Working During Pregnancy: Do's and Don't

And all that one must do is to play safe, prioritizing health first, maintain a good work-life balance, and adhere to the doctor’s advice. In this article, we have presented the Do’s and Don’ts for having a safer pregnancy as you continue to achieve greater heights in career as well!

Baby Loading!!!!

Pregnancy – an exciting phase of gestating a baby for nine months along with weird body changes and countless Google searches!

A women’s uterus expands during pregnancy and causes the abdominal muscles to weaken. As the child continues to grow inside the womb, lower back pain is experienced owing to lordotic posture owing to the weight gain in the belly area, accompanied with other hormonal and biological changes. All these changes take a severe toll on the body and is only recovered back to normalcy, a few months post-delivery of the baby. To ensure healthy and safe pregnancy, birth, and post-partum, it is necessary that every woman should start taking care as soon as pregnancy is confirmed.

This can be a bit harder, to manage, if a pregnant woman is working and continues to do so. Studies have shown that working women have often faced miscarriage, pre-term labor or any consecutive side effect that starts to show up post-delivery.

There is no risk in working during pregnancy for most women with low-risk or minimal complications. In a few situations: working with hazardous chemicals, fumes or solvents, radiation, and physically demanding or continuous strenuous types of work (standing, bending, climbing or lifting weight), is harmful for pregnant women and their baby.

Don’ts

• “Stress”: Avoid getting stressed no matter what. Try organising things beforehand to evade any unpleasant events at work. Take-up on limited and simple tasks, which can be handled without much stress. In simple words, at work or at home, maintaining a calm environment is favourable to your health as well as baby’s development.
• Do not try to lift or move heavy objects or things at work or at home. Try to stay grounded, as small accidents can have bigger consequences. Try not to get to too excited or anxious and be very mindful of your steps.
• The most common advice: stay away from unhealthy habits. Now that you are pregnant, having good health is should be the foremost priority. Most workplaces have decent coffee serving, parties serving liquor, and aerated drinks. All of these are big NO!!! It is also recommended to quit smoking as it can have detrimental effect on oneself as well as on the baby.
• Minimal fashion: High heels, perfectly fitting dresses are the go-to etiquette for presenting oneself better at workplace. But when you’re pregnant, you wear a heel, and trip down, lo!! That’s the last thing that you’ll ever want. Avoid getting sensitive with body changes that occurs during this time, and wear what makes you feel comfortable!
• Pregnancy itself comes along with sleep deprivation. Try not to hoard yourself with work, which will want you to stay late at night. Proper sleep cycles and rest are much needed during this period, to not exhaust or tire you out!
• Certain profession involves chemicals: e.g., hair colour, salon nail paints, and laboratory chemicals, which are harmful and hazardous when inhaled or exposed to, both the mother and the baby.
• Driving is an unnecessary risk and should not be taken during this time, as road safety needs full attention. Make sure your seat belt is always fastened if you are driven or driving by yourself to work. Make sure you travel safely and comfortably.
• Avoid sitting at one place and exposure to bright screens for too long. This can affect the posture and baby’s health. Take frequent breaks, strolls around in and around office space, and stretch your arms and legs a bit, if possible, every few minutes.

Do’s

• Talk it out: Talk and take guidance from colleagues who had earlier chosen to work while they were pregnant. It’ll be of immense help, as it’ll clear your head out of all the queries and doubts. Do not hesitate to talk your apprehensions out and to ask help. Being pregnant and working can be so overwhelming, and hence, take cues on what your days in the future would be like.
• “Eating for two” is a common age old say, that we often hear during this time. And it stands true, as your body is providing for you as well as for your baby. This can leave you feeling starved for most of the time throughout the day. Do bring your own small snack which is healthier- fruits, nuts, salads etc., as, in the first few days’ nausea will also be hitting hard. The protein bar that you once loved, will now be the one that triggers nausea!
• Keep a handful stash of bland snacks, as they’ll help in nausea. Keep yourself away from smell and fragrance that your body is currently averse to.
• Staying hydrated is the key to keep you charged throughout the day! Apart from water, try including fresh fruit juices as well as they are beneficial in many ways. Try to bring bottled water from home, which is filtered, boiled and clean.
• Put technology to effective use by setting reminders to pop your vitamin supplements on time. It is common to forget sometimes as you’ll be caught up in a lot of things. Hence, taking prescribed medicines and supplements at the proper time is vital for your and baby’s health and proper growth.
• Working and being pregnant can make your hands so full, leaving you with no time for certain activities that you used to do before. Charting and preplanning can be so handy in this situation, so that you can keep a balance, in taking care of health, work and planning for little activities. This will help in de-cluttering your mind and will make you confident and energetic, giving you the sense that everything is do-able and in your control!
• Discuss about maternity leave, policies, and other benefits with the concerned authorities. Plan beforehand to effectively utilise this period for taking care of the new-born as well as yourself. List out and start buying things that’ll be needed during pre-labour and post-delivery period. It is also recommended to keep a hospital bag ready, consisting of change clothes, baby diapers etc., which will be handy during and immediately after labour.
• Never skip any appointments! As you continue to work, keeping an eye on baby’s growth is of utmost important. Taking doctor’s suggestion can also be helpful in easing out in handling this situation, to efficiently manage health and work.

Each pregnancy is unique, and each job situation is different. All that one must do is thoroughly research the policies and regulations of the workplace and can procced to work safely throughout pregnancy and beyond as well, as most of offices/workplaces are not completely equipped and do not provide the easiness and comfort which we get in home.

People happily offer help to expecting women! So, sit back and relax a bit and enjoy every moment of this bliss! You may seek help from our home healthcare service provider if you are feeling restless often!