Working while pregnant may not always be easy to live with. So that pregnant women stay healthy, productive, and comfortable while working, let's get to know some conditions during pregnancy that you need to watch out for and how to overcome them.
Many pregnant women may be able to work without experiencing problems. However, not a few pregnant women have to go through many challenges and adjustments to stay productive and healthy while working.
Conditions to Pay Attention to During Working While Pregnant
In order to work comfortably and safely, make sure pregnant women understand the body changes that occur during pregnancy. This can help pregnant women to understand their own abilities in activities during pregnancy.
Here are some conditions to pay attention to while working:
1. Nausea and vomiting
Nausea and vomiting are a common condition experienced by many pregnant women. Although nausea and vomiting usually occur in the morning (morning sickness), some pregnant women can experience it throughout the day, including during work.
Nausea and vomiting during pregnancy are thought to occur due to increased hormonal changes. In addition, pregnant women can also be more sensitive to certain smells or bad odors, making it easier to feel nausea and vomiting.
If this happens, pregnant women may become uncomfortable, unfocused, and even have no appetite so they can't work or carry out activities in the office to their full potential.
2. Tired easily
It is also normal to feel tired during pregnancy, especially during the first and third trimesters. This is caused by changes in pregnancy hormones that can result in reduced energy, mood swings, and disturbed sleep patterns.
In addition to hormonal changes, reduced energy during pregnancy can also occur due to increased stress and anxiety, especially if you add stress due to work. This condition can then make pregnant women not optimal in doing work.
3. Get sick easily
Basically, pregnant women are more susceptible to getting sick due to viral or bacterial infections. One of the main reasons is due to hormonal changes and decreased immune system function during pregnancy.
4. It is more difficult to maintain balance
When entering the 15th week of pregnancy or the 4th month, pregnant women will usually find it more difficult to maintain body balance. This happens because the body releases more of the hormone relaxin, a hormone that relaxes the joints and pelvic muscles to create space for the growing fetus.
Not only in the pelvis, the hormone relaxin can also affect the ligaments in the hips, knees, and ankles, so that pregnant women tend to be unsteady in walking. This can interfere with pregnant women whose work requires a lot of movement.
In addition, pregnant women also need to be vigilant, because certain working conditions, such as exposure to hazardous substances, standing for long periods of time, carrying heavy items, an atmosphere that is too noisy, or strong vibrations, can increase the risk of complications in pregnancy.
Tips for Comfortable Working While Pregnant
Here are some tips so that pregnant women can continue to have a comfortable pregnancy at work:
- Avoid things that trigger nausea, such as the smell of certain foods, perfumes or air fresheners. Bring a calming scent that can relieve nausea to the office if necessary.
- Use a cushion to support the lower back, if pregnant women work sitting all day in front of the computer.
- Get out of a chair and move around for a few minutes or take short breaks every few hours to recharge.
- Eat foods rich in iron and high in protein to increase energy, such as meat, seafood, and green leafy vegetables.
- Drink plenty of fluids and always have a water bottle at your desk.
- Prepare a snack or drink that can fill your stomach and help relieve nausea, such as ginger tea, nuts, or ginger crackers.
- Cut back on other activities, such as shopping or cleaning the house, if work takes up nearly a full day.
- Take up exercise or prenatal yoga that can help increase energy and relax the mind.
- Aim to get at least 8 hours of sleep every night and place a pillow between your legs and under your stomach to make it more comfortable.
In addition to applying the tips above, pregnant women also have to regularly check with the obstetrician according to the specified schedule. However, if pregnant women fall, have dizziness, palpitations, or do not stop vomiting while working, immediately consult a doctor without waiting for a schedule.
