Last month of pregnancy and can barely keep my eyes open

[Anonymous]

I hit the 35 week mark this week and feel like I've been hit with a ton of bricks. I have absolutely no energy. I heard that 3rd trimester fatigue is common but had no idea it'd be this bad. It almost feels worse than the 1st trimester. Is this normal?? I have been full of energy and quite upbeat during the 2nd trimester and up until now. Unfortunately, now I'm not only exhausted but my mood is pretty low, I'm not looking forward to things as much, I can't concentrate at work or in basic conversation. I just want to crawl into bed and hybernate for 4 weeks. Any suggestions of what I can do? I'm going to go to yoga soon which I think may help, but other than that I'm just at a loss. I'm most concerned with my low spirits. I'm afraid this could be turning into pre-partum depression (if there is such a thing).

[Anonymous]

Pretty normal, although you may want to talk to you OB about it. I assume you eat healthy which can help but you may still be Iron deficient which can make you very tired. For me it depends on the day. At 36 weeks (w/ twins) I do tend to take a nap most days in the afternoon and head to bed early.

[Anonymous]

I feel asleep on the couch like clock work. I was even watching the football Bowl games (back in Jan.) which were exciting, but could not concentrate and dozed off.

[Anonymous]

Oh, sister! I remember those days! Take lots of naps and try to rest up now before the baby comes. It is really hard, because you are trying to get so many things done. The more you rest now, the easier delivery will be and the happier you will be after baby. After baby is born, there is not a lot of sleep for a while!

A couple of other things I tried were to drink more water (dehydration seemed to tire me out) and taking short walks (counterintuitive, but gave me a boost of energy)!

I will be thinking about you and hoping you get a little more energy these last couple of weeks!

[Anonymous]

Hi. I remember those tired days and not looking forward to going through it again with my second pregnancy. I think PPs gave some great suggestions and it is normal to be quite tired at this time. But, i do think it may be worth exploring this idea of some depression. What you are going through does sound worse that what alot of people experience. I am a therapist, and I would recommend that you first talk to your OB and tell them how you are feeling. Then maybe ask about or look into therapists in the community who specialize in pregnant women/recent mothers. And there are a bunch! If anything, it may just be relieving to talk to someone a couple times and you need to have as much peace of mind during the end of pregnancy and through birth as possible. I always say, if it will make you feel better, then do it. Your body and mind are going through so much during pregnancy that it is a good idea to be as good to youself as possible. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I agree - talk to your OB.

Have you had your iron tested? Might be something to consider?

[Anonymous]

I am at 36 weeks now, and just when I hit the beginning of this week, I all of a sudden started experiencing the same symptoms the OP is talking about. I was suppose to work one more week, but asked to make this week my last. Because I think it has to do with the fact that you are not getting enough rest, constant wake ups during the night, not being able to fall back asleep at 4 or 5 am, etc. and having to get up for work early. If you are working, you can't take naps during the day, even lay down, and I realized that your body just needs rest before the big event. There is a reason maternity leave in a lot of European countries starts at least a month before birth.
I managed to make an agreement to work from home before the baby comes, if you can do it - that would be my suggestion. I think women in the last month just need a lot of rest. I don’t think anything is wrong emotionally.