First Trimester Exhaustion - How To Cope With It?

Pregnancy is a joyous journey of surprises and new experiences. It is really hard to understand the changes that your body goes through during this beautiful period. You might have heard stories from your elders and friends. But, what it exactly feels like and what it takes or gives to be pregnant, can only be realised when you are pregnant yourself.

The most interesting part of this journey is that it’s nature and characteristics differ from one woman to the other. The symptoms experienced are completely or partially different for different expecting moms. But, one most common symptom of pregnancy is exhaustion. Almost every mother has gone through this experience during the first trimester. You might get a feeling of flu or feel as if you haven’t slept for five days. But don’t worry as this exhaustion is temporary. It vanishes as your pregnancy enters the second or third trimester or ends.

Here’s how you can cope up with the exhaustion of the first trimester:

1. Maximise your happy or good hours: Exhaustion is not constant throughout the day. It hits hard either during the day or night. You need to identify these hours. It is best to avoid your work and social life at this time. You can use the other half of the day, when you are active, to carry out your day-to-day activities.
2. Increase your sleep schedule: You need to get proper rest for your body and fetus. Sleeping for just seven or eight hours might not be enough. You may have to sleep for ten or eleven hours in the night to get rid of the exhaustion.
3. Take short naps: A major way of coping up with the exhaustion is to take short naps. A power nap in between your working schedule can help you regain your lost energy. You will feel refreshed. Take the nap for 20 minutes only. Don’t take a too much longer nap. Doing so will only make you feel more lethargic.
4. Drink water like a fish: You will have to keep your body hydrated. Make sure that you stay hydrated all the time by drinking the right amount of water. Dehydration can increase your exhaustion. A rule for drinking water is to equalise your body weight divided by two in ounces plus 8 ounces more with that
5. Take help: You must not try to do things alone. You will have to take help from others like the house taker, relatives, family members or friends to do the housework. Also, request your employer to give you less work during this period.

Apart from these indulge in light exercise and eating a balanced diet along with small portions of healthy snacks in between meals is also a must for an expecting mother.