Working During Pregnancy

When a pregnant woman would love to be pampered, rest and sleep most of the time during their pregnancy (especially first pregnancy), working women had to get up in the morning, dressed themselves up in work attire, caught the public transportation to work or drove or be driven to, worked til the wee hours (at least it was for me) and went home to prepare dinner for hubby (this applied to me too!). Gone are the myths that pregnancy means getting pampered and getting all the attentions. Especially when you are a working mom-to-be who lives abroad and away from your family, like I was. But I didn't complain. At that point, eventhough it was my first pregnancy, I wanted to make sure that I do my activities regularly.

I keep a mindset that my pregnancy should not be a limitation or a reason for me not doing anything I usually do. Of course, there were days that the morning sickness got worse, but I tried to force myself to still engage in the activities outside from home or sometimes just opted to rest at home when it gets really bad. But I got to admit, having the activities outside ease my mind and made me somehow forgot about the morning sickness I was having.

So, here are the tips I have during my pregnancy that I'd like to share with you, working moms-to-be:

• Move around as much as you can, at least once every couple of hours.

Sitting down for more than three hours at a stretch can lead to fluid retention in your legs and feet, reduced blood flow to your baby, muscle strain (particularly in your lower back), and tension in your back and shoulder areas. My suggestion, get up every couple of hours to say hi to your co-workers, or for toilet break.

• Prepare snacks & water at your work station.

To reduce the morning sickness, I usually have a snack every half hour. It could be as simple as biscuits, cut-up fruits or some candies. Try to have them around you so you won't forget to take them in between your busy work. Keep a bottle of water on your desk so you can remember to keep yourself well hydrated.

• Find a position that's comfortable for you while you're working at your desk.

I used to make sure that my feet are up when I'm at work and I put a back support on my working chair. Also make sure you take regular breaks from typing if you work at a computer all day. Pregnant women are at increased risk of developing repetitive stress disorders such as carpal tunnel syndrome.

• Dress for comfort.

Well, dress smart. You can still have your power suit, but match them up with flats instead of heels. Or at least, try the kitten heels. Choose something loose, comfortable and dress in layers. Wear a belly band like discussed here and still be stylish & comfortable.

• Master the art of the power nap.

If you're feeling drop-dead exhausted (a not uncommon condition during the first and third trimesters, by the way), then try to squeeze in a nap during your lunch hour or afternoon break. If that's not possible, make flopping out on the couch for half an hour a sacred part of your daily arriving-home-from-work ritual.

• Get your beauty sleep.

This is the time that you can enjoy your beauty sleep as much as you can. I believe that pregnant women get sleepy all the time because their body told them to catch the sleep as much as possible now, since you wouldn't have any when the baby is born. You definitely cannot afford to be sleep-deprived when you're pregnant especially when you're also working. You need it so you can still function well at work as well as staying healthy for your baby.

Have more tips to share? Do share them! :)

*image from www.timeinc.net