5 ways to beat pregnancy fatigue
Every pregnancy is different. Your pregnancy will be different from your friend’s and your mom’s and your first and second (and so on) pregnancies can very much differ from each other. My second pregnancy has been so different from my first! What worked with the first didn’t work for the second one but luckily with so many options available, I was able to find other things that helped. So if what you used last pregnancy isn’t helping this time or the tricks that your mom swears by for her pregnancy issues aren’t working for you, that’s not only okay, but almost expected. No two women are the same, no two fetuses are the same, and that means that you can expect each pregnancy to differ.
Fatigue – the fatigue of pregnancy can be tough to deal with, especially while you are working out of the house, chasing around a toddler, or both! Luckily, there are things you can do to help.
Adrenal support – your adrenal glands are the glands that help control your stress and pregnancy can be stressful both physically and emotionally. Make sure to eat well, get adequate sleep, and take time for yourself. Practicing mindfulness can help keep your adrenals and energy in check.
Rest and Sleep – this sounds obvious but the amount of sleep that was working for you may not be enough while you’re pregnant. Up those hours of zzz’s and help restore your energy. Nap when you can too—you’re growing a human and that takes work. You need and deserve the extra rest!
Nutrition. Don’t forget to feed yourself well. A healthy diet is an important part of a healthy pregnancy and can help mitigate some of the less enjoyable side effects of pregnancy, like fatigue. Eating a variety of foods, including vegetables and fruits, will help ensure that you are getting all of the different nutrients required for pregnancy and your overall health.
Avoid food sensitivities. Pregnancy often makes people think that they can eat whatever want. This is partly true since food sensitivities typically decrease while pregnant, but keep in mind that it’s not the case for everyone, and sometimes those effects don’t kick in until the second trimester. Eating foods that your body isn’t tolerating can make your symptoms worse, and it can create more work for your adrenal glands by adding extra stress. So if you are experiencing fatigue, nausea, or any other pregnancy symptoms, get rid of those aggravating foods until you’re feeling better. The most common offending foods to avoid are gluten, dairy, corn, and soy.
B vitamins – stress depletes our B vitamins and let’s be honest, growing a baby can be stressful! Replenish with a B vitamin complex or straight B12 (depending on your current diet, blood levels and your doctor’s recommendations). Animal protein (like eggs, fish, and meat) is a great way to get B vitamins in your diet.
Healthy fats and Vitamin C (as well as B vitamins) will help feed your adrenals and keep them strong so that they can continue to support you.
Watch your sugar intake. Too much sugar can take a toll on your adrenal health and contribute to fatigue so keep your sugar intake in check. Make sure you keep your blood sugar stable as well to prevent the fatigue that can come from unbalanced blood sugar levels.
Take a solid prenatal vitamin. A prenatal vitamin will provide you with the nutrients you need for your health and your growing baby. A prenatal can help fill in any nutrition gaps in your diet. Make sure you are taking a prenatal that contains the useable forms of vitamins and minerals to make sure that your body can actually utilize them. My favorite is Thorne’s Basic Prenatal but there are many good ones out there to choose from.
Take care of yourself. Make sure that you are taking time to care for yourself helps keep your stress levels down. You can’t care for your growing fetus (and the baby that will soon arrive) if you don’t take care of yourself first.
Always check with your physician before starting any new diet or supplement regimens.