Years ago, women had the luxury to
be able to be at home during their pregnancy, however, times have now
changed and most pregnant women have to work through their pregnancy to help
support their families. And although working while pregnant is easy for
most women, it can cause a lot of stress on the pregnancy, and even cause the
mother to become ill. If you are pregnant and have to work during your
pregnancy, here are a few tips to help you to stay healthy and keep your
stress levels down.
The first tip is to always be
prepared. For example, a common problem with pregnancy is morning sickness. To
help with the stress of becoming ill while at work you should bring provisions
with you. These could include light snacks, a change of clothes, and a
toothbrush kit to help you feel better after you have become ill.
However, this should only be needed during the first 12 weeks and then the
nausea should go away.
Another important factor if you have
to work while pregnant is to always stay as comfortable as possible.
Remember to wear layers of clothing so that you can add or take away as you
feel hot and cold. And try to find yourself a comfortable pair of shoes
to help the stress on your back from the added weight. Furthermore, try bringing
a pillow to work to help support your back as well, and if at all possible, sit
with your feet up from time to time.
In the end, what you are trying to
do is keep yourself as comfortable as possible so that you can stay healthy and
cause the least amount of stress as possible. The problem with added
stress is that it can cause many different medical complications like high
blood pressure, eclampsia, blood sugar levels that go up and down, and anemia
to name a few. And to help keep these at bay both at work and at home,
remember to eat healthy foods and drink a lot of water. Furthermore,
getting enough rest while at home is very important as well.
Above all else, whether you are at
work or at home, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Being a super mom is
not going to help you or your baby. Find someone to help out with chores
and errands. Perhaps you can ask a friend, co-worker, or your spouse or
partner. Even if you have other children, they can be a great source of
help during this time.
And lastly, if you find that you
have to work while pregnant, be sure to watch out for pregnancy
discrimination. You may find that some employers do not want a pregnant
woman working for them, or they have an employer that will require the woman to
do work that is dangerous for the baby. What you need to remember is that
you cannot be fired because you’re pregnant, and you cannot be forced to do any
work that may be dangerous to you while pregnant. If you feel that you
are being discriminated against, or just want to know more, you can contact the
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
