Strenuous work while pregnant/when to stop working

amyrose542 · September 2013

I know there was another post on here about when to stop working but it seemed like it was mostly commented on by soon to be mums, and that's a huge part of why this place is great, but my question is aimed more towards mums that have already had a baby and had a more labor intensive job.

With that being said when did mums with physical jobs, that they stood for many hours a day and had to move around alot, end up leaving work? I work in a kitchen/front of the house and am very active at work and am trying to get a good feel for when my body might say "Screw this!" and is at the point where i cant work any more. I know everyone is different but i figured there might have been a point when most women's bodies do find they are too big? tired? swollen? pregnant? (for lack of a better term) to work. Thanks for any input I can get! Also is there another good board to stuff this on?

Crinita · September 2013

I am a FTM but I decided to stop going in to work this week (35 weeks) because I have a lot of pressure down there and if I am standing for more than 30 minutes (which I would have to do at my job) I start having cramping and pretty continuous BH contractions. Since I am aiming at delivering naturally at a birthing center, and they won't let you do that unless you make it 'til 36 1/2-37 weeks, I decided that I really didn't want to push it and risk having to go to the hospital, so I am at home, trying to take it easy for the next week and a half.

roo1oo · September 2013

Right after college I worked in a restaurant as a server, and one of the other servers on staff was pregnant. She worked right up until the day that she gave birth without issue. If its a job/level of activity you're used to and continue through pregnancy you'll probably have an easier time doing that until the very end. But every pregnancy is different and you may find yourself pooping out earlier than others. I definitely wouldn't pull doubles or open/close shifts in the third tri. But I don't see a reason, barring other complications, that you couldn't continue to work up until your due date at least, perhaps with some help with busing tables or running food.

chemily8 · September 2013

Full time retail here. With DD I worked until one week before delivery. It sucked and I wAs miserable but then I had more time off afterwords.

mrscountry527 · September 2013

I'm a nurse and have worked 12hr shifts through all of my pregnancies. I never stopped working until I delivered.

MrsTucker2011 · September 2013

I'm a server, and all the expecting moms at my job got put on leave by their doctors at 36 weeks. That's when my dr is putting me on leave too.

amyrose542 · September 2013

Thanks so much ladies! I am really doubting my body/mind on how long i will be able to work for. I am lucky enought that I wont have to work after baby is born, although if we could afford child care/had family to help I would, so leave is not an issue really. Its been super hot out and had to leave early because of having too many braxton hicks contractions and I'm just a bit scared to over do it but also dont want to be a weenie lol. Being a first timer is just a little nerve wracking! again thanks for the imput!

MommySept13 · September 2013

mrscountry527 said:

I'm a nurse and have worked 12hr shifts through all of my pregnancies. I never stopped working until I delivered.

^This, only I'm an EMT. I did back down from 75 hours a week to 40 hours a few months ago when I left my part-time job and remained at my full-time job. Even when the doctor was concerned about my low-lying placenta I did not ask for restrictions. Simply because my job can not be any less labor intensive as it already is. I knew that when I decided to get pregnant and remain in the field. While not everything is as easy to do as it once was (like getting into my turnout gear for fires), I am still expected to perform my job as though I'm not pregnant. That's just how it is in what I do.

msronzio · September 2013

@MommySept13 Strictly out of curiosity -- I'm assuming EMTs have lift requirements. Were there any adjustments made to accommodate you? I obviously don't know what kind of units you worked on, but I'm wondering if you still had to carry the heavy bags like ACLS gear and stuff like that. Asking because I was considering the EMT program during pregnancy but even not pregnant I had trouble with 40lbs of unevenly distributed weight. lol

jacquilee83 · September 2013

I have a risky job so I was risk assessed early on and necessary restrictions were placed on me. I did not have a choice in this. I will be finishing up at 31 weeks but that is to do with other circumstances. If I had the choice I would work until 36 weeks I think. I get why people keep going with no restrictions but I just wouldn't want to take the risk with my LO. I guess it depends on your job. I think the Uk are quite different though.

RNmommyof2 · September 2013

I'm a nurse and I work 3 12-hour shifts a week. I stopped working at the end of July because my body couldn't have it anymore. I have SPD and my doctor took me off due to my incredible pelvic pain. I'm still in a lot of pain at home, but at least I can still walk and it's better if I can sit when I need to, which definitely does not happen at work.

artistlife · September 2013

I work a very strenuous job, too. I worked 4 10hr shifts all summer, but those stopped about a month ago. I have to lift, bend, stoop, and all manner of other things. I also wear a pedometer and I walk an average of 5 miles a day. I am the supervisor, so I am always running around. With all that explained, the earliest I plan on going out is 38 weeks. If I still feel ok, I will keep working. It is kind of hard to replace or get a fill in for my position.

Meery82 · September 2013

Another 12 hour shift nurse here. I worked until I was 38 1/2 weeks.

lhuttlinger · September 2013

I got pulled out of work at 28 weeks due to spd

amyrose542 · September 2013

Wow lots of encouragement to see you ladies who work such strenuous jobs continue on! I work in a kitchen at a school and am going up and down stairs in hot temps and am lifting more than I should while not sitting down for long periods of time, But no way in hell does that compare to an EMT! Thanks for giving me the boost i need to do mind over matter!

finallymom16 · September 2013

I'm a STM. I worked until the day before I had DD, with this baby, I was working alot more and a MUCH more strenuous job, plus I was on my feet alot more. I ended up going into preterm labor at 29w an I've been off work ever since, though I was planning on working until I had this baby too.

ashleyreneross · September 2013

I had my first in January. I worked a very fast paced job on my feet all day, often no breaks. My plan was to work until I delivered. I was due on January 26th. I stopped working January 14 because I would have terrible BH and cramps and my legs were so crampy and sciatic nerve pain, just everything hit me at once, but when I'd get home I'd feel so much better. It is funny because even though I was so uncomfortable, I had tons of energy. Anyways I felt for sure I was going into labor soon, I was dilated..idk maybe to a 2-3 and was effaced some. So anyways I went home and that whole week was the best week of my pregnancy. I felt so awesome so I think if I would have just stayed at work I would have went into labor sooner. My next appt. was that Friday and I told my doc. I was disappointed because I felt like I was wasting my maternity leave laying around the house and she suggested being induced because I was a good candidate, so I was induced. So anyways, the moral of this long post is as long as you can work and you're not in danger, I think it is healthy and will help you go into labor in a sense. But do what you feel comfortable doing. Don't feel pressured to stay at work because others do, go and lay around and be lazy while you still can if that's what you want.

Good luck.

MommySept13 · September 2013

@msronzio PA EMT guidelines mandate that I must be able to lift 125lbs dead weight at all times during my job. While most companies have gone to electric litters that do the majority of lifting, and some companies have invested in electric automatic litter lifts (lifts litter into ambulance for you-companies have gone to this in order to avoid worker's compensation claims for back injuries) not all companies have that kind of money or can get the grant for such equipment. Not to mention sometimes, not everyone can get up and walk the few feet to the litter, or they are on the second floor and have to be carried down via a stair chair (weighs about 40 lbs) or on a Reeves litter. While I didn't ask for restrictions, my boss sent an email out asking everyone to help me if I seemed to be needing it. In the case of bariatric patients I'm required to call FD for lift assist anyway because we do not have a bariatric set up and must call for a specialized outside unit (3 are in our area) all of which provide additional manpower. The gear can become cumbersome, especially is you are on an MVA and have to not only have all of your bag gear, but as well as your turnout gear on. While I think it's great that you want to do the EMT program, starting new into it while pregnant is not something I would advise. I was doing it for 8 years prior to my first child, and by that time my body was not only accustomed to it, but I had my "ambulance" legs where I was used to moving and doing things in the back of moving piece of apparatus and not risking falling and causing injury to myself. It's also learning that some patients can become violent and how to protect yourself, which unfortunately is something you only learn with experience and time. If I were you I would wait until after your 6 wk ppd checkup to look into it. If you are required to run student time you may find yourself in a bind because of liability issues that companies may not want to grant you the ability to run with them because of the risk you would cause.

msronzio · September 2013

@MommySept13 Very good advice, thank you! DH was trying to get me interested in it when I was about 4 months along, and I figured the lifting would become an issue, and so I didn't want to be a pain. It sounds like you and him work for the same company as far as all those details you mentioned though. His boss has been extremely understandable and supportive, knowing we could have LO any day now. Oh, and he works in PA too, Harrisburg area

I don't think they have a litter. I do recall not being able to lift the heart monitor bag. I got health care provider CPR certified while only 4mos along or so and I remember being out of breath after only a few compressions -- which I was also told was normal for being out of shape. The problem with starting the EMT program so late in the game was, while many women work out while pregnant, I didn't work out to begin with, and could have put additional stress on my body and the baby, so looking back I feel as though I made the right decision. Now I'm considering going to school for the nursing program instead. Not only that, but even walking up 6 stairs has me out of breath now... Sad!

It's amazing watching you guys lift patients at dead weight off the ground!

About the violent patients, I was reading another thread where a woman (ER nurse) said an elderly lady punched her straight in the stomach at about 8 wks along. While I find it amusing that DH sometimes comes home and recounts getting his ass whooped by an 80 year old, I've got to admit the possibility of being battered by patients further along is kind of off-putting.

Not to mention sometimes, not everyone can get up and walk the few feet to the litter, or they are on the second floor and have to be carried down via a stair chair (weighs about 40 lbs) or on a Reeves litter.

Or the patient is naked, on the 3rd floor, stuck between the toilet and the wall, and can barely fit through the doorframe. DH - "why is the patient always on the 3rd floor?" Haha :P

I have seen the stair chair in action. Very cool! I need one for my apartment stairs..

steenbean18 · September 2013

I'm a pharmacist and stand 14 hour shifts. I worked up until a week before my due date with my first baby, and will work up to 39 weeks with this baby unless I labor sooner (scheduled c-section at 39w5d). It's definitely rough and I feel miserable most days toward the end, but I just suck it up because I'm the breadwinner and we need my income.

MommySept13 · October 2013

@msronzio, I probably know your husband. I work in Dillsburg, but it's EMS and everyone pretty much knows everyone. I'm also in Harrisburg ER quite frequently as Holy is almost always on ED divert.

Want a personalized experience?

Strenuous work while pregnant/when to stop working

Re: Strenuous work while pregnant/when to stop working

Choose Another Board

Search Boards