Pregnancy Fatigue is Real

One of the most common things people say to pregnant women is: “If you think you’re tired now, just wait until the baby is here.” It’s meant to be lighthearted, perhaps even a bonding moment, but let’s be real—it often lands as dismissive. Because for many of us, pregnancy brings a kind of exhaustion that is unparalleled.

Now, with three kids under four, I can say with certainty: my fatigue back then was different, but no less real. And when we brush off a pregnant woman’s exhaustion with warnings of future tiredness, we invalidate what she is already experiencing. We plant unnecessary fear instead of offering support.

The Science Behind Pregnancy Fatigue

Pregnancy isn’t just about carrying extra weight—it’s about growing an entire human from scratch. The body undergoes profound metabolic, cardiovascular, and hormonal shifts, all of which contribute to deep fatigue.

✔️ Hormonal Overhaul – Rising progesterone levels, necessary to maintain pregnancy, also have a sedative effect, making many women feel perpetually drained. ✔️ Increased Blood Volume – By the third trimester, blood volume increases by up to 50%, forcing the heart to work harder and leaving many women feeling chronically depleted. ✔️ Iron and Nutrient Demands – The baby requires a massive amount of nutrients, which can lead to deficiencies like anemia, further compounding exhaustion. ✔️ Disrupted Sleep – Between nausea, heartburn, an active baby kicking at all hours, and the sheer discomfort of carrying a growing human, restorative sleep often feels impossible.

This isn’t just “feeling tired.” It’s biological, structural, and deeply real.

Why We Need to Stop Dismissing Women’s Experiences

When people dismiss pregnancy fatigue as something minor—or worse, compare it to the exhaustion of new motherhood—it perpetuates a broader societal pattern of minimizing women’s physical and emotional experiences.

Instead of saying, “Just wait until the baby is here,” what if we said: ➡️ “That sounds really hard. How are you holding up?” ➡️ “I remember that kind of exhaustion. What do you need right now?” ➡️ “It’s okay to rest. You’re doing incredible work already.”

These small shifts make a world of difference in validating a pregnant person’s experience rather than making them feel dismissed or unprepared.

If You’re Pregnant and Exhausted, I See You

If you’re in the thick of pregnancy fatigue right now, you don’t have to justify it to anyone. You don’t need to compare your exhaustion to what may come later or prove how tired you really are. Your experience is valid. Your body is doing something extraordinary.

So rest when you can. Ask for support without guilt. And know that your exhaustion is real, seen, and respected.