Every pregnancy is different but this second pregnancy exhaustion has knocked me off my feet. I’ve had to shift gears once I realized that this won’t be the same rodeo. Here is Part 3 of my Second Pregnancy Series.
Dear Mom who needs some rest and want to sleep,
The exhaustion of my second pregnancy hit me like a storm. It was unexpected and it came in two waves. When the exhaustion first appeared I thought it was the normal early pregnancy symptoms. I didn’t think it was too bad when I started falling asleep on my son and husband at random. It eventually went away and I was back to shaking and moving.
Then the second wave of exhaustion came through and let me tell you it still hasn’t left. I try to catch a nap whenever I can. The exhaustion of having to take care of a kid while making a kid is real. I thought I was going to walk into this second pregnancy fully knowing the ropes.
Then the night episodes appeared earlier. In my first pregnancy, I started having to get up to pee and having leg cramps in my sleep in about month 7. It is quite tedious to have to get up to go to the bathroom while you’re sleeping when you are already tired. But hey I was warned of this one.
When the leg cramps kicked in I was pissed. I already have to switch from side to side when sleeping and now these leg cramps. Come on! It was as if my legs were too heavy for each other and they started hurting one another. So I tried that pillow between the legs trick and let me tell you that was some type of help. Here we are in the second pregnancy and it’s like the legs caught on to the pillow trick. This time it isn’t working. So I had to bring in some reinforcements.
This is Part 3 of my 3 Part Second Pregnancy Series. Make sure you check out Part 1: Second Pregnancy Is Different From Your First & Part 2: Second Pregnancy Symptoms. We’re in this together Momma!
I needed to find a way to pull myself out of this sleepy slump and get my body to a working state. So here’s how I’m managing.
Simple Ways to Manage Second Pregnancy Exhaustion & Sleep Interruptions
Get more sleep to fight the second pregnancy exhaustion
This sounds obvious but it isn’t. I tried to push myself into doing things similar to my first pregnancy. I was sadly hit with that, “Girl, you tried it”. That’s what my body told me. I had to realize this isn’t the same rodeo. It was time to listen to my body and shift gears. I have more responsibilities than I did the first time around and I need to get with this new program.
This meant no more pushing myself. My body needs rest. I need to get more sleep in any way I can. Some ways I did this include napping when Potato naps. That rule applies when kids are infants, toddlers, and anytime it works. This is one of those times. You need to drop everything and take that nap.
Another way is going to bed earlier or if you can sleep in. I’m definitely the type to say I’m going to sleep. Instead of actually sleeping I’m scrolling through my emails or amazon. I had to stop this when I caught myself and actually go to sleep. Between waking up to use the bathroom or a leg cramp, going to bed earlier will help you get as much sleep as you can. Truly just do it. Your body will thank you.
Drinking more water & watching what you eat
Another Way to fight pregnancy exhaustion is by drinking more water. I know this sounds silly but drinking more water helps with everything during pregnancy. It fights breakouts and stomach cramps. It also helps with low energy. So drink up while you’re already at it.
Watching what you eat is another way to fight exhaustion. Depending on how eating has been going during your pregnancy, it’s good to track how you’re feeling after meals and snacks. Pregnancy is all about learning your body in this new or different state. Pregnancy does something interesting things to our body. Paying close attention can help you tweak things to help with your exhaustion.
For myself, certain foods made me feel heavier and more tired after lunch. Such as Thai food. Although my favorite, it fed me but also made me feel more exhausted. Compared to when I ate a healthy salad. I felt a healthier snack like peanuts and fruit gave me more energy. This is definitely something good to test out and see what you find. There are tons of lists on google of good energy-boosting snacks and foods for pregnant women.
Sips of Gatorade before bed to help with the sleep interruptions
The first time around the pillow between the leg work. In the second pregnancy, this trick wasn’t hitting the way it should have. I had to consult with my doctor. My thinking was, it’s been 4 years since my last pregnancy and a few things have changed in the baby-making world. Maybe there was something new for this issue.
My doctor suggested, drinking a little bit of Gatorade before bed. But not too much as it’s super sweet. I was shocked when he said this. But I got a bottle of the glacier cherry flavor and gave it a go. To my surprise, this worked. It actually helped decrease the number of leg cramps I was getting at night and I was able to get more hours of sleep. It’s amazing the tricks that people stumble upon.
Another bonus tip for fighting that urge to get up to go to the bathroom, cutting off your water intake about an hour or more before bed. I know that can be hard to do as a pregnant woman but it does help for fewer bathroom breaks at night. Try it and let me know if it works!
For the Win (conclusion)
I hope you are able to try out these simple ways to manage your exhaustion and sleep interruptions. Pregnancy ain’t no joke, which means the second time around isn’t either. There are still a lot of things that I’m learning along the way.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my Second Pregnancy Series. If you haven’t caught up on Part 1 & Part 2 make sure you do that right now. Lots of good nuggets to help you in your second pregnancy!
Have any other tips and tricks to fight exhaustion and sleep interruptions? I’d love to hear them below.
-From Kiki With Love
