Covid-19 brought a new series of nightmares that none of us could ever imagine. BUT…it also had some unexpected blessings, like the ability to work from home EVEN if you’re pregnant.
It’s not like before you couldn’t go to an office showing off your baby bump. However, let’s get real for a second. Being pregnant requires a whole new level of energy that people never understand. You need to be professionally on top of your game, but you’re also growing a little person inside you! There are days when you want to eat mint-chocolate ice cream (controversial, right?) and get swallowed by your couch.
How to Work From Home While Pregnant
This is why working from home while pregnant is perfect. You can have enough flexibility to increase your productivity, do all your tasks, and fulfill your responsibilities while also taking care of yourself during this magical stage.
There are additional things to keep in mind when working from home while pregnant, so if that’s your plan, these tips helped me keep it all together without going crazy (and the things I wished I knew) about how to work from home while pregnant.
1. Evaluate Your Current Job and Its Possibilities
So, the first step in working from home while pregnant is to get a remote job (Duh, really?).
This usually goes two ways: 1) You already have a remote job, and 2) You don’t have a remote job. In either case, you need to evaluate if the job you have or the job you want will fulfill what you’re going after.
In the first case, if you have a remote job, you need to evaluate how flexible this job is. If your boss has already mentioned that the team will continue under the fully remote policy, then yay!
But, if there are chances that the operational structure will change, consider changing jobs because, in the future, having to go to the office. At the same time, pregnant women can become uncomfortable in different situations (more on later).
In my case, I already had a fully remote job, which had few weekly meetings and was flexible. It was a win-win situation for me. When I was more advanced in my pregnancy and started to get cramps, or my belly felt too heavy, I could work and then do my breathing exercises or lay down in different positions – imagine doing this in the office.
If you don’t have a remote job, then don’t worry. This is the time to get a remote job as companies increasingly offer more roles that don’t require the office.
These are great platforms offering remote jobs:
| Full or part-time roles | Freelancing roles |
| FlexJobs | PeoplePerHour |
| Indeed | Fiverr |
| Glassdoor | Upwork |
| DistantJob |
2. Create a Peaceful Work Station
Pregnancy is so different for everyone. Some women have a peaceful pregnancy, where you can see them glowing — almost nine months filled with rainbows and butterflies.
Let’s say others experience a whole different story, with a roller coaster of emotions. Some days feel they can rule the world, and others bawl their eyes out.
For me, it was 50/50. During the first months, I didn’t even have a bump; l looked like I usually look when I eat a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder. I barely had symptoms.
Oh, boy, but the other five months it was tough. And this is when work felt heavier, and I understood I needed to make changes regarding my workstation.
I had a regular small home office but an uncomfortable chair. I always complained about the chair but never did a thing. So, when I got pregnant and started getting easily annoyed but minor things, I knew it was time to make a tiny makeover to my home office to avoid losing my mind.
Here are some tips that helped me make this transformation successful:
- Plants and aromatherapy help. Your workspace feels more peaceful, and you get less stressed.
- A good ergonomic chair. There are so many options, and while these are expensive, I promise you they are worth it!
- Set up your seat so your feet are flat on the floor and the highest point of the seat is just below your kneecap. There should be space between the chair and the backs of your legs of around two inches. If your chair has armrests, you should be able to gently rest your arms on them when your shoulders are relaxed.
- The desk should be at a height where you can comfortably fit your knees underneath – at least as long as your growing bump allows!
- The monitor should be arm’s length away, with the top around eye level.
- Your keyboard and mouse should be on the desktop and within easy reach. Your wrists should be kept in a neutral position when you type, so use wrist support if necessary – remember, you are at increased risk of developing repetitive strain injury during pregnancy.
- As your shape changes, you may need additional support for your back, a rolled-up towel can make great lumbar support, but you can also purchase specially shaped cushions. I got this one and loved it!
You may also want to consider a footrest to help combat swollen ankles; this can be placed under the desk. I used a pile of books, and it helped, but a footrest is a much better option.
3. Take Regular Breaks
One of the main problems remote workers tend to have is that they forget they are sitting in the same position for hours. And when pregnant, this also tends to be an issue.
So, from the start, make it a habit to take breaks. This will greatly impact you and help you avoid aches and pains. I set a reminder to get up and stretch every 30 minutes and combine that with an eye rest; take 20 seconds to look at something 20 feet away.
Of course, some days when I had more meetings or was in the zone, I didn’t do it, but I usually did try to take as many breaks as often. When my bump started to get more uncomfortable, those breaks were perfect for me to lay on the floor and stretch my legs on the wall or to put my favorite smells in my diffuser and make a short aromatherapy session.
You might also want to use these breaks to keep you stocked up on fresh water and snacks to graze on, as regulating blood sugar can help with sickness during pregnancy.
Top 5 Benefits of Working From Home While Pregnant
1. Adjust to Your Symptoms and Feelings
When you’re past your first months of pregnancy, your bump will be growing, and in some cases, you can start experimenting cramps or aches from time to time.
This might give you weird looks or people being too focused on you at an office, which can make you uncomfortable. Also, let’s not get started on the comments or the colleagues who are now experienced moms trying to give you unsolicited advice. Working from home gets rid of all of this.
Flexible working means you do your work as usual, not necessarily within set hours. If you are experiencing nausea in the morning, you might start and finish later. If you find yourself getting tired in the afternoon, then you might take a break for a nap. This can be really helpful during pregnancy to give you the flexibility you need to do your job well.
2. Comfort
In the same line, when you work from home while pregnant, you can get dressed however you want. The shower can wait, so if you want to stay in your PJs until 6 pm, do it! And let’s not even get started on the slippers.
When going to the office, you need to look at least presentable. Even your most comfortable shoes are not as comfortable as your slippers, so you can walk relaxed even when your feet are swollen and not worry about a thing.
3. You Can Share the News On Your Timeline
Sharing that you’re pregnant is exciting and wonderful but also overwhelming. Especially when people ask thousands of questions, make recommendations, and even make assumptions.
The great thing about working from home while pregnant is that nobody has to know until you feel it is the right time. You can be in your 5th month, and people wouldn’t even suspect it! You can share it when you feel ready.
4. Prioritize Healthcare
Being pregnant involves going to the doctor a lot. You need to monitor how the baby is growing and do constant checkups.
When I was pregnant, I started reading so much about pregnancy and researching, and while Google is amazing, it can also scare you to death. So, whenever I had a minor symptom that I felt wasn’t normal, I rushed to my Ob/Gyn (God bless her!). I could do this because of the flexibility of my job without having to ask permission.
This is particularly relevant in the last months of your pregnancy when you go even more often to check up on your baby.
5. Build a Career that Matches Your Needs (Present and Future Needs)
The thing about working from home while pregnant is that it’s not only relevant during pregnancy. Of course, it’s amazing to have the flexibility to go to the doctor’s appointments without rushing out of the office to make it on time. Or to make the goddess yoga position when you feel you need a bit of relief in your back.
But the biggest benefit is that you start redefining what work means. Is work all you want to focus on in your life? Get that fat paycheck at the end of the month? Or still continue progressing, earning those zeros but focusing on other things that are important as well, such as your family.
Becoming a mom doesn’t mean giving up on your career or choosing one or the other. With remote work, you can become a babe boss and still be a present mom!
Think About the Future
Working from home isn’t just for pregnancy. Remote working is a great way to keep the career you love, even after you’ve taken on the role of your life as a new parent! Especially for women who, years ago, had to decide whether to be a mom or work; nowadays, things are no longer like that.
Years ago, we had to decide between having a career and earning money or being a stay home mom. Now, we can do both, so why not?