Tiredness can be a particular problem for women in the first and last three months of pregnancy. In the early stages, you may feel unbelievably tired and sleepy, almost as if you’ve been drugged. This is caused by pregnancy hormones.

Towards the end of your pregnancy you may feel tired because of your increased size and weight, because your systems are working extra hard to support you and your baby, and because you may not be sleeping very well at night. You may also feel tired if problems like nausea or heartburn are making it difficult for you to eat well.

Tiredness is often worse for women who are overweight, or who are pregnant with more than one child, or who already have one or more children.

Feeling very tired and washed out may be a sign that you have anaemia.

• The best solution is to rest as much as possible, though this is often easier said than done. It can be particularly difficult in the early weeks if you are at work and haven’t yet told your employer that you are pregnant. Resting at any stage is difficult if you have small children to look after.
• Make sure that you are eating well, and don’t go too long between meals. Eat frequent small meals to keep your energy levels up
• Get as much help as you can from your partner, family and friends