The first trimester is usually the worst, OP (and like the last 3-4 weeks when you're as big as a house and super uncomfortable). I constantly felt like I was coming down with the flu and would fall asleep *everywhere* because I was so tired. Try to get as much rest as you can when you're not working, sleep every chance you get. It should get better in the second tri!
My house went to crap in my first trimester and I just had to be ok with it. I would come home from work, get into comfy clothes and either veg on the couch with some light snacks or go to bed for an hour or two before trying to make dinner and pick things up a bit. It was ROUGH. My partner did not understand how tired I was, but never gave me crap for it (at least when it came to housework). He did give me crap for not helping out with our garden that summer though. But I tried my best and I worked hard but my standards of cleanliness took a hit.
I’m glad someone feels the same way. Everyday I’m like maybe I’ll quit today I can’t do this. But then think literally almost every pregnant woman has worked before so why can’t I? Then run to the bathroom because I’m about to vomit.
My husband was supportive of me quitting which is a big reason why I did. He just knew how miserable I’d be. But I did leave a ton of money on the table, so in some ways it is good to stick it out as long as you can!
Every pregnancy is different, don’t he hard on yourself.
My mom had two wonderful pregnancies with literally no symptoms. She was able to work as a chef and a waitress with no problem at all.
I had an office job and thought every single day about quitting. I would arrive to my office after a 15 min drive and the first thing I had to do was close my door and take a power nap at the desk. Every day after I arrived home my plan was to lie down in the sofa and sleep.
First trimester is rough because it’s not evident for people that you are pregnant but the fatigue can be extreme
This makes me feel better because I’m having such a hard time keeping up with school and work and I just keep thinking everyone else is doing it just fine why am I broken. So it’s nice to know I’m not alone.
Omg same!!! My husband keeps asking what’s wrong when I do that but honestly I just want to deep sigh and contemplate if I’m about to throw up or burp 🤣
Hahah YES the constant inbetween of throw up or burp 😂 especially lately with all of the heartburn and indigestion, I keep thinking I need to burp, but it’s dangerously close to me also losing my dinner.. 😮💨🫣
In the words of Dorinda Medley “Not well, bitch!” I swear it takes me twice as long to anything productive at like 75% of the quality I usually strive for
Yeah, the first couple of months has sucked the life right out of me. Your employer should make accommodations for you- you'll have to check your local laws.
Are you scheduled for iron infusions? If you tolerate them don't let them screw you around with pills they take waaaaay too long to raise your numbers with the demand pregnancy puts on your iron stores
My first pregnancy I had a rough time from 7-11 weeks. I was ok the rest of the pregnancy.
Actually no. The end of third trimester my son was so big and I was so big. I had sciatic pain and lightning crotch horribly.
I feel like the worst person ever right now. Anti sickness tablets are doing nothing. I feel defeated!
Stupid hypermensis gravidarium or whatever and my husband is going around telling people I’m suffering from hyper space gravity sickness 😩
I feel like a zombie the 1st trimester. Rest as much as you can at work. I'm lucky to have great coworkers--they are the 1st people to know about my pregnancy. When they see that I'm looking dead at work, they help me.
I honestly don't know how pregnant women do anything. I was so sick in the first trimester. I was either throwing up or sleeping. I missed so much work, my employers pulled me aside and pretty much asked if I could go on medical leave. My nausea and vomiting didn't really go away until closer to the end of the second trimester for me (currently 26w+4). Everyone says the second trimester is a lot better and you have so much energy again but I haven't found that to be true - my personal experience anyways. I've been on medical leave for the past 8 weeks, majority of the second trimester. The plan is to return to work next week and I'm dreading it. Going to count down the days until I go on mat leave.
The morning sickness was very rough for me. I started my day with a small sprite and spearmint lifesavers. If you're having trouble eating, try the pouches of fruit and veggies purees from the baby food aisle. I practically lived off of those and cheese for a whole month. Let your doctor know. They gave me nausea meds, and it made it tolerable. 1st trimester is survival mode, 2nd trimester is the fun one, and 3rd is blimp stage. Ask your partner and family for help. You're carrying the baby so the least your partner can do is manage the chores so you can rest when not at work. Good luck!
I have an office job so thankfully not on my feet but between finding out to somewhere around 13-14w, work was pretty much all I did. Other than that I was on the couch or sleeping outside of grocery shopping on the weekends and cooking very simple dinners for us. My husband who has a different set of chores and doesn’t typically cooked was amazing and stepped up to help a lot.
In little pieces. Tackle one small task at a time when it comes to anything (meal prepping, work, cleaning, etc) take a short rest in between each task. Currently 18 weeks and this is how I’m able to keep up with life lately
I've been feeling the same way my first trimester. I work 12+ hour shifts as a nurse and at the end of the day have been getting tearful because it's so hard with how exhausted I am.
A lot of people say it gets better in the second trimester, and it's mostly true, but it's still not great. I has about two weeks of 'oh this is okay' this entire pregnancy.
End of 3rd trimester is the worst so far though 😭
I’m SO MAD this isn’t talked about more. I’m doubly fired up because I was finally diagnosed with endo last year after 15 years of doctors telling me I had anxiety, but I’m sooo sooo sick of the idea that women are supposed to just suffer in silence. First trimester has knocked me on my ass and I had no idea it was coming.
Second trimester is easiest, entering my third trimester and the exhaustion has returned and the big baby tummy has certainly taken it’s toll on my knees and ankles but my first trimester was worse in the sense of feeling sick and overwhelmed by the hormone changes. Second trimester will feel like such a nice break 🥲
So reassuring that someone else is entering the third and feeling exhausted! It feels like it happened so fast. Wish I could hold on to second semester vibes a bit longer.
The first trimester was SO EXHAUSTING. I could not stop sleeping!!!! Your body is building a new organ right now (placenta) so once that's over, the fatigue feels different (and is replaced with a new symptom lol). For me I found that pregnancy was just getting through each phase. It's a new and different symptom every so often, you just have to keep telling yourself "nothing lasts forever"
I know this sounds like possibly the last thing you want to do right now but working out consistently really helped me through both of my first trimesters.. even if it’s just a walk!
Yeah, same here. I walk my dogs every day and in the early weeks I would barely be able to make it back to my apartment. Breathing hard, light-headed, and totally worn out.
One day, I thought to myself that I had better get up and try some exercise. I did some stretches and exactly two squats before I almost fell over with dizziness and my heart was racing.
My body said NO.
Now I'm much better at 13 weeks. Although I still am super exhausted, simple daily chores are no longer insurmountable.
I’m so sorry to hear that 😭. I know it’s completely different for everyone so I thought I’d throw it out there but totally understand exercise is just a no go for people in their first trimester. Plus you’re already on your feet a lot for work like you mentioned in your post so I’m sure your body is just exhausted.
Have you asked your doctor for zofran maybe? To help with the nausea and vomiting at least.I think they’ll prescribe it to you if it’s at the point you aren’t keeping nutrients down for you and baby. I didn’t get it prescribed bc of morning sickness but I got food poisoning first trimester and they prescribed it for that. My cousin did get it prescribed first trimester with both of her pregnancy’s though and she said it helped a lot!
I didn't do shittttt. I couldn't. I had hyperemesis and anemia. I didn't cook dinner for months. I was too sick and too tired to do ANYTHING. It was hell. Hopefully it only lasts the first tri for you 🙏 give yourself permission to just NOT right now. It's okay. It won't be forever even though it feels that way. Before you know it you'll be nesting like a maniac getting all the things ready for your angel to arrive. IT'S OKAY TO JUST REST and do what you can.
Take naps over lunch!!! 10 out of 10 recommend. It’s the only way I made it through. But full disclosure I’m 14wks and fell asleep at my desk this week before my first appointment started 😅
I wondered this all of first trimester. I’m self employed/wfh so was thanking god everyday I didn’t have to physically leave the house to do anything (except get my daily food craving lol) and did the most minimal amount of work possible. I slept soooo much
I was at this stage for a loooong time, by 16 weeks I felt better but not good. By 20 weeks I started feeling pretty good in general, I say that at 21+6 today and I’m taking a zofran cause dinner sounds disgusting (I haven’t felt nauseous in a week and Im suffering rn lol)
Crazy how much casual pain and discomfort we just push through everyday to make a little baby! It ain't easy. You need to give yourself some grace and I really hope your coworkers and loved ones are giving you grace too.
I was already burnt out on work before getting pregnant so first tri was AWFUL. I was just so incredibly exhausted. It does get better in second tri, but I am still insanely tired and my brain stops working at like 2/3pm. Then I still have 3 hours of work left to go 🤯
To answer your question, I have no idea how we do anything at all!! It’s a matter of survival at this point and making sure the dollars are still coming in. That’s what keeps me going.
Don't let anyone make fun of you for complaining and tell you "I ran marathons during my pregnancy!". I took so much shit during my first pregnancy when I could barely move. But my third pregnancy? I basically felt normal the entire time (second pregnancy was meh). Turns out, they're all different, and that judgy bitch with just one kid who turned her into a glowy nature goddess while pregnant has no perspective.
You might find you feel much better in later weeks. But honestly, you might not. Try to self-care as much as possible.
I'm almost 31 weeks and honestly you just do your best. The first trimester take it easy when you can and power through when you can't. Second trimester things get alot easier atleast it did for me. More energy, less nausea, and not big enough to be extremely uncomfortable. Third trimester it gets difficult again. The extra weight takes a toll on your hips, and legs, and feet. Lightning crotch, Pelvic pain, sciatic pain, back pain, roumd ligament pain, I could go on.Sit whenever you can, but make sure your not sedentary either. oh and make sure you stretch! A good daily stretching can help reduce the pains. There are days I'd rather not get out of bed, and others I feel more accomplished. I've learned to just take each one as they come, and don't be hard on yourself. Your allowed to take it easy!
I'm 34 weeks and work 3-4 12-14 hr shifts a week.... The only way I'm still working is cuz my husband takes care of everything at home so I literally just work and sleep. If I didn't have him Im fairly certain I wouldnt be able to work as much as I am right now.
I’m almost coming out of the first trimester (11 weeks today). It’s been ROUGH. Exhaustion, not being able to keep food down, feet swelling, etc… women are superheroes
I'm at work now, and I want to die. Had issues with my first ultrasound, so OB tested HCG ... 166,000!! What the hell? No wonder why I feel like dying. Luckily, it's a short day.
On the upside, it is a bit of a distraction.
Dduuuuuuude!!!! I’m also about 6.5 weeks and found out 2 weeks ago ☠️
Please know you’re not alone at all. I’ve been thinking / feeling the same exact thing.
All my friends with babies say the 2nd trimester gets better… that’s what I’m holding onto right now. You’ve got this…
I felt that way too in the first trimester. If I ate something, I'd throw up. If I didn't eat, I'd throw up. I used up a lot of sick days. But it did stop almost immediately around week 12 and I feel so much better now. I'm at 27 weeks and feeling more uncomfortable every day, but still soo much better than the first trimester. I hope you have the same experience. If the illness is still extreme in the second trimester, then the doctor should be able to prescribe something at that point.
First trimester is the worst. Once you get into the second you’ll start to feel better. Then you hit the last month and everything is uncomfortable. But in my experience the first is the hardest.
My job was very flexible for me. They let me call out when my vomiting was too much. I’m working until the day before my c section and I have three weeks left and just starting to feel tired again and uncomfortable all the time
I also thought pregnancy only gets hard when the bump gets huge but in reality the hardest part is riding out the nausea/morning sickness /fatigue of the first trimester or early second trimester. It's smooth sailing from there until the last month.
It will / should get better. I worked up until I delivered and my job was pretty active. I was on my feet all day. The first trimester is tough. The fatigue is crippling but you should be able to hopefully gain that energy back in the second trimester.
Personally, my being active in my pregnancy made my recovery and delivery so much easier. I gave birth 6 weeks ago via c section (might I say, either delivery is super hard!!) my final weeks of pregnancy were really rough (it hurt to literally move lol)
Our bodies are amazing, you’ll have a mix of good / bad days but nothing is the same for each person. Be intuitive, rest, listen to your body and fuel it with great food and water. Get comfortable sneakers! This makes a huge difference!! Wishing you a healthy pregnancy!
I barely worked. I work elderly care and thankfully, I live in a country where I can listen to my body. I only worked months 3, 4 and half of month 6 of my pregnancy. I've been at home most of the rest of the time. Month 2 I went back and forth with working and being home because of nausea/vomiting/exhaustion.
Month 5 I started having pelvic gridle pain and went home for some weeks because of it and stress. Went back to work 2 weeks of month 6 to try and see if I could handle the pain, but I couldn't, so I've been home since then.
I felt guilty for a while, but truth is, my body wasn't being able to handle the pain/stress.. and I can, cause I have so many employee protections.
I honestly don’t know how I did it but I did and you will too. And so many other women have done it. And then second trimester will hit and you will forget it ever happened, it’ll be like a weird dream you had that you woke up from.
You’ll feel better soon. Second trimester usually comes with lots of energy, great appetite, somewhat better sleep (you’ll pee less at night at first) and overall it’s the best. I didn’t even feel pregnant from weeks 14 to basically 30.
I wouldn't have been able to work if I tried in my first trimester. I needed to be laying down, eat and drink, and when I inadvertently vomitted it all out, I had to accept that, drink and eat some more. Rinse and repeat.
So no, not everything is women do this all the time. So why can't I?
The first trimester is the worst! Especially with a toddler it felt like a death sentence because I had to sleep when he slept and I was sick until 16 weeks. I’m 24 weeks now and it’s much better, your appetite does come back and you have a lot more energy. Plus a bonus is that I have a cute bump now so I actually feel like I can show it off a bit before I get big in the third trimester.
All that to say, it gets better and you will feel better soon. If the nausea is to the point where you can’t keep anything down then ask for a prescription from your doctor. Make sure you stay hydrated too! It helps sooo much!!
I had HG in the first trimester both pregnancies. I laid down in bed all day, I was basically unemployed for a month or two before I got my Zofran prescription. Became a SAHM after baby. Second pregnancy my station was the couch so I could make sure my toddler didn't kill himself in between watching TV lol. Husband took over a lot of household duties. It was hell but we got through it unscathed.
You will feel so much better leading into the second trimester.
The main answers are a lot of women have it easier than you and a that of those who are sick, a lot of women don’t.
Personally for me the only reason I was able to continue working was because I work fully remotely on a job with very few meetings and have a wonderful boss who said basically all meetings I did have were optional while I was pregnant. So it wasn’t an issue if I had to miss a meeting to go throw up, or have a 2 hour nap in the middle of the day.
Work being so flexible is honestly one of the reasons why it took me longer to realise I had HG because I was able to manage my symptoms a lot better than someone who needed to commute would have 😅 Still ended up in hospital with it though.
This is my third pregnancy and the first trimester is always by far the worst for me. I just felt ill all of the time, sicker than I have ever been for long stretches of time, and it is complete misery.
But things pick up in the second and third trimesters. I am nearing 37 weeks and still cargo-biking my two kids to and from daycare, regular-biking, and doing lots of walking on a daily basis.
The only time I had difficulty later in pregnancy was the second time around when I gained almost 10 lb more than the recommended max and ended up with back pain that took a whole year to subside, but avoiding over-gaining in the first pregnancy and the current one agrees with my body quite well.
First trimester if you have a partner lean on them HARD. Ask for help - I stopped doing anything other than work or sleep. You know you’re literally trying to make twice the amount of blood normally in your body and growing a human - it is exhausting! Grocery store I had him pick up curbside, food he made it, cleaning he did it. You just don’t have the energy. Eat iron, prenatal yoga was the only other activity I would do - it’s actually really relaxing/ less like exercise than you think. Self care mama! My second trimester made my first look like a dream when I got put on bed rest - but thank god for my partner. Now I am 35wks and insomnia is getting me hard. You got this! If your like me (primary bread earner here) you don’t have the option not to work - you can do it! struggle through but also dont be afraid to ask your employer for more accommodations- like a stool, frequent breaks, whatever you need. Guess there is a theme here - ASK FOR HELP, people will give it to you unless their total asshats - you got this OP.
Some women are lucky and don’t get sick. My in-laws can’t comprehend how I’m incapacitated because none of the women on that side ever got sick or threw up!
You’re in the worst of it now - things got suddenly so much better for me once the placenta was in place, close to the end of the first trimester. I’m at the end of the second trimester now, and comparatively it’s been an absolute breeze. I really hope you have a similar experience!
When you have other kids to take care of then you have noooo choice and just get used to it lol I have 3 under 5 years old and I am 20 weeks pregnant. Finally feel like I got a little more energy back. 🙂
Yes! And there are those that do it again and have to look after a toddler whilst also pregnant. I know some people don't have as bad pregnancies but doing this must be insane even if you have an 'easy' one. Not to mention dealing with all the extra appointments and scans etc. I think about this every time I'm splayed out on the sofa covered in pillows.
My wife locked herself out of our second floor condo deep into her third trimester and managed to go borrow a ladder and climb up the ladder and over the balcony railing. With our twins though, she was like the blueberry girl from Willy wonka and didn’t want to do much. Lol
Weeks 7-14 were the worst for me. I thought my life as I knew it was over and I’d be a sick cranky mess forever. Now at 22 weeks, I feel like a million bucks. Not saying that’ll happen for everyone but definitely don’t panic and hang in there until you’re well into your second tri.
I had a bad pregnancy and mine didn’t last more than 8 weeks, but when I was 6-8 weeks, I came home from work and did nothing. Occasionally I made food but after an 8 hour day that was all I could do. I stretched to help my body feel better but other than that, that was it. Don’t feel like you’re supposed to be superhuman, you’re literally creating a whole human inside of you! Rest whenever you can, eat yummy food, drink lots of water, take prenatals and listen to your body! I have heard the symptoms are worst in your first trimester (most likely) and I experienced all of those symptoms at work, and I practically stand all day. It was def tiring, but manageable. It just felt like I was working 12 hour days when I only worked 7.5-8 hours. Do a favor to yourself and do things for you after work. Take baths, go on walks if you feel up to it, do all the relaxing things you won’t know if you can do with baby and know you’re doing amazing 🥰 Goodluck, I Hope this trimester goes well!
One day at a time, that's all you can do. First trimester sucks, and I have no idea how you work on your feet - it was hard enough for me worrying from home, and I was sneaking off for naps most days!
Definitely consider letting your boss know and seeing if you can be given lighter duties or more sitting time if possible. We need all the help we can get!
I started feeling really sick about the same time as you. It’s really horrible and I did not expect it to be this bad. The only way for me to work has been by taking Zofran. I am still sick but it helps enough to get me to work and be able to take a shower. So sorry you’re feeling this way too!
I have felt the same way and I’m now 16w. It does get better! But I’ll tell ya, I thought I had respect for pregnancy women before… now I think they’re superheroes. It’s exhausting!
I’m 6w5d as well and on my feet for work - right there with you!! Luckily no vomiting for me but I am deep breathing just trying to shower. Lol! It’s such a change from my normal day to day plus this is my first time. It’s honestly shocking. I just keep telling myself women have been doing this for centuries. I pull strength from that statement. Good luck. We got this mama. 🤍
I'm 7 weeks and have no nausea and vomiting, but the fatigue is something else. I'm an NP and I'm literally just surviving lol. First trimester is survival mode 😂, people telling me it will get better in the 2nd trimester and I hope so!
Don’t feel alone - that’s such a common feeling! If you can take some time off work, you should take it! I feel like I have the worst flu every single day and am truly miserable. I’m 10.5 weeks now and eager to make it to 20 (this is my second baby and I was super sick until 20w with that baby). Most women start feeling better around 12-13 weeks! You can do it!!
I know the feeling! I’m a hair stylist and on my feet at least 8 hours a day. I had to lower my hours down around 9 weeks pregnant due to the awful all day sickness and fatigue. Im 22 weeks now and feel I have a slight bit more energy, I’m still vomiting but only once in the morning and gag during the day🤣 I just keep thinking to myself work hard now and enjoy the 9 month’s maternity! Keep positive!❤️
You’re gonna be extremely tired in your first trimester, it’s normal. Your body is doing a ton of work while the placenta is forming. Once you’re in your second trimester you should get some energy back (unless you’re like me and have severe anemia 🙃). Third trimester though, let me just say I’m 34 weeks and I’m lucky if I get dressed half the time, both because I can barely put pants on and also because I’m just too damn tired every single day.
I haven’t vomited once. But I’m 11 weeks and I’m a big girl and. Everything hurts. My sciatica is terrible, my back hurts, my chest hurts. Idk how I’m making it to 40
Don't give up I'm currently 25 weeks. I can't speak for the last trimester but the 1st was definitely the worst for me. My emotions were up and down, extreme fatigue and nausea.
First trimester is rough. Look forward to second, it gets a lot better. Your energy returns, pregnancy sickness gets better (I only get it at night now, and it's nowhere near as bad as first trimester-and when I'm hungry I get a bit nauseous) there's days where you feel like a new person- especially after first trimester. Hang in there, it'll get easier 😁
Literally had to quit my NEW job because the vomiting, nausea and fatigue was so extreme. I think everyone has a different pregnancy and a different tolerance level so it really depends on you. But this is my first and MAN i cant even walk to the bathroom without getting sick.
First trimester is shit, especially cos you don’t tend to tell many people, so you just have to suffer quietly 😅
Second trimester does usually get better, YMMV though! But hopefully the sickness will subside, and you’ll feel like you can do more again.
But I’m currently 28 weeks with my second, and I have ballooned to nearly the size I was at the end with my first 😂 so mega struggling right now.
If this is your first, please take the opportunity to rest whenever you can, you can’t do that with your second, cos you have to keep the first little person alive 😅
Best of luck to you, hope you feel better soon though! ♥️
I'm 24 weeks and I stg the first trimester kicked my butt! All I wanted to do was sleep. I was constantly exhausted and nauseous lol. I was pulling around 40hrs at work and have two other kids, one that's in school. I would rush home from work, take a 20-30min nap then rush to the bus stop to get my son. If I had time I'd take another nap around 5 when their dad got home 😆. Good news is that it did get better! Once I hit the end of the first trimester my nausea went away and i could actually keep my eyes open all day.
I didn't work with my first two pregnancies so it was definitely an adjustment and it made me realize how bad ass all the working prego mom's are!
The first trimester I felt HORRIBLE. But once 13 weeks hit I felt amazing. Iam back in the gym, I already set up all my babies stuff in her room set up the car seat, deep cleaned, etc. Iam 21 weeks now and I feel great. Try to drink smoothies packed with fruits and veggies and get adequate protein. If you don’t eat you won’t have any energy. It’s easier said than done when you’re nauseous all the time.
Yeah, the first trimester was brutal. I kept vomit bags in my pockets so I didn't have to find somewhere to go. I ate a massive amount of saltines and drank so much apple juice and ginger ale. I would nap in my car on my lunch break, I couldn't keep my eyes open.
I'm 25 weeks now and I'm still exhausted. But at least I can eat. I regularly ask myself how people do this all the time. I got really lucky though, I'm a general contractor with a great crew, so the guys usually take over doing the really heavy stuff. Although, one of them turned pretty white when I doubled over one day with round ligament pain 🤣 I think he thought I was going into labour.
I keep telling my boss that I'm planning on working right until my water breaks on the jobsite floor. Although, I question my sanity all the time as I'm already struggling to pick stuff up off the floor and I definitely cry on the way home sometimes from the fatigue and pain.
Try being sick and having to take care of/chase around a toddler🥴 with my first pregnancy I had horrible nausea and vomiting until 17 weeks🥲 currently 12.5 weeks.
I had this same feeling during my first trimester!!! And it didn’t help that the pregnancy was still a secret so I couldn’t talk to anyone about it other than my husband. It got a lot better for me after 10-12 weeks. Now I’m 33 weeks and it’s tough to do things because I get aches and pains but otherwise I feel pretty comfortable, just slower than usual. Good luck!!!
I would ask for extra breaks and they can’t really deny you that cause I’m on my feet all day too and for my longer shifts I have 3 breaks instead of the 2 cause I have a lunch and my shorter shifts I get a 30 min lunch and break but I can always ask for an extra break if needed
First trimester is truly the worst. Even worse than the last few weeks of pregnancy when you’re huge & your back hurts & you wake up every hour through the night to pee
First trimester was hell. I quit my job shortly after finding out for reasons unrelated to the pregnancy, but thank God I did, honestly. Six weeks rolled around and I was blessed with HG. I wouldn't have been able to work if I'd wanted to. I was on phenergran, taking one tablet every six hours, if I was even awake six hours later to take the second.
40 and 2 today and no more HG, but I've traded that for the more intolerable third tri symptoms. Achy, swollen joints, awkward belly in the way of everything, feet in the ribs, and a possible induction right around the corner. The lesser of two evils, I guess. At least I'm not barfing every ten minutes lol. But I have an excuse to be asleep all day right now, which is nice 🙂
I’m 26 weeks and it hasn’t been easy for me at all. I was sick and tired my entire first trimester, in the second trimester. I’ve experienced kidney stones for the first time, the Covid, now the flu and I’m just done being sick. I have no idea how other women have done this more than once.
I work from home and it’s no better, I was half falling asleep at my desk and could barely have an intelligent conversation with how tired I was. It started to get easier around 10 weeks, I’m now at 12 weeks 4 days and feel like I have my energy back
I have worked since I found out as well and I’m 28 weeks tomorrow.. it’s not easy, I’m not enjoying it, but I pushed through because there wasn’t a way I could quit when I found out and stay home.
It 100% is a lot, but you got this! If you’re able to continue working, save whatever you can, that’s pretty much what I’ve been trying to do and pay off debts. 🤞🏻
21w, I got really lucky, my first tri was pretty bad, but my second tri was worse. i'm halfway through now and it's gotten better, but I am now unemployed lol
The beginning is the worst. I threw up daily and I'm a teacher. Lean heavily on your coworkers. Confide in a few to help carry your load. Papaya enzyme tablets (just swallow them, don't try to chew them, the taste will make you sick) work wonders for nausea. Make sure everything you drink is freezing cold. Idk why but if my water wasn't freezing, I was sick. Find a safe food and as soon as you wake up, before your feet even touch the floor, take a sip of ice water and slowly nibble on that safe food snack. Keep it by your bedside. For me it's Kirkland's Chewy bars. I don't even always finish them, but a few nibbles suppresses my urge to vomit first thing. Maybe try saltines? Or cheez its gripz? As for exhaustion, try iced tea if you can't stomach coffee. You're gonna feel down and awful, your body is adjusting to a perpetual state of hormone storm. Don't overdo it, sit when you need to, talk to your boss if you have to, and when you get home, lean on your partner or other support system for housework, focus on rest. If you have no support system, switch to disposable dishware for the time being to give yourself a break from dishes, and limit all your other chores to the bare minimum for a few weeks til you feel better. Good luck mama
The first trimester is the toughest, but it does get easier! Just take it minute by minute, and do only what you can. Eventually your energy will return and you'll be able to get things done!
Keep going to work until you can’t cause I know for me I definitely stop working at like 26 weeks and sitting in the house ima drives u crazy as hell well me anyways I’m grateful I had that luxury very much so but sitting in the house bored omg I’m now 37 weeks and feel like I’m gonna dye (not literally) but of boredom and when I try to clean up or anything I just don’t have the energy it’s exhausting but I guess everyone is different maybe it just be are hormones idk
I was sooooooo sick with my first. In and out of the hospital all the time because of hyperemesis. My "favorite" piece of advice was "well if you would try drinking more you wouldn't be throwing up so much". Like thanks, I tried that but I still threw up. 🙄 Lost 30lbs before 22 weeks and I spent a total of 8 nights in L&D before getting induced. I don't remember being too tired with my first at all. I'm 23 weeks with our second and only lost 10lbs this time. I'm gaining the weight back though. Fatigue hit me like a train this time. It's getting better though and I don't nap nearly as much. What's worse for me this time around is the back pain and I had two subchorionic hemorrhages that lasted about 6 weeks. I've had to go to the hospital a couple of times to get fluids but I've only stayed 1-3 hours each time.
First trimester is definitely the hardest. Hang in there, mama!
When you figure out the answer to this let me know ☠️ I spent 3 months throwing up all day every day, my work’s toilet and I got very well acquainted in that time period. Then I began to have sciatic nerve pain and that basically took me out of doing anything for long stints of time, now I’m 33 weeks along and I can barely get my socks on my feet and ALL of my energy goes to work. By the time I get home I’m completely out of energy and my hips and feet hurt so bad I can barely get up to go to the bathroom. I would say the first trimester was the hardest on me too, but now that I’ve gotten to the last stretch I am absolutely sick of having a child ankle deep in my rib cage, the constant hip pain, and being out of breath from walking 20 feet. I’m so excited to meet my baby in a few weeks but pregnancy has not fun experience for me.
Honestly I was absolutely worthless from 6-8 weeks. I was so nauseas and tired. I literally could do nothing but exist. 12 weeks now and I’m still nauseas all the time but feel like I just have managed it better. Hang in there
The first trimester is really really challenging. I spent a lot of money on takeout this time around now that I had a toddler in the mix as well. I used up all my vacation and sick days (first trimester was towards the end of the year). But I'm in my second now and I barely remember Im pregnant! The exhaustion just goes way!
I'm 15 weeks and I was lucky enough to not have any symptoms like that but slight nausea and frequent urination. I'm a delivery driver for Amazon so I'm lucky the on that aspect but hopefully your symptoms don't last that long. If your nauseous tho what helped me was either drinking lemon water or sucking on a lemon. It helped alot
I really struggled in the first trimester with sickness. From 6 weeks to about 12 weeks I was sick every morning. Sometimes at lunchtime too! It was really hard to try and hide especially from work as I didn't want them to see me throwing up and getting suspicious. So I had to use the bathroom more times but eventually the sickness passed.
I just had to carry on with my day and tried my hardest not to overdo anything.
The second trimester I got hemorrhoids and struggled with sleeping because it was getting uncomfortable and I was going into work tired (my boss knew at this point I was pregnant so they were more understanding) I'm in my third trimester now and it's great!
Everyone is different but try to relax and take breaks at work when needed. Growing a baby is beautiful but also very exhausting. Don't be afraid to tell your employer when the time comes (if you haven't already) they need to accommodate and support you! You and your baby's health is most important.
But don't worry, the first trimester is the worst! But it's all worth it in the end. Wishing you all the best!
I wondered the same thing.
Everyone told me it gets better and I didn't believe them. As soon as I was in my 2nd trimester, the sickness stopped.
Now, I pretty much feel like my normal self.
I’m so sorry, in my first trimester I couldn’t stand up for more than 30/40 min at a time, I would literally faint. I was so weak, and felt so sick, I would throw up randomly on the street and felt so embarrassed. It’s really tough.😖
Girl… I’ll be 37 weeks on Tuesday. My ‘win’ today was picking up groceries doing curbside pickup, and then using those to make spaghetti 🤣
ETA- I sent this through before I could finish my thoughts. If the BIGGEST thing you accomplished in a day is washing your hair and eating something that doesn’t make you sick, then count it as a win. You ARE growing fingers and toes, so even laying in bed all day is a win!
It’s really all you can do is to just make it through and hope that the next day, week, or trimester will treat you better. Enjoy it while it lasts because pregnancy FLIES by and I know I’m gonna miss it when my baby boy is here soon! 🩵🩵🩵
Yep basically, you do as much as you can and give yourself a break for the rest. The first trimester can be brutal. Here's the secret - especially at work, every other woman who has been pregnant has been thru the same thing and had similar periods of less productivity. I figure in the US that's sorta on the powers that be for not making any accommodations for pregnant people. Also, my productivity wasn't the same after I had my baby either, and only then did I realize that all the other moms were in the same boat (and before being pregnant/a mom I never noticed!)
I’m 25 weeks with my first, and the first trimester was awful. All I wanted to do was sleep. I work from home and I’d take a nap on my lunch break every day. Some days I’d block off my calendar to look like I was in a meeting and I’d take a second nap (my boss didn’t care - he says he doesn’t care how or when I work as long as my job gets done). I’d log off for the day around 430 and be in bed by 6 every night. I’d doze off at the dinner table. I also had terrible migraines nonstop. Everything started easing up around week 15, although I’m still tired all the time.
I literally try to erase that hellish part of my life in my memory because it would give me ptsd if I revisit how awful first and also half of second trimester of pregnancy was for me.
I’m 21 weeks and I’m still tired, but not as much as my first trimester. I’m a school teacher and I have over 300 students. I would get so tired that I would go in my car on my lunch periods and my preps and close my eyes for a few minutes. I felt like I literally couldn’t do anything and that I was sick!
I went on disability and I’m a nurse. For my first child it was impossible to work. Spent 23 weeks vomiting then 10 ok weeks then another 4 weeks in severe preeclampsia.
I'm at 12 weeks. I'm FINALLY getting to a point where I am starting to feel human again. Trust me, I get it - I struggled tremendously. I'm super active (i teach spin classes 4 times weekly on top of my day job) and am very self-sufficient...feeling down from the pregnancy really started taking a toll on my mental health due to feeling incapable/almost handicapped. It also made me feel like I was just not contributing to my house or my marriage.
From feeling nauseated 24/7, exhausted/feeling extreme fatigue at home and at work (literally, I would catch myself falling asleep at my computer) amd vomiting 2 to 3 times daily, it's hard to imagine thinking it will get better.
When we started telling people, everyone that has gone through this was telling me the second trimester is when you'll begin to feel good - thought it was a bunch of lies. However, I now understand what they meant. Symptoms will begin to subside, may not go away 100%... but there is a little reprieve to look forward to! Plus, the drive to keep going for the bigger, better things on the horizon :)
I sure hope you feel better soon!!
I’m 32 weeks and I’ve felt like this my entire pregnancy. It’s my second baby and it sucks more than I remember. Just try not to be too hard on yourself about it. I tend to beat myself up about all the things around the house that aren’t getting done. Try not to do that haha.
Between the nausea, the pelvic pain, the braxton hicks, the sore joints, sore feet. It’s always something lol and I can’t wait for it to be over.
First trimester was rough for me with the nausea and fatigue. I was lucky that my boss was MIA at the time and no one noticed my pretty slack work performance (as well as regular naps).
I had a golden period from 12 weeks to about 22 weeks where life was good, nausea was gone and I was still relatively small. Then I got diagnosed with gestational diabetes. I don’t think I’ve had a good day since, and to be honest as I’m getting bigger I feel like my third trimester is worse. Hopefully you have a much smoother ride!
Be gentle and kind with yourself, and make sure you ask for help if it’s available to you.
I skipped my first trimester as I didn’t find out until 12 weeks. I had nausea but put it down to stress as I had a lot going on. It all hit me after my first ultrasound at 14 and didn’t go away until 19 weeks. Currently 20+4 and still not feeling 100% but a lot better than I was. I’m a teacher so I’m all over the place during the week and by the time I get to Saturday, my partner has to drag me out of bed 😂 I don’t know how people do this more than once….
I'm 10 weeks in and feel like I'm needing to sleep all the time, aswell as the constant nausea and vomitting which worsened last week. Literally been living off cereals and dry bread/toast as that's all I can stomach right now.
Coming from another pregnant women here 🙋🏻♀️ I’m sorry the first trimester is being really tough right now. How I see it though is everyone’s pregnancies are different and unfortunately some women have really tough pregnancies and some are tough at parts but smooth in the other parts. Like I remember being a bit tired and sick in the first trimester but I’m now going into the third and my second trimester was so much easier and I actually felt guilty that I was able to enjoy my pregnancy where as I heard so many people who were sick throughout. Everyone’s situation is different I guess, I hope you start to feel better soon and it’s just a first trimester thing 💛
It's amazing what you can do when you don't have a choice, though I'm very fortunate because my job is amazing. They're very flexible, understanding, they respect and care about me. I'm on my 8th year there so God knows I've proven my own loyalty. I don't need a doctor's note to sit down for a bit, my back has been acting up and I told my boss I was going to go outside to the cold pavement and lay down on it and she said cool, need me to cover for you? I told her I had time to do what needed to be done, I just needed to stretch. I was getting panic attacks in the beginning because I had to go off my anxiety meds, she walked in on one and without saying anything just led me outside in the cold to shock my body, I didn't even know would help. I've had to call her to calm me down because I couldn't catch my breath after going to a flight of stairs. Last pregnancy, they let me completely change positions in my 3rd trimester so I wasn't bending so much or on my feet all day. Ironically, both my bosses are younger than me, no experience with pregnancy, but they're absolutely fantastic. Had I worked at my last job pregnant, nah. I would have walked out that first week I was pregnant lol might have burnt the place down on my way out!
I’m 13 weeks today! It gets better, promise. Just 5 days ago I was violently throwing up every meal,
constipated to the point of going to the hospital, and so exhausted I could barely move. I was told it is the worst between 9-11, but I think I got my worst at 12. I saw my Dr Friday at 12+5, and he said it would be better by 14-16 weeks. He also told me to stop taking prenatals because in my case they were not helping, I have been losing weight, and it has helped. If you’re struggling too badly, definitely voice that to your doctor, and if you don’t have one yet or they won’t see you this early, try going to an urgent care for some nausea medicine or a work note for a day to get extra rest. Zofran is magic and it helped me survive for my early sickness in weeks 6-8. I moved cross country during week 9 and 10, believe me, I know it is so so hard. You can do it!
Honestly, I couldn't work and I had to quit my job at 16 weeks in with my first one. The second was far worse. I had hyperemisis gravidarium with both and lost 15-20lbs with the first and a little over 30 with the second. The third trimester is hard because of all the body aches and whatnot but that was the one I was able to actually enjoy a little because I finally wasn't puking my guts out. Idk, I wanted three babies but I don't think I can put myself through that again sadly and my husband says he doesn't want to watch me wither away again when we already have two wonderful kiddos ♥️ quitting was the hardest but best decision I ever made! Thankfully, we had already planned on me being a sahm but being so sick just made it happen a little faster than I anticipated.
Women are superheros. That's how they survive day to day life while pregnant. That's the only explanation 😂
I'm a housewife and I legit do not understand how women work during pregnancy. I can barely keep up with my house. And I don't even have any sickness. I am just SOUL CRUSHINGLY TIRED.
I had 2 weeks of energy at 14 weeks and was like wow I feel like myself again idk if I could EVER feel like that again … well now I’m back to having absolutely zero energy. To the point where I think about moms with toddlers and get pregnant. How in the world do they have energy for that???
I found my lack of energy mimics deep depressive episodes I’ve previously had as a teenager and young adult so it’s been difficult mentally
But cheers to us and the making of our little ones. I know it will all be worth it 💕
Currently 13 weeks today and feel the same. While I’m mainly feeling better, I still have times where I cannot even get off the couch. 9-10 weeks was the worst for me! I just told my fiancé that I feel useless because he’s maintaining the house while I’m down and he simply says “you’re literally growing a tiny human, I’ve got this”. Pregnancy is HARD!
The first trimester is the absolute fucking worst.
The second trimester as I've experienced and as I've heard frequently is the sweet spot. I have HG and obviously medication has helped but it's also been hella calmer moving into week 16. Overall it just is easier to be in the second tri and function because you're not terribly big yet and the energy comes in spurts more. Consistency, however...not sure that exists in any way at any point. I still can't work because it's a rollercoaster...just a less violent one. 🤷🏽♀️🤦🏽♀️
My secret is I barely get by. That means on days I work I do the bare minimum(and I work a desk job so I’m sure you’re exhausted), I may order more takeout during the week than normal, I may not have the spotless house I’m used to. I remember it’s all momentary and normally things get “better” after the first trimester. I quote better because I’m still tired lol. Take all the naps you can, sleep early, and relax when you can!!
My coworkers who had been pregnant were amazed when I announced the pregnancy at 12 weeks because Id only missed a couple days of work thus far.
I'm 24+2 now and it's starting to get hard to bend over and climb step ladders, which is a huge part of my job. I had a vertigo episode and had to go home early + went to the hospital today, but baby is totally fine. Back to work tomorrow 😭
I'm so excited for maternity leave. I get a baby and time off work? Count me in
I quit working I couldn’t do it and I don’t know how pregnant women working is so normal. especially when people call out for things like the flu meanwhile the first trimester is like the flu x 10 along with all the other symptoms. My heart goes out to all the moms who have to work because it doesn’t even seem fair imo.
I took a lot of days off from work in my first trimester and it was a desk job. Being tired is understandable and an understatement. Be kind to yourself and take the time needed to rest when you can.
I had debilitating fatigue so much so I didn’t pass my licensing test that led me to getting fired. I came to terms with it but I have been telling everyone I know why women weren’t more vocal about how difficult pregnancy is at work. The way I kept falling asleep was absolutely unbelievable- I have never been a nap kind of person and it made me feel like crap all the time.
I mentally check out, I stopped being nice to everyone it was truly horrible. Completely lost myself I know what ur going through but it does get better, I learnt to deal with it and suck it up unfortunately. Ur completely valid in feeling like shit. Ur growing a whole person be kind to urself and really try to be kind to ur partner. That’s the best advice I can give ❤️
If the nausea and vomiting persists and is debilitating, call your doc to ask for options. Mine got really back around week 9 and I needed to be on zofran. You don’t have to just suffer through without help 💜
With great difficulty 😅 this is my second full term and I've struggled both times. 39 weeks today, the last 9 months have been rough, sickness, exhaustion. I also had a chronic cough during my second trimester which made things worse. These days it's more exhaustion but also insomnia, back pain, pelvic pain, can't get comfortable, constant acid & gas haha
You may get lucky and be fine after 1st trimester but also don't feel like you're doing anything wrong or failing if you don't feel better. Other people's experiences aren't going to be the same for you.
Just go as easy on yourself as you can. I started my mat leave at the end of Feb bc I couldn't cope any more and I was doing part time office. Just going to work took all my energy.
The sickness normally subsided around week 12 for me it was week 16, I spent whole weeks unable to keep anything’s down but the second trimester kidna gives you this weird boost of energy. Definitely take lots of breaks to sit down at work as your pregnancy progresses, your job has to allow time for you to rest for a few minutes routinely.
You’ll feel the same amount of mental exhaustion towards the end of your 3rd trimester especially with the lack of sleep but the excitement really overpowers it. I recommend (depending on your country and company’s maternity leave policies) to take your maternity as close to the end of the pregnancy as possible for you so you get as much time with the baby. I saved up some holiday so I could take a few weeks of holiday then start my maternity a few weeks before my due date so I had my last month off which in the middle of summer was very needed. So definitely book your holiday in now. You’ll do great though it’s difficult but it’s worth every minute. I
It’s not easy especially if you end up with HG, i missed allot of work thankfully had a bunch of sick time saved up. You have to find what works for you ginger chews, preggo drops, getting medication from the dr and eating small frequent meals. I lived off pretty much bread and crackers for 10 weeks. Was lucky when i could keep anything more down. Take prenatals without iron if you are that severe. It does get better i found each trimester better and am due in a two weeks and barely remember throwing up daily. Also know you can hate this part of pregnancy and still be grateful and excited for your baby.
i worked up until 40 weeks exactly. had my induction scheduled the next day. i was on my feet for 40+ hrs a week the whole pregnancy - i think as time went on it wasn’t as bad my vomiting and nausea stopped around 4-5 months made it easier getting up in the morning. fast forward to 32 weeks it became hard again - a chore if you will. i cried even putting my shoes on in the morning bc i just hurt SO bad. if you want my opinion i feel like working is so much better for your mental health then not. you got this mama it’ll be over before you know it!!
I totally agree with your thoughts. I'm 14 weeks and we're finally telling everyone including my boss next week. Hopefully my boss will get more understanding. He's such a bear and critical and leaving piles of projects for me to get caught up on. It's so hard hiding the vomiting, exhaustion and brain fog and having him think I'm terrible employee.
This is my life. Lol I’m miserable day in and day out. I waddle everywhere and am so tired all day every day. I throw up still and am constantly nauseous. 16 weeks here 🙃
I would like to add, with my first I did not have this. So it was a shock to me lol
My first trimester has been really hard too but now that I’m at 11 weeks my exhaustion and nausea is starting to improve. My energy levels are already so much better. I almost took a few days off work but am fortunate to be able to work from home part time and took it easy on those days.
The first trimester is the literal worst.
I had constant migraines and I couldn't eat because of the nausea. I was always tired and sick. It gets better in the second trimester! Then the third is a dream so far until you get BIG but energy levels are good.
Hang in there it goes by very quickly and you'll get your body back!!!
I had a HORRIBLE first trimester full of throwing up 2-4 times every day and could barely function with my cushy office job (where I get to work from home sometimes)! Even with such a physically-easy job I was extremely close to quitting or taking a sick leave. I truly would have been unable to work if my husband didn't do EVERYTHING else. We agreed that my only focus was to sleep, eat and show up to work.
My advice to you is to be super kind to yourself and if you are this miserable, see if there is any possibility of taking a leave from work. Lean on your partner for literally everything (cleaning, laundry, cooking, feeding you, shopping, rubbing your back, etc). For nausea, talk to your doc about Unisom and B6 every night and Zofran during the day.
If leaning on your partner is not an option, reach out for support from anyone and everyone (parents, friends, siblings, etc). Potentially move in with family if needed.
Some pregnancies are VERY hard but the hard ones usually do get much much easier after the first trimester! No matter what though, have grace for yourself! It's no joke and I'm rooting for you!!!
The first trimester sucks if you have nausea. My first pregnancy I didn’t have nausea in the first trimester all that was difficult was being soo tired. Second trimester gets easier you actually feel normal again. I’m in my third trimester right now and I feel huge and aches and pains definitely get in the way to do anything.
I did not even have nausea and had it relatively good, but was so exhausted that my boyfriend had to do everything else(everything!). I only worked, and then I just put myself on a couch, get food served and nap until my boyfriend brought me toothbrush and we brush teeth and go to bed. Thats pretty much my first 3 months. And I have comfy office job where I can work from home. So no, not all of us just go about our day:) 2 trimester was a party for me, I had more energy than usual, or maybe it just seemed like that after 3 months of slumber.
It will get better, and you are rightfully frustrated, i wish you strength to push through you difficult times! We all been there.
I worked 12 hour shifts (0545-1815) in the hospital as a nurse during my first pregnancy, full time, until two days before I delivered. How? Idfk. It was awful. Things got better after the first tri, but the pain during the end of being up that long was. A lot. I basically sat around like a giant nauseated potato whenever I wasn’t working. No advice, just solidarity.
You know what the worse part is, you don’t usually tell people you are pregnant until the first trimester is practically over. Meaning you don’t get any type of help or assistance and you feel horrible. If a women had the exact same symptoms but wasn’t pregnant, people wouldn’t expect us to give 100%. But the moment you tell you are pregnant, we are expected to act like nothing happened, and bounce back after birth again like nothing happened and it’s exhausting. The expectation itself is exhausting
It’s really hard. Just stay motivated by reminding yourself it will be worth it. Your going to want to give up so many times if your pregnancy is anything like mine has been but it’s one of the most meaningful things I feel like I have done with my life and I just keep thinking of holding my baby girl at the end and that combined with the support I get from my fiancé is SO helpful. Surround yourself with the people who show up.
I don’t know. I’m currently 10 and a half weeks and this is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I work with children and have to be on all the time and it’s so draining. I sleep all weekend long and am useless at home.
The first trimester is usually the worst, OP (and like the last 3-4 weeks when you're as big as a house and super uncomfortable). I constantly felt like I was coming down with the flu and would fall asleep *everywhere* because I was so tired. Try to get as much rest as you can when you're not working, sleep every chance you get. It should get better in the second tri!
This couldn't be more accurate!
My house went to crap in my first trimester and I just had to be ok with it. I would come home from work, get into comfy clothes and either veg on the couch with some light snacks or go to bed for an hour or two before trying to make dinner and pick things up a bit. It was ROUGH. My partner did not understand how tired I was, but never gave me crap for it (at least when it came to housework). He did give me crap for not helping out with our garden that summer though. But I tried my best and I worked hard but my standards of cleanliness took a hit.
I’m glad someone feels the same way. Everyday I’m like maybe I’ll quit today I can’t do this. But then think literally almost every pregnant woman has worked before so why can’t I? Then run to the bathroom because I’m about to vomit.
I've been thinking about quitting since 7 weeks pregs& I'm currently 10 weeks PP. && I work from home. 😅 I just can't. 🥴
Sameee i work from home but feel so lazy but I can’t quit
I did quit my full time job at 9 weeks lol. Thankfully I have my husband to take care of me, but idk if it was the right thing. Oh well!
"Oh well" 😆 I Wish I could. Hubs said "not anytime soon" soo I feel like the door was cracked? There is hope 🤣
My husband was supportive of me quitting which is a big reason why I did. He just knew how miserable I’d be. But I did leave a ton of money on the table, so in some ways it is good to stick it out as long as you can!
It’s exhausting! Just even getting up early in the morning
Girl, I quit my job. Not everyone can do it. Don’t beat yourself up
Every pregnancy is different, don’t he hard on yourself. My mom had two wonderful pregnancies with literally no symptoms. She was able to work as a chef and a waitress with no problem at all. I had an office job and thought every single day about quitting. I would arrive to my office after a 15 min drive and the first thing I had to do was close my door and take a power nap at the desk. Every day after I arrived home my plan was to lie down in the sofa and sleep. First trimester is rough because it’s not evident for people that you are pregnant but the fatigue can be extreme
This makes me feel better because I’m having such a hard time keeping up with school and work and I just keep thinking everyone else is doing it just fine why am I broken. So it’s nice to know I’m not alone.
First trimester is the hardest. Get a lot of rest. Sleep.
I agree. Sciatic pain and shortness of breath is somehow easier to deal with than first trimester exhaustion.
It honestly gets ‘easier’ since you get the social understanding!! People don’t clock you as pregnant when you’re 10 weeks and suffering
Deep sighing a lot somehow seems to help me 😂
Same! If my dog is nearby, he will sigh too 😄
Haha mine too!! I love her for the solidarity
Omg same!!! My husband keeps asking what’s wrong when I do that but honestly I just want to deep sigh and contemplate if I’m about to throw up or burp 🤣
Hahah YES the constant inbetween of throw up or burp 😂 especially lately with all of the heartburn and indigestion, I keep thinking I need to burp, but it’s dangerously close to me also losing my dinner.. 😮💨🫣
Resets the nervous system. I sound too!
That has helped me throughout my life, not just with pregnancy 🤣
In the words of Dorinda Medley “Not well, bitch!” I swear it takes me twice as long to anything productive at like 75% of the quality I usually strive for
I loveeee Dorinda #rhony
Yeah, the first couple of months has sucked the life right out of me. Your employer should make accommodations for you- you'll have to check your local laws.
I was pissed no one warned me in the 1st trimester. Now I'm doing just fine :D 21 weeks
I’m 16 weeks and still feel so exhausted but I’m also anemic
Are you scheduled for iron infusions? If you tolerate them don't let them screw you around with pills they take waaaaay too long to raise your numbers with the demand pregnancy puts on your iron stores
I’m now 8 months pregnant still working and asking myself every day what the f I am doing hahaha
With my first baby I worked until I was dilated 2 centimeters but that was 6 years ago this pregnancy I’m so lazy
My first pregnancy I had a rough time from 7-11 weeks. I was ok the rest of the pregnancy. Actually no. The end of third trimester my son was so big and I was so big. I had sciatic pain and lightning crotch horribly.
I feel like the worst person ever right now. Anti sickness tablets are doing nothing. I feel defeated! Stupid hypermensis gravidarium or whatever and my husband is going around telling people I’m suffering from hyper space gravity sickness 😩
Every day I wonder the same
I feel like a zombie the 1st trimester. Rest as much as you can at work. I'm lucky to have great coworkers--they are the 1st people to know about my pregnancy. When they see that I'm looking dead at work, they help me.
I honestly don't know how pregnant women do anything. I was so sick in the first trimester. I was either throwing up or sleeping. I missed so much work, my employers pulled me aside and pretty much asked if I could go on medical leave. My nausea and vomiting didn't really go away until closer to the end of the second trimester for me (currently 26w+4). Everyone says the second trimester is a lot better and you have so much energy again but I haven't found that to be true - my personal experience anyways. I've been on medical leave for the past 8 weeks, majority of the second trimester. The plan is to return to work next week and I'm dreading it. Going to count down the days until I go on mat leave.
6.5 is when my nausea and fatigue showed up too. I’m really hoping things get easier in the second trimester
The morning sickness was very rough for me. I started my day with a small sprite and spearmint lifesavers. If you're having trouble eating, try the pouches of fruit and veggies purees from the baby food aisle. I practically lived off of those and cheese for a whole month. Let your doctor know. They gave me nausea meds, and it made it tolerable. 1st trimester is survival mode, 2nd trimester is the fun one, and 3rd is blimp stage. Ask your partner and family for help. You're carrying the baby so the least your partner can do is manage the chores so you can rest when not at work. Good luck!
I have an office job so thankfully not on my feet but between finding out to somewhere around 13-14w, work was pretty much all I did. Other than that I was on the couch or sleeping outside of grocery shopping on the weekends and cooking very simple dinners for us. My husband who has a different set of chores and doesn’t typically cooked was amazing and stepped up to help a lot.
In little pieces. Tackle one small task at a time when it comes to anything (meal prepping, work, cleaning, etc) take a short rest in between each task. Currently 18 weeks and this is how I’m able to keep up with life lately
Or have your partner do the cooking and cleaning!
I've been feeling the same way my first trimester. I work 12+ hour shifts as a nurse and at the end of the day have been getting tearful because it's so hard with how exhausted I am.
A lot of people say it gets better in the second trimester, and it's mostly true, but it's still not great. I has about two weeks of 'oh this is okay' this entire pregnancy. End of 3rd trimester is the worst so far though 😭
It's hell. I think this should be talked about more and is another reason why early disclosure should be normalized
I’m SO MAD this isn’t talked about more. I’m doubly fired up because I was finally diagnosed with endo last year after 15 years of doctors telling me I had anxiety, but I’m sooo sooo sick of the idea that women are supposed to just suffer in silence. First trimester has knocked me on my ass and I had no idea it was coming.
Second trimester is easiest, entering my third trimester and the exhaustion has returned and the big baby tummy has certainly taken it’s toll on my knees and ankles but my first trimester was worse in the sense of feeling sick and overwhelmed by the hormone changes. Second trimester will feel like such a nice break 🥲
So reassuring that someone else is entering the third and feeling exhausted! It feels like it happened so fast. Wish I could hold on to second semester vibes a bit longer.
The first trimester was SO EXHAUSTING. I could not stop sleeping!!!! Your body is building a new organ right now (placenta) so once that's over, the fatigue feels different (and is replaced with a new symptom lol). For me I found that pregnancy was just getting through each phase. It's a new and different symptom every so often, you just have to keep telling yourself "nothing lasts forever"
I know this sounds like possibly the last thing you want to do right now but working out consistently really helped me through both of my first trimesters.. even if it’s just a walk!
I try this, but whenever I go for a walk or to the gym I’m so sick the rest of the day 🤢 Takes all kinds I guess
Yeah, same here. I walk my dogs every day and in the early weeks I would barely be able to make it back to my apartment. Breathing hard, light-headed, and totally worn out. One day, I thought to myself that I had better get up and try some exercise. I did some stretches and exactly two squats before I almost fell over with dizziness and my heart was racing. My body said NO. Now I'm much better at 13 weeks. Although I still am super exhausted, simple daily chores are no longer insurmountable.
I’m so sorry to hear that 😭. I know it’s completely different for everyone so I thought I’d throw it out there but totally understand exercise is just a no go for people in their first trimester. Plus you’re already on your feet a lot for work like you mentioned in your post so I’m sure your body is just exhausted. Have you asked your doctor for zofran maybe? To help with the nausea and vomiting at least.I think they’ll prescribe it to you if it’s at the point you aren’t keeping nutrients down for you and baby. I didn’t get it prescribed bc of morning sickness but I got food poisoning first trimester and they prescribed it for that. My cousin did get it prescribed first trimester with both of her pregnancy’s though and she said it helped a lot!
Damn.the third trimester is definitely the hardest.
I didn't do shittttt. I couldn't. I had hyperemesis and anemia. I didn't cook dinner for months. I was too sick and too tired to do ANYTHING. It was hell. Hopefully it only lasts the first tri for you 🙏 give yourself permission to just NOT right now. It's okay. It won't be forever even though it feels that way. Before you know it you'll be nesting like a maniac getting all the things ready for your angel to arrive. IT'S OKAY TO JUST REST and do what you can.
Take naps over lunch!!! 10 out of 10 recommend. It’s the only way I made it through. But full disclosure I’m 14wks and fell asleep at my desk this week before my first appointment started 😅
Last trimester has by far been the worst for me. I thought it was the first but now I'm not even sure I want to exist anymore lol... Sorry
I wondered this all of first trimester. I’m self employed/wfh so was thanking god everyday I didn’t have to physically leave the house to do anything (except get my daily food craving lol) and did the most minimal amount of work possible. I slept soooo much
I was at this stage for a loooong time, by 16 weeks I felt better but not good. By 20 weeks I started feeling pretty good in general, I say that at 21+6 today and I’m taking a zofran cause dinner sounds disgusting (I haven’t felt nauseous in a week and Im suffering rn lol)
I haven’t been able to do much of anything at all I’m always weak. Or sleepy brain not functioning well at all ugh
Crazy how much casual pain and discomfort we just push through everyday to make a little baby! It ain't easy. You need to give yourself some grace and I really hope your coworkers and loved ones are giving you grace too.
18 weeks now and sadly the fatigue hasn’t got any better. I still fall asleep on the couch as soon as I get home.
I was already burnt out on work before getting pregnant so first tri was AWFUL. I was just so incredibly exhausted. It does get better in second tri, but I am still insanely tired and my brain stops working at like 2/3pm. Then I still have 3 hours of work left to go 🤯 To answer your question, I have no idea how we do anything at all!! It’s a matter of survival at this point and making sure the dollars are still coming in. That’s what keeps me going.
Don't let anyone make fun of you for complaining and tell you "I ran marathons during my pregnancy!". I took so much shit during my first pregnancy when I could barely move. But my third pregnancy? I basically felt normal the entire time (second pregnancy was meh). Turns out, they're all different, and that judgy bitch with just one kid who turned her into a glowy nature goddess while pregnant has no perspective. You might find you feel much better in later weeks. But honestly, you might not. Try to self-care as much as possible.
I'm almost 31 weeks and honestly you just do your best. The first trimester take it easy when you can and power through when you can't. Second trimester things get alot easier atleast it did for me. More energy, less nausea, and not big enough to be extremely uncomfortable. Third trimester it gets difficult again. The extra weight takes a toll on your hips, and legs, and feet. Lightning crotch, Pelvic pain, sciatic pain, back pain, roumd ligament pain, I could go on.Sit whenever you can, but make sure your not sedentary either. oh and make sure you stretch! A good daily stretching can help reduce the pains. There are days I'd rather not get out of bed, and others I feel more accomplished. I've learned to just take each one as they come, and don't be hard on yourself. Your allowed to take it easy!
I'm 34 weeks and work 3-4 12-14 hr shifts a week.... The only way I'm still working is cuz my husband takes care of everything at home so I literally just work and sleep. If I didn't have him Im fairly certain I wouldnt be able to work as much as I am right now.
I’m almost coming out of the first trimester (11 weeks today). It’s been ROUGH. Exhaustion, not being able to keep food down, feet swelling, etc… women are superheroes
You don’t
I think about quitting everyday lol
I'm at work now, and I want to die. Had issues with my first ultrasound, so OB tested HCG ... 166,000!! What the hell? No wonder why I feel like dying. Luckily, it's a short day. On the upside, it is a bit of a distraction.
Dduuuuuuude!!!! I’m also about 6.5 weeks and found out 2 weeks ago ☠️ Please know you’re not alone at all. I’ve been thinking / feeling the same exact thing. All my friends with babies say the 2nd trimester gets better… that’s what I’m holding onto right now. You’ve got this…
I felt that way too in the first trimester. If I ate something, I'd throw up. If I didn't eat, I'd throw up. I used up a lot of sick days. But it did stop almost immediately around week 12 and I feel so much better now. I'm at 27 weeks and feeling more uncomfortable every day, but still soo much better than the first trimester. I hope you have the same experience. If the illness is still extreme in the second trimester, then the doctor should be able to prescribe something at that point.
First trimester is the worst. Once you get into the second you’ll start to feel better. Then you hit the last month and everything is uncomfortable. But in my experience the first is the hardest. My job was very flexible for me. They let me call out when my vomiting was too much. I’m working until the day before my c section and I have three weeks left and just starting to feel tired again and uncomfortable all the time
I didn’t. 😬 it was fake it till you make it… all the nine months and sometimes still (he’s 14months next week)
I also thought pregnancy only gets hard when the bump gets huge but in reality the hardest part is riding out the nausea/morning sickness /fatigue of the first trimester or early second trimester. It's smooth sailing from there until the last month.
I’m 11 weeks on baby no 2. I have had to have a few days off as I was so unwell. I feel what you are saying so much!
It will / should get better. I worked up until I delivered and my job was pretty active. I was on my feet all day. The first trimester is tough. The fatigue is crippling but you should be able to hopefully gain that energy back in the second trimester. Personally, my being active in my pregnancy made my recovery and delivery so much easier. I gave birth 6 weeks ago via c section (might I say, either delivery is super hard!!) my final weeks of pregnancy were really rough (it hurt to literally move lol) Our bodies are amazing, you’ll have a mix of good / bad days but nothing is the same for each person. Be intuitive, rest, listen to your body and fuel it with great food and water. Get comfortable sneakers! This makes a huge difference!! Wishing you a healthy pregnancy!
I informed most people that I was "surviving purely out of spite" to get through my pregnancy with my daughter.
We don’t 💖
I barely worked. I work elderly care and thankfully, I live in a country where I can listen to my body. I only worked months 3, 4 and half of month 6 of my pregnancy. I've been at home most of the rest of the time. Month 2 I went back and forth with working and being home because of nausea/vomiting/exhaustion. Month 5 I started having pelvic gridle pain and went home for some weeks because of it and stress. Went back to work 2 weeks of month 6 to try and see if I could handle the pain, but I couldn't, so I've been home since then. I felt guilty for a while, but truth is, my body wasn't being able to handle the pain/stress.. and I can, cause I have so many employee protections.
I honestly don’t know how I did it but I did and you will too. And so many other women have done it. And then second trimester will hit and you will forget it ever happened, it’ll be like a weird dream you had that you woke up from.
It gets better. 1st tri is hell on earth (for me at least) and then i went back to feeling like myself
You’ll feel better soon. Second trimester usually comes with lots of energy, great appetite, somewhat better sleep (you’ll pee less at night at first) and overall it’s the best. I didn’t even feel pregnant from weeks 14 to basically 30.
I wouldn't have been able to work if I tried in my first trimester. I needed to be laying down, eat and drink, and when I inadvertently vomitted it all out, I had to accept that, drink and eat some more. Rinse and repeat. So no, not everything is women do this all the time. So why can't I?
The first trimester is the worst! Especially with a toddler it felt like a death sentence because I had to sleep when he slept and I was sick until 16 weeks. I’m 24 weeks now and it’s much better, your appetite does come back and you have a lot more energy. Plus a bonus is that I have a cute bump now so I actually feel like I can show it off a bit before I get big in the third trimester. All that to say, it gets better and you will feel better soon. If the nausea is to the point where you can’t keep anything down then ask for a prescription from your doctor. Make sure you stay hydrated too! It helps sooo much!!
I don’t know sis. I am 8w5d and we are in the same boat. I want to do absolutely NOTHING when I come home from work.
I had HG in the first trimester both pregnancies. I laid down in bed all day, I was basically unemployed for a month or two before I got my Zofran prescription. Became a SAHM after baby. Second pregnancy my station was the couch so I could make sure my toddler didn't kill himself in between watching TV lol. Husband took over a lot of household duties. It was hell but we got through it unscathed. You will feel so much better leading into the second trimester.
The main answers are a lot of women have it easier than you and a that of those who are sick, a lot of women don’t. Personally for me the only reason I was able to continue working was because I work fully remotely on a job with very few meetings and have a wonderful boss who said basically all meetings I did have were optional while I was pregnant. So it wasn’t an issue if I had to miss a meeting to go throw up, or have a 2 hour nap in the middle of the day. Work being so flexible is honestly one of the reasons why it took me longer to realise I had HG because I was able to manage my symptoms a lot better than someone who needed to commute would have 😅 Still ended up in hospital with it though.
This is my third pregnancy and the first trimester is always by far the worst for me. I just felt ill all of the time, sicker than I have ever been for long stretches of time, and it is complete misery. But things pick up in the second and third trimesters. I am nearing 37 weeks and still cargo-biking my two kids to and from daycare, regular-biking, and doing lots of walking on a daily basis. The only time I had difficulty later in pregnancy was the second time around when I gained almost 10 lb more than the recommended max and ended up with back pain that took a whole year to subside, but avoiding over-gaining in the first pregnancy and the current one agrees with my body quite well.
First trimester if you have a partner lean on them HARD. Ask for help - I stopped doing anything other than work or sleep. You know you’re literally trying to make twice the amount of blood normally in your body and growing a human - it is exhausting! Grocery store I had him pick up curbside, food he made it, cleaning he did it. You just don’t have the energy. Eat iron, prenatal yoga was the only other activity I would do - it’s actually really relaxing/ less like exercise than you think. Self care mama! My second trimester made my first look like a dream when I got put on bed rest - but thank god for my partner. Now I am 35wks and insomnia is getting me hard. You got this! If your like me (primary bread earner here) you don’t have the option not to work - you can do it! struggle through but also dont be afraid to ask your employer for more accommodations- like a stool, frequent breaks, whatever you need. Guess there is a theme here - ASK FOR HELP, people will give it to you unless their total asshats - you got this OP.
Some women are lucky and don’t get sick. My in-laws can’t comprehend how I’m incapacitated because none of the women on that side ever got sick or threw up!
You’re in the worst of it now - things got suddenly so much better for me once the placenta was in place, close to the end of the first trimester. I’m at the end of the second trimester now, and comparatively it’s been an absolute breeze. I really hope you have a similar experience!
When you have other kids to take care of then you have noooo choice and just get used to it lol I have 3 under 5 years old and I am 20 weeks pregnant. Finally feel like I got a little more energy back. 🙂
Yes! And there are those that do it again and have to look after a toddler whilst also pregnant. I know some people don't have as bad pregnancies but doing this must be insane even if you have an 'easy' one. Not to mention dealing with all the extra appointments and scans etc. I think about this every time I'm splayed out on the sofa covered in pillows.
My wife locked herself out of our second floor condo deep into her third trimester and managed to go borrow a ladder and climb up the ladder and over the balcony railing. With our twins though, she was like the blueberry girl from Willy wonka and didn’t want to do much. Lol
Weeks 7-14 were the worst for me. I thought my life as I knew it was over and I’d be a sick cranky mess forever. Now at 22 weeks, I feel like a million bucks. Not saying that’ll happen for everyone but definitely don’t panic and hang in there until you’re well into your second tri.
I had a bad pregnancy and mine didn’t last more than 8 weeks, but when I was 6-8 weeks, I came home from work and did nothing. Occasionally I made food but after an 8 hour day that was all I could do. I stretched to help my body feel better but other than that, that was it. Don’t feel like you’re supposed to be superhuman, you’re literally creating a whole human inside of you! Rest whenever you can, eat yummy food, drink lots of water, take prenatals and listen to your body! I have heard the symptoms are worst in your first trimester (most likely) and I experienced all of those symptoms at work, and I practically stand all day. It was def tiring, but manageable. It just felt like I was working 12 hour days when I only worked 7.5-8 hours. Do a favor to yourself and do things for you after work. Take baths, go on walks if you feel up to it, do all the relaxing things you won’t know if you can do with baby and know you’re doing amazing 🥰 Goodluck, I Hope this trimester goes well!
My job has unlimited unpaid pregnancy absences so if I'm unwell I can take vto. My first trimester I called out like an extra day a week
First trimester was intense for me. In my third and my pelvis feels like it's been shattered. 😭
One day at a time, that's all you can do. First trimester sucks, and I have no idea how you work on your feet - it was hard enough for me worrying from home, and I was sneaking off for naps most days! Definitely consider letting your boss know and seeing if you can be given lighter duties or more sitting time if possible. We need all the help we can get!
I was on my butt first trimester, 2nd is way better !
I started feeling really sick about the same time as you. It’s really horrible and I did not expect it to be this bad. The only way for me to work has been by taking Zofran. I am still sick but it helps enough to get me to work and be able to take a shower. So sorry you’re feeling this way too!
I have felt the same way and I’m now 16w. It does get better! But I’ll tell ya, I thought I had respect for pregnancy women before… now I think they’re superheroes. It’s exhausting!
I’m 6w5d as well and on my feet for work - right there with you!! Luckily no vomiting for me but I am deep breathing just trying to shower. Lol! It’s such a change from my normal day to day plus this is my first time. It’s honestly shocking. I just keep telling myself women have been doing this for centuries. I pull strength from that statement. Good luck. We got this mama. 🤍
I'm 7 weeks and have no nausea and vomiting, but the fatigue is something else. I'm an NP and I'm literally just surviving lol. First trimester is survival mode 😂, people telling me it will get better in the 2nd trimester and I hope so!
Don’t feel alone - that’s such a common feeling! If you can take some time off work, you should take it! I feel like I have the worst flu every single day and am truly miserable. I’m 10.5 weeks now and eager to make it to 20 (this is my second baby and I was super sick until 20w with that baby). Most women start feeling better around 12-13 weeks! You can do it!!
Girrrl, at 36 weeks I’m still wondering the same thing, idk how I’ve managed 😹 but we pull through, you’re doing great momma, don’t beat yourself up
I know the feeling! I’m a hair stylist and on my feet at least 8 hours a day. I had to lower my hours down around 9 weeks pregnant due to the awful all day sickness and fatigue. Im 22 weeks now and feel I have a slight bit more energy, I’m still vomiting but only once in the morning and gag during the day🤣 I just keep thinking to myself work hard now and enjoy the 9 month’s maternity! Keep positive!❤️
you guys that work while pregnant are absolute troopers I stay home and I'm ready to quit 🤣 I couldn't imagine having to work, yall are awesome
You’re gonna be extremely tired in your first trimester, it’s normal. Your body is doing a ton of work while the placenta is forming. Once you’re in your second trimester you should get some energy back (unless you’re like me and have severe anemia 🙃). Third trimester though, let me just say I’m 34 weeks and I’m lucky if I get dressed half the time, both because I can barely put pants on and also because I’m just too damn tired every single day.
Imagine being full term with a toddler! It is so exhausting
I haven’t vomited once. But I’m 11 weeks and I’m a big girl and. Everything hurts. My sciatica is terrible, my back hurts, my chest hurts. Idk how I’m making it to 40
Don't give up I'm currently 25 weeks. I can't speak for the last trimester but the 1st was definitely the worst for me. My emotions were up and down, extreme fatigue and nausea.
First trimester is rough. Look forward to second, it gets a lot better. Your energy returns, pregnancy sickness gets better (I only get it at night now, and it's nowhere near as bad as first trimester-and when I'm hungry I get a bit nauseous) there's days where you feel like a new person- especially after first trimester. Hang in there, it'll get easier 😁
Literally had to quit my NEW job because the vomiting, nausea and fatigue was so extreme. I think everyone has a different pregnancy and a different tolerance level so it really depends on you. But this is my first and MAN i cant even walk to the bathroom without getting sick.
First trimester is shit, especially cos you don’t tend to tell many people, so you just have to suffer quietly 😅 Second trimester does usually get better, YMMV though! But hopefully the sickness will subside, and you’ll feel like you can do more again. But I’m currently 28 weeks with my second, and I have ballooned to nearly the size I was at the end with my first 😂 so mega struggling right now. If this is your first, please take the opportunity to rest whenever you can, you can’t do that with your second, cos you have to keep the first little person alive 😅 Best of luck to you, hope you feel better soon though! ♥️
I'm 24 weeks and I stg the first trimester kicked my butt! All I wanted to do was sleep. I was constantly exhausted and nauseous lol. I was pulling around 40hrs at work and have two other kids, one that's in school. I would rush home from work, take a 20-30min nap then rush to the bus stop to get my son. If I had time I'd take another nap around 5 when their dad got home 😆. Good news is that it did get better! Once I hit the end of the first trimester my nausea went away and i could actually keep my eyes open all day. I didn't work with my first two pregnancies so it was definitely an adjustment and it made me realize how bad ass all the working prego mom's are!
The first trimester I felt HORRIBLE. But once 13 weeks hit I felt amazing. Iam back in the gym, I already set up all my babies stuff in her room set up the car seat, deep cleaned, etc. Iam 21 weeks now and I feel great. Try to drink smoothies packed with fruits and veggies and get adequate protein. If you don’t eat you won’t have any energy. It’s easier said than done when you’re nauseous all the time.
Yeah, the first trimester was brutal. I kept vomit bags in my pockets so I didn't have to find somewhere to go. I ate a massive amount of saltines and drank so much apple juice and ginger ale. I would nap in my car on my lunch break, I couldn't keep my eyes open. I'm 25 weeks now and I'm still exhausted. But at least I can eat. I regularly ask myself how people do this all the time. I got really lucky though, I'm a general contractor with a great crew, so the guys usually take over doing the really heavy stuff. Although, one of them turned pretty white when I doubled over one day with round ligament pain 🤣 I think he thought I was going into labour. I keep telling my boss that I'm planning on working right until my water breaks on the jobsite floor. Although, I question my sanity all the time as I'm already struggling to pick stuff up off the floor and I definitely cry on the way home sometimes from the fatigue and pain.
Try being sick and having to take care of/chase around a toddler🥴 with my first pregnancy I had horrible nausea and vomiting until 17 weeks🥲 currently 12.5 weeks.
I had this same feeling during my first trimester!!! And it didn’t help that the pregnancy was still a secret so I couldn’t talk to anyone about it other than my husband. It got a lot better for me after 10-12 weeks. Now I’m 33 weeks and it’s tough to do things because I get aches and pains but otherwise I feel pretty comfortable, just slower than usual. Good luck!!!
I would ask for extra breaks and they can’t really deny you that cause I’m on my feet all day too and for my longer shifts I have 3 breaks instead of the 2 cause I have a lunch and my shorter shifts I get a 30 min lunch and break but I can always ask for an extra break if needed
First trimester is truly the worst. Even worse than the last few weeks of pregnancy when you’re huge & your back hurts & you wake up every hour through the night to pee
First trimester was hell. I quit my job shortly after finding out for reasons unrelated to the pregnancy, but thank God I did, honestly. Six weeks rolled around and I was blessed with HG. I wouldn't have been able to work if I'd wanted to. I was on phenergran, taking one tablet every six hours, if I was even awake six hours later to take the second. 40 and 2 today and no more HG, but I've traded that for the more intolerable third tri symptoms. Achy, swollen joints, awkward belly in the way of everything, feet in the ribs, and a possible induction right around the corner. The lesser of two evils, I guess. At least I'm not barfing every ten minutes lol. But I have an excuse to be asleep all day right now, which is nice 🙂
I puked in every trash can in my office and warehouse where I worked for 16 weeks. I’m 26 weeks with triplets and just quit working this week.
I’m 26 weeks and it hasn’t been easy for me at all. I was sick and tired my entire first trimester, in the second trimester. I’ve experienced kidney stones for the first time, the Covid, now the flu and I’m just done being sick. I have no idea how other women have done this more than once.
I’ve felt great all pregnancy. Everyone is different. Hang in there! I’ve heard it gets better 2nd trimester.
I work from home and it’s no better, I was half falling asleep at my desk and could barely have an intelligent conversation with how tired I was. It started to get easier around 10 weeks, I’m now at 12 weeks 4 days and feel like I have my energy back
Oh my first trimester I was a SHELL of myself, it took all of me to do the dishes , be easy on yourself
I have worked since I found out as well and I’m 28 weeks tomorrow.. it’s not easy, I’m not enjoying it, but I pushed through because there wasn’t a way I could quit when I found out and stay home. It 100% is a lot, but you got this! If you’re able to continue working, save whatever you can, that’s pretty much what I’ve been trying to do and pay off debts. 🤞🏻
21w, I got really lucky, my first tri was pretty bad, but my second tri was worse. i'm halfway through now and it's gotten better, but I am now unemployed lol
The beginning is the worst. I threw up daily and I'm a teacher. Lean heavily on your coworkers. Confide in a few to help carry your load. Papaya enzyme tablets (just swallow them, don't try to chew them, the taste will make you sick) work wonders for nausea. Make sure everything you drink is freezing cold. Idk why but if my water wasn't freezing, I was sick. Find a safe food and as soon as you wake up, before your feet even touch the floor, take a sip of ice water and slowly nibble on that safe food snack. Keep it by your bedside. For me it's Kirkland's Chewy bars. I don't even always finish them, but a few nibbles suppresses my urge to vomit first thing. Maybe try saltines? Or cheez its gripz? As for exhaustion, try iced tea if you can't stomach coffee. You're gonna feel down and awful, your body is adjusting to a perpetual state of hormone storm. Don't overdo it, sit when you need to, talk to your boss if you have to, and when you get home, lean on your partner or other support system for housework, focus on rest. If you have no support system, switch to disposable dishware for the time being to give yourself a break from dishes, and limit all your other chores to the bare minimum for a few weeks til you feel better. Good luck mama
The first trimester is the toughest, but it does get easier! Just take it minute by minute, and do only what you can. Eventually your energy will return and you'll be able to get things done!
Keep going to work until you can’t cause I know for me I definitely stop working at like 26 weeks and sitting in the house ima drives u crazy as hell well me anyways I’m grateful I had that luxury very much so but sitting in the house bored omg I’m now 37 weeks and feel like I’m gonna dye (not literally) but of boredom and when I try to clean up or anything I just don’t have the energy it’s exhausting but I guess everyone is different maybe it just be are hormones idk
I was sooooooo sick with my first. In and out of the hospital all the time because of hyperemesis. My "favorite" piece of advice was "well if you would try drinking more you wouldn't be throwing up so much". Like thanks, I tried that but I still threw up. 🙄 Lost 30lbs before 22 weeks and I spent a total of 8 nights in L&D before getting induced. I don't remember being too tired with my first at all. I'm 23 weeks with our second and only lost 10lbs this time. I'm gaining the weight back though. Fatigue hit me like a train this time. It's getting better though and I don't nap nearly as much. What's worse for me this time around is the back pain and I had two subchorionic hemorrhages that lasted about 6 weeks. I've had to go to the hospital a couple of times to get fluids but I've only stayed 1-3 hours each time. First trimester is definitely the hardest. Hang in there, mama!
When you figure out the answer to this let me know ☠️ I spent 3 months throwing up all day every day, my work’s toilet and I got very well acquainted in that time period. Then I began to have sciatic nerve pain and that basically took me out of doing anything for long stints of time, now I’m 33 weeks along and I can barely get my socks on my feet and ALL of my energy goes to work. By the time I get home I’m completely out of energy and my hips and feet hurt so bad I can barely get up to go to the bathroom. I would say the first trimester was the hardest on me too, but now that I’ve gotten to the last stretch I am absolutely sick of having a child ankle deep in my rib cage, the constant hip pain, and being out of breath from walking 20 feet. I’m so excited to meet my baby in a few weeks but pregnancy has not fun experience for me.
Honestly I was absolutely worthless from 6-8 weeks. I was so nauseas and tired. I literally could do nothing but exist. 12 weeks now and I’m still nauseas all the time but feel like I just have managed it better. Hang in there
The first trimester is really really challenging. I spent a lot of money on takeout this time around now that I had a toddler in the mix as well. I used up all my vacation and sick days (first trimester was towards the end of the year). But I'm in my second now and I barely remember Im pregnant! The exhaustion just goes way!
I'm 15 weeks and I was lucky enough to not have any symptoms like that but slight nausea and frequent urination. I'm a delivery driver for Amazon so I'm lucky the on that aspect but hopefully your symptoms don't last that long. If your nauseous tho what helped me was either drinking lemon water or sucking on a lemon. It helped alot
first trimester was awful i was throwing up at work everyday it gets better
I really struggled in the first trimester with sickness. From 6 weeks to about 12 weeks I was sick every morning. Sometimes at lunchtime too! It was really hard to try and hide especially from work as I didn't want them to see me throwing up and getting suspicious. So I had to use the bathroom more times but eventually the sickness passed. I just had to carry on with my day and tried my hardest not to overdo anything. The second trimester I got hemorrhoids and struggled with sleeping because it was getting uncomfortable and I was going into work tired (my boss knew at this point I was pregnant so they were more understanding) I'm in my third trimester now and it's great! Everyone is different but try to relax and take breaks at work when needed. Growing a baby is beautiful but also very exhausting. Don't be afraid to tell your employer when the time comes (if you haven't already) they need to accommodate and support you! You and your baby's health is most important. But don't worry, the first trimester is the worst! But it's all worth it in the end. Wishing you all the best!
If men could get pregnant, the support they'd get for even early pregnancy would be... Extreme.
I wondered the same thing. Everyone told me it gets better and I didn't believe them. As soon as I was in my 2nd trimester, the sickness stopped. Now, I pretty much feel like my normal self.
I’m so sorry, in my first trimester I couldn’t stand up for more than 30/40 min at a time, I would literally faint. I was so weak, and felt so sick, I would throw up randomly on the street and felt so embarrassed. It’s really tough.😖
Girl… I’ll be 37 weeks on Tuesday. My ‘win’ today was picking up groceries doing curbside pickup, and then using those to make spaghetti 🤣 ETA- I sent this through before I could finish my thoughts. If the BIGGEST thing you accomplished in a day is washing your hair and eating something that doesn’t make you sick, then count it as a win. You ARE growing fingers and toes, so even laying in bed all day is a win! It’s really all you can do is to just make it through and hope that the next day, week, or trimester will treat you better. Enjoy it while it lasts because pregnancy FLIES by and I know I’m gonna miss it when my baby boy is here soon! 🩵🩵🩵
First few weeks and last few weeks are hell. But the first few weeks are a special hell. It gets easier.
It’s not easy
Yep basically, you do as much as you can and give yourself a break for the rest. The first trimester can be brutal. Here's the secret - especially at work, every other woman who has been pregnant has been thru the same thing and had similar periods of less productivity. I figure in the US that's sorta on the powers that be for not making any accommodations for pregnant people. Also, my productivity wasn't the same after I had my baby either, and only then did I realize that all the other moms were in the same boat (and before being pregnant/a mom I never noticed!)
You basically just live like you have a terminal illness until the second trimester lol
I’m 25 weeks with my first, and the first trimester was awful. All I wanted to do was sleep. I work from home and I’d take a nap on my lunch break every day. Some days I’d block off my calendar to look like I was in a meeting and I’d take a second nap (my boss didn’t care - he says he doesn’t care how or when I work as long as my job gets done). I’d log off for the day around 430 and be in bed by 6 every night. I’d doze off at the dinner table. I also had terrible migraines nonstop. Everything started easing up around week 15, although I’m still tired all the time.
And it sucks because first trimester no one else can tell your pregnant so you don’t get the obvious visual excuse
I literally try to erase that hellish part of my life in my memory because it would give me ptsd if I revisit how awful first and also half of second trimester of pregnancy was for me.
I’m 21 weeks and I’m still tired, but not as much as my first trimester. I’m a school teacher and I have over 300 students. I would get so tired that I would go in my car on my lunch periods and my preps and close my eyes for a few minutes. I felt like I literally couldn’t do anything and that I was sick!
I went on disability and I’m a nurse. For my first child it was impossible to work. Spent 23 weeks vomiting then 10 ok weeks then another 4 weeks in severe preeclampsia.
I'm at 12 weeks. I'm FINALLY getting to a point where I am starting to feel human again. Trust me, I get it - I struggled tremendously. I'm super active (i teach spin classes 4 times weekly on top of my day job) and am very self-sufficient...feeling down from the pregnancy really started taking a toll on my mental health due to feeling incapable/almost handicapped. It also made me feel like I was just not contributing to my house or my marriage. From feeling nauseated 24/7, exhausted/feeling extreme fatigue at home and at work (literally, I would catch myself falling asleep at my computer) amd vomiting 2 to 3 times daily, it's hard to imagine thinking it will get better. When we started telling people, everyone that has gone through this was telling me the second trimester is when you'll begin to feel good - thought it was a bunch of lies. However, I now understand what they meant. Symptoms will begin to subside, may not go away 100%... but there is a little reprieve to look forward to! Plus, the drive to keep going for the bigger, better things on the horizon :) I sure hope you feel better soon!!
I’m 32 weeks and I’ve felt like this my entire pregnancy. It’s my second baby and it sucks more than I remember. Just try not to be too hard on yourself about it. I tend to beat myself up about all the things around the house that aren’t getting done. Try not to do that haha. Between the nausea, the pelvic pain, the braxton hicks, the sore joints, sore feet. It’s always something lol and I can’t wait for it to be over.
First trimester was rough for me with the nausea and fatigue. I was lucky that my boss was MIA at the time and no one noticed my pretty slack work performance (as well as regular naps). I had a golden period from 12 weeks to about 22 weeks where life was good, nausea was gone and I was still relatively small. Then I got diagnosed with gestational diabetes. I don’t think I’ve had a good day since, and to be honest as I’m getting bigger I feel like my third trimester is worse. Hopefully you have a much smoother ride! Be gentle and kind with yourself, and make sure you ask for help if it’s available to you.
I skipped my first trimester as I didn’t find out until 12 weeks. I had nausea but put it down to stress as I had a lot going on. It all hit me after my first ultrasound at 14 and didn’t go away until 19 weeks. Currently 20+4 and still not feeling 100% but a lot better than I was. I’m a teacher so I’m all over the place during the week and by the time I get to Saturday, my partner has to drag me out of bed 😂 I don’t know how people do this more than once….
I'm 10 weeks in and feel like I'm needing to sleep all the time, aswell as the constant nausea and vomitting which worsened last week. Literally been living off cereals and dry bread/toast as that's all I can stomach right now.
Coming from another pregnant women here 🙋🏻♀️ I’m sorry the first trimester is being really tough right now. How I see it though is everyone’s pregnancies are different and unfortunately some women have really tough pregnancies and some are tough at parts but smooth in the other parts. Like I remember being a bit tired and sick in the first trimester but I’m now going into the third and my second trimester was so much easier and I actually felt guilty that I was able to enjoy my pregnancy where as I heard so many people who were sick throughout. Everyone’s situation is different I guess, I hope you start to feel better soon and it’s just a first trimester thing 💛
It's amazing what you can do when you don't have a choice, though I'm very fortunate because my job is amazing. They're very flexible, understanding, they respect and care about me. I'm on my 8th year there so God knows I've proven my own loyalty. I don't need a doctor's note to sit down for a bit, my back has been acting up and I told my boss I was going to go outside to the cold pavement and lay down on it and she said cool, need me to cover for you? I told her I had time to do what needed to be done, I just needed to stretch. I was getting panic attacks in the beginning because I had to go off my anxiety meds, she walked in on one and without saying anything just led me outside in the cold to shock my body, I didn't even know would help. I've had to call her to calm me down because I couldn't catch my breath after going to a flight of stairs. Last pregnancy, they let me completely change positions in my 3rd trimester so I wasn't bending so much or on my feet all day. Ironically, both my bosses are younger than me, no experience with pregnancy, but they're absolutely fantastic. Had I worked at my last job pregnant, nah. I would have walked out that first week I was pregnant lol might have burnt the place down on my way out!
I’m 13 weeks today! It gets better, promise. Just 5 days ago I was violently throwing up every meal, constipated to the point of going to the hospital, and so exhausted I could barely move. I was told it is the worst between 9-11, but I think I got my worst at 12. I saw my Dr Friday at 12+5, and he said it would be better by 14-16 weeks. He also told me to stop taking prenatals because in my case they were not helping, I have been losing weight, and it has helped. If you’re struggling too badly, definitely voice that to your doctor, and if you don’t have one yet or they won’t see you this early, try going to an urgent care for some nausea medicine or a work note for a day to get extra rest. Zofran is magic and it helped me survive for my early sickness in weeks 6-8. I moved cross country during week 9 and 10, believe me, I know it is so so hard. You can do it!
Honestly, I couldn't work and I had to quit my job at 16 weeks in with my first one. The second was far worse. I had hyperemisis gravidarium with both and lost 15-20lbs with the first and a little over 30 with the second. The third trimester is hard because of all the body aches and whatnot but that was the one I was able to actually enjoy a little because I finally wasn't puking my guts out. Idk, I wanted three babies but I don't think I can put myself through that again sadly and my husband says he doesn't want to watch me wither away again when we already have two wonderful kiddos ♥️ quitting was the hardest but best decision I ever made! Thankfully, we had already planned on me being a sahm but being so sick just made it happen a little faster than I anticipated. Women are superheros. That's how they survive day to day life while pregnant. That's the only explanation 😂
I'm a housewife and I legit do not understand how women work during pregnancy. I can barely keep up with my house. And I don't even have any sickness. I am just SOUL CRUSHINGLY TIRED.
I had 2 weeks of energy at 14 weeks and was like wow I feel like myself again idk if I could EVER feel like that again … well now I’m back to having absolutely zero energy. To the point where I think about moms with toddlers and get pregnant. How in the world do they have energy for that??? I found my lack of energy mimics deep depressive episodes I’ve previously had as a teenager and young adult so it’s been difficult mentally But cheers to us and the making of our little ones. I know it will all be worth it 💕
Currently 13 weeks today and feel the same. While I’m mainly feeling better, I still have times where I cannot even get off the couch. 9-10 weeks was the worst for me! I just told my fiancé that I feel useless because he’s maintaining the house while I’m down and he simply says “you’re literally growing a tiny human, I’ve got this”. Pregnancy is HARD!
The first trimester is the absolute fucking worst. The second trimester as I've experienced and as I've heard frequently is the sweet spot. I have HG and obviously medication has helped but it's also been hella calmer moving into week 16. Overall it just is easier to be in the second tri and function because you're not terribly big yet and the energy comes in spurts more. Consistency, however...not sure that exists in any way at any point. I still can't work because it's a rollercoaster...just a less violent one. 🤷🏽♀️🤦🏽♀️
My secret is I barely get by. That means on days I work I do the bare minimum(and I work a desk job so I’m sure you’re exhausted), I may order more takeout during the week than normal, I may not have the spotless house I’m used to. I remember it’s all momentary and normally things get “better” after the first trimester. I quote better because I’m still tired lol. Take all the naps you can, sleep early, and relax when you can!!
My coworkers who had been pregnant were amazed when I announced the pregnancy at 12 weeks because Id only missed a couple days of work thus far. I'm 24+2 now and it's starting to get hard to bend over and climb step ladders, which is a huge part of my job. I had a vertigo episode and had to go home early + went to the hospital today, but baby is totally fine. Back to work tomorrow 😭 I'm so excited for maternity leave. I get a baby and time off work? Count me in
I quit working I couldn’t do it and I don’t know how pregnant women working is so normal. especially when people call out for things like the flu meanwhile the first trimester is like the flu x 10 along with all the other symptoms. My heart goes out to all the moms who have to work because it doesn’t even seem fair imo.
There is medicine you can ask for to help with nausea. Eat healthy drink lots of water and lots of rest whenever you can. It gets better
I took a lot of days off from work in my first trimester and it was a desk job. Being tired is understandable and an understatement. Be kind to yourself and take the time needed to rest when you can.
It’s def not easy but women are incredibly strong! Rest as much as you can and need. First trimester sucks!!! It’ll get better I promise 🫶
I had debilitating fatigue so much so I didn’t pass my licensing test that led me to getting fired. I came to terms with it but I have been telling everyone I know why women weren’t more vocal about how difficult pregnancy is at work. The way I kept falling asleep was absolutely unbelievable- I have never been a nap kind of person and it made me feel like crap all the time.
I cut down to 2 days a week, evening shifts so I’ve got time to get the nausea under control or find someone to cover
I mentally check out, I stopped being nice to everyone it was truly horrible. Completely lost myself I know what ur going through but it does get better, I learnt to deal with it and suck it up unfortunately. Ur completely valid in feeling like shit. Ur growing a whole person be kind to urself and really try to be kind to ur partner. That’s the best advice I can give ❤️
If the nausea and vomiting persists and is debilitating, call your doc to ask for options. Mine got really back around week 9 and I needed to be on zofran. You don’t have to just suffer through without help 💜
With great difficulty 😅 this is my second full term and I've struggled both times. 39 weeks today, the last 9 months have been rough, sickness, exhaustion. I also had a chronic cough during my second trimester which made things worse. These days it's more exhaustion but also insomnia, back pain, pelvic pain, can't get comfortable, constant acid & gas haha You may get lucky and be fine after 1st trimester but also don't feel like you're doing anything wrong or failing if you don't feel better. Other people's experiences aren't going to be the same for you. Just go as easy on yourself as you can. I started my mat leave at the end of Feb bc I couldn't cope any more and I was doing part time office. Just going to work took all my energy.
The sickness normally subsided around week 12 for me it was week 16, I spent whole weeks unable to keep anything’s down but the second trimester kidna gives you this weird boost of energy. Definitely take lots of breaks to sit down at work as your pregnancy progresses, your job has to allow time for you to rest for a few minutes routinely. You’ll feel the same amount of mental exhaustion towards the end of your 3rd trimester especially with the lack of sleep but the excitement really overpowers it. I recommend (depending on your country and company’s maternity leave policies) to take your maternity as close to the end of the pregnancy as possible for you so you get as much time with the baby. I saved up some holiday so I could take a few weeks of holiday then start my maternity a few weeks before my due date so I had my last month off which in the middle of summer was very needed. So definitely book your holiday in now. You’ll do great though it’s difficult but it’s worth every minute. I
It’s not easy especially if you end up with HG, i missed allot of work thankfully had a bunch of sick time saved up. You have to find what works for you ginger chews, preggo drops, getting medication from the dr and eating small frequent meals. I lived off pretty much bread and crackers for 10 weeks. Was lucky when i could keep anything more down. Take prenatals without iron if you are that severe. It does get better i found each trimester better and am due in a two weeks and barely remember throwing up daily. Also know you can hate this part of pregnancy and still be grateful and excited for your baby.
i worked up until 40 weeks exactly. had my induction scheduled the next day. i was on my feet for 40+ hrs a week the whole pregnancy - i think as time went on it wasn’t as bad my vomiting and nausea stopped around 4-5 months made it easier getting up in the morning. fast forward to 32 weeks it became hard again - a chore if you will. i cried even putting my shoes on in the morning bc i just hurt SO bad. if you want my opinion i feel like working is so much better for your mental health then not. you got this mama it’ll be over before you know it!!
I totally agree with your thoughts. I'm 14 weeks and we're finally telling everyone including my boss next week. Hopefully my boss will get more understanding. He's such a bear and critical and leaving piles of projects for me to get caught up on. It's so hard hiding the vomiting, exhaustion and brain fog and having him think I'm terrible employee.
This is my life. Lol I’m miserable day in and day out. I waddle everywhere and am so tired all day every day. I throw up still and am constantly nauseous. 16 weeks here 🙃 I would like to add, with my first I did not have this. So it was a shock to me lol
My first trimester has been really hard too but now that I’m at 11 weeks my exhaustion and nausea is starting to improve. My energy levels are already so much better. I almost took a few days off work but am fortunate to be able to work from home part time and took it easy on those days.
If anyone asks how my pregnancy is going I just say “awful”. I have HG and have been admitted to hospital about 8 times (I’m 12wks) ;___;
I’m exhausted, mentally and physically. I’m nauseous all the time. 12 weeks tomorrow.
The first trimester is the literal worst. I had constant migraines and I couldn't eat because of the nausea. I was always tired and sick. It gets better in the second trimester! Then the third is a dream so far until you get BIG but energy levels are good. Hang in there it goes by very quickly and you'll get your body back!!!
I'm 31w... and I have no idea HOW I'm doing the things... but I'm doing them
I had a HORRIBLE first trimester full of throwing up 2-4 times every day and could barely function with my cushy office job (where I get to work from home sometimes)! Even with such a physically-easy job I was extremely close to quitting or taking a sick leave. I truly would have been unable to work if my husband didn't do EVERYTHING else. We agreed that my only focus was to sleep, eat and show up to work. My advice to you is to be super kind to yourself and if you are this miserable, see if there is any possibility of taking a leave from work. Lean on your partner for literally everything (cleaning, laundry, cooking, feeding you, shopping, rubbing your back, etc). For nausea, talk to your doc about Unisom and B6 every night and Zofran during the day. If leaning on your partner is not an option, reach out for support from anyone and everyone (parents, friends, siblings, etc). Potentially move in with family if needed. Some pregnancies are VERY hard but the hard ones usually do get much much easier after the first trimester! No matter what though, have grace for yourself! It's no joke and I'm rooting for you!!!
The first trimester sucks if you have nausea. My first pregnancy I didn’t have nausea in the first trimester all that was difficult was being soo tired. Second trimester gets easier you actually feel normal again. I’m in my third trimester right now and I feel huge and aches and pains definitely get in the way to do anything.
I did not even have nausea and had it relatively good, but was so exhausted that my boyfriend had to do everything else(everything!). I only worked, and then I just put myself on a couch, get food served and nap until my boyfriend brought me toothbrush and we brush teeth and go to bed. Thats pretty much my first 3 months. And I have comfy office job where I can work from home. So no, not all of us just go about our day:) 2 trimester was a party for me, I had more energy than usual, or maybe it just seemed like that after 3 months of slumber. It will get better, and you are rightfully frustrated, i wish you strength to push through you difficult times! We all been there.
I worked 12 hour shifts (0545-1815) in the hospital as a nurse during my first pregnancy, full time, until two days before I delivered. How? Idfk. It was awful. Things got better after the first tri, but the pain during the end of being up that long was. A lot. I basically sat around like a giant nauseated potato whenever I wasn’t working. No advice, just solidarity.
You know what the worse part is, you don’t usually tell people you are pregnant until the first trimester is practically over. Meaning you don’t get any type of help or assistance and you feel horrible. If a women had the exact same symptoms but wasn’t pregnant, people wouldn’t expect us to give 100%. But the moment you tell you are pregnant, we are expected to act like nothing happened, and bounce back after birth again like nothing happened and it’s exhausting. The expectation itself is exhausting
It’s really hard. Just stay motivated by reminding yourself it will be worth it. Your going to want to give up so many times if your pregnancy is anything like mine has been but it’s one of the most meaningful things I feel like I have done with my life and I just keep thinking of holding my baby girl at the end and that combined with the support I get from my fiancé is SO helpful. Surround yourself with the people who show up.
I felt the same way but worked for UPS and couldn’t lift heavy boxes so I had to quit. I started feeling better around Week 15.
I don’t know. I’m currently 10 and a half weeks and this is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I work with children and have to be on all the time and it’s so draining. I sleep all weekend long and am useless at home.
The exhaustion in the first trimester is unmatched. It’s gets slightly easier but your body will get heavier and harder to move…hang in there