Congratulations on your pregnancy! It is great that you are getting ready for the arrival of your little one. But, if you are planning to keep working
until your happy day, it is important that you be aware of a few things so you can keep yourself and baby safe for the time being.
Not that it is recommendable that you just stop working altogether. Many women leave the workplace straight to the maternity, and they all do well. But it
is important to you minimise the possibility of accidents and contagious diseases, for instance, so that you can enjoy a healthy pregnancy.
# 1 – Check any safety issues
First of all, you should check if there are any safety issues, as in potential dangers, in your workplace. You will be getting bigger soon, and you might
not be able to deal with space as before. Plus, you won’t be able to be lifting weights or standing on your feet for long periods, and shouldn’t be near
any harmful chemical products
The best way to deal with it is asking your doctor or midwife what they recommend. Let them know what your job involves and how your workplace looks like
and ask them for advice. They will be able to tell you for how long you can stay in the position, so you can negotiate with your boss in advance about a
possible transfer, or even of office, for when you are unable to do your current tasks anymore.
# 2 – Be aware of ill people
Not that you should run away from anyone about to sneeze nearby you. But your immune system will be a bit more vulnerable during pregnancy, so you
shouldn’t expose yourself to any potential danger. Plus, there are several common diseases that just can’t be properly threatened while you are waiting for
a baby.
So make sure that your co-workers know that you are pregnant, so they can stay away from you if something comes up with them. Also, find out which types of
illness are more likely to harm your you and your baby, and learn about its symptoms, so you can identify them and protect yourself.
# 3 – Avoid too much sitting time at your desk
Anybody that sits in front at their desks every day is likely to suffer from neck and back pain, among other things. And pregnant women will also put some
strain on their backs anyway thanks to their growing belly. So you will want to minimise the results of both causes on your body. While writing hold your
back straight to prevent pressure on your belly.
To achieve it, walk away from your desk from time to time, and stand up for a while. Take a moment to stretch your spine and let the blood flows naturally
again. Also, try to get a comfortable chair (use cushions to provide extra support if you like), and put your feet up on a box or stool.
# 4 – Know your rights
Each country has different laws to protect pregnant women at their workplace, but most of them have something of the kind. So spend some time doing some
research about it to know what you can be facing.
You can also ask someone who has been through the same before, preferably in the same company so that they can tell you about it. If you find it hard to
find out, ask your doctor or midwife where you can find reliable information, as they are very likely to know.
# 5 – Talk to your boss as soon as possible
Your boss should be informed as soon as possible about your pregnancy. Not only because what has been said above, that you might need to make changes to
your work environment but also because they need to be prepared as well. In any case, you will be on maternity leave for a while, and your boss won’t be
happy to find it out at the last minute.
So even if the law lets you inform your pregnancy much later, try and do it as fast as you can. Of course, you can ask them for discretion if you don’t
want the entire office to know it just yet. But still, do it. And remember that after the chat, you should send them an e-mail about it, so you both have a
record of when the pregnancy was announced – just in case you face any unfair treatment after it.
#6 – Prepare your leave
Depending on your position in the company, it might be necessary to prepare someone to look after your tasks while you are away. If it is the case, start
planning it soon enough. Even though if you think you got a fair number of months to think about it, the truth is that many babies are born prematurely.
Plus, you never know for how long you can do your job, and the last thing you want is to be concerned about it while dealing with a high blood pressure
issue, for instance. So start looking around and identify who can substitute you during your absence.
Talk to your boss about it and, if you get a green light, check the person’s interest and availability. And start the training just after the proper
arrangements are made so that you can tick it out of your to-do list.
#7 – Be aware that you still are at work
Yes, people will do their best to understand that you are pregnant and the things that come with it. They know that you will be more sensitive and so. And
that you might need to run away out of a meeting to throw up. It is OK; you are fine.
But remember that you are still expected to deliver results and that your co-workers are not necessarily your friends. So do your best to keep it together,
and be clear about what you can and cannot do. This way nobody will feel like you are getting privileges and being a drama queen.
The bottom line
There are a few things that you need to be aware if you are going to work during your pregnancy, such as these mentioned above. But rest assured that
everything would turn up well in the end. Just keep your eyes and ears ready to spot and danger, and communicate well with your boss and colleagues. It
will help you to maintain the stress down and enjoy every moment of your pregnancy. Best of luck!