First of all, congratulations on being on the downslope of your pregnancy. You mentioned that you're due in about seven weeks and all you want to do is sleep. That actually is pretty normal, pregnancy can make you very tired. In the third trimester the baby does most of the growing in that period of time. They drain you as they take your resource. Of course, the further along you get in pregnancy, the bigger you get, the more uncomfortable you are, and so it's harder to sleep at night. All of these are a perfect storm for fatigue. Depression can also cause you to be excessively tired. There are many things you can do to combat the fatigue you have during pregnancy whether it's just pregnancy related or related to depression, either way these things can help a little bit. Make sure you're eating a healthy diet. At this point in pregnancy you need 300 extra calories a day so fill your diet full of fruits and veggies, and lean protein, low fat dairy, whole grains, and of course drink lots of water. Nap when you can nap. It's not bad to sleep. If you have an opportunity to take a nap, do it. If you have other kids and you need to call a friend or a family member to come help you with your other children while you nap, do it and that might help you save your sanity. Exercise also helps as well. It may be the last thing you feel like doing but if you get up and exercise, if you haven't up to this point, just go for a walk. Do something for 20-30 minutes that gets your heart rate up. Do this on most days of the week. This can be very rejuvenating for your mind and your body. Talk with your doctor about it and they can have a more in-depth conversation with you about your observations and feelings, and decide if it warrants treatment, especially if you've had issues with depression in the past, you're more prone to having postpartum depression after you've had the baby. They can have a conversation with you about whether or not you should be proactive about it and go on antidepressants after your baby is born. Good luck with everything, hang in there, and if you have any other questions for me in the future feel free to ask them on our Facebook page at Facebook.com/IntermountainMoms and recommend us to your friends and family too.
