FYI, walking counts. It’s actually a great way to exercise when you’re pregnant. Don’t think you have to take a workout class or do something totally draining for it to “count.” Just moving in the ways you can will be extremely beneficial.
Before I got pregnant, working out in some form was a must for me every day. It has always helped me keep my stress levels under control and sleep like a baby. During pregnancy, I’ve tried my best to keep up with movement in ways that feel doable for me. On the days when I am so tired I don’t want to get up off the couch, I promise myself to just take one slow lap around the block. I almost always end up doing an extra lap or two because once I get moving I feel more awake and energized. (And on the days I’m really not feeling up to it, I listen to my body and promptly go back home to sit or lie down again.)
3. Find ways to de-stress and reduce anxiety.
Even if you had relatively low levels of anxiety pre-pregnancy, I can assure you that you’ll experience it tenfold throughout these 40-ish weeks. There are so many changes happening in your body, so many things to think and worry about in regard to the fetus’s development, impending labor, and an enormous life change on the horizon, whether it’s your first kid or not.
It’s totally understandable to have some sort of anxiety about all of that. (FWIW, I am a very low-stress person and have experienced my fair share of worry and anxiety throughout my own pregnancy.)
“A lot of those stresses and anxieties can definitely interfere with sleep and can make you tired during the day as well,” Dr. Paik says.
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Finding a way to de-stress and calm your mind is essential. The best method is going to look different for everyone, but here are a few things to try: prenatal yoga, mindfulness meditation, deep breathing exercises, getting regular prenatal massages, going for walks, and connecting with people you love. Walking and at-home Peloton classes have been an important outlet for me. Another one of my go-to stress relievers: baking and cooking.
4. If you can, take naps. Lots of them.
Let me first acknowledge that I know this is not possible for everyone. Depending on your job, and if you’re running after other kids all day long, napping may be an absolute impossibility. But for those who are privileged enough to work from home or otherwise have a flexible schedule, I highly recommend taking advantage during this time.
Dr. Bianco suggests napping during the day if you can, even if it’s just for 20 minutes. When I feel too tired to keep working or get anything else done, I’ll lie down, set an alarm for 30 minutes (working in some time to actually fall asleep), put on an eye mask, and snooze away. On the weekends, I’ll nap for a lot longer if I feel like I need it.
5. Try your best to eat well—and make sure to get enough iron.
Food gives you energy, so you want to make sure you’re loading up on stuff that’s full of nutrients and giving your body what it needs to keep chugging along at its new, high level. “Sometimes it’s hard to do that early on, because you’re combating nausea and vomiting and can only tolerate what you can tolerate,” Dr. Bianco says. If you’re not getting enough of your essential nutrients (and maybe loading up on simple carbs that don’t exactly give you sustained energy, like I did all first trimester) this can also contribute to fatigue.
Source: SELF
