Pregnancy & Work: Working While You’re Pregnant
This is the first article in the “Pregnancy & Work” series.
Work can be hard enough by itself, and working while you are pregnant presents its own set of challenges. Not only do you have to deal with the physical symptoms of being pregnant, such as morning sickness and fatigue, but you also want to make sure that you take care of yourself and the baby by staying healthy and safe. While most of us can continue to work safely throughout our pregnancy, we still need to make certain adjustments to our work habits.
Having been a dedicated employee for many years, the first and most important change that I had to make was in my attitude towards work. While I still take my job very seriously, it is no longer my first priority; now my own well-being and that of my baby come first. I realized that work will always be there, no matter what, but my main responsibility now is that of a mother. Making this shift in perspective has helped me tremendously in relieving stress and achieving a greater balance between my work and personal life.
Here are some other tips that have helped me cope with pregnancy at work:
- Take it easy. I often used to stay late at work to finish up a project, but after I got pregnant I found myself getting fatigued much sooner. Instead of pushing myself to work harder, I now try to work not more than eight hours per day, whenever possible. Even if I have an important project, but my body is telling me that it needs rest, I stop what I’m doing and go home early. Nine times out of ten you can finish that “important” project first thing in the morning.
- Eat well. Proper nutrition is critically important when you are pregnant. Make sure you take time to eat proper meals (put them on your schedule, if you have to) and keep a supply of healthy snacks within your reach. Listen to your body and make sure to eat something whenever you feel hungry. Being pregnant, I now need to eat something every couple of hours, so I have started stashing snacks in my office. I keep some yogurt, cheese, and vegetable juice in the fridge at work and some nutrition bars, almonds and fruit in my desk or purse. This way, whenever I feel hungry, I can reach for something healthy to feed my appetite.
- Drink water. It is important to stay hydrated when you are pregnant, so make sure you have lots of water with you while you work. I typically bring a large refillable bottle of filtered water from home and try to finish it during the day.
- Take breaks. If your job requires you to sit for prolonged periods of time, make sure that you get up from your desk and walk around every hour or so, which helps your circulation. If you are on your feet all day, use the break time to sit down or lie down to elevate your feet. I also go outside at least once during the day to take in some fresh air.
- Watch your stress levels. When the stress of your job starts to get to you, take a break and try to distance yourself from the stressful situation. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, take a walk outside or lie down for a few minutes. Remember that the baby you are carrying inside is the greatest blessing and miracle, and there is nothing that’s more important right now or that cannot be solved later.
Please remember: take care of yourself first!
