Is third trimester exhaustion a different kind of exhaustion from when baby comes?

[TrixieLox]

I am SO exhausted lately, it's almost painful! And it just occurred to me: there's not going to be any respite, is there? Cos when my daughter arrives, I won't be getting much sleep!

Girls who've got other kids: is it a different kind of exhaustion? How do you deal?

I am so so grateful for my little miracle after so long trying. But because we tried so long, I've had a few more years' of lie ins and uninterrupted sleep than most. ive been spoilt! A bit scared about how I'm going to cope cos really struggling now!

 

[Babyduo]

Believe it or not I usually feel better after the baby comes than during this trimester. It takes me about a week to get back on my feet so to speak, but my energy is way higher after birth than before. Even getting up in the middle of the night to feed is not so bad. At least It is easier to move. Then again I usually nurse the baby in bed and put them in a bassinet next to my bed when done. All of mine have been vaginal deliveries though with my first I had a 4th degree tear.

 

[Pielette]

It is different, at least it is in my experience

Right now, and until the end of my pregnancy I'm sure, I feel exhausted, restless and uncomfortable. I can't settle properly in bed, I don't sleep deeply enough when I do get to sleep and I don't feel rested enough during the day.

The first months with a new baby, yes there is sleep deprivation. But I found it manageable. When my son would wake for a feed I would feed him, then we would both go back to sleep. And I would be able to get comfortable because I didn't have a basketball sized lump on the front of me The sleep I got between feeds was of a much better quality than the sleep I was getting towards the end of pregnancy.

Yes I was tired but actually you adjust and you don't mind it so much because it's for your baby and you'll happily cope with it. Pregnancy tiredness is just flipping irritating because there's no good reason why you can't sleep properly. Right now I feel irritated most of the time, my LO sleeps twelve hours at night and I can't sleep worth a damn!

 

[lmp1505768]

I was 18 when I had DD(17 when I conceived) and people always talked about how I was going to be so exhausted after she came, so get some rest now, blah blah blah.

The first night I had her, she slept four hours straight at a time. She was perfectly healthy and woke when she was hungry. Always in the 98th percentile for height and weight. (She is still gigantic. 6 inches taller, and 10I lbs heavier than the average 3 year old, and she isn't even three yet!)

I hadn't slept four hours straight in MONTHS! I was always up peeing(literally every 45hour min -1 hour) or changing position or getting mad at DF for being one cm too close. Or it was too hot,or too cold. Always something.

In short, I slept BETTER.

I was still exhausted. Breast feeding, plus just being sore, and the usual lie adjustments when having a baby, still took a lot out of me. But I guess id rather have to wake up every two hours to feed, and actually be sleeping those two hours, than to get eight solid hours of kind of sleep. That's just frustrating!

Hope that helps

 

[TrixieLox]

Thanks, this makes me feel a bit better. It's a kind of exhaustion that's painful, this third trimester tiredness, isn't it? You have the lack of energy caused by hormones etc, then you can't sleep properly too. Crazy.

 

[lmp1505768]

Its easier in another aspect too.

While your exhausted right now, there really isn't any reward.

After, you'll be tired. But you'll be tired and holding your sweet little baby.. I actually found myself sacrificing my naps while she napped,so I could just watch her sleep lol

 

[Clarabell543]

The difference is after is that you can sleep more comfortably even if it is interupted! Plus waking up to your smiling baby is much better than waking up due to being uncomfortable or needing to pee!
Lol
Not sure if i have just been lucky but i find it much easier at the moment to sleep than i ever did pregnant. Although you do always feel like you have one ear listening out for your little one.

 

[Athena]

You can always nap during the day when baby sleeps if you need too. They sleep a lot of the time! x

 

[MumToEva]

Depends if you get a sleeper or not. For me, I didn't - I survived on 3 hours of sleep a night in one hour blocks for 6 months-ish, and I can honestly say I had never know exhaustion until I went through that. The tiredness I'd felt during late pregnancy was nothing by comparison. But then friends with babies who were better sleepers had a lot easier time. I deserve a sleeper this time!

 

[special_kala]

Im far more tired in 3rd tri then with a newborn.

W was breastfed and didnt sleep great for a long time but any sleep i did get was mine if that makes sense. When your in 3rd tri the quality of sleep is terrible.

I function much better on 4 hours of proper sleep a night then i do 9 hours of crap sleep.

 

[kaths101]

Depends if you get a sleeper or not. For me, I didn't - I survived on 3 hours of sleep a night in one hour blocks for 6 months-ish, and I can honestly say I had never know exhaustion until I went through that. The tiredness I'd felt during late pregnancy was nothing by comparison. But then friends with babies who were better sleepers had a lot easier time. I deserve a sleeper this time!

^^ this, I definitely had more sleep in third tri, I'm worried how I will cope with no sleep, a newborn and a toddler because you can't just sleep when baby sleeps!

 

[kneeswrites]

I agree with the others... having a newborn is much better than 3rd tri. I get much better sleep now than I did in 3rd tri, no question! I was in so much pain and sooo sleepy back then, now I am exhausted but nowhere near as much as people warned me I would be.

 

[rowleypolie]

All I can think about is the exhaustion the first couple days with DD2, I had been up for 27 hours in labor, slept like 4 and then for 3 days never got more than 3-4 hours of sleep a day...only because I had a 2 year old. Honestly harder than anything I have ever done before. And the poor little thing cried constantly. She was colicky for 6 months... Geez guess I am not helping, I was exhausted for a long time. But so worth it!! Don't get me wrong, wouldn't be doing it again if it wasn't!

 

[babz1986]

I definitely found the newborn stage loads easier to cope with then the pregnancy tiredness. During pregnancy, I always have that drained feeling because the baby's taking everything I've got. Fair enough you might not get as much sleep or rest, but the energy that you do have is purely yours and not been drained by a growing baby stealing it in your body lol.

My little girl slept every 3-4 hrs inbetween feeds so woke once or twice at the max in the night, depending on how late or early I went to bed. And you do get a better quality of sleep purely because you can get more comfy.

Also another side of the newborn tiredness, is you don't feel so guilty for having that extra coffee or energy drink to top you up lol

 

[Annie77]

I would say it is better after having baby - almost like adrenalin kicks in. My hips are never quite as sore from 2-3 days post birth so sleep is more comfy. Gone are the heartburn, morning sickness and huge bump so sleep etc is definitely better.
However, stitches, anaemia, breast pain and baby not settling can impact on how you feel so whilst I say it's easier - it's only just for some people. Keep an open mind and don't push yourself too much after birth.