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Fatigue and Mood Swings During Pregnancy

Fatigue and mood swings, common complaints during pregnancy, typically occur because the hormonal changes that affect your brain also affect the broad range of feelings.

Fatigue During Pregnancy

Early pregnancy has its share of discomforts. Some, such as morning sickness, mild nausea and fatigue, are so common as to be expected in most pregnancies.

The following has been adapted from the March of Dimes and Mayo Clinic websites listed below.

Fatigue During Pregnancy

Most women are more tired than usual during the first trimester of pregnancy and toward the end of the third trimester.

During early pregnancy, your body makes more of a hormone called progesterone. This can make you feel sluggish and sleepy. In addition, your body produces more blood to carry nutrients to the baby. This causes more work for your heart and other organs. Your body also changes the way it processes foods and nutrients. All of this change is stressful for your body and may lead to fatigue.

Physical and psychological changes during pregnancy can be stressful mentally and emotionally as well. This stress can add to your feelings of fatigue.

During later pregnancy, the additional weight of the baby further taxes your body's strength. Several changes may occur later in pregnancy that makes you feel tired:

Difficulty sleeping
The need to urinate often during the night
Late-night cramps in your legs
Heartburn

Fatigue can also be a symptom of anemia, particularly iron-deficiency anemia, which affects about half of all pregnant women. Fatigue can be a symptom of anemia, particularly if you also have shortness of breath, heart palpitations, weakness, pale skin, and dizziness. Pica, an appetite for non-food items like ice, dirt, clay, or paper, has been linked to iron deficiency. While these cravings can be normal, you should talk to your health care provide so she/he can check your blood count and perhaps prescribe an iron supplement.

Fatigue: What You Can Do

The following tips may help you avoid excessive fatigue during pregnancy:

Take naps and breaks. Rest when you can during the day, during your lunch hour, or before dinner. At work, take frequent breaks to pace yourself and renew your energy.
Go to bed early. You may need to go to bed earlier than usual, especially if you find yourself waking up several times during the night. Go to bed when you feel tired. Don't push yourself to stay awake until your usual bedtime.
Avoid getting up during the night. Drink adequate fluids earlier in the day. Avoid drinking anything for two or three hours before bedtime so that you will not have to get up often during the night to urinate. If you often have heartburn, be sure to eat your last meal of the day several hours before lying down or going to sleep. Gently stretch your leg muscles before bedtime. This may help you avoid nighttime leg cramps.
Exercise. Unless your health care provider has advised against it, try to exercise for at least 30 minutes per day. Even moderate exercise, like walking, can lift your spirits and increase your energy level. (Always be sure to find out from your health care provider what exercises are safe for you and how long you can maintain your exercise program.)
Drink plenty of fluids. Be sure to drink enough fluids. Lack of fluids can contribute to fatigue.
Cut back and relax. Avoid stressful situations. Cut back on social events and other activities that wear you out. Instead, spend this time on things that you find soothing and relaxing. Use relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, when you feel that you need a break.
Ask for help. Let your partner, children, or friends help out around the house as much as possible. If you are feeling overstressed, talk to friends and relatives who can help you feel better. Talk to your health care provider about finding support groups and other resources.
Eat right. Eat a balanced diet, including plenty of iron and protein. It’s particularly important to eat plenty of iron-containing foods during pregnancy. Foods that contain iron include red meat, seafood, poultry, whole-grain or iron-fortified cereals and pastas, dark-green leafy vegetables, beans, nuts, and seeds. Drinking citrus juice when you eat iron-rich foods can help your body better absorb this mineral.
Take a prenatal vitamin and an iron supplement if recommended by your health care provider

Emotional Mood Swings and Pregnancy

Moodiness is very common during pregnancy. Due to hormonal changes that affect the chemicals in your brain, you may experience heightened emotions. You may feel elated at times and at other times depressed or anxious. Typically, this moodiness flares up at around 6 to 10 weeks in the first trimester, eases up in the second trimester, and then reappears in the later stages of the third trimester.

Other factors that cause moodiness include the typical, but uncomfortable, physical changes that accompany pregnancy. Such side effects such as indigestion and heartburn, fatigue, and frequent urination, can be a burden. You may be worried about weight gain or looking "fat" as your body expands. It is not uncommon to feel like you have lost control over your body and your life during this time. All these concerns may take your emotions from one extreme to the other.

Concerns about labor and delivery, how adding a child to your household will affect your future, how your relationship with your partner and other children you may have will be affected, and general anxiety about the future all contribute to your rapidly changing moods.

The following has been adapted from the Mayo Clinic and Baby Center websites listed below.

How can I manage my mood swings?

Try to remind yourself that emotional upheaval is normal right now. You may want to try some of the following:

Eat regular meals and healthy food that include a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains.
Get plenty of sleep and exercise.
Rely on your network of family and friends for support. Talk about your worries about the future. Just putting your concerns into words often helps reduce them and may help you find solutions.
Resist the urge to pack in as many chores as you can before the baby comes.
Do something that makes you feel good. This might mean carving out some special time for you and your partner. Or it might mean taking time alone to do something just for you.
Try taking a pregnancy yoga class, practicing meditation or other relaxation techniques.

If your mood swings last for more than two weeks and do not seem to be getting any better, talk to your health care provider or a professional counselor. You may be among the the percentage of pregnant women who battle mild to moderate depression during their pregnancies. If you notice that you frequently feel nervous or anxious, you may be suffering from some sort of anxiety disorder. Finally, if your mood swings become more frequent and intense, you may have a condition called bipolar disorder, in which you may swing from periods of depression to mania. If you suspect that you have any of these conditions, it is very important to get professional help. Research has shown that untreated emotional health problems can affect your baby's physical well-being and increase your risk of preterm labor and postpartum depression.

Additional Information

Mayo Clinic: Fatigue and mood swings during pregnancy

March of Dimes: Fatigue during pregnancy

Dr Spock on fatigue in pregnancy

Baby Center regarding mood swings and pregnancy