Ladies working Physically-Demanding jobs

egraves4

I think we may have had a thread on this months ago... Like probably 10 or 15 weeks.

I know we got nurses, farmers, etc. out there and I would love to hear how the experience has been so far for you! And possibly a little bit of motivation...

I'm currently 33+3 and I'm planning on waitressing up until I am 39 weeks if I can make it. It's getting so hard... I come home, get a shower, and immediately crash.

Would love to see if anyone else is out there feeling my pain!

CountryAir13

I work in a child care room. I can't compare that to waiting tables (I've done that and can't imagine how hard it would be pregnant) Getting up and down off the floor all day and carrying babies around is absolutely exhausting. Then I go home to a toddler that wants the same attention.

Rodkey2007

I sell Ford parts and I know that I have been methodically ticking off the items I can no longer handle (or won't handle). I've just taken it one day at a time and one box at a time. I'm one of those people who NEVER asks for help, but I know what my limits are- and more importantly- I know what they SHOULD BE. There are things I probably could still safely do on my own, but I want to be able to keep working until the day before my surgery so I need to make sure I don't do anything stupid in the mean time. Truck tires, car batteries and large bottles of fluid were the first things off my list!!

tabauder

I'm a dairy farmer and still going strong at 32 weeks. It's definitely getting harder and more tiring to work plus I'm not aloud to lift things heavier then 25# so I can't do some things. DH laughs because I "grunt" more when I bend over and have to stand back up. By the end of milking and feeding calves my feet are swollen and my back hurts. I wear one of those belly support bands but I don't think it helps much.

I do the same as @egraves4 after work.. Eat, shower, crash!

What's motivating me? It's almost over!!! Plus I'm a busy body so I don't know what I would do if I wasn't out at the farm helping out

ape0209

I am a first grade teacher and we are always on the floor learning so we are always up and down! My students keep me motivated! I am also a waitress at night time been there for 13 years now! I am 32wks and going to try and make it through Januarary!! Love my customers!!

dragonfly321

I'm a bartender. It's remained pretty easy for me throughout, I guess since I've kept at it the same steam as before. The only things I don't do are change kegs and put our heavy ass bar stools up. I worked an 11 hour shift last week and it was crazy busy. I was sore afterwards but it was more my feet and my back from toting glass racks. Baby loves the rocking sleep he gets while I'm working and is super active for a couple hours after!

MrsSmithA

I'm a wedding photographer - I have my last wedding of the year this Saturday.  It is 8 hours on my feet, lots of bending, squatting, climbing, etc while carrying heavy equipment. I'm planning on having someone carry my extra equipment for me for this one.  It's been a month since I've had to shoot a wedding and I'm much bigger now, but I'm feeling pretty good so I think it will be fine. I'll be happy to be done done done. 

egraves4

It wouldn't be nearly as bad but I've had pelvis/groin pain since 22 weeks that just hasn't gotten any better. I have to get an ultrasound for the swelling in my groin next week.

Other than that, I love being on my feet and being active, and I agree baby girl is always very active right after! Sometimes I just feel like if I'm pushing myself too hard that I'm somehow hurting her, but I know that's not true!

Plus, the tips have definitely gotten better since I started showing!

Mamacat316

Holy sh*it, you guys are all amazing and I have to tip my hat to you. I quit my job when I was 3 months pregnant with my first (we were moving, I didn't have a work visa, etc) and now I am exhausted looking after a 2 year old and being 34 weeks. I cant imagine doing a shift waiting tables or any of this. Respect.

CLand3

32 weeks 5 days and I am the manager of a bar. I'm working until I'm 39 weeks also. It's a pain working 40+ hours a week and covering shifts all the time when people don't feel like coming in. Or now with the snow they "can't make it" but because I live very close and hold the responsibility, yay, I get to be there. I run my ass off all day, everyday that I'm there but like @dragonfly321 said I don't change kegs anymore. But that's about it. I took off the week before my scheduled c-section just so I can relax and get prepared.

blueberrymomma

@tabauder I'm so glad it's not blueberry season now or I'd be on my feet 12+hours a day. I know how busy dairy farmers are and that's awesome you're still so active. I was exhausted during first tri when we were in season and then coming home to a toddler. I can't imagine it now, props to you

I don't work full time but it's definatly harder/more tiring to stay on my feet at swim practice and all day Saturday meets. I think it more the heat that makes it exhausting

thisusername

I'm dog walking/occasional slow jogging and training one dog as a "trial" client. My feet swell up a lot on our busy days but I plan on working until I physically can not/ am in active labor.
Last week on Christmas I had a total of 17.3 miles in one day. How did I do that? I have NO idea!! I didn't even know I walked that much.

Every time I start feeling too exhausted I just think about how exercising like this is good for my body and labor. But then again I can also look down and get cute doggy eyes staring back at me. That and I like money, money is a great motivator!


Shout out to all of you guys working customer service and on farms!!

saranicole527

I am a two year old teacher always lifting, bending, changing diapers, on & off the floor, running & everything else required to look after 15 two year olds. And I have a 4 year old at home. By the end of the day I'm exhausted!!!! I plan on working up until I go into labor, I work at a learning center for hospital employees children so I figured the worst that can happen is I'll go into labor at work & walk across the parking lot to labor & delivery lol

egraves4

Have all of you ladies discussed with your doctors any limitations? Like the kegs, I don't fill ice, but that's probably the only thing I don't do. By the end of the night, I may ask my partner to grab a tray of dirty dishes for me because they tend to be a little heavier/uneven than trays with food/drinks on them.

My doctor said I had a 20 lb limit in my 3rd trimester, and I think for the most part I've stuck to that, but sometimes those trays are freaking heavy!

dragonfly321

@egraves4 I asked my doctor about it and she said the upside to what we do is that it's been continuous, so our bodies are already used to the strain. She said unless I feel physical pain from what I'm doing, keep on doing it. Eventually, toting beer cases/glass racks is going to be incredibly difficult due to belly protruding, but right now I'm still doing it all. Staying as active as possible will help with labor too!

egraves4

@dragonfly321 I don't know how you do glass racks. I won't touch them lol. Thankfully my coworkers are so helpful! I can't imagine bartending though because whereas serving I have 15 others servers I can rely on, there are usually only 1 or 2 bartenders (3 at most on a busy night)

twinmom1121

Does chasing after 2 2yr olds count??? Cause I'm definitely feeling tired, exhausted and sore by the end of the day!!

egraves4

@twinmom1121 this post goes without mentioning all the awesome mommas out there who have to already deal with their other babies on top of everything!!

tabauder

egraves4 said:

@twinmom1121 this post goes without mentioning all the awesome mommas out there who have to already deal with their other babies on top of everything!!

So true!!! I'm a FTM so I don't have experience in the mom field yet but it sure seams HARD! Props to all the mommas!

They say being active can help with easier labor and recovery.. Hopefully we all have a really easy time since we work our butts off!

MrsAguirre117

Wow, I have an office job and it's getting hard at 34 weeks to sit in our crappy chairs but I should not complain at all compared to what most of you all are doing. Good luck and don't push yourself too hard. If the pelvic pressure I'm experiencing continues/worsens I'm beginning to consider taking early leave cause I feel awful this week.

dragonfly321

@twinmom1121 I think I would be more worn out doing what you do than what I do!

OrangeFox

I worked at a waitress at very busy fine dining establishment when I was pregnant with my first. I intended to work until the very end but DS decided to show up three weeks early. Most of my co-workers were males and actually surprisingly super helpful. There were nights that they would finish up my side work and let me go home a little early without even asking! It was actually the last week working that I told my husband I wasn't sure I was going to make it three more weeks there because of how exhausted I was at the end of the shift. I was scheduled to work on the day that DS was born.

This time I am not working but taking care of a two year old. It is still physically demanding but nothing like waiting tables that many hours. I also just finished up medical school in the fall. So I'm recovering from that.  

bonus: holiday and pregnant was great for tips!

tabauder

baya5 said:

@tabauder I'm so glad it's not blueberry season now or I'd be on my feet 12+hours a day. I know how busy dairy farmers are and that's awesome you're still so active. I was exhausted during first tri when we were in season and then coming home to a toddler. I can't imagine it now, props to you

I don't work full time but it's definatly harder/more tiring to stay on my feet at swim practice and all day Saturday meets. I think it more the heat that makes it exhausting

I've never been to a blueberry farm but I sure love blueberries!! @baya5 You should post picture!!

egraves4

@OrangeFox I love the tips! People have been great.

dcaron10

I am 32 weeks and I am a nurse on a busy cardiac stepdown unit. It is definitely getting harder to get through the long 12+ hour shifts with all the bending and pulling most of the day. My coworkers have been very helpful with not letting me pull on heavy patients or anything like that but sometimes it's unavoidable. Being on my feet for that long is definitely exhausting and my feet are swollen when I come home. I plan on working as long as I am able to or until I go into labor. I am a FTM so I am just getting anxious and excited to meet our little boy

rachrobertson

I am a respiratory therapist and work 12 hour shifts. We are super short staffed right now so in a typical shift I have 2-3+ floors in 2 separate buildings (I think we are the largest hospital in the state). On top of that, I have a 3 year old at home. I told my supervisor I can't do two days in a row starting the next schedule which will start when I am 36 weeks. My days off consist of naps while my non napping child watches a movie. Come on February!!!

kenzieworth

I'm a CNA and I work in a nursing home, at about 20 weeks I was lifting residents and working very hard and very long hours and it caused very serious preterm labor pains so my doctor restricted me to 6 hour shifts and no lifting over 20 lbs for the rest of my pregnancy. So my work load got easier, and now I'm 34 weeks and completely exhausted even with the light duty lol I tore a muscle close to my belly button from squatting down and helping residents with their pants, socks, and shoes, so I have to move slowly or that muscle tear bothers the heck out of me. I am pushing myself to work up 38 or 39 weeks if possible, but it's harder and harder everyday lol

Dom0203

I work fast food at Wendy's and though a lot of people dont think it's that hard, it's a lot more physically demanding than first meets the eye. I'm never allowed to rest or sit down and all of my shifts are over 8 hours. I worked 14.5 hours in one day and 46.5 in 5 days! It's crazy hard being 35 weeks , but I've put my limits and I told my boss that I'll work until I go into labor! My main motivation is my son, being able to provide! Props to all the women who are pushing themselves and to all those who aren't because I understand how hard it is!

HandsomeJacksMom

I'm a physical therapist and plan to work until the day before my RCS. Didn't have any issues with my last pregnancy and was able to work until the day before so I'm hoping this will be the same. I work probably 50 hours a week and 3 of my shifts are around 12 hours each...plus 2 shorter shifts. Luckily I can sit sometimes for certain parts of treatment and paperwork. I've had to make very few modifications, just ask for help occasionally with some heavy lifting. As pp have said, I think if you're used to doing it beforehand, then it's not such a big deal when your pregnant (within reason, of course!)

Rodkey2007

MrsAguirre117 said:

Wow, I have an office job and it's getting hard at 34 weeks to sit in our crappy chairs but I should not complain at all compared to what most of you all are doing. Good luck and don't push yourself too hard. If the pelvic pressure I'm experiencing continues/worsens I'm beginning to consider taking early leave cause I feel awful this week.

Sitting... The bane of my existence at this point! I have a stool that I have to sit on at work because we have such a high counter and no room for a regular chair (not to mention they aren't tall enough) I feel like I've sat on a spike all day by the time I get home. The worst part is hoisting myself up onto the stupid thing a hundred times a day ( I'm only 5').

tabauder

Pulled an abdominal muscle in my sleep Friday.. It's been a rough few days working! Luckily DH is super helpful with my share of farm chores (although I feel bad asking for help..)

Cward1992

I was a server all through my pregnancy with my oldest and I'm trying to do it again with this one. It gets hard but as long as you have a supportive team and understanding managers you can make it! I will say it's been harder this time. My little one is sitting in my back so it makes serving much more painful! I'm 32 weeks so I understand the crashing at the end of the night. Hang in there we are almost to the end!

egraves4

@Cward1992 yeah it's definitely been tough at times! I have to get an ultrasound tomorrow for swelling I have on my left groin that's put me in excruciating pain. I had to call out today unfortunately. It was my first time doing so but I felt awful about it.

Cward1992

@egraves4 never feel bad about doing what's right for you and your baby! I have to work a long shift today because we are short staffed and I'm in so much pain after my long Friday shift. I tried to call in but was told I would lose my job because of how short staffed we are. I'm off tomorrow so I'll just have to rest then.

egraves4

@Cward1992 good luck momma!

ashleighjade90

I'm a nurse and work 13 hour shifts. I'm also 34 weeks pregnant I'm not supposed to go off on maternity until I am 38 weeks bug I'm finding it impossible at the moment. My feet swell and don't have the energy to walk. I'm ready for home at around 11 am which is only 4 hours into my shift

loveymay

Lurking from April 16

Not as far along as you ladies, almost 28 weeks, but I am already so uncomfortable. I work night shift in a lab and I'm on my feet most of the time. Some tasks involve a lot of lifting and squatting/bending. At the end of my shift, my whole body is exhausted and my back aches. Its even uncomfortable to just sit, I feel like I have restless body syndrome. 8 hour shifts are killing me, I don't know how some of you make it through 12 hours or longer!

MaybeMab

I work in a pharmacy my days are normally 10.5 hour days (I usually only work 3 days but sometimes 4 days) no option for me to sit and at 34+3 it's starting affect me. But I will keep working till the doctor tells me otherwise.

egraves4

Finally got an answer about the pain I've been having since 22 weeks. Doctor was only slightly concerned it was a groin hernia or swollen lymph nodes. Got an ultrasound and it ended up being varicose veins of the groin, I think it's called vulvar varicosities. Painful as all get out, but it doesn't negatively affect baby or I, and it should not have any affect on a vaginal birth, so I will power through to 39 weeks hopefully! The swollen vessels should go back to normal size by 6 weeks post-partum, however if I choose to have more babies, serving will not be an option since chances are I will get this again.

@MaybeMab it's so so rough! It would honestly be better if you worked like 5 days with shorter hours. 10.5 hours is a long time for anyone, I can't imagine doing it pregnant. I typically don't work more than 6 hours in a shift.