I just woke up from an hours sleep on the couch! Its 8:30pm, no dinner, still got jobs to do and I just want to go back to sleep! Bugger!

[Shanti]

Thanks girls! I thought it was normal, i guess i just needed some reassurance

Well dinner is cooked and i've eaten (waiting for Dh to come home from work) and i could fold all the clean washing that's in the loungeroom but instead, i'm gonna go turn off the tv and lie in bed and read until i fall asleep

I think my problem too is that I feel i just gotta get everything done before i can relax whereas i need to just choose to relax or rest instead most days. I just know that if I don't do the washing or whatever and leave it, then most of the time DH will do it and I don't want him to cos' he does enough around the house and works hard etc!
(although I don't complain when he helps me hehe)

We have our own business so I can actually take off more time if i need to but I am trying to get everything done before we close up for Xmas.
Anyway 2 more weeks until we close for christmas and I can relax for 2 weeks (our yearly holiday) and January i'll be a huge whale LOL so won't be doing much anyway

It's also this time of the year we are so tired because our last holiday was 12mths ago so we are due for some 'R&R' time big time!

Alibaby - just go back to sleep hun! although you should try and eat something first hehe

[Antheia]

Hun, you're growing a little person and that is tough work. Of course youre going to be tired! Just sit back and relax and let people wait on you lol. I am so tired these days i dunno how i cope. The kids don't really have naps so i can't nap either.

[Laranna]

Ren, yep, it is very normal. Before I started mat leave I would be struggling to keep my eyes open come 2pm and zonked out on the couch as soon as I got home. Once I started mat leave, I enjoyed my sleep-ins and nanna naps for about a week before DS decided to show up early! So, rest up as much as you can, put your feet up whenever you can and enjoy it because once bubs is here, it's non stop broken sleep for a while!

[Cyathea]

Yep, I'm about the same stage of pregnancy, I'm pretty wrecked a fair bit of the time, I find the heat is making life a LOT harder...

Hang in there, not TOO long to go now...

[Heaven]

Did you get your Iron levels checked at 28wks when they do the GD test? Usually they test them then. Found out I had low iron so I thought that's why I was feeling tired but the stupid supplements aren't helping *yawn*

[Shanti]

Sarajane - yeah i did get the FBC count (full blood count) done at 28 weeks and all was fine, i'm getting another one done at 35wks so will check iron levels then too.

I had the day off today and went shopping in the morning and then this afternoon did some relaxation/yoga for 20mins and then lay down for 2.5hrs and read my book!! It was relaxing..... I didn't sleep though! I'm just so used to working all day and so its hard to be able to fall asleep during the day!

[Skyeblue]

I had low iron in the third tri and I was exhausted. I wish I had the same opportunities to sleep as I did then...LOL....sleep as much as you can!

No really, it is all wonderfully worth it. Sleep deprived and all