3rd Trimester Struggles - Anyone else?

atraveller · August 2014

Hi all,

First off my apologies for going MIA for a bit. My work has just been nuts - and we started our child birth classes and so I'm having to leave early on some days to get there and then end up working much longer days on the other days to compensate and basically its wiping me out. And then the weekends have been nuts with trying to really start reigning in all the to-dos as the due date looms closer and closer. Less than two months now - how scary.

So anyway - is anyone struggling in the 3rd trimester? I'm finding that I can't get to my exercise every day and when I do I can't quite do what I was doing even two weeks ago. I find I'm out of breath all the time and my stomach feels huge and my acid reflux is the worst its been and lately my feet seem to be swollen all the time, even when I do move around. I'm also finding that I literally feel like I'm going to fall asleep at my desk a few times a day - no real energy.

Is anyone finding that they are suddenly not able to really do so much anymore? Is this normal. The swelling is especially nerve wracking. My ankles and feet were swelling before but used to go down after a run or walk or after a night's sleep but now I wake up as swollen as when I went to bed. It's strange. Going to talk to my doctor about it on Monday. Anyone else having this problem?

I'm such an active person, it's tough to find at the end of my work day I can barely motivate myself to go down the stairs more or less workout like I was doing before. I feel so guilty and like I'm not nearly in the shape I expected to be at this point in pregnancy. I sit next to this cross fit gal in my childbirth class who is super nice but she's so in shape and her bump is so much smaller than mine and she's 36 weeks. I look at her and I feel jealous. I let work just take over too many days and my fitness suffered, especially my strength training ( I was still running till this week, but have only been doing weights at most, once a week) and now I feel like a house.

Anyways - just had to vent some and wanted to see if anyone else is feeling this way. Thanks for reading.

MrsSarahRenee · August 2014

@Nicb13‌ ehhh I am so glad you said that about not being able to work out all pregnancy. I am so worried I won't be able to get through labor because I am so out of shape I will just collapse in exhaustion!

And yes @atraveller‌ I am way more uncomfortable. My back is killing me.

megaddie · August 2014

My legs ache so bad; I can hardly walk up the stairs. Also, I just woke up from a 3 hour nap, if that tells you anything. And, my OCD/anxiety is barely managed by the tiny dosage I take...so I'm having bad hypochondria issues:(

golfingdarwinfish · August 2014

I haven't been able to engage in physical activity that is more strenuous than walking since the start of second tri per my cardiologist. I would give anything to be able to work out even occasionally.

Every woman's body reacts differently to pregnancy, but what you are describing sounds normal. I know it's hard, but try not to compare yourself to anyone else. The work out you are describing above is perhaps more than what a lot of women on this board or elsewhere are capable of or feeling up to right now; even though it seems subpar to you, try to accept that this is temporary and later you will be able to return to your typical regimen once your body is ready.

MollyC20 · August 2014

It literally sounds like you're writing about me! I'm always sooooo exhausted!

onelilroo · August 2014

I haven't been able to exercise hardly at all. I'm getting my exercise walking back and forth to the bathroom... No joke!

MuffinMom14 · August 2014

I've had a pretty easy pregnancy. No morning sickness. People didn't even believe I was pregnant until maybe 22/24 weeks.

I've gained too much weight, I suppose (dunno, I haven't checked since I started freaking out about it), but other than that, i was good.

I was able to run a half marathon at 12 weeks. After that, I had bad groin pain and hip pain and had to drop down to 5ks for races and about 12 miles per week. Then like two weeks ago, BAM. I'm done. I could only do 2 miles at a time. Then this week, I'm in so much pain it's unreal.

I feel cheated because I was so fit before. Everyone said "you'll be able to run the whole time, you'll bounce back so quickly!" and then this. I'm really upset about it, but even if I only WALK 7 or 8 miles a week, I'm still doing more than a lot of NON-pregnant ladies. I'm trying to put things in perspective. Yes, I'm heartbroken that I can't run anymore, and I feel EXACTLY as you described--exhausted, in pain, out of shape. But I do think it's normal. I just didn't expect to feel this way for another month. And it came all at once.

We're almost done. We're (mostly) 3/4 of the way through.

vrj0522 · August 2014

Yep, so much more tired and with less energy as of recently. Also wanting a nap everyday again. I am still working out but it's hard and half the time I don't feel like it. Everything you described sounds completely normal.

heatherjeanp · August 2014

I feel the same suddenly this third trimester. I wasn't working out before though. I also have a weird symptom, but I looked it up and apparently it is normal... My skin on my stomach is often numb like its asleep. I read that it happens because the skin stretches. I don't like the feeling at all.

lrobi13 · August 2014

I have my good days and bad days but i really haven't exercised much during my pregnancy. I manage to maintain my energy levels at work but by the end of the day I got nothing left.

Emerald27 · August 2014

@SPurp13‌ You will be back to running so quickly! Try not to worry too much. Most moms are cleared for exercise at about 6 weeks postpartum, and you'll be surprised how fast it comes back. I am a couch potato, but I have a number of mom friends who are runners and who run with their kids in strollers, etc., running marathons and all kinds of craziness that exhaust me just to hear about!

A dear friend who recently had her third ran her first postpartum marathon when her DD was just 8mo.

MrsTinMKE · August 2014

@nicb13 - Ditto. I feel like a pile, but I have been so tired. Normally a pretty active person, but I have had zero motivation/energy this pregnancy.

vrj0522 · August 2014

SPurp13 said:

I've had a pretty easy pregnancy. No morning sickness. People didn't even believe I was pregnant until maybe 22/24 weeks.

I've gained too much weight, I suppose (dunno, I haven't checked since I started freaking out about it), but other than that, i was good.

I was able to run a half marathon at 12 weeks. After that, I had bad groin pain and hip pain and had to drop down to 5ks for races and about 12 miles per week. Then like two weeks ago, BAM. I'm done. I could only do 2 miles at a time. Then this week, I'm in so much pain it's unreal.

I feel cheated because I was so fit before. Everyone said "you'll be able to run the whole time, you'll bounce back so quickly!" and then this. I'm really upset about it, but even if I only WALK 7 or 8 miles a week, I'm still doing more than a lot of NON-pregnant ladies. I'm trying to put things in perspective. Yes, I'm heartbroken that I can't run anymore, and I feel EXACTLY as you described--exhausted, in pain, out of shape. But I do think it's normal. I just didn't expect to feel this way for another month. And it came all at once.

We're almost done. We're (mostly) 3/4 of the way through.

I also gained too much with DS and had to stop running at 27 weeks from horrible RLP. I was mad and disappointed but it was what it was. I continued working out in other ways but was worried the whole time about what would happen after his birth. The first 3 months of his life it was really hard for me to work out (no energy, no time, and breastfeeding) but I still did so at least a couple of days a week after I was cleared. And then it all came back plus some. I started running longer races than I ever had before and got in the best physical shape of my life after having my son. You'll get it all back. It's too important to you for you not to, so try not to worry too much or be too disappointed. I know you'll find a way since running and exercise are such a big part of your life.

MissMandyD · August 2014

Running landed me in the hospital and now I am benched from everything but a slow walk. I wish I could work out!

MrsL2B · August 2014

I feel like an ass for giving in to my excuses for not working out lately, but there are a lot of them: exhaustion from insomnia, sore calves from nighttime cramps, pain in my heels and the soles of my feet, fluctuating blood sugars, low blood pressure, loose ligaments/unstable joints, the heat and humidity, and neighborhood coyotes.

serenbach · August 2014

I know how you feel, I had it all planned out that I would go swimming a couple of times a week and go walking etc but to be honest whenever I get an hour to myself (not working, doing house work, cooking, trying to please everyone) all I want to do is sleep! I feel so run down all of the time, and I have been suffering with SPD which can sometimes make walking up the stairs painful so I'm starting to feel lazy, my work colleagues keep reminding me not to over do it and remember that my body is probably exhausted growing a new life inside of me and that I can think about fitness once he's born which I think is good advice :-) x

archi35 · August 2014

ME ME ME!!! I was having a really good pregnancy (I felt) until week 27. It all went to shit and the past 2 1/2 weeks have felt like months. I've gotten little to nothing done and I've been active and doing things - its not like I've been laying around. So wtf have I been actually accomplishing? I have no idea how I start off on something that should take 15 minutes and then I look up, its not done and its been an hour.

W. T. F. !!!

andrieya · August 2014

Oh gosh yes. I feel like all of a sudden since about 30 weeks I just feel enormous. I was kickboxing 4x a week up until 12 weeks but fatigue and freezing weather kept me from class. Whenever I don't get enough exercise, I dream of working out--normally it's of push-ups, but lately it's been of doing mountain climbers which I HATE.

MrsL2B · August 2014

andrieya said:

Oh gosh yes. I feel like all of a sudden since about 30 weeks I just feel enormous. I was kickboxing 4x a week up until 12 weeks but fatigue and freezing weather kept me from class. Whenever I don't get enough exercise, I dream of working out--normally it's of push-ups, but lately it's been of doing mountain climbers which I HATE.

I hate mountain climbers, too. I think my short arms make them extra difficult, like there just isn't enough space under my body.

MuffinMom14 · August 2014

@Emerald27 Thanks for the encouragement. I guess I get so down on myself because I'm part of a Running Moms FB group, and they are STILL running half marathons at like 38 weeks. HOW? I feel like I'm doing nothing, so my recovery will be longer. But I have to remind myself, it's better than doing NOTHING at all.

Of course, yesterday AND today, I did nothing at all, because I woke up both nights at 1am crying because I can't sleep. Everything hurts. Even my mouse fingers hurt. It's like I developed arthritis during pregnancy. Can that happen!?!

@vrj0522 You are echoing what people in my life keep telling me, but I just find it hard to believe that once I get back to work, I'll even WANT to run 15 hours a week like I used to. Where will I get the time and energy? I have no idea. I'm going to be kind to myself in the first month, and TRY to get back to it a bit during the last two months of maternity leave. But. I don't know.

JETH119 · August 2014

@spurp13 I feel the exact same way. I ran a half at 11 weeks, and had to stop running completely due to PSD. I'm still working out, but I miss running SO much!

bumpuser10309732 · August 2014

Working out while pregnant? Seriously?! ^:)^ No no no no no! I usually walk my dog but it's been soooo hot that I don't feel like turbo waddling around the block. I honestly don't typically work out but I try to stay active doing other things. Not so much. My body aches so bad lately, I'm with PP who said she felt like a big bag of ass. That's pretty accurate...I'm pretty terrified of postpartum. My BIL trains professional athletes. I regularly snap chat him photos of me eating doughnuts and tell him he's got his work cut out for him in a couple months. Lol

slsl509 · August 2014

Tritto on big bag of ass. I'm exactly the same weight as with DD at this stage and I lost all that so I'm not worrying too much. I did got a little overboard on eating all the desserts so i'm cutting that back but other than that getting from morning to night is about the biggest thing I can accomplish.

andrieya · August 2014

MrsL2B said:

andrieya said:

Oh gosh yes. I feel like all of a sudden since about 30 weeks I just feel enormous. I was kickboxing 4x a week up until 12 weeks but fatigue and freezing weather kept me from class. Whenever I don't get enough exercise, I dream of working out--normally it's of push-ups, but lately it's been of doing mountain climbers which I HATE.

I hate mountain climbers, too. I think my short arms make them extra difficult, like there just isn't enough space under my body.

I, too, suffer from T-Rex arms! It makes some yoga poses so hard

babygadd14 · August 2014

I feel like as soon as 28 weeks hit it was like bam, back to being tired all the time. The shortness of breathe is what gets me, I can be doing my makeup and be out of breathe. Also my lower back hurts almost all the time and I see the chiropractor about once a week now which does help. Not too much longer though

Gigimetz · August 2014

I'm down to 10 weeks and this just kicked in for me. I'm literally so exhausted, esp by the end of the work week. It's so hard to find motivation to do anything because I just am so freaking tired.

amstevens78 · August 2014

I have 7 weeks and 5 days left and I just started back to work this week. I finding that my everything hurts! Just like PP I can't breathe, I can't bend over, I can't sleep, my feet, legs, and ankles are swelled so bad they literally hurt to touch, and I stay extremely tired. I keep telling myself not much longer!

atraveller · August 2014

SPurp13 said:

I've had a pretty easy pregnancy. No morning sickness. People didn't even believe I was pregnant until maybe 22/24 weeks.

I've gained too much weight, I suppose (dunno, I haven't checked since I started freaking out about it), but other than that, i was good.

I was able to run a half marathon at 12 weeks. After that, I had bad groin pain and hip pain and had to drop down to 5ks for races and about 12 miles per week. Then like two weeks ago, BAM. I'm done. I could only do 2 miles at a time. Then this week, I'm in so much pain it's unreal.

I feel cheated because I was so fit before. Everyone said "you'll be able to run the whole time, you'll bounce back so quickly!" and then this. I'm really upset about it, but even if I only WALK 7 or 8 miles a week, I'm still doing more than a lot of NON-pregnant ladies. I'm trying to put things in perspective. Yes, I'm heartbroken that I can't run anymore, and I feel EXACTLY as you described--exhausted, in pain, out of shape. But I do think it's normal. I just didn't expect to feel this way for another month. And it came all at once.

We're almost done. We're (mostly) 3/4 of the way through.

@SPurp13 - I completely feel your pain. That is pretty much what happened to me. I had almost zero symptoms in the first trimester and other than acid reflux and some round ligament pain, and what seemed to be PUPPS but then sort of went away, it's been a fairly easy pregnancy. Then I hit the 3rd trimester and suddenly my ankles and feet are swollen every day and my runs (which are really walks with a little bit of shuffling jogs mixed in) have become difficult and not fun. I'm not a marathon runner, but did 5-7 miles 5-6 days a week for a long time and even on off days did at least 4 miles. Now doing 2 is tough and I have many days where I don't even want to workout. Thanks to all the other PPs for your posts - good to know at least I'm not alone. I feel mostly like in the last 2-3 weeks I hit the pregnancy wall. But i just keep trying to remember that there is a great end game coming and hoping to get back to my pre-pregnancy self as soon as Lo is born.

atraveller · August 2014

erawka said:

I think I could have written this exact post myself. The other day I was out of breath from....nothing. Walking in the front door, I guess. The baby must have shifted and was putting so much pressure on my diaphragm that I had to lie down just to breathe.

The ankles are really getting to me too. I started wearing compression tights yesterday which really helped. I've also taken to carrying a bottle of Tums around everywhere I go. And we moved this past weekend and I've been unpacking after work all week, so exercise is just not happening here either at the moment.

So Crossfit gal can shove it. There are definitely women who can run marathons into the third trimester but they are in the overwhelming minority.

@erawka - your post is very reassuring - good to know I'm not alone and yeah, I know cross fit gal is an exception, not a rule - just wish I had more energy and could do more but again, know there is something really good coming at the end of this and keeping my eye on the prize so to speak. I'll keep trying to exercise but will try to not punish myself so much when I can't. On that note, timie to get out for my shuffle walk before it gets too hot,

staryb · August 2014

Just like everyone else I am feeling so worn out right now! A week ago I was at a wedding and I got dragged out on the dance floor a few too many times. Seriously, no one would let me just sit and relax! As a result of that (and working 6 days in a row right after) I just want to curl up in a ball and pass out for a few days. But I know that even if I had time for that I wouldn't be able to sleep, it's so frustrating!

As for working out I'm ashamed to admit I have been horrible about it throughout my whole pregnancy. I hit a bit of a workout loll over the winter before getting pregnant and never bounced back. Now I really miss it and can't wait to start up again after LO arrives! For the time being I am still walking but DH really has to almost drag me out the door to get me started.

pnwlover12 · August 2014

What pisses me off is going up the stairs...y
There is like 13 of them and I'm winded and my thigh muscles hurt by the time I'm done. Before we moved here last fall, we lived in a 3rd floor apartment and I could carry groceries AND DD up w/o being winded.

kparker26 · August 2014

MRSclarke08 said:
OMG the whole walking thing ... that is SO difficult right now. Just getting up and walking to the kitchen brings a new weird pain EVERY.SINGLE.TIME.I.GET.UP.

omg so its not just me!!! the bathroom is literally 10steps from my side of the bed and its the most difficult trip

I sit in bed and can't breathe

pinkshades05 · August 2014

There are people here still running??? I gave that up weeks ago! And even going walking for 30min is a stretch (but that is more due to my schedule than not wanting to go). Do what you can, but don't push yourself. You're not doing yourself any favors by being in pain before labor and then being in even more pain.

At least that's how I justify not making it to the gym most days of the week.

Sotho girl · August 2014

I'll be 30 weeks on Monday. I feel like for the last month, my back is constantly in pain, especially when sitting. I have to constantly shift positions to get comfortable.
Also my skin is constantly itchy. Not just my belly, but my entire body, but there's no rash, dry skin or anything

andrieya · August 2014

Just. So. Tired.
No motivation to do anything at all.
And I will never complain about having cankles ever again because this is out of control!

suprsuz · August 2014

I'm 100% with you. I'm 2 days away from 30 weeks. I am always sleepy. I have been sleeping pretty well for the last few nights, but it really doesn't seem to matter. I wake up in the morning and am ready for a nap. I am pretty sure I have dozed off at my desk a lot in the last 2 weeks. It's just insane.

atraveller · August 2014

andrieya said:

Just. So. Tired. No motivation to do anything at all. And I will never complain about having cankles ever again because this is out of control!

@andrieva - Oh I hear ya - my ankles don't even look human lately.

raynes · August 2014

Oh yeah, starting to feel like garbage. The sleep thing has finally started to become an issue for me, and while I haven't been plagued by the damn pregnancy carpal tunnel too badly yet, I'm expecting that to start up any day. I've been a complete and utter lazy lump this pregnancy and it sucks that i can't really chase after my toddler, it's only 8 (or 10, ugh) more weeks.

As for the very easily out of breath thing and wanting to fall asleep multiple times a day, I was like that before I started taking an iron supplement. I have soooo much more energy now. I mean, it's all realative, because I'm still super tired, but a feel a lot better than I did a few weeks ago.

nightowl1989 · August 2014

Reading through this thread...at least I'm not alone. My fitness has been sporadic at best for this whole pregnancy. I'm guaranteed 30 min once a week because of my personal trainer, but anything more than that really fluctuates, especially lately.

I've always been one of those people who prefers to workout in the afternoon because I value sleep too much to get up at 4 or 5 to go to the gym. But jeez, especially the past few weeks, working out in the afternoon is the last thing on my mind. I just want to lie down and not do anything for the rest of the day.

Being required to attend PT three times a week in the morning isn't exactly helping my morale when I'm starting to have trouble waking up to my alarms again. I've just kinda gotten to the point where I don't care anymore. If I wake up in time, I wake up in time. Certain people have already ruined my career for good, so not going to PT is the least of my worries, especially considering that I can no longer wear the uniform I'm required to wear for it. At the same time, I wish I had more energy to actually work out. It's really one of those no win situations where I want to work out but I sort of don't because I wake up every morning feeling like I have a hangover or something.

kbsatre · August 2014

I'll skip all the exercise talk - because I also haven't participated much

Sleeping is awful lately. I lay on my side and then the middle of my back hurts. I already have three pillows and if I add one to under my stomach, DH is out on the couch! I'm always hot, I don't remember the last time I slept with the covers over me. Mid-thru the night, my left hip is in pain and so I have to flip to the right side. Then in the morning it is like being a beached whale to get out of bed. I have cramps and it hurts if I move any wrong way. Cannot believe the lack of sleep!

At least, when baby has arrived, I can down a bit more coffee in the morning. Right now I'm drinking 2 cups max and can't wait to double that. I haven't heard that caffeine is bad while breastfeeding....so if I'm missing something here, please let me know ladies!

andrieya · August 2014

@raynes‌ really? An iron supplement helped that much?? What are you taking?

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