Discovering you’re pregnant is a very exciting time and one that you definitely want to make the most of, but between now and then, you will still need to go to work and juggle your working life around your pregnancy. Although it will be mostly straightforward, there are going to be certain things you need to think about. So how do you manage your pregnancy while working?
Tell your boss
First things first, you need to tell your boss. And you need to do this as early as you possibly can. It may be that they need to start recruiting for maternity cover, or simply plan how they will manage whilst you’re away, but it’s important to be able to deal with your pregnancy out in the open rather than trying to hide it. Once your boss knows, you can begin to plan your maternity options.
Make an announcement
It’s up to you when you decide to tell your colleagues and co-workers, but announcing your pregnancy to those you work with is a good step forward. It may be that your immediate colleagues will already know, but making it known throughout the company will be important when you start to feel tired and suffer from morning sickness.
Be honest
There are going to be days where you just don’t feel so great. Whether its tiredness, fatigue or you’re suffering from nausea, being honest with your boss and your co-workers about how you feel is important when managing your pregnancy while working – you don’t want to put any added strain on you and the baby.
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Prepare for maternity leave
Having an already agreed upon plan will be incredibly beneficial, but in order to manage your pregnancy while working, it’s important to know what your options are. You may be planning on coming back to work full time, or maybe you want a more flexible schedule – discuss this with your boss and find out what will best suit your needs.
Deal with symptoms
Many women suffer from morning sickness in their first trimester and so you need to come up with a way to deal with this, especially as your boss and your colleagues may not know about your pregnancy yet. Understand what your symptoms are and come up with ways to deal with them in the most discreet ways possible.
Schedule appointments in advance
Try and schedule your appointments outside of work hours if possible, or even during your lunch break. If you can minimise the amount of disruption to your daily routine, this will help you manage your working life. There’s going to come a time where attending an appointment or prenatal tests during the working day is simply unavoidable but it will stand you in good stead with your boss if they know that you’re trying.
Take precautions
Now that you’re pregnant, there are so many things you need to think about and consider. One of these is how safe your work environment is. Speak to your manager and your HR team about safety in the workplace and potentially ask to change positions to accommodate this.
Enjoy it
Most important of all when it comes to managing your pregnancy while working, enjoy it. Everyone will be making the effort to ask about you and baby and be involved in some way, so enjoy it whilst it lasts!
Resources:
https://www.thespruce.com/juggle-pregnancy-and-work-3545029
http://www.parents.com/pregnancy/my-life/maternity-paternity-leave/working-while-pregnant/
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