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Combating Fatigue in Pregnancy
Hi B & Daniel,
I’m in my second trimester of pregnancy and still struggle with extreme fatigue albeit better than the first semester.
Are there any suggestions on combating it? I know some level of fatigue can be normal given all the changes the body is going through but are there things to look out for or ways to improve it.
Thanks
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1 Reply
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@Misha so one of the reasons you might feel more tired during pregnancy is that your body is telling you to slow down, rest, and relax.
1. Are you working too hard and doing too much? If so, listen to your body’s innate intelligence and what it’s trying to tell you.
Slowing down helps ensure you have enough resources for your baby’s development and the strength you’ll need for giving birth and taking care of your little one. Think of your energy like money. You need to save up your energy for birth and post-partum, not spend it all or, even worse, get into an energy deficit. It’s like racking up a huge credit card bill – which you don’t want.
2. Is your blood sugar balanced? If you experience fatigue, or lack of energy or moodiness before a meal, or feel sleepy after a meal, imbalanced blood sugar may be at least partly to blame. During pregnancy, our hormonal resources prioritize the production of pregnancy hormones and growth of the baby, so if you have weaknesses elsewhere in your endocrine system, these may come into the open.
3. Are you consuming enough healthy fats? Fats provide long-lasting energy to fuel daily activity and reduce our reliance on sugars and starches for energy. This decreases the wear and tear on our blood-sugar regulation mechanisms, leaving more nutrients and resources for pregnancy and fetal development.
4. Have you been tested for hypothyroidism and anemia, perhaps celiac? Nutritional deficiencies can impact energy production. Contrary to popular belief, many people who have celiac disease lack the hallmark digestive symptoms. And a lot of people with a history of unexplained fatigue turn out to have celiac disease.
5. Are you taking any prescription or over-the-counter medications that might be causing nutrient depletions?
In terms of what you can do, the first step would be to figure out what might be causing the excess fatigue. So testing might be warranted.
But in general, in terms of nutrients, we need a good amount of iron, copper, vitamin C, B vitamins (specifically B9 and B12), (and obviously good digestion to be able to properly absorb these nutrients) and also thyroid function for good energy during pregnancy. Diet is important.
For example:
Foods rich in iron: red meat, liver, seafood, leafy greens (chard, dandelion, spinach, beet, turnip, etc.), lentils, chickpeas, beans, sesame, broccoli, asparagus
Foods rich in vitamin C: kale and other greens, broccoli/cauliflower/Brussels sprouts, sauerkraut, lemons, limes, guava, acerola cherry, oranges, grapefruit, mango, pineapple, ripe papaya, kiwi, strawberries, rose hips and more
Foods rich in copper: liver, nuts and seeds (especially cashews and sesame), green leafy vegetables, capers, dark chocolate. Liver is a preferred source of copper because it contains iron, B vitamins and magnesium as well.
Foods rich in vitamin B-12: Salmon, sardines, shellfish, red meat, dairy
Foods rich in folate: leafy greens, liver, lamb, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, avocado, okra, Brussels sprouts, legumes, sweet potatoes, beets, oranges, cantaloupe, pineapple and berries
Let me know if you’ve done any testing and what resonates with you above in terms of possible root cause factors for your fatigue.
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