Working While Pregnant
Once upon a time, I was not a mom. Once upon a time, I was a married occupational therapist working full time, living a great, child-free existence. Back then, I was known as @thatOT_life (not really, but I could have been!). I practiced OT for about four years before Nate and I decided to add another member to our family. I was working full time at a skilled nursing facility in Scottsdale, Arizona when I became pregnant with Baer. It felt like the right time to have a baby: we had fallen in love with our new city; I had lots of friends at my new job, in Junior League and on my tennis team; and we had started looking to buy a house. I am extremely fortunate that getting pregnant was not difficult. You might say that getting pregnant was the easy part. But being pregnant and working full time — THAT was the challenging part (well, and childbirth, but that’s another post).
I almost feel guilty saying that working full time while pregnant was challenging. I am lucky that I was surrounded by a great group of co-workers, some of whom were parents themselves, who went out of their way to make sure I wasn’t taking on too much physical labor. My boss was always double checking my patient list to make sure she hadn’t assigned me any patients who were on contact or airborne precautions. I had reasonable patients who understood that I couldn’t physically lift them as they might have wanted (note I didn’t say needed…). So all things considered, I had a desirable experience of working while pregnant. If you’re an occupational or physical therapist considering getting pregnant (or maybe you already are pregnant—congratulations either way!), here are some tips from my lived experience, some things that should make your pregnancy experience easier:
1. Acknowledge that things are going to change. I don’t know about you, but I always prided myself on being married to my work. I mean, sure, I was actually married to Nate but work was my LIFE. It defined who I was. And I liked it that way! When you get pregnant though… that changes — it must change. You must acknowledge that you are sharing your body with another person and that you won’t physically feel like your old self. Once you let go of that stubbornness, you are in a better position to accept and acclimate to the physical change that is about to define the next 40 weeks.
2. You will be tired. Caffeine might not work for you (I know it didn’t for me; fetus Baer would go all Cirque du Soleil on my uterus if I drank coffee—N O T W O R T H I T). So how do you combat this? Sit your tuchus down and put your feet up! For me, the fatigue truly began in my legs. I had some great sneakers (Mizuno, but these days I love Clove or APL; also, Brooks has a great program for healthcare workers that offers a sizable discount), but carrying that extra weight around isn’t ideal. I bought and wore compression socks which were a lifesaver. And still, I sat down during initial evaluations. I sat down while providing instruction for upper body exercises. I sat down while documenting. I sat down and took my legally allowed breaks. Don’t be a hero! You might be surprised at how nonjudgmental your patients can be — especially when you start showing.
3. Don’t be proud — wear the maternity clothes! At my SNF, we had a shirt that we had to wear… except when you were pregnant. I’ve had coworkers who chose to wear the mandatory shirt even while pregnant. Not me! The second it felt a smidge tight, I stocked up on maternity scrubs. They’re so comfortable! And nearly every major scrubs maker has maternity options. As therapists, our job requires us to be able to move as freely as possible, and you just can’t do that in tight clothing. So, buy the maternity clothes and enjoy your changing body!
4. The ice machine will be your best friend. Sounds weird; it isn’t. My friend who is a PT and is currently pregnant said her doctor told her that craving ice could be Pica, but I maintain that you will not find a pregnant woman who has not had at least one craving for ice. Ice is amazing. Work ice is even better. It’s crushed! Sometimes it’s pebbled! It’s wet and cold and refreshing and it won’t upset your stomach. Medical facility ice is the most delicious thing while you’re pregnant. Don’t deny yourself. Grab one of those gigantic cups from the storage closet and fill it up, grab a spoon and dig in—you won’t regret it!
5. And lastly… most importantly… don’t be afraid to ask for help! You might think that people are noticing your struggle, but you cannot bank on that. As lovely as coworkers might be, they can’t feel your physical discomfort. So speak up, ask away… the worst they can do is say no, and who wants to say no to a pregnant person? That’d be pretty cold, if you ask me. Almost as cold as that delicious pebble ice, but not nearly as tasty.
So there you have it! From one therapist of child bearing age to another, I wish you the easiest, most comfortable pregnancy. Stay tuned: next week I’ll dive into working while parenting an infant!