Pregnancy is often the time when most women start to think about being healthier, which is easily done in your free time, but what about the hours when you are at work?
It can be a challenge between balancing the health of yourself and your baby, with the ability to keep up at work. Here are some tips on how to stay well at work whilst you’re pregnant:
- Sit properly
- use a lumbar support to prevent straining your back;
- don’t cross your legs as this causes a strain in the pelvis; and
- bring your keyboard and mouse forward so that you don’t have to lean.
- Stress
- Listen to your body
- Eat well
- Move
- Rest
- Celebrate your senses
- Take powernaps
- Switch it off a little
- Rejig your day
Good posture is crucial for giving space to your baby bump and allowing your organs and spine to function well, so:
High cortisol has been shown to affect the outcome of pregnancy. Make sure that you don’t take on too much during your pregnancy – this is a great time to get your husband or partner, close friends and relatives involved in some of your baby preparation. Try to keep a perspective and get support from your employer and your colleagues while you’re at work. Prioritise your time, delegate what you don’t have to do and lighten up!
It’s all too easy while concentrating to ‘live in your head’, but what about the body processes that are at work all the time? Simply direct your breath to different parts of your body and you will instantly gain awareness.
Choose high-protein foods and avoid foods that cause a slump in your energy levels. Try to eat smaller portions more frequently so that you maintain your blood sugar levels throughout the day.
However good your setup at work, and no matter how much if an effort it is to get up from your chair, we are designed to move. Make sure you get up and about and away from your desk every 30 -45 minutes. Get some fresh air, take short walks, and stretch as much as possible.
Pregnancy is not the time to push yourself. While it is important to stay active, beware of when you need to take it easy – listen to your own body, and try not to overdue it.
Pregnancy is a time of heightened senses. If your workplace is a little uninspiring, have an image that is evocative of well-being by your desk, use natural products that feel good on your skin, and tickle your tastebuds with delicious and healthy snacks.
Catnaps can be deeply restorative. Find a bench or quiet space at lunch times and have a little slow down. You’ll find that you are more productive if you give yourself 15 minutes to perk yourself up for the afternoon.
Try to reduce your time in front of the computer when you don’t need to be on it. And that doesn’t mean switching to your smartphone instead – you’ll need to try to wean yourself off constantly being on the go. It’s much harder to relax if you overuse the gadgets and gizmos, so when you’re relaxing, switch them off!
Organise your time so that the tasks that need more focus are performed when you have the most energy. Leave repetitive tasks for times when you don’t need as much energy and concentration.
Avni Trivedi is an experienced osteopath with a special interest in treating pregnant women and babies. For more information on keeping well at work while you’re pregnant, and to speak to Avni yourself, you can contact her direct, by phone or email, via Greatvine.com.
