Managing Fatigue during the First Trimester of Pregnancy

Managing Fatigue during the First Trimester of Pregnancy

Being pregnant during the first trimester can be an exciting and challenging time. Your body is undergoing numerous changes, and it's important to prioritize your health and well-being.

Rest and Prioritize

One common symptom during this stage is fatigue, which can make it difficult to keep up with everyday tasks. When you're feeling fatigued, it's crucial to listen to your body and rest more often. Allow yourself to take breaks throughout the day and prioritize what needs to be done. This might mean letting go of non-essential tasks and focusing on the essentials. For me this means I'm not getting done all I usually do. I'm buying bread instead of making it, am not starting as many plants as usual, and let the older kids watch screen time during the toddler's nap so I can sleep while he sleeps without the kids getting into trouble. These aren't things that I would normally do but it's for a short period of time. Ask for help! Especially from your partner and any kids you already have, since they will need to help throughout the pregnancy and new birth. Just because you are the one carrying the child does't mean the burden rests solely on you.

Dealing with Food Smells and Nausea

During pregnancy, heightened senses can make certain smells, especially those related to food, nauseating. Cooking or being around certain foods can trigger nausea and discomfort. To manage this, try to avoid cooking or being in close proximity to strong-smelling foods. Easy to do when homesteading? Yeah okay, not so much if you're the primary cook as I am and usually do as much from scratch as possible! But again, during this short period of time I'm buying more prepackaged stuff (usually what I'm trying to avoid) because food prep makes me throw up, or am trying to walk my husband or oldest child through as much food prep as possible, cross ventilating the kitchen even in the cold, and minimizing leftovers (since that's triggering to my nose right now). If you're harvesting something from your homestead that's bothering you, consider wearing a mask to minimize exposure to strong odors (I have been using the cloth masks I used to have to wear at work all the time during COVID, while cooking). During a previous pregnancy, when I didn't have masks, I let all my raspberries go unharvested because I couldn't stand the smell. I should have asked for help at that point, whoops.

Remember to stay hydrated!

Ligament Changes

I am not an expert on the hormonal and ligament changes but do know they are for real! I've always had to do heavy lifting. With my first pregnancy I was training patients with spinal cord injuries and other serious neurological injuries to learn transfers (moving from one spot to another, such as a bed to a wheelchair or wheelchair to toilet or commode). That meant in the beginning I was supporting a lot of an adult's weight, back when I only weighed 125 ish pounds. I was careful to ask for assistance when I needed it, even before pregnancy, but I realized I needed to be extra careful once those hormones made my ligaments relax. I read online this occurs around 10-12 weeks, along with hormonal changes. Currently I work in the community so don't do heavy lifting there BUT on the homestead lift 50lb feed sacks and move a lot of soil. This is my fourth pregnancy and I haven't hurt myself lifting anything but that's because I made sure to only lift what I was used to lifting (so had the muscle strength for what I was doing), and to use good ergonomics. If in doubt, get help and/or find a way to make the load lighter (separate the 50lb feedsack or bag of soil into smaller portions and use a wheelbarrow or wagon, for example). This is not the time to increase what you've been doing recently, which can be especially hard with changes in season (such as right now if you've been inside during winter and want to get started gardening this spring but are already experiencing hormonal changes). If you know you might get pregnant but aren't yet, THAT is an excellent time to work out and prep your body for what you want to do while you're pregnant.

Reaching Out for Support

During the first trimester, it can be more challenging to ask for help, especially if you haven't shared the news of your pregnancy yet. However, it's worth reaching out to trusted friends, family, or support groups (your church, gardening group, etc.) who can offer assistance and understanding. Sharing your experiences and concerns with others can provide emotional support and make the journey feel less overwhelming. This decision is entirely personal, and you should do what feels right for you.

Remember, pregnancy is a time of physical and emotional changes, and it's okay to ask for help and support when you need it. Take care of yourself, rest when necessary, and reach out to your support network for assistance. You're not alone on this journey!

What has been your experience with pregnancy during the first trimester? What did you find helpful or difficult? Were you able to change what you were doing and/or get support? What did you cut out from your homesteading journey during this time of change?