# Pregnant with a physically demanding job???



## bonne_maman

I'd love to hear from moms-to-be who work physical jobs. 

Midwife tells me to "take it easy" but I am a farmer...

I am on my feet, bending over, squatting, walking, carrying things or bouncing around on a tractor all day, every day. I've stopped lifting stuff over 20lbs, take plenty of breaks and have cut down to the minimum. I feel fine.

I'm just entering 2nd tri and I'm sure I will get slowed down a lot more by the bump and eventually the newborn, but I've got to work just like pregnant women who work in offices do!!


Anyone else having a similar experience? :hi:


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## kit10grl

As you are used to the amount of strain etc that your job entails within reason you should be able to continue thru most of your pregnancy. Youve already said your being sensible (nothing over 20lbs) so as long as you keep reassessing how your coping you should be fine to conitnue. My job at the start of last pregnancy was a lot of lifting and bending etc but i did it for years so was used to that type of exertion. I was sensible ie stopped trying to move pallets with 200 cases of beer on etc but was able to continue with my job till my hips got really sore later on. I had to reassess at this point and came off work earlier than planned but i could still have developed spd in a deskjob so dont blame my work for the spd. 

I have to return to work from maternity leave this week and have told them that i wont be nearly as capable at the moment as i havent been working for a year now and dont feel id be able to jump back in to the same exertions as i did before straight away. Its just all about what your body is used to and how you feel day to day.


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## AngelofTroy

Yep, I work with children with physical disabilities and learning difficulties. I no longer lift children who aren't hoisted but my job will always be physical, involving positioning, physio and often controlling violent behaviour.


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## bonne_maman

Thanks for sharing! I'll be curious to hear how it goes for you once you're back to work. I hope it goes smoothly!:flower:


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## bonne_maman

AngelofTroy said:


> Yep, I work with children with physical disabilities and learning difficulties. I no longer lift children who aren't hoisted but my job will always be physical, involving positioning, physio and often controlling violent behaviour.

Wow! That sounds challenging, especially dealing with violent behavior. Is there anything you can do to protect yourself/baby from getting injured?


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## noshowjo

i am a foster carer and take sibling groups , most kids i foster are challenging and the jobs comes with the emotional stress too, my job is 24 -7 . I love it but my last placement was 2 months of police call outs as the child i had placed with me was always running away and getting into crime , 
My friends and family say im mad wating another maybe and say i have enough to deal with , but i love my job yes its hard but oh well . 
I do take on kids with dissabilities too but as soon as im preggers with baby number 3 i wont , as my house is not adapted ( no hoists ect ) so i cat lift . 
I think as long as you realise your doing too much when you are and stop , then you will be fine , and like you said your in your 2nd tri now , so your belly will be growing so quickly that it may slow you down any way xxx


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## AngelofTroy

bonne_maman said:


> AngelofTroy said:
> 
> 
> Yep, I work with children with physical disabilities and learning difficulties. I no longer lift children who aren't hoisted but my job will always be physical, involving positioning, physio and often controlling violent behaviour.
> 
> Wow! That sounds challenging, especially dealing with violent behavior. Is there anything you can do to protect yourself/baby from getting injured?Click to expand...

Yes I'm trained in positive handling techniques so I know where to stand etc but it can still make me uneasy when I'm protecting bubs. Other staff have been very kind though, stepping in to help me.


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## bonne_maman

AngelofTroy said:


> bonne_maman said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> AngelofTroy said:
> 
> 
> Yep, I work with children with physical disabilities and learning difficulties. I no longer lift children who aren't hoisted but my job will always be physical, involving positioning, physio and often controlling violent behaviour.
> 
> Wow! That sounds challenging, especially dealing with violent behavior. Is there anything you can do to protect yourself/baby from getting injured?Click to expand...
> 
> Yes I'm trained in positive handling techniques so I know where to stand etc but it can still make me uneasy when I'm protecting bubs. Other staff have been very kind though, stepping in to help me.Click to expand...

Good to hear they're supportive!


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## Jigsaw8

I'm 24+1 weeks pregnant.

I work full time (37.5hours over 5 days a week) as an Animal Care Assistant in an animal hospital.

It is a very physically demanding job. I work mainly with dogs, of which can be as small as a chihuahua or as big as a great dane. I'm already finding it quite hard to do most of my job, it involves a lot of lifting, bending, restraining patients, and am on my feet 7 and a 1/2 hours a day.

And I have been told I am at a higher risk of pre-eclampsia.

I'm not really sure when I should start my maternity leave, this is my first, I was hoping to work as far into the pregnancy as I could, mainly for financial reasons as I don't plan on returning to work after my leave. I was hoping for 36 weeks, but believe this may be a little too unrealistic, haven't had the smoothest of pregnancies. So am now thinking more like 32 weeks. 

Any suggestions would be much appreciated, thanks!


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## Viking15

I am a flight attendant. To an outsider it might not seem like a physically demanding job, but it is. I have to lift my own luggage into overhead bins, and it is required that I also do so for passengers if they need assistance, and expected for me to help others as well. I have stopped helping people and my co-workers have been great about that. I also have to push, pull, and control heavy beverage carts. There are estimates out there that they can weigh as much as 300 pounds, but they are on wheels and mostly I don't find it to be a big problem unless there is turbulence and we are caught unawares. I always ask for help now pulling/pushing it up to the front of the cabin to start the service because the aircraft is at a slightly nose up attitude in flight and it is difficult to get it up there on your own. I normally would do it alone, but now I won't risk it and just ask for help. There is also a ton of bending over, stretching, reaching and lifting things like cases of water or bins of china. I try to take it easy. Recently I did work too hard during a service in first class. I felt pretty good at the time, but afterwards I felt really exhausted. I took that into consideration and I have tried to slow down and wait for more help from my other co-workers, when in the past I would just do it all quickly by myself. 
My company allows us to leave as soon as we find out we are pregnant, but this was not realistic for us on our budget. My first trimester I felt horrid, so I worked about 2/3 of the schedule I normally do. Now that I'm past the nausea I am ok. I miss drinking coffee. The jetlag gets to me much more without it. I plan on working until they push me out the door at 27 weeks. Then I am going to enjoy my time off and prepare for the baby's arrival. 
I hope that helps!


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## Lara+sam+bump

Im a childminder and so I work on my own with 5 children ages 2-8 and my 3 yr old as well. I have found it really tough actually, it is the constant activity, stretching, straining, lifting etc that is the really struggle and ive not really been able to change how I do things because like I said im on my own. I have 2 weeks left and I seriously cant wait I need the rest SO SO!! badly. One 3 yr old is a breeze compared to having them all lol xxx


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## Baby Bell

I'm a nurse on a very heavy ward. Although we don't lift patients, it is still hard going with a lot of bending and walking, very stressful environment with often physically aggressive ward. We can work 8 or 9 days in a row with only 2days off in between. Often finishing an hour or so late, which when your shift finishes at 9 and you start next day at 7.30, can be exhausting. I really struggled last time, and am dreading getting bigger again this time. Hate my job and dread going in


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## venusflytrap

I work for a well know tire manufacturer, shift work and 12 hours a shift. I drive a forklift, and 18 wheelers. I do a lot of heavy lifting, and never slowed down. I pick up 125-175lbs tires off the floor when needed. I never did slow down at work, but did eventually stop working at 36 weeks. I work in a shop of only men, all with close to 30 years experience and didn't want to look weak. So I toughed it out. I did find when I went to work I had a lot of BH contractions. Like more than 50 a day, and by the end of the shift I was exhausted. My husband and I also have a small hobby farm with a miniature horse and a few alpacas. I still did all the farm chores, but not as quickly as before up to 36 weeks. As of now I am only doing housework.


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## xSin

I was working in a liquor store which again might not sound like super heavy duty labor but when you've got 8+ pallets coming in that need unloading, 3x a week it's a LOT of lifting of cases of alcohol ...the only way around the lifting is to 'make more trips' which does nothing to make it any less labor intensive.

I definitely felt myself slowing down towards the end of the second trimester and what I would've done as the pregnancy progressed I'm not entirely sure ...I had to move anyhow so stopped working early.

My advice to you is be VERY careful about "how" you move... I didn't notice it until a couple weeks after I stopped working but my ligaments in my pelvis loosened and by 30 weeks I was having difficulty simply walking up & down stairs without pain.


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