Pregnancy Signs & Symptoms, Week by Week Pregnancy Guide

Many women find that they feel tired to the point of exhaustion during pregnancy; find themselves thinking ‘I’ve never felt this tiredness before’.

Some women wonder if perhaps that there is something wrong or if all is going well with their baby.

Fact is feelings of tiredness, lower energy levels, feelings of lassitude are all common during pregnancy.

During pregnancy, almost every system in the body is taxed and is having to work harder than before. Reserves of energy are being called upon, the heart having to work harder, a lot is happening in the body that was not before.

Many women seem to need more sleep during pregnancy, and this is due to hormones, particularly progesterone, which can cause one to feel sleepier and less energetic. So if you find yourself nodding off earlier in the evening or want sleep longer in the morning, it is likely just the progesterone!

The tiredness is particularly acute during the first trimester because the body is getting used to the pregnancy, there is likely nausea to contend with and the placenta is being formed.

This should ease up during the second trimester, but by the last trimester you are again likely to feel tired as the sheer size and weight of the baby creates physical pressure as well as new aches and pains.