November 2015 Moms

Working full time

I have a full time job as a nurse. Working 36+ hours on night shift. I am terrified. Its hard enough staying awake during the day. And the statistics of miscarriage are always in the back of my head. Is anyone else working or have worked a stressful job while pregnant?

Re: Working full time

  • Yes I also worry I'm an aircraft mechanic in a male dominate environment I'm on my feet 12 hours a day 6 days a week and had a manager that asked me why I wouldn't lift a heavy component and carry it on the aircraft
  • Loading the player...
  • I am also an RN. This is my second pregnancy which is high risk as well. You must always know your limitations and stand firm with them. I know at my hospital we are a team/family. All of the nurses, even doctor's, come together and help each other. It's funny because now they are even more strict on me than I am on myself! Tell your team. Like you said we spend a lot of time with these people. My coworkers remind me all the time that this isn't just my baby it's theirs as well lol. Remember team lifts, which drugs are ok for you to handle, and listen to your body. You will do lovely!
  • Exact same boat as you! Night shift icu rn. I always took nuvigil to stay awake whIch I can't now so I've been super sleepy.I'm lucky that I work in a high adrenaline environment with several codes a night etc, but I do worry about miscarriage and doing cpr etc. Just know you're not alone!
  • Yes night shift labor and delivery RN here, and I am worried about night shift affecting this pregnancy. I have allowed myself to have one caffeinated drink on the nights I work so far, and that has helped. But it is definitely a struggle.
  • I'm also an RN on a progressive care unit. It's so past paced and overwhelming most days and I've been there 6 + years. Hang in there ladies
  • The is my second pregnancy working full time nights as a NICU RN. It's rough, but definitely doable. I found that eating an apple when I hit that 4AM wall helps.
    Pregnancy Ticker
  • I'm an L&D RN on a very, very busy unit. Just make sure to stay nice and hydrated and do whatever it takes to stay awake! Good luck :)
  • I work the early morning shift (start at 3) in local news- which is high adrenaline and and can be stressful. When I was pregnant withy daughter my blood pressure slowly was creeping up around 34 weeks. It was winter and I was always out covering bad crashes in bad weather. My midwife made me go on modified bed rest at 35 weeks because I would come from work to appointments and my blood pressure would be elevated. Staying home kept it down enough that I went to 41 weeks.
    I fear the same this time. But I'm hoping since it won't be winter yet I will fair better. I'm also prepared to say no to my bosses more this time.
  • I'm so with you. I work on a peds unit. I am currently in night 1 of 4. I do this every other week and I have no idea how I'm going to manage this for 8 months.... But then again I didn't think I would survive nursing school either. ;)
  • I'm an HR Director and work around 60 hours a week. I travel a lot as well and it does worry me.
  • I work for as a vet tech in a busy, horses only practice where we deal with stallions and high strung horses on a regular basis. I worry about it a bit, but I think if it is something my body is already used to doing and I just pay even more attention to safety and knowing what drugs are okay or not to handle, it will be okay...at least until I get bigger.
  • I am!! I'm a special education teacher with 6 students on the autism spectrum. I let my supervisor know I was prego even though it's early so I could make sure I got a lunch break everyday. My students are teenagers and can be aggressive and my boss suggested moving my most risky student which I'm sad about (because he is awesome) but also relieved about too as getting hit or punched in the stomach is a very real fear for me..!
  • I think knowing when to say no is going to be important for me too...!
  • I am a nurse and was during my first pregnancy worked all the way Through. Worked Tuesday born Thursday at 445am. I think it's a good thing cause it keeps your body going.
  • I'm a kindergaten teacher so I am always on my feet from 8 in the morning until 430 in the afternoon! I am so ready for bed by the time I get home!!
  • Two days after I found out I was pregnant I got offered my first management position. I start when I'll be 10 weeks... I'm dreading telling my new bosses and employees three weeks after meeting them that I'm pregnant! Part of me wishes I was just staying in my comfy old job where I have friends and support while I'm going through this...but deep down I know I have to "lean in" haha and can't turn down this great opportunity! We'll see how it goes...
  • I am a CVICU RN and the first pregnancy I had nausea but managed to work my 36 hrs a week. This time around though I have been so incapacitated by the nausea and vomiting that I have been put on light duty and wonder if I can even continue working. Oh the joys of motherhood. Don't get too worked up about miscarriage. Unless you have had multiple losses do your best just to make it through your day and let God take the wheel.
  • I am a nurse as well. I am at a very busy skilled nursing unit. 25-50 residents and very little help! I worry everyday! I get cramping when I have been a work for a few hours on my feet! Three 12s for the next 7 months is going to be hard!
  • CStentz said:

    I work for as a vet tech in a busy, horses only practice where we deal with stallions and high strung horses on a regular basis. I worry about it a bit, but I think if it is something my body is already used to doing and I just pay even more attention to safety and knowing what drugs are okay or not to handle, it will be okay...at least until I get bigger.

    Watch out for those stallions! Lunging/biting dogs and cats are bad enough... I don't know how you large animal folks do it. Stay safe!
  • I just started a new job and its a lot of hours, outside sales. I'm terrified to even bring it up. I went out for "drinks" with my boss and had to say I didn't drink. It's definitely been a struggle. I also have training all next week at their headquarters which are away from home. It'll be tough but trying to stay positive!
  • I'm also a RN working in the ICU and working nights. It's really tough without caffeine and with such a stressful environment. I think about having a miscarriage all the tine but I just try my best to stay positive and drink a lot of water. Guess that's all we can do. :)
  • Im a special ed teacher to so dealing with some violence is a daily thing. I have 9 but don't have the option of moving risky students. I suppose i just have to be careful!
  • I am a vet tech who is on my feet 12 hrs a day every day. I struggle with uncooperative animals and have to lift and also work around anesthesia. I worry constantly... I also tend to get really bad cramps close yo the end of my shift. I think it is my bodies way of saying enough!
  • WYPhDWYPhD member
    I am working full time teaching and wish I could just tell all of my students because I totally have pregnancy brain already and forget what I was trying to say mid-sentence. I'm also exhausted. Soon enough. When do you all plan to tell work?
  • I'm a home health aid. And most of my patients are heavy, and I have to do most of the work for them while transferring. Unfortunately, for theirs, mine and baby's safety I had to tell work already. I'm not going to be able to take on a lot of patients (the easy ones are already taken.)
  • I work with people who have mental disabilities and I work 6 different houses during the weeks and work crazy insane hours the past 3 days I've work 24.5 hours (not in a row) but the house I've been working the woman falls a lot and I'm always on my toes with her and it's my whole shift since I told my boss he hasn't really let me work the night shifts..but if I sit down even for a second I feel like I'm going to pass out so I try to stay on my toes and not really relax until I get home
  • Special Ed teacher here also!! 17 kiddos on my caseload this year ( 4 itinerant, out of my classroom). I'm so exhausted all day and I rarely have lunch let alone time to stop and take a drink or go to the restroom...but I have a light at the end of this tunnel...I get a little break soon! I'm taking it easy this summer which is so out of character for me but Its whats best for baby R; no classes, not teaching ESY or homebound and I'm definitely not volunteering to take any "non-required" PD trainings!!! Stay strong all my fellow educators...June is just around the corner!!!
  • I did full time last time
    On my feet until the day before I went into labor. My active job made labor and delivery a breeze.

    So far so good with 3 12 hour shifts this time.
  • Full-time CNA, 40+hrs a week.. Didn't really work with my first child, but I enjoy working, and I take breaks as needed
  • I forgot to mention that I work Day shift lol
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"