I get tired easy

Summary: Constantly feeling tired is common among pregnant women. Your body is changing, and you are faced with meeting the increased demands of caring for two. But there are steps you can take to make it easier. Plenty of rest, and ensuring your nutrient intake is sufficient are key to bolstering the health of you and your baby.

KEYWORDS: Procare, pregnancy, breastfeeding, breast-feeding, lactating, pregnant

Do you get tired easily? Do you often yawn? Do you have trouble keeping your eyes open? There is a reason for you feeling tired. Your baby is growing and developing each day. And that little person growing inside you is placing extra demands on your body.

Because of this new life, your body has to adapt in many ways. Among the numerous biological adaptations that take place, your body has to produce more blood, forcing your heart to work harder. Your metabolism also increases to cater for increased energy demands. Morning sickness, or just feeling queasy, may be another burden.

But there are measures you can take to help put that spring back in your step. Throughout your pregnancy, try to:

• Get a good night’s sleep. There are now wedge and body pillows that may help in making you comfortable while you sleep.

• Slip a 15 minute cat-nap into your day (this is beneficial to everyone, not just pregnant women). This increases productivity and you will feel better for it. If you’re at home, just lie down for a little while. If you’re at work, an office lounge or a closed off area might be available. Try to schedule a time where you can stretch out and close your eyes (Hint: You may need to negotiate this with your boss!).

• Go for a gentle walk after dinner. It may aid digestion and help you sleep at night.

• Have nutritious snacks like fresh fruit, yogurt or enriched cereals to maintain your energy between meals.

• Keep your fluids up by drinking at regular intervals throughout the day. Try carrying a water bottle with you everywhere that you go.

• Eat small, frequent meals to help keep your energy levels up. Include a variety of iron-rich foods like lean red meat and legumes in your diet to maintain your iron levels. Also keep up your vitamin and iodine intake. Having low levels of essential micronutrients can cause you to feel tired and lethargic, as well as potentially causing irreversible effects on your baby’s development. [1-3]

However, these steps may not be enough. If the nutrients in your diet are insufficient to cater to the increased demands of pregnancy, you may require a dietary supplement. Procare is a convenient source of iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc, iodine, folic acid, betacarotene, and vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, C, D3 and E, as well as pharmaceutical grade tuna oil, the highest quality fish oil available. Many of these nutrients are hard to acquire in sufficient amounts even with a balanced diet.

Procare is specially formulated for pregnant and breastfeeding women, providing a clean, safe, high quality nutrient source that can provide health benefits for women and their children throughout their lives. Try it today and get that spring back in your step

Procare. For the most important person in your life…

1. Baig-Ansari N, Badruddin SH, Karmaliani R, Harris H, Jehan I, Pasha O, Moss N, McClure EM, Goldenberg RL: Anemia prevalence and risk factors in pregnant women in an urban area of Pakistan. Food Nutr Bull 2008, 29(2):132-139.
2. Haugen M, Brantsaeter AL, Alexander J, Meltzer HM: Dietary Supplements Contribute Substantially to the Total Nutrient Intake in Pregnant Norwegian Women. Ann Nutr Metab 2008, 52(4):272-280.
3. Morreale G, Farinas-Seijas H, Sanchez-Vega J, Escobar Del Rey F: Inadequate iodine nutrition of pregnant women from Extremadura (Spain). Eur J Endocrinol 2008.