Many pregnant women work either full time or part time during pregnancy. You may be wondering if it’s safe to continue to work. This depends on several factors, including your medical history, the health of you and the baby, the type of work you do and complications in this pregnancy. If you are healthy and there are no complications, it is generally considered safe to continue working.
Factors That May Require You to Stop:
If your job is physically demanding, such as heavy lifting, climbing or other strenuous work, you may need to slow down. See if you can be assigned to other duties while you are pregnant. If this is not possible, you may need to switch to part time or take an early leave.
Hazardous conditions or substances are present in some work situations. Some can pose dangers to a growing fetus, such as X rays, chemicals or lead. If you are exposed to a potentially dangerous substance, talk to your doctor. You may need to be reassigned to another department or leave your job, if the risks are great.
Complications at some point in your pregnancy may require that you slow down or stop working earlier than you had planned. This could be diabetes, premature contractions, high blood pressure or a multiple pregnancy. Talk to your doctor about any risk factors that may result in an early leave. Some can be planned for, such as multiple pregnancy, but others come on suddenly.
Factors That Make Work Challenging:
Morning sickness can make working miserable, especially in the early months. Get up slowly in the morning and eat a few crackers before getting out of bed. Snack throughout the day to prevent a drop in blood sugar that may make morning sickness worse. Some women find sea sickness bracelets or preggie pops can help with nausea.
Fatigue is a common problem in pregnancy and can interfere with work. Don’t over do it. Fatigue is a signal that your body needs more rest. Take breaks whenever possible. Walk outside for some sunshine and fresh air, if you find indoor air and fluorescent lights to be draining. Put your feet up whenever possible and close your eyes during your lunch hour. Get plenty of rest after work and go to bed early to be well rested the next day.
Exercise can help fatigue and is good for controlling weight gain. Take a prenatal work out class or just go for a walk at night or in the morning. Take a short walk on your lunch hour, if you find this more invigorating than a nap, but don’t try to do too much. Complete your largest tasks when you have the most energy. Some women are energetic in the morning, while others don’t really get going until the afternoon. By doing the bulk of your work when you have the most energy, you can relax later when you are exhausted.