Whether you work in an office or your job requires you to stand up all day, it can extremely tiring for a pregnant woman to stay comfortable on the job. Sitting for too long can wear on hurting hips. Standing all day can not only make hips and joints sore, but can make edema worse. The closer you get to your due date and the more your baby grows, the harder it gets. Here are some tips for staying comfortable as possible while you are working.
If you work at a desk, it is especially important to take frequent breaks to stand up and stretch. Use every opportunity to get up and walk around. Send your print jobs to a printer across the room. Stand up and pace while you talk on the phone. Walk over to your coworker’s cubicle to speak to them rather than sending an e-mail or using the intercom. While you are sitting, slide a box or short stool under your desk so you can prop up your feet. It will make you feel more comfortable and will also help with swelling in your feet and ankles (edema).
Pregnancy can increase your risk for those pesky varicose veins, and if your job requires you to stand all day, your risk is even higher. Combat them by wearing support hose. It is also important to wear supportive shoes, since you are carrying around extra weight, which can put a lot of strain on your knees. If possible, ask for a stool or a chair so you can sit periodically to get off your feet. When I used to work at a drug store, we would pull a chair from the office and put it behind the registers so our pregnant employees could sit down between ringing up customers. It made a big difference for them. Anytime you can sit and prop up your feet, do so; it will make work a lot easier. If at any time you begin to feel lightheaded, sit or lay down right away. Pregnant women are more likely to faint, and the last thing you want to do is pass out and hit your head.
Talk to your doctor or midwife about your job and work conditions. They may offer more suggestions for you and may even recommend light duty depending on your health and how the pregnancy is going. If your employer is unsympathetic concerning your ability (or lack there of) to handle the physical strain of your job, your doctor or midwife will be more than happy to write a note to your boss explaining what you should and should not do at work.