I’m sure if you’re searching this subject you've already hit the “I can’t make it until the end of my shift!!!!!” phase. Working full time while pregnant, especially during the third trimester, can take a lot of effort. I have an office job, so I sit for most of the day. Sitting all day can pose a series of problems that make working a nuisance. While pregnancy pains & the feeling that I am going to break my back every time I stand are annoying, it is the overwhelming tiredness that really is the hardest to defend against! If you’re in the same boat as I am, here are my 5 tips to working Full Time while pregnant:
1. Get More Sleep!
I know, I know…seems a little obvious, eh? But in all seriousness, sleep makes such a difference. I used to be a late night person who could (and would) stay up late no matter what day it was. However, that really changed during pregnancy. Making a baby is hard work, and my body is physically tired. So, what I’ve learned is that my sleep is much more valuable than any television show that my husband and I might be watching. Netflix & Hulu can wait. My sleep & sanity cannot!
If you’re working full time, taking a midday nap may not be an option. A lot of articles you’ll read will tell you to take a nap on your lunch break. However, this may not work well for you. Or if you’re like me, a “power nap” just makes you even more tired for the remainder of the day. So, night time sleep is precious & valuable.
Once I hit my third trimester, it was pretty clear that more sleep was needed in order for me to get up and get going the following day. At 33.5 weeks pregnant a lot of days I’ll be in bed by 8:30 P.M., I fall asleep somewhere around 9:00 P.M., and I’ll sleep for about 10 hours total. That 10 hours may not be completely uninterrupted (due to being uncomfortable & frequent trips to the bathroom), but it does get you more rest than the alternative. While getting more sleep doesn’t totally put drowsiness out of the picture, the little bit of extra sleep has proven to be effective in just making it through the day.
2. Wear more comfortable clothing!
Alright, I know what it feels like to want to be able to fit into your old clothing. It may be one of the greatest achievements as you progress into your pregnancy... You get the bragging rights that you’re still in your pre-pregnancy clothes. And sometimes your old clothing can make due for a while! However, let’s be honest: Squeezing yourself into your old jeans or work clothes and then staying in them for 8+ hours is basically self-inflicted torture.
During the last few weeks of wearing my old jeans to work, the first thing I would do when I got home was change into sweatpants. When I finally purchased a pair of maternity jeans, sitting all day was finally bearable…I think this was mostly due to the fact that I no longer had a tight waistband pressing against my belly. I found that by being more comfortable at work, I was able to concentrate better on the task at hand rather than constantly being annoyed by clothing that didn't fit properly.
Side note: If you’re thinking that comfortable clothing = no style, it’s not true! You can certainly put together some super cute outfits by just purchasing some maternity basics. Find items that you can dress up or dress down. Accessories will be your friend, so stock up on some scarves, necklaces, and headbands.
3. Get up and take a walk
I work in the office of a large retail store, so whenever I can feel myself getting a little distracted or tired, I take a walk. While walking does take a bit of an effort, it does help get blood moving and has really helped me refocus when I sit back down at my desk.
I often save paperwork that needs distributed down on the floor or put in the mailboxes so that I can hand them out around 1-2 in the afternoon. I even find that the short walk to the bathroom (every pregnant woman has become familiar with those trips!) helps get me going again.
4. Make a To Do list
Prior to pregnancy, I knew the tasks that needed done and I knew I had a month to get them done. However, after becoming pregnant remembering all the tasks that needed done became a real challenge. Pregnancy brain is a real thing! You’ll find yourself putting milk in the cupboard, apples with the plates, and uncooked pasta in the refrigerator. Why make things hard on yourself when you can simply make a to do list?
By making a to do list each morning when I come in, I know what needs done, and I can work towards meeting my goal. Prioritizing those tasks is also key. I put some easier work in the early morning, then the harder work, and finally some easy, no-brainer work at the end of the day. By working with an easy-hard-easy set up, I end up accomplishing quite a bit of work without stressing about it. The best part about this strategy is that by having the harder work in the middle of the day, I have my brain fully awake and ready to tackle it. I often get tired in the evening, so that’s why I save the easiest jobs for last.
5. Take it easy at Home
One of the biggest sources of stress for me when I first got pregnant was the idea that I had to maintain my work responsibilities and my home responsibilities. It was a pressure that I put on myself and I often felt awful because I constantly fell short of my self set expectations.
After working a long day at work, it’s okay to go home and rest up on the couch for a bit. Like I said earlier, making a baby is hard work! It’s okay to not cook if you’re not feeling up to it. And when you do cook, nobody expects a 3 course meal. So, don’t feel like you have to outdo yourself. Maintaining a house is a full-time job, and it’s unrealistic to hold yourself to your pre-pregnancy abilities to just make it work.
What I’m finding really works for me is to do little tasks throughout the week. Tasks that are necessities such as dishes, laundry, and grocery shopping. I don’t work on Saturdays, so I try to keep my Saturday morning free so I can put some music on and do more thorough cleaning on the rest of the house. If you clean up after yourself throughout the week, the Saturday cleaning shouldn't take that long and then you can spend the rest of the weekend enjoying your clean home and resting up!
If none of that works: cheer up, print an inspirational quote, and eat a donut.
I hope you've found these tips helpful! I hope to add more posts like this as time goes on.
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