Is It Safe to Work During Pregnancy?

Once you get the big news about your pregnancy, you might be thinking whether to continue or discontinue your job. And with changing trends, we Indian women love our jobs and prefer to continue working as long as we can. In fact, most Indian women these days continue working throughout their pregnancies and right upto their due dates.
But the big question is, should you continue to work during pregnancy? The answer is, of course, yes! It is the right of every woman to continue to work during pregnancy. It is an individual's decision to make depending on her health status and other concerns.

Ideally, your doctor will determine if it is safe for you to continue working during pregnancy based on three major factors:
• Your health
• Your baby's health
• Type of work you do
If your doctor gives you a green signal based on these factors, then you can continue working safely right upto your due date.

Types of work to avoid during pregnancy:
There are certain tasks that have to be avoided during pregnancy to ensure safety during all the three trimesters. They include:
• Prolonged standing
• Repetitive heavy lifting
• Pushing with strain
• Exposure to radiations
• Exposure to toxic and harmful substances
If your job involves any of these tasks,you may need to reconsider the nature of your job at the earliest.

Women you have stressful jobs should try to cut back on the number of working hours. Long working hours accompanied with stress can result in:
• Low birth weight babies
• Preeclampsia
If you are facing any kind of pregnancy discomforts and complications, talk to your health care provider about its treatment and be prepared to take some time off from work.

Stay healthy at work:
As your work progresses, you might find it more challenging to focus on you work. At times, your pregnancy symptoms may become prominent, like fatigue, swelling in legs, aching back or irresistible morning sickness. Follow these simple steps to keep your mind and body in their highest spirits to continue working effectively:

• Take regular breaks: To focus efficiently and restore your energy levels, it is important to take short but frequent breaks. Get up and move around, it will make you feel refreshed and reduce your stress. Use your lunch hour to relax and try to take a much needed power nap.
• Munch on Nutritious Snacks: Make sure to carry few nutritious snacks like nuts, fruits and crackers to work. It will keep up your energy levels and helps you focus better.
• Reduce unnecessary commitments: In order to work effectively, you need sufficient rest back at home. So, avoid additional commitments outside work. Take help from your partner or a family member to help you complete the task.
• Share your work load: Do not hesitate to ask for help from your co-workers, if you are finding certain projects just too much for you to handle. Share your work and responsibilities. They'll be more than happy to help you.