If you’re a working woman who’s just become pregnant, you’ll want to weigh your options carefully before deciding whether or not to continue working. Some women find the realities of pregnancy too uncomfortable or distracting to remain at work, and so they decide to stay home. Others, however, choose to continue working until their final weeks of pregnancy (or even up to their labor date) in order to reserve their maternity leave for the time after they’ve actually had their baby. If you’re one of the latter women, follow the tips below for working while pregnant.
1. Talk to your doctor.
Like most activities, you’ll want to consult your doctor before making a final decision on whether to continue to work throughout your pregnancy. Although working while pregnant is usually perfectly acceptable, it does depend on the specifics of your job and of your pregnancy. If, for example, your job involves lifting or physical labor, your doctor may not approve of your decision and may advise you to stay home instead. In addition to offering medical advice, your doctor could also help you to obtain tools and equipment to help make your day at work a little more comfortable. For example, many companies (especially larger ones) will cover the cost of special ergonomic chairs, back rests, etc. as long as the employee can produce a doctor’s note explaining their medical need for the item.
2. Deal with your morning sickness.
Although some women do not experience morning sickness at all, most do on a regular basis, and it is very difficult to avoid. And because morning sickness is not limited to just the early hours of the day, it could strike at any time during your work day. If you’re going to attempt to work through your pregnancy, however, you’re going to have to learn how to cope with morning sickness in order to continue to be productive at work. Keeping crackers on hand is usually a good idea because an empty stomach can exacerbate nausea. Ginger ale or ginger chews (as long as they’re made with real ginger) have also been proven to combat nausea in pregnant women.
3. Sleep and rest more.
Pregnancy often causes fatigue, and this can negatively affect your performance at work. As with morning sickness, however, you’ll have to find a way to cope with it if you plan on working through your pregnancy. Because caffeine is no longer an option, you’ll have to find more natural ways of coping with the exhaustion. Simply sleeping more is often effective, and taking a short midday nap during your lunch break could also help. And as much as you might be tempted to go out with friends after work, do chores, or continue working from home, this usually only serves to add to your exhaustion. Instead, most pregnant women usually have to rest once they get home in order to arrive at work the next morning free from fatigue and exhaustion.
If you plan to work through your pregnancy, you should follow the tips above. Although the side effects of pregnancy may be unpleasant, your employer likely will not see them as a viable excuse to perform poorly at your job. Therefore, you’ll have to find what works for you to combat pregnancy’s side effects like fatigue and morning sickness. Also, be sure to talk to your doctor because not only can they advise you on whether or not it’s even appropriate to work, but they can also aid you in making your time at work more comfortable and peaceful.
Providing solutions to difficult pregnancy decisions is our specialty at Women’s Center – East Dayton. To make an appointment online, go to www.womenscenterohio.com or call 937-610-7777.
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