Help, I'm 6 Mths Along, Have 0 Energy and My 3 Yr Is Wearing Me Out!!!

Have a cup of coffee. It's been proven that low levels of caffeine may actually be good for the baby. I drank coffee throughout most of my pregnancy and my son is fine :).

C.,

I know how you feel, it is really awful, you are not the only one going thru this, believe me....
Talk to your doctor if you feel that tiredness is out of normal pregnancy tiredness and lack of energy.
With my first baby, 6yrs ago I got problems with my thyroid, probably you want to check that also besides iron levels.
It is really sad and awful to feel that way when you have lots of lots things to do..BUT you do not have to go beyond your limits and do all the chores. I am the kind of person who is very detail oriented, and I like my house looks perfect...However, after having my second kid has been totally impossible to satisfy these needs of mine. At the beginning, I felt frustrated, but months later I realized that my priority is taking care of my baby and my 6 yr old kid and forget about some dishes left in the sink overnight or some laundry piled up for a couple of days. I cannot do it!!! It feels awful!!! but in your case..YOU, YOUR BABY are the priority and your baby depends 100% on you, if you are OK, you know that your baby inside you will be OK. Just take care and ask for help, let the other older kids help you at least with the trash and dusting and everything else according to their ages of course, and ask to your husband help with some chores in the house..and..accept any support or help that anybody (friend, siste-in-law..etc) can give you now.
Believe me..I completely understand you

Take good care of yourself and eat healthy..
Alejandra

Watch your iron intake. It sounds like you may be anemic. Are you eating enough chicken, fish and green vegetables? I would talk to your doctor because low energy could be a symptom of several different problems like a blot clotting disorder, diabetis or hypertension.

It's not normal to be so tired at this stage in your pregnancy. I'm in the same situation with an 18 month old and little help with the house work. I was so sluggish I could hardly get off the couch and it turns out that I've got thrombophylia and anemia. I started taking blood thinners and eating more iron rich foods and I'm feeling like a new woman.

I can relate, I just gave birth to my 4th boy two months ago. The entire pregnancy was so difficult because I had a 1 and a half yr old, a 5 yr old, and a 6 yr old to keep up with. I had no energy, was very depressed, and my DH didn't understand why I wasn't able to keep up with all of the chores. As someone said before take your DH to a drs appt and have them explain that you need help with regular chores and childcare.
Also is it possible that you could be depressed? Try journaling what you are feeling and sometimes that helps to deal with things that are bothering us ( such as an energetic 3 yr old lol ;)
I also had a friend tell me to increase the amount of a nutritional supplement I was taking. Its a food based product ( vs a vitamin pill which isn't always absorbed) and it gave me the extra iron I needed plus a lot of other important vitamins and minerals. It really seemed to help.
Also be sure and have some time to do fun stuff with your DH or with your girlfriends. A spa day, an evening at the movies, or just a nice dinner can do a lot to help you through this difficult time.
And be sure and check out a local MOPs group ( mothers of preschoolers) . They provide childcare and allow the moms a time to have fun and build a good support network at the same time.

Welcome to pregnancy number 2...and the third through 8th pregnancies are even more exhausting. On the upside you have a 3 year old that gets on your nerves...chores are good therapy for that. Play on her sympathy a little...tell her that you feel really sick from the new baby that you're having so she can have someone to play with and can she help you since you're helping her...sounds like an even trade. The thing about toddlers is that they get bored as easily as they get distracted. You can keep her busy doing some of the running that you can't do. But don't tell her to do to much at a time because she doesn't have the attention span. Ask her to take the dirty clothes in her room to the laundry. Then ask her to take the dirty clothes in your room to the laundry. Then ask her to put the dishes in the sink. Then ask her to pick up the toys. If she starts lagging because it seems like to much when she looks around her then tell her "can you pick up that doll and put it in the toybox? Thank you. Can you pick up that ball and put it in the toybox? Thank you. Can you..." you get the idea. And try to look pathetically sick when you ask her to do stuff and she'll be more willing to help. By the time you're done, she will have picked up the dirty clothes, the toys, corralled the dishes in the sink, and dusted the furnature. When you do dishes, let her help you. Let her wash everything except the breakables, sharp things, and huge things like the pans. Little kids like doing dishes because it has 2 of their favorite things to play with...water and bubbles. When all is said and done you should only have to vacuum, wash the dishes that she couldn't, mop, and clean the bathrooms. She will have been occupied enough to not get on your nerves. Then on the weekends your 2 step-daughters can chip in and help and they can amuse her to keep her out of your hair. Consequently that's how I've gotten through my pregnancies and how I get through when I'm sick. And keep in mind that once you hit roughly your last month...you get this sudden burst of energy and turn into super mom cleaning anything that isn't nailed down. As for the husband...I suggest a mommy tummy and boob set. It's this 30 pound vest that they have to wear all day everyday for a week or two. They can only take it off to shower. After having to lug that around for a week or two while he tries to do his normal activities, he'll have a new respect for your situation and may chip in a bit himself. 30 pounds don't sound like much until it's strapped to you 24/7.

Hello..i dont know where uyou are from but if its indiana..i sure be glad to help...ive been helping my daughter with her baby and its been fun....

I'm sure that you are doing this already, but it helps to take your prenatal vitamin, and to eat health. But even if you are doing this you are still going to be tired. The most important thing that you need to realize is that it is Ok to let things go. The house doesn't have to be perfectly clean everyday. It is more important that you are getting the rest you need, to make a healthy baby...the house can wait. You really need to sit down with your husband and talk about what is going on. Maybe you can give him something that he can do everyday to help you out. For example he can be in charge of the Laundry, cook dinner certain days of the week, or watch your 3 year old every afternoon while you take a nap. Remind him of the changes you are going through, and that being a stay-at-home mom is a full-time job.

The same thing happened to me. I'm due in 4 weeks and I have a 3 yr old daughter. I work fulltime and so does my husband. But he's gone most nights as a restaurant manager, so everything's pretty much on my shoulders every night and every weekend. I did find out part of my problem was that with this pregnancy I was borderline anemic which caused a large part of my lack of energy. but before i found that out, it was really tough. what i found helped was getting my 3 yr old involved in the cleaning. she would help me vacuum. she learned how to fold towels. she'd throw clothes in the dryer for me. we made it a team effort. and she loves every minute of it. it makes her feel like such a "big girl." she also has developed a love of computer games for little ones. this has become a "special treat" when i let her play on the computer - and it gives me a much needed break as well :)

having dreased energy levels is perfectly normal, but if you are having trouble just getting ou of bed you might need to have your iron checked. you could be anemic. also, you need to inlist your hubby and the older kids to help with the house hold chores....just because your are a s.h.m. doesn't mean you have tp do it all.

Can you afford to hire a housecleaner to come clean the house every 2-3 weeks? Either that or just let the housekeeping stuff go. It's HARD being pregnant with other kids around. I'm currently 4 months pregnant and I'm a SAHM with a 1 year old and a 4 year old. Another idea.. can you send the 3 year to preschool a few hours for day for a few days a week? I love the mornings my 4 year old is in preschool... I get so much done with just the one kiddo underfoot. I have so much more less energy this pregnancy than the previous ones. Another idea for meals.. use a crockpot so it only requires 10-15 minutes of work in the morning, when you probably have more energy. Or bring home meals from those meal prep places like Supper Thyme or Dream Dinners so you always have a stash in the freezer. Most are simply 'thaw in fridge then toss in oven'. Have your DH go to the doctor's with you and have the doctor tell him that you can't do as much as you used to. Men tend to listen more when it comes from doctors. Good luck - you'll be fine even if it doesn't seem like it now.

your husband needs to understand that you are getting bigger, the baby inside needs the energy from you to take care of yourself. it really doesnt get much better until after baby is born.the only suggestion i have is to nap when your 3YO naps, and rest when you can. tell your dh how you are feeling, and that its just not possible to have everything done everyday.

i have 3 under 4yo and i definately dont get stuff done here.hugs

Hi Christine,

Pregnancy can be exhausting at times! Some things you might try are:

-a daily nap (I had to lay down on the couch and put in a movie for the kiddos so they'd lay with me since they didn't nap anymore)

-a daily walk, not too far but just enough to a get a breath of fresh air, it's very invigorating if you can just get yourself out the door. ;)

-have your iron checked, take a good iron supplement like Floradix

-take a good food-based vitamin, more readily absorbed than artificial vitamins. Also, other supplements like fish oil, flax seed oil etc helped me a lot

Do what you can, do it in small blocks instead of trying to cram a bunch of things into a small time frame.

Good luck!

Hello, C.! I totally feel your pain. When my first was 6 months old, I found out I was pregnant. I had my second when she was not quite 16 months old, so I was very very busy also. I also worked as a bartender until my 6th month, so I was not getting sleep 3-4 nights a week either. One thing though that I think helped me a lot was regular exercise. Exercise is a great natural form of energy.

You have already gotten alot of good advice. I think gettin a nap in is very important. If your 3 year old naps, lay down with her, or as soon as she lays down, go to your bed. Don't try to get stuff done while she naps, you need the rest. If she doesn't nap, put in a good disney movie and settle down on the couch, that way your not leaving her alone, but you get rest, even if you're not asleep. It is amazing how clean your house can appear if you just keep things picked up. You don't have to vacuum every day, or even every other day. Give yourself permission to let a little bit slide, the house will not cave in. If you focus on one room per day, and incorporate some help from your little one who's full of energy, you can still keep a tidy house. And eat healthy foods!!! Don't eat chips and chocolate and things that drag you down. Have a couple of baby carrots or some celery & peanut butter- a snack you can share with the kids. Hope you get to feeling better.

Hey C.:
First and foremost, God Bless you and the baby... I have 3 children and no matter what age they are they are tiring, both mentally and physically. One of the best things we can do for ourselves is to eat right. Unfortunately in this day & age we just do not get the good nutrition our bodies need & crave. Even if we are eating the 7-9 fruits & veggies a day our soil is not full of the nutrients we need, thus we are not getting all of the benefits from our fruits & veggies.
I drink Mona Vie on a daily basis, 2 ounces, and my energy level has increased. I encourage you to check out the web site www.monavie.com, and read some of the testimonials. MonaVie is a blend of fruits which have been chosen for their nutritional content. Açai, the star ingredient, is one of the world's most powerful antioxidants. The benefits of antioxidants have been documented thousands of times over, but these benefits cannot be added to a nutritional facts or supplemental facts panel.

Here are some of the vitamins and minerals that MonaVie contains.

There is 25% RDA for Vitamin C per one ounce serving.

There is 2% RDA for Iron

The potassium level in MonaVie Original and MonaVie Active is approximately 62–66 mg/oz.

The vitamin K level in MonaVie Original and MonaVie Active is approximately 12.4 µg/oz.

Vitamin D = 30 IU per one ounce serving

Vitamin A = 50 IU per one ounce serving

Calcium = 10 mg per one ounce serving

There is one gram of fiber per one ounce serving.

There is no RDA for phytonutrients and MonaVie is packed-full of phytonutrients.

THis is a great way to add in liquid form for quick absorption, nutrition to your diet. The best thing about Mona Vie is it is natural...wild grown, which is better than organic and IT TASTES GREAT, like berries (my kids drink it). Have a blessed day,and let me know if you would like to try it. My business is STRONG NUTRITION & is located here under local businesses.

Hi, i am 18 wks pregnant with my second child. i also have a 3 1/2 year old, work part time, and go to school. so i definitely can relate to having no energy. i think it really has a lot to do with my lack of patience right now. everything gets on my nerves especially my son's endless questions. he has also taken to not listening to me very well so i feel like we are constantly battling. which ends make me feel guilty for being so quick to snap at him. i also have 0 energy left to clean, put laundry away, and pretty much anything else that requires any effort. i think it is really common especially if you have other children to care for. some days are better than others and you should just focus on the moments you do have energy. i don't know about you, but the weather getting warmer helps me to feel more energized! if you are not feeling like doing your normal stuff around the house, i don't think its the end of the world. do what you can, and everything else can wait until you feel like doing it!!

I'm also 6 months along and there are a couple things I've been dealing with that my doctor said could be making me more tired than normal. Low blood pressure, low hemogloben, and high blood sugar. Has your doctor mentioned anything about the above to you. I don't know if you've have your glucose test yet, but if not, discuss the above with your doctor to determine if any of them could be a problem. All of which can be fairly easy to adjust (via diet and med's) to get you through the end of the pregnancy. Usually after the baby comes, your body will readjust and you wont need to continue treatment. Good Luck and God Bless <>< J.