You're usually most tired in the first trimester, especially around weeks 9-12, due to massive hormonal shifts (progesterone spikes), increased blood volume, and your body building the placenta, which peaks energy demands, but fatigue often returns in the third trimester due to physical discomfort and disrupted sleep.
Contents. It is common to feel tired during pregnancy. This often happens in the first trimester (0 to 13 weeks) and the last trimester (week 27 to birth). Being pregnant can be hard work and you may be using lots of energy without even realising it.
Changes can begin as early as the first trimester, when you may feel drowsier than normal due to a spike in progesterone, a hormone made by the ovaries and the placenta during pregnancy. The second trimester often brings some relief.
The "worst week" of pregnancy varies, but many women find the first trimester, particularly weeks 8-10, to be the most challenging due to intense morning sickness (nausea/vomiting peaking with hormone surges), extreme fatigue, and heightened emotional changes, though some experience severe symptoms like hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) requiring medical attention, while others face discomforts in later pregnancy.
It's common to feel tired, or even exhausted, during pregnancy, especially in the first 12 weeks.
The truth is, fatigue often hits hard during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, recedes during the second trimester, then returns during the third trimester. In fact, a 2021 report found that pregnant individuals experience the most exhaustion during the third trimester.
It's normal to feel more tired than normal while pregnant. In fact, most women find they need a great deal more sleep, and this happens the most during the first and last trimesters. The good news is some moms have a big energy boost during the second three months, when they stop feeling as sick.
What week do most miscarriages happen? More than 80% of miscarriages happen during the first trimester or by the end of the 14th week.
Don't eat undercooked meat, poultry or eggs
There's no perfect time to share your pregnancy—do what feels right for you. Many wait until after the first trimester. Miscarriage risk drops after 13 weeks, but it's also OK to tell trusted loved ones earlier for support.
It is recommended that pregnant women get at least eight hours of sleep per night. Sleep is vital to your health and your baby's health. If you are experiencing insomnia, contact your doctor to create a plan.
While many of the symptoms are common, it's possible to experience no symptoms during the first trimester of pregnancy. The most common early symptoms include a missed period, light bleeding, breast changes or tenderness, and fatigue. A test done by your doctor may detect pregnancy earlier than at-home tests.
It's actually all rather scientific. Babies need a nap routine with a delicate balance of day sleep vs night sleep – too LITTLE day sleep results in cortisol (a stress hormone) building up in your baby which will make them harder to settle and also lead to night waking or early morning waking.
Pack in the protein: Foods like cheese, peanut butter and trail mix all contain enough protein to keep your energy level up, plus complex carbs to help keep you feeling full longer. Make friends with fruits: They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but it'll also help keep your energy level up.
The Second Trimester (14-26 Weeks):
Known as the “honeymoon period”, the second trimester is when many of the unpleasant symptoms of early pregnancy subside. You're likely to have increased energy and sleep better. However, some women experience back or abdominal pain, leg cramps, constipation or heartburn.
When Should You Stop Sleeping on Your Back When Pregnant? Most experts agree it's best to avoid sleeping on your back after 20 weeks. After that, the weight of your uterus begins to put pressure on the inferior vena cava, disrupting blood flow to the heart and fetus.
Toxoplasmosis (tok-so-plaz-MOE-sis) is an infection with a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii. People often get the infection from eating undercooked meat. You can also get it from contact with cat feces. The parasite can pass to a baby during pregnancy.
The high potassium levels could potentially cause dizziness, vomiting, or an increased pulse rate if taken in excess. By being mindful of your banana consumption, you can avoid potential discomforts and maintain a healthy weight while still benefiting from its nutritional value.
Maternal milk can be consumed as soon as you realise you are pregnant. It will provide you with the necessary nutrients needed for your pregnancy. Milk is a common drink that you might have in the morning and it's possible to fit it into your diet during pregnancy.
Chromosome conditions
If your baby inherits a chromosome condition, they'll not be able to develop properly. This causes a miscarriage. It's not possible to tell which parent passed on the chromosome condition. Chromosome conditions are thought to be the most common cause of an early miscarriage.
The risk of miscarriage also decreases significantly—to about 5 percent—after your doctor detects a heartbeat. This typically occurs at around your 6 to 8 week mark. The chances of having a second miscarriage after a woman has already experienced one is also very slim at less than 3 percent.
In many cases, the cause of a miscarriage is not known and you would not have been able to prevent it.
The "3-2-1 Rule" in pregnancy is a guideline for first-time mothers to know when to call their midwife or doctor for active labor: consistent contractions that are 3 minutes apart, lasting 2 minutes each, for 1 hour (or sometimes cited as 3-1-1, meaning 3 minutes apart, 1 minute long, for 1 hour). For subsequent pregnancies, the 5-1-1 Rule (5 minutes apart, 1 minute long, for 1 hour) is often used, indicating labor is progressing more quickly.
But bed rest during pregnancy is no longer routinely recommended. That's because there's no evidence that staying in bed during pregnancy, either at home or in the hospital, delays or stops preterm labor or prevents premature birth.
But you can expect other physical changes in the coming weeks, including: