Working at home can make a lot of things easier, although it does make some things more difficult too. If you’re pregnant, it might mean that you’re able to work for longer before your baby comes along. In some ways, being at home can help you when you’re pregnant, but it could be a very different experience to being on-site, such as in an office.
It’s also different to be working at home rather than simply relaxing as you wait for your baby to come. When you’re pregnant and working at home, you can make life easier for yourself. Try some of the following tips to make working at home better for you while you’re pregnant.
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Get Comfortable
Pregnancy can make you uncomfortable as your baby grows. A sore back and having to use the bathroom much more often can irritate you, and those aren’t the only things that can make you uncomfortable. When you’re working from home, be sure to get comfortable at your desk. Pregnant women are prone to developing carpal tunnel syndrome, so be extra careful about supporting your wrists. Support for your back is important as your pregnancy progresses too. You can spend a long time sitting in the same position, so you need to have a comfortable chair.
Get Up and Stretch
If you’re spending a lot of the day sitting down, it’s a good idea to regularly get up and stretch. A little walk around every now and then will get your blood flowing and allow you to stretch out any sore muscles. Set an alarm to remind you to get up every 30 minutes so that you remember to stretch throughout the day. Light exercise can help you to stay healthy during pregnancy, and working out at home means you won’t need to go anywhere. Talk to your doctor about how you can exercise safely at different stages of pregnancy. They can tell you what types of exercise are suitable for you.
Dress Up for Video Calls
Video calls are often one of the realities of working from home. If you’re working from home, you might not bother with a new maternity work wardrobe. However, it’s definitely a good idea to look for maternity clothes that are appropriate for a work setting. If you know you’re going to be attending a video meeting, you will need to look presentable. You don’t necessarily need to buy very formal office clothes, but something that’s a step above loungewear will probably come in handy. You can find plenty of maternity options that are very comfortable but still smart enough to wear for Skype or Zoom.
Don’t Work Too Long
Working at home could allow you to work for longer before having your baby. You don’t have to commute or even move much, so you could even work from bed. However, the stress of working can still be there even when you’re working from home. Although you might technically be capable of working right up until you have your baby, think about giving yourself some time to rest before your baby is due. This is something to consider from day-to-day too. Long hours can wear you down, and you can get tired a lot more easily when you’re pregnant.
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Get Childcare
If you already have children, working from home with them around can be tough. It’s even more difficult when you’re pregnant and might be running low on energy. Getting childcare when you’re working will allow you to get on with your work and perhaps get it done more quickly. In fact, many employers require you to have childcare in place if you’re working from home. They don’t want you to be distracted when you’re supposed to be working. You might not need childcare for older children, but younger children usually need a lot more attention.
Take Advantage of Being at Home
Working from home can give you some great benefits, which help you even more if you’re pregnant. When you’re at home, you can save energy by not having to commute, and you can easily take breaks when you need to. Working at home could help you to eat healthily because you can make your own lunches, and it makes it easy to get a workout in if you want to. Take advantage of all of the benefits of being at home, from putting your feet up to quitting work a little earlier, to help you through your pregnancy.
If you’re pregnant and working from home, you still need to look after yourself. You might not be making your way to work every day, but working from home can still be stressful.