Ivana Poku You fell asleep at 7:30pm.
(Again.)
You woke up feeling like you’d been run over by a track. And you haven’t even gotten out of bed yet!
You look at your to-do list and think, how did I used to do all this? Job, house, friends, life… Now even getting out of bed feels too much.
And then there’s this little voice in your head going: Why am I so lazy? Is this normal?Ā
My lovely, I’m here to tell you that you are definitely not lazy.
You’re pregnant. I’m not sure most of us realise how big this is for our body.
You’re growing an entire human – from scratch. Your body is working harder than it ever has before.
The exhaustion is real, measurable, and to be expected.
It happens to pretty much every pregnant woman out there. (Myself included.)
So let’s talk about it.
Why does it hit this hard?
And what can you do about it?
Related posts:
- 15 Things That Surprised Me About PregnancyĀ
- Pregnancy Is Not Magical: Honest Truths for First-Time MumsĀ
- 6 weeks pregnant: Symptoms, Emotions, What to Expect & What to Do
- 9 weeks pregnant: Symptoms, Baby Size, Belly & What to expect
What Is Pregnancy Exhaustion?
First, let’s name the tiredness properly. Because “tired” doesn’t really give it justice.
Pregnancy exhaustion is not the tired you feel after a late night or a busy week at work.
It’s a bone-deep kind of tired that doesn’t care if you slept nine hours, or how much willpower you throw at it.
Here’s how it can look like:
- You fall asleep sitting up
- You need a nap just to recover from a shower
- Your brain goes foggy mid-sentence
This is just a few examples but you get an idea.
It’s a real physical state, driven by huge hormonal and biological changes happening inside you right now.
Your body is quite literally building a person and an organ to support that person, all at the same time. Of course it’s asking you to slow down!
Once you see it for what it actually is – a normal, temporary response to a massive job – it gets a lot easier to stop fighting it and just let yourself be tired.
I’ve Been There
I remember this stage very vividly, especially when I was pregnant with twins.
I don’t think the fatigue is worse when you’re expecting multiples, because your body works hard regardless, and how it hits you can be individual. But I basically felt like I’d taken a double dose of sleeping pills.
I was ready to fall asleep anywhere and anytime: on the bus, in the office, while walking… It was horrible. Especially the powerlessness. At work, I would use my lunch break for a power nap. Not that it helped much, but at least I didn’t actually fall asleep at my desk.
Luckily, it didn’t last too long and faded naturally during the second trimester.
While it lasted, I felt so frustrated about it! I thought I should be pushing through and doing more.
But now I know how silly I was.
I was pregnant so of course I was tired. Anyone would be.
So if you too feel you “should” be less tired or do more, please stop that narrative right now.
Accept your body and what it feels.
What’s Actually Going On In There
Now, let’s take a look at why pregnancy fatigue hits so hard:
1. Progesterone is flooding your system
This hormone shoots up almost the second you conceive, and it literally makes you sleepy. (Not a metaphor.)
Progesterone tells your body to slow down and save energy.
Throw hCG into the mix (that’s the hormone your pregnancy test picks up) and you’ve got a hormone combo that could knock out a professional runner mid-run.
2. Your blood volume is going up fast
Your body pumps out 30 to 50% more blood in early pregnancy. That means your heart’s working overtime. Which raises your metabolism and can drop your blood sugar and blood pressure.
3. You’re building an organ out of nothing
Your placenta doesn’t exist yet! Your body is making one right now, while also growing a baby. That takes a huge amount of energy.
But here’s the good part: this doesn’t last forever. Once your placenta is fully up and running, usually around week 12 to 14, it takes over most of the hormone work. That’s often when the fog lifts.
In fact, 7 out of 10 women say they feel a real jump in energy within two weeks of hitting the second trimester.
Hold on to that number. This is not forever!
What Actually Helps
You can’t out-will your hormones, and unfortunately, there’s no magic trick that makes this fatigue vanish.
(I know hit is hard to hear but bear with me.)
Here are a few things that can take the edge off:
- Accept the situation: Resisting the tiredness or trying to push it away often makes it worse. So accept the situation and remind yourself it’s not forever. This little mindset shift can be surprisingly powerful, and it takes the pressure off.
- Remember you’re not alone: It’s easy to feel like a victim of your tiredness. But there are thousands, if not millions, of other women out there feeling the exact same thing you do right now. That can help you feel less alone and zoom out on the heaviness of it all.
- Rest before you crash, not after: Waiting until you hit the wall makes everything worse so rest as often as you can during the day. It doesn’t have to be a long nap, it can be only ten minutes with your eyes shut. It really makes a difference.
- Eat little and often: Low blood sugar makes tiredness worse so keep close nuts, boiled eggs, yoghurt, whatever you can stomach. And don’t skip meals.
- Drink more water than feels normal: Your blood volume’s expanding fast, and being even a little dehydrated makes the tiredness much worse. So keep a water bottle on you and just keep sipping.
- Get outside, even for five minutes: Fresh air and a walk help a lot.Ā Again, even 20 minutes can do wonders.
- Lower the bar on purpose: This is not the season for a spotless house or saying yes to everything. Make your life as easy as possible. Order the takeaway, cancel the thing, let people help you when they offer… Growing a baby is a full-time job, so don’t try to live your life like you did before. You really can’t.
When to Check In With Your Doctor
Most first trimester fatigue is totally normal, but it’s always a good idea to mention it to your midwife or doctor anyway, especially at your booking appointment.
They might check your iron, or your thyroid, which also messes with energy.
If the exhaustion comes with dizziness that won’t quit, trouble breathing, a racing heart, or just a gut feeling that something’s off, don’t brush it off. Ask your doctor or midwife.Ā
And if this whole season is cracking you open in ways you didn’t see coming – not just physically but also mentally – that’s part of the story too.
I wrote about my ownin Motherhood ā The Unspoken, because SO MUCH of this stuff happens quietly, and I didn’t want anyone feeling as alone in it as I did.
Final Word
And that’s it, my lovely.
If you remember one thing from this post, make it this: your exhaustion is not a character flaw!
You’re not soft, and you’re not failing to cope. You’re building a whole new life. How exciting is that! š
Don’t worry, your energy will come back.
But right now, tonight, go to bed at 7:30pm if you can and skip the guilt.
You don’t need it – and you never did. š
And if you want to discover more unspoken facts about motherhood most parents (myself included) find out too late, I share them in this FREE guide here.
If you have any questions, drop them below or email me at ivana.poku@mumsourney.com.
Before you go, here are some more posts I thought you’d like:
- Pregnancy Is Not Magical: Honest Truths for First-Time Mums
- Pregnancy Anxiety: What’s Normal and When to Get Support
- Does anyone else hate their husband in pregnancy?
FAQs
1. Is it normal to sleep 10-12 hours and still feel tired?
Absolutely! One hundred percent normal. Your body’s working around the clock building a placenta, so a full night’s sleep might genuinely not cut it right now. If you’re getting realĀ sleep and still feel wrecked, that’s not a red flag. That’s just pregnancy needing more.
2. Does this mean my baby isn’t getting enough of something?
No, please drop that worry right now. Fatigue is a hormone thing, not a warning sign. It actually means the opposite of what you’re scared of, it means your body is doing exactly what it should, sending everything toward your baby.
3. Why do I feel foggy and forgetful too?
Pregnancy hormones, plus your body spending so much energy elsewhere, mess with your focus and memory. Yes, it’s annoying, but it’s also temporary. This isn’t the “new you,” it’s just a season.
4. Will the tiredness come back later in pregnancy?
It can, but it doesn’t have to. Energy tends to lift in the second trimester, then dip again in the third once you’re carrying more weight and sleep gets harder. Enjoy the good stretch when it comes, and don’t panic if tiredness shows back up later – that’s normal too.
5. Should I still exercise if I’m this exhausted?
Only if your body’s up for it. This isn’t the time to push through a hard workout because you feel like you “should”. A walk or stretching can help your energy (and mood), but nobody’s handing out medals for dragging yourself to spin class when you can’t keep your eyes open.
6. Is there anything that makes this go away completely?
Not really – and that’s okay. Your body’s doing serious work right now. The goal isn’t to feel zero tiredness, it’s to get through it without guilt.
