Weakness and drowsiness during pregnancy or how to feel cheerful

Pregnancy is the happiest and most anticipated time for every woman, but it is always accompanied not only by pleasant chores and worries, but also by ailments and health problems. The mother's body is experiencing global changes, is being rebuilt and does everything for the full development and growth of the baby. One of the most common signs of pregnancy that every woman visits is weakness. It can be light or exhausting, when you want to sleep all the time, and any movement becomes unpleasant. It is unlikely that it will be possible to avoid such a state, but it is possible to alleviate it.

Most often, weakness during pregnancy occurs in the first trimester, when the expectant mother only learns about her condition. This is caused by an increase in progesterone, one of the important hormones of pregnancy, but then its level drops, and by 9 weeks the pregnant woman feels cheerful and energetic again. But not always the cause of weakness or loss of strength during pregnancy is only this. Often this condition is provoked by toxicosis, which occurs in many pregnant women in the first trimester.

Nausea, weakness, aversion to previously favorite foods and the desire to try something harmful become constant companions of a pregnant woman. Because of this, the future baby feels a lack of vitamins and other nutrients and useful substances and begins to take them from the mother's body. Due to the resulting deficiency, severe weakness and dizziness begin. Toxicosis can occur both in mild and severe form, when the body needs additional nourishment from the outside. Such pregnant women are recommended hospitalization and are given droppers with vitamin solutions and glucose.

Another occurrence of weakness during pregnancy is low blood pressure or hypotension. While carrying a child, pressure below 110/70 is fraught with severe dizziness, nausea and weakness, as well as a desire not to get out of bed all day. Even for a person who is not in a position, such low numbers bring discomfort, weakness and poor health, and for pregnant women and a developing fetus it is doubly worse. The child may experience a lack of oxygen, in addition to weakness, the mother often has depression, and in the last stages - anemia, which, together with hypotension, can cause retardation of the growth and development of the fetus.

What to do in this case? Low blood pressure and weakness during pregnancy is not a disease, so you do not need to get involved in drugs and even herbal teas. It is best to just walk more, go to the pool or do special exercises for pregnant women. Many experts recommend yoga classes. In the morning you can take a cool shower, avoid coffee, it is better to give preference to freshly squeezed juices, green or white tea, fruits. It is recommended to sleep at least 9-10 hours, daytime sleep is also necessary to maintain energy and strength.

In addition to normal physiological conditions, weakness during pregnancy, dizziness and nausea can be the causes of a number of diseases:

1. Arterial hypertension or hypotension, that is, an increase and decrease in pressure, respectively.
2. Anemia or lack of iron in the body.
3. Already existing diseases can become chronic or worsen.
4. SARS or acute respiratory infections, that is, acute infections.
5. Malnutrition or constant diet. This reason is quite common, because even during pregnancy, pregnant women are very afraid of gaining weight and therefore constantly restrict themselves in food, which is strongly not recommended without consulting a doctor.
6. Stress, emotional upheavals and neuroses that exhaust physically and mentally.

Closer to childbirth, weakness can again manifest itself with renewed vigor, as the body prepares for a difficult process, the child is already large, it becomes increasingly difficult for pregnant women to perform their usual actions and just move around. If weakness during pregnancy occurs with renewed vigor a couple of weeks earlier, then this indicates that the body lacks nutrients, vitamins and walks in the fresh air.

How to overcome weakness during pregnancy?

In order for the treatment to be productive, it is important to understand the main cause of this condition. If weakness during pregnancy occurs in the first trimester, then it is most likely caused by toxicosis, low blood pressure, or anemia. In this case, it is important to strengthen the entire body, increase its protection. This does not mean that you need to take some kind of medication, it is important to walk more, play sports or gymnastics. Often doctors prescribe special vitamin complexes intended for pregnant women.

In general, any physical exercise will be an excellent prevention of weakness and drowsiness during pregnancy. First, you should visit a doctor who will advise a set of exercises or gymnastics designed for pregnant women. Physical activity will help saturate the blood of both mother and child with the right amount of oxygen, as well as provide cheerfulness and a surge of energy for the whole day. All this is very important for any organism, especially for pregnant women.

It is necessary to carefully monitor nutrition, eat more fruits. It is recommended to eat food that does not cause nausea and reduces the manifestations of toxicosis, and with it, weakness. In general, the diet of pregnant women differs from the menu of any person, because the well-being of a pregnant woman and her unborn baby directly depends on this factor. This is especially important in the development of anemia, since a lack of iron can affect the development of the fetus and the health of the mother, causing weakness and malaise.

Weakness during pregnancy is quite normal. The body of the expectant mother changes significantly, there is a huge load on all systems, and changes at the hormonal level are added to this.

There is no specific scenario for the development of weakness, for each woman the manifestations are individual. Someone malaise accompanies almost the entire pregnancy, for someone the manifestations are very rare. Perhaps weakness during pregnancy will come in the first trimester, and maybe overtake in the third.

Manifestations of ailments are different and most often depend on the duration of pregnancy. In the first trimester, many women are concerned about early toxicosis. It is associated with hormonal changes. During this period, the development of the placenta is actively taking place, which produces a large number of hormones that contribute to the restructuring of the mother's body for bearing a baby. Such weakness during pregnancy, like toxicosis, can be called a side effect, adapting the body to its new position.

Toxicosis may not manifest itself at all, but it may turn out to be quite strong. It is normal to vomit 4-5 times a day and have a slight weight loss, but if the amount of vomiting increases and is accompanied by profuse salivation and a large loss of body weight, the woman needs medical attention. A strong manifestation of toxicosis harms the child. The mother's body becomes dehydrated and the fetus receives less and less nutrients and oxygen, which is very dangerous and can even lead to miscarriage or various malformations. Most often, in this case, the expectant mother will be offered hospitalization and a course of treatment to support the body and alleviate the manifestation of toxicosis.

Almost every woman is accompanied by such weakness during pregnancy as dizziness. This is the result of changes in the circulatory system of the body. There are more vessels, the circle of blood circulation and the total volume of blood increase. In some cases, the cause is the pressure of the growing uterus on the vessels. Dizziness is more common in the second and third trimester. This weakness manifests itself when standing up, abruptly straightening, changing position. This is due to a sudden outflow of blood from the brain, resulting in a drop in pressure. Therefore, you simply cannot jump up abruptly, otherwise it can lead to fainting.

Such severe weakness during pregnancy, such as dizziness and fainting, can also be triggered by low blood sugar, this occurs with very long intervals between meals or from a lack of nutrients. Therefore, it is recommended to follow the diet and diet, which must include vegetables, fruits and foods rich in proteins.

Dizziness is also caused by a long stay in a stuffy, unventilated room, especially in the heat. Therefore, pregnant women simply need air conditioning or a fan in the summer. But even in extreme heat, the room must be regularly ventilated, otherwise the accumulation of carbon dioxide will lead not only to a fainting state, but also to a headache. If weakness suddenly appeared during pregnancy and a woman feels an approaching fainting, it is necessary to increase blood flow to the brain. To do this, you need to lie down and raise your legs (you can just put a pillow under them or lean them against the wall). If it is not possible to lie down, then you can get on one knee and bend over as if screaming your shoelaces.

If it happens quite often, it is better not to risk and not leave the house alone and be sure to inform the doctor about this weakness, this may be the cause of any disease.

Weakness and pregnancy often go hand in hand. Expectant mothers, due to their “special” position, may feel a breakdown, weakness in the legs, drowsiness ... And this is normal in most cases. What still causes a feeling of weakness in pregnant women, and is there any reason to worry? What is the norm and when does a woman need medical help? You will find answers to these questions in the article.

The concept of "weakness" is quite extensive and is not limited to the desire to sleep or lie down, but also has other manifestations. During pregnancy, weakness implies the presence of such sensations in a woman:

• Painful condition. The woman seems to be sick. In the early stages of pregnancy, there are chills, weakness, a feeling of weakness. The thought immediately arises that the woman caught a cold or caught an infection. In fact, the reason for this state of health is hormonal changes.
• Temperature. From time to time, a woman may notice an increase in temperature and a breakdown. The culprit for this symptom of weakness is the same hormonal imbalance.
• Nausea and unwillingness to move, eat, do something. During pregnancy (first trimester), weakness is caused by ordinary toxicosis, giving rise to a vicious circle: the woman feels weak and dizzy, which makes her sick, and then repeated vomiting leads to exhaustion, and weakness intensifies.
• Drowsiness. The expectant mother wants to sleep and move away from everything around her. At first, the body directs all its forces to arranging a place for the fetus and ensuring its vital activity, so the woman, on a subconscious level, tries to save her strength as much as possible, so she sleeps a lot.

Why does weakness occur during pregnancy

Weakness can occur at any gestational age. In some women, it is so pronounced that they lose their ability to work, in others this symptom is completely absent. Therefore, a natural question arises whether weakness is a normal sign of pregnancy. According to doctors, weakness is an absolutely natural physiological reaction of the female body to pregnancy and only in rare cases is the result of any pathology.

The causes of weakness can be different and are determined by the duration of pregnancy. So, in the first half of gestation, weakness is a sign of pregnancy. A woman may still not know about her situation, but her health is already significantly deteriorating: she is very tired at work, she is sick, her head is spinning. To a greater extent, poor health is affected by a sharp change in hormonal levels.

In the second half of pregnancy, weakness can be caused both by overexertion and by such disorders as preeclampsia or kidney dysfunction.

Weakness during early pregnancy

In the first weeks of gestation, weakness is considered a variant of the norm. An increase in the level of progesterone, an intensive consumption of vitamin and mineral resources, an increase in blood volume significantly deplete the female body, and weakness occurs.

But there are other provocateurs of weakness during pregnancy:

• Toxicosis. This condition is characterized by a whole symptom complex: nausea, refusal to eat, excessive salivation, repeated vomiting, palpitations, weight loss, fainting. This condition occurs in half of pregnant women and is accompanied by weakness and dizziness during pregnancy in the first 4-12 weeks. But toxicosis can cause complications, therefore, with severe exhaustion, a woman is sent to a hospital to stabilize her condition.
• Hypotension. If a woman is dizzy and weak during pregnancy, fainting or loss of orientation in space occur, her blood pressure may be lowered. This often happens in the early stages, but in this situation, observation by a doctor is required. Without correction of pressure, the development of fetal hypoxia and a violation of its development is possible.
• Iron-deficiency anemia. After conception, the female body gives most of its reserves of useful substances to the baby, in addition, to maintain its vital activity, the woman's circulatory system creates an additional bloodstream. If these processes are accompanied by poor nutrition, toxicosis, insufficient exposure to fresh air, loss of strength, there is a deficiency of hemoglobin in the blood, or anemia. This pathology is manifested by dizziness, slight numbness of the hands / feet, deterioration of hair and nails, shortness of breath, weakness and drowsiness during pregnancy. This deviation is easily diagnosed with a routine capillary blood test and successfully corrected with iron-containing drugs and a special diet with a predominance of red meat. Without treatment, there is a risk of miscarriage, hypoxia, congenital diseases in the baby.
• Viral infections. The first weeks of pregnancy are always accompanied by an insufficient work of the immune system, which increases the incidence of diseases such as flu and colds or other infectious diseases. The first sign of infection is weakness and fever during pregnancy.

On a note! Weakness in pregnant women can cause banal stress, poor sleep, overwork at work, and even poor nutrition.

Weakness in late pregnancy

As the baby grows in the tummy, all the mentioned provocateurs of weakness during pregnancy remain relevant. But, their list is supplemented by new reasons:

• Preeclampsia. This formidable complication is manifested by an increase in protein in the urine, jumps in blood pressure, extensive edema and severe weakness during pregnancy. The pathology goes through several stages and is always treated in the hospital, since in severe cases it can end in an emergency caesarean section.
• The burden on the body as a result of the growth of the uterus. The uterus increases as the fetus grows, and in the second half of pregnancy begins to put pressure on other organs. In a woman, the intestines begin to work poorly, shortness of breath, oxygen deficiency appear, fluid is retained in the tissues, which causes general weakness.
• Compression of the genital vein. During pregnancy in the third trimester, weakness often occurs in response to clamping of this vein, located behind the uterus. In this case, there may be not only weakness, but also a strong pulsation in the abdomen, dizziness, varicose veins.
• Vegetovascular dystonia. This condition is not considered a disease, but only a combination of certain symptoms of dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system. Pathology during pregnancy is aggravated and causes hypotension, meteosensitivity, drowsiness, migraine, goosebumps on the skin, weakness in the legs during pregnancy.

Often during pregnancy, a woman feels weakness only in her arms or legs. This symptom can be caused by already known causes or chronic diseases. So, weakness in the hands can be provoked by cervical osteochondrosis, vascular diseases, joint diseases, and hypothermia. And weakness in the legs is caused by varicose veins, atherosclerosis, flat feet.

Important! Most causes of weakness are physiological and do not require treatment, but for reassurance, it is better to report your condition to an obstetrician-gynecologist to make sure the baby is safe.

Weakness during pregnancy: what to do

Weakness during pregnancy, which is not caused by disturbances in the body, doctors advise simply to survive. But not everyone has the opportunity to sit out the difficult period at home, because no one has canceled work! To help you gather your courage and cheer up, listen to the following recommendations:

• Set aside more time for relaxation: if possible, rest during the day, if not, go to bed early, in general, look for options.
• Protect yourself from worry. It's not easy, but think about the baby, because stress aggravates weakness and increases the risk of developing hypoxia. Avoid any conflict situations, watch less TV, avoid unpleasant interlocutors and alarmists. Establish contact only with relatives and pleasant people who will help you improve your mood and motivate you.
• Don't Forget the Fresh Air. A walk in the park, a trip to nature give energy, saturate the blood with oxygen, invigorate. Staying in clean air will drive away headaches and weakness during pregnancy.
• Watch your nutrition. Your menu should be multi-component and balanced. You need a regular supply of minerals, fatty acids, proteins and vitamins. First of all, you need to eat meat, vegetables, berries and fruits according to the season.
• Charger. If there are no contraindications, drive away fatigue with gymnastics, swimming, yoga. Exercise will increase the production of serotonin, which acts like caffeine - gives energy and joy.
• Ask for help from loved ones. If you do not have time to do all the household chores, you have another child who needs to be taken to school and clubs, do not hesitate to ask for help and once again relax. In a hopeless situation, consider the option of a nanny.

Advice! A piece of chocolate and sweet tea will help to cheer up a little, especially if your weakness is caused by a drop in pressure.

Weakness during pregnancy can be physiological or pathological. Remember, if weakness occurs suddenly, accompanied by abdominal pain, loss of consciousness, bloody discharge or other formidable symptoms, do not waste time and call a doctor immediately. If your condition is stable, just try to switch to something interesting and enjoy your beautiful, but fleeting position!

Video: Malaise during pregnancy

“There is no better pregnancy” - and every second mom is ready to agree with this. After the birth of a child, a woman, as a rule, has only good memories of a past pregnancy, and all the sorrows and hardships associated with this period of life forever remain behind the horizon. Toxicosis, dizziness, nagging pain in the lower abdomen, emotional lability - this is not the whole list of symptoms that accompany a pregnant woman for nine months. And if such violations are not found in all expectant mothers, then weakness during pregnancy for an unknown reason is a faithful companion of each of them. Weakness during pregnancy - what is the reason for its appearance? To answer this question, it is necessary to clearly understand all the changes, both physiological and pathological, that occur in the female body during the gestational period.

Weakness during pregnancy - what is the reason for its appearance? When hormones go wild.

Few people know what pregnancy really is. This is a complex process during which there is a complete restructuring of the body, preparing for bearing a child. Already in the first weeks of pregnancy, the hormonal background of a woman undergoes dramatic changes. For example, the level of progesterone rises in order to prepare the uterus for the attachment of the fetal egg and set the whole body for the upcoming pregnancy. At the same time, progesterone suppresses the immune system, in order to avoid rejection of the attached fetal egg, causes salt retention in the body and the appearance of edema, and also has a depressing effect on the emotional state of a woman. An increase in estrogen during pregnancy is necessary to stimulate the growth of the uterus, remove unnecessary fluid and normalize blood pressure by relaxing the walls of blood vessels.

Naturally, everything that happens with the hormonal background affects the well-being of a woman and provokes the appearance of weakness during pregnancy, increased fatigue, and drowsiness. No matter how sad it may sound, but such symptoms are a variant of the norm at the initial stage. gestation . In the case when weakness during pregnancy is permanent for unknown reasons, it is necessary to find the source of its occurrence. Unfortunately, getting rid of weakness during pregnancy in the early stages development of pregnancy almost impossible, because hormonal changes in the body of the expectant mother are simply inevitable.

In order to find at least some strength in yourself to get out of bed in the morning, it is advisable to rest as much as possible and adjust your diet. A plate of oatmeal with fruit and a cup of tea with honey is the best breakfast for energizing and invigorating.

Weakness during pregnancy - we observe changes in blood pressure.

From the very morning and throughout the day, it accompanies weakness during pregnancy: legs give way, head is spinning, there is no strength to perform daily activities, there is a feeling of fainting. Perhaps it's all about low blood pressure - hypotension.

What is the reason for the appearance of arterial hypotension, it is still not clear exactly. Perhaps this is due to the increased level of estrogen during gestation that help relax the walls of blood vessels and lower blood pressure. As for the first half of pregnancy, hypotension can occur against the background of severe toxicosis with frequent or indomitable vomiting, when the body loses a lot of fluid, resulting in a drop in blood pressure. If hypotension occurs late gestation , then in this case, its cause may be the syndrome of the inferior vena cava (when the pregnant woman is on her back, the enlarged uterus puts pressure on the inferior vena cava), as a result of which blood flow to the heart becomes difficult and fainting occurs with a sharp decrease in blood pressure. If this condition occurs, you must immediately turn on your side or take a sitting position.

What is the danger of hypotension? With reduced blood pressure, in addition to weakness during pregnancy, there is a deterioration in venous outflow of blood, as a result of which the woman develops edema and develops preeclampsia . At the same time, circulatory disorders entail an insufficient supply of oxygen to the baby, as a result of which fetal hypoxia and start labor activity earlier than expected.

The following steps can help you manage hypotension:

• good rest, healthy sleep at least 10 hours a day;
• fractional balanced nutrition (in small portions, up to 5 times a day);
• contrast shower (in this case, the transition from warm to cooler water should be smooth);
• physical activity (charging in the morning, walking in park areas).

When leaving the house, a pregnant hypotensive woman should take a bottle of ammonia with her, in case the first signs of fainting appear.

Weakness during pregnancy - it's time to do a blood test.

Perhaps the most common cause of weakness during pregnancy is the occurrence of iron deficiency anemia - a condition during which a woman's body lacks iron, which is responsible for the level of hemoglobin in the blood. In turn, hemoglobin is responsible for transporting oxygen to all organs and tissues of the body. As a rule, anemia overtakes a pregnant woman around the middle gestation when the fetus begins to actively grow and develop, requiring more nutrients and oxygen necessary for this. At the same time, along with weakness during pregnancy, there are such symptoms of the disease as pale skin, brittle nails and hair, and frequent dizziness.

Today, even ordinary healthy women often feel weak and apathetic. The saturated rhythm of modern life contributes to this. And what can we say about women bearing children! Therefore, weakness during pregnancy should not be surprising, because such a condition is a huge energy cost.

Deterioration of well-being in the first months of pregnancy

After a successful conception, the female body is rebuilt radically. It changes the hormonal background, the changes apply to all systems that begin to work in high load mode. The future baby requires vitamins, minerals. He takes them from his mother. The appearance of another circle in the circulatory system contributes to a decrease in the level of iron in the blood and, accordingly. If a woman is not used to watching her diet before pregnancy or paid a lot of attention to her figure, being afraid to gain excess weight, then she will feel weakness in the early stages of pregnancy: she will feel very tired even without any physical exertion.

Impotence and drowsiness during pregnancy can also be a consequence of an increase in the level of progesterone in the blood. It negatively affects the functioning of the nervous system of a woman, which she feels relaxed, apathetic, passive, and a decrease in efficiency.

As you can see, weakness is a completely normal condition in the early stages of bearing a child. This is a physiological phenomenon. It occurs very often. Therefore, you should not worry about this.

There is no need to worry if weakness appears immediately after eating. It’s just that a lot of energy is spent on its processing, the blood recedes from the head and arrives at the stomach, so blood pressure decreases slightly. This explains the drowsiness after eating.

When weakness is not the norm

This symptom may be a signal of violations in the health of the pregnant woman. Weakness in the first trimester accompanies such diseases:

1. early toxicosis. Its other manifestations are vomiting, nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, more often occurring in the morning. With early toxicosis, a woman needs to change her eating habits, for example, while still lying in bed in the morning, eat dry cookies, or switch to fractional meals. You need to spend more time outdoors, avoid strong odors.
2. Hypotension. In addition to weakness, it is accompanied by dizziness and nausea. The danger of low pressure in the early stages of bearing a child is that blood circulation is disturbed in the vessels. That is, the baby receives less oxygen, which leads to intrauterine hypoxia. In this case, blood pressure should be measured regularly. It is recommended to start the morning with a glass of apple or orange juice. It is not recommended to use strong tea and coffee when carrying a baby. But with hypotension, one serving of a caffeinated drink is allowed.
3. Iron-deficiency anemia. Iron deficiency in the body of a pregnant woman is manifested not only by weakness, but also by pale skin, brittle nails, hair loss, and shortness of breath. With timely detection, anemia can be easily corrected. It is enough just to increase the daily intake of foods containing iron. These are liver, red meat, buckwheat, leafy greens, legumes, pomegranates. If the degree of anemia is severe, then hospitalization should not be abandoned.
4. Flu, . If weakness in the expectant mother is also accompanied by fever, chills, cough, runny nose, then this is definitely not the norm. Bed rest, drinking plenty of water in the form of fruit drinks, linden tea, juices, washing the nose with saline will help to quickly stop the development of the virus. But the usual anti-influenza drugs in the early stages of pregnancy should not be used. They can significantly harm the fetus, in which systems and organs are just being formed.

In addition to the above, there may be other causes of weakness - pathological. Only an obstetrician-gynecologist observing a woman is able to identify them. To do this, she may be assigned additional examinations and tests.

If there are no reasons for concern, everything is normal with a woman’s health, then you just need to rest more, be in the fresh air, eat better. There is an opinion that this is a natural defense mechanism, which just makes the expectant mother take more care of herself.