5 Ways to Have More Energy During Pregnancy

type="html">I'm tired.

As crazy-busy as this month has been, it's no wonder. I've been feeling a little bit useless as my family has been moving - I can't really help carry things and chasing after the boys is barely manageable. Between the norms of family life and work, I haven't had a lot of energy to spare most days.

It's writing posts like this that reminds me how incredibly lucky I am. Pregnancy is so exhausting, but at least I'm able to take naps when I need to and ask for help when I need it. I was just telling my mom, I can't imagine how I would function if we did the normal head-off-to-work-drop-the-kids-off-at-daycare-work-eat-sleep-do-it-all-over-again routine day after day. Madness! Seriously, those of you with families who do this - I can't imagine. I really can't.

So, I'm probably not qualified to speak too much into how we can have more energy during pregnancy - I'm at a major advantage and I still struggle! - but I do want to share what works for me on the days I need a little extra boost.

• Remember your vitamins! As much as I prefer to get nutrients from whole, yummy food, taking a multivitamin can help fill in some nutritional gaps, especially during pregnancy. I really notice the difference when I don't remember. I don't take a prenatal vitamin, as the extra iron makes me nauseous - I just continue taking my regular women's multivitamin. I take Opti-women and really like them - they aren't synthetic and there is even an herbal antioxidant blend as well. Neat!
• REST when you need to! I have come to terms with this, finally, in my third pregnancy. I get really annoyed that I simply can't do as much as I would like to (that hasn't changed - I'm working on it.) but I also used to think that I would be annoying to others if I had to stop in rest. Well, now I've learned that no one gets mad at pregnant women resting. Women have apparently been getting pregnant for thousands of years and fatigue is the norm - HM! It's important to stop and rest when necessary.
• Water, water, water! Sometimes I feel like water is over-advised as the solution to all ailments - it is great, but not every health and wellness issue is due to dehydration. In the case of low energy during pregnancy, though, I definitely think it's worthwhile to assess your water intake. A lot of us don't drink enough as it is, and you need a lot more during pregnancy. Drink up! It makes a huge difference for me.
• Eat smart. Maybe I'm just growing more aware of my body's needs as I get older but I'm starting to notice how different food affects me more. Any carb-heavy meals will ensure that I need a nap an hour later. No good! Protein is really where it's at for energy.
• Dry brushing. I'm not even going to pretend to understand how dry brushing works, but it sure does give me a boost of energy! Skin brushing is supposed to help your skin shed dead cells and let your body release toxins more efficiently. I've been doing it before I shower and it perks me right up!

I know there are loads of other ways to improve energy levels during pregnancy - mamas, chime in! What has worked for you?