Working and pregnancy... How??!!

amother

Dodgerblue

Mon, Aug 21 2017, 3:52 pm

amother wrote:

That is very insensitive. Do you have pregnancies where you're nauseous for much of the day, and so tired you feel like you can't get out of bed -- at least in the first trimester? I know many, many women who had pregnancies like that--not just me.

You sound like a woman who has never been pregnant, or has very easy pregnancies, or just has high pain tolerance. If any one of these is the case, then who are you to be judging other people for their pain?

I've met woman like u who clearly don't get it...
Tnk hshm u dont-and dnt judge others

amother

Coral

Mon, Aug 21 2017, 4:06 pm

momsrus wrote:

For some working is just part of their life. No one said it was easy, but working with kids ain't easy either. Unless your pregnancies are unusual and much harder than the norm, I think most of you are just kvetches and need to suck it up.

I kept on pushing and pushing myself. Told myself I just had to get through it. And then I lost my baby in the ninth month. Everyone kept on telling me it wasnt' my fault. But there will always be a part of me that wonders if I had taken it easier, maybe my baby wouldve been saved.

momsrus

Mon, Aug 21 2017, 4:08 pm

amother wrote:

Yes, I have been extremely nauseous from being on progesterone multiple pregnancies. I have been extremely weak and tired as well. Life goes on. Never said it's easy.

tichellady

Mon, Aug 21 2017, 4:21 pm

frumPA wrote:

I find when you are forced to pull yourself together you feel better and can do it. I applied for my first job before I found out I was pregnant with my second kid and when I found out I was so nervous abt starting as I always felt exhausted. Credentialing took 3 months and when I started it was good since having structure forced me to pull myself together.

I wish that was true for me!

amother

Azure

Mon, Aug 21 2017, 4:28 pm

momsrus wrote:

Yes, I have been extremely nauseous from being on progesterone multiple pregnancies. I have been extremely weak and tired as well. Life goes on. Never said it's easy.

Then you know what it feels like. Don't judge others who can't handle the pain like you can.

It's like the nurse in triage who snapped at me when I was in labor and crying, because she delivered 6 babies without an epidural. Well, good for her, but I was in terrible pain!

amother

Teal

Mon, Aug 21 2017, 4:37 pm

amother wrote:

I'm so sorry for your loss. Please don't think it was anything you did or didn't do god forbid! Nothing you would have done or not done could have changed the outcome. Sad

We don't know why this tragedy happened but we do know that the body protects the fetus inside it and nothing done by you or not done by you could have harmed the baby. May you find comfort and find love through your family.

amother

Mustard

Mon, Aug 21 2017, 4:43 pm

momsrus wrote:

I kind of agree. I'm a PT and commuting and working while pregnant is tough. I would often throw up go to work and then throw up a few times while there but did what I had to do. Then the last trimester is really hard too.

MagentaYenta

Mon, Aug 21 2017, 4:49 pm

Bizzydizzymommy wrote:

We just yawn a lot. And push ourselves through it. My SIL would bend over her waste basket and just vomit throughout the day. I never threw up in pregnancy but I was extremely nauseous. But it passes and working helps you take your mind off of it

I had HG but worked for a very family friendly business and had my own office. Both of the bosses wives had recently delivered so they were unusually understanding. My coworkers were wonderful as well. I don't think I took a day off until I delivered.

After work my husband was in charge of it all, cooking, cleaning and laundry, painting the baby room, most shopping etc.

debsey

Mon, Aug 21 2017, 4:59 pm

frumPA wrote:

I happen to agree with this to a certain extent.

I found that work was a great distraction from nausea.

But then I'd get home and the nausea and exhaustion would hit like a ton of bricks.

I wouldn't want to revisit those years. If I was talking to my younger self I'd tell her:
1) Hire more help. MUCH more help.
2) Buy food.
3) Don't even think of trying to keep up with the housework. It will wait or DH will eventually figure out how mops and vacuum cleaners work (as it turns out, he did!)
4) remember to eat bits of carbs during the day, and you won't feel so awful on the commute back home.

amother

Blue

Mon, Aug 21 2017, 5:27 pm

As you can see from the other posts, basically we all did it. It is hard but can be done.

I worked for all my pregnancies. My bosses were never understanding, but bh I managed. I even went to work the day I had my baby. I actually was in labor on the commute home and I was afraid I would not make it home in time, but I did. Of course, some ppl. Have the luxury of taking off as all my sis in laws did, but I didn't have a choice so yeah, I pushed through. I had fainting spells bc I had to take certain medicines for a certain condition I had during pregnancy, so I was afraid that I would faint and they'll fire me but I needed the income. Bh I managed, it was very tough. I was also on my feet most of the day and many times had no a.c..

tichellady

Mon, Aug 21 2017, 5:49 pm

I'm finding these responses kind of strange. Pregnancy is not the same for everyone, no one can tell you if you will be able to work or not. Most women are able to, but if you are not, you are certainly not alone.
For those who are unable to work it's not necessarily that " they have the luxury not to work", but that they are not able to. Some jobs require a high level of physical energy or stamina or mental clarity, and someone who is weak or nauseated may not be able to perform well etc. some women really do need to take disability leave, that's not a luxury. I am sure they would prefer to work and feel good.

tichellady

Mon, Aug 21 2017, 5:51 pm

amother wrote:

I was about to start a new job after Summer vacation and just found out I'm pregnant. I'm feeling really bad and sick and don't want to do anything.
How do people work and be pregnant!?!!
Doc told me today that it'll take a while till I'm feeling better prob- ah! She said she would suggest going to work if I need the money. Welllllll don't we all?
Am I insane to be thinking of NOT working for a few months?
What if I'm sick at work?
Can't take off too many sick days....
What do people do?
Advice? Thanks!

Have you tried medication? You may need to try that if you want to consider working in a new job

Orchid

Mon, Aug 21 2017, 7:51 pm

momsrus wrote:

You (and everyone who liked your post) probably don't get the REAL nausea the rest of us do. You're probably mildly nauseous and think "what's the big deal? Why are women such kvetches???" Newsflash: some people's bodies are hit with extreme nausea. Instead of sneering at them, thank your lucky stars that you are blessed to have no idea what the big deal is. And if you compare this to "working with kids" then you just proved that you have NO idea how crippling it is to vomit every few minutes.

OP- here's how I did it.
I was completely drugged every waking hour for most of 9 months. At various times I've taken reglan, phenergan, zofran; sometimes all 3 at once. Take drugs in suppository form so you don't have to wonder if the drug you took 15 minutes before you vomited "made it" through your system.

Nibble on small pretzels every few minutes. If you miss even a small snack, you will vomit your kishkas out.

I couldn't drink anything very cold- but I think that's just me. Other people davka have to drink ice-cold drinks.

Have several bags on hand for throwing up on the train. If you are able to wait until the train stops, it is better to throw up on the platform so that you won't accidentally splash the person next to you on a squished train (BTDT). However, you should kneel down and throw up in your bag (and not standing and into a garbage can), since if you throw up standing up it causes extreme head pressure so you're in more pain in that situation than otherwise. Wear your sheitel in a pony so you're not dealing with your hair on top of managing vomiting in public.

Tell your colleagues that you will likely need to run out in middle of a conference call and to please cover for you.

Keep a toothbrush in your office.

amother

Cyan

Mon, Aug 21 2017, 8:48 pm

Zofran!!!! (anti-nausea medication)
The only way I could make it through without taking off many weeks of work!
I had hypermesis gravadium with my first but wasn't working...ended up in the hospital from dehydration! After that, I knew the symptoms (and YES - there is a difference between reg nausea w/ occasional vomiting and HG which is dangerous to mom and baby) and took med before the symptoms got bad enough to land me in the ER
Other things that helped
- I always felt better after forcing myself to get dressed decent for work - some makeup and a shaitel do wonders to how look and feel
- I splurged at work - I was too nauseous to prepare lunch/snacks at home so any time I was in the mood of a spec drink or food, I went to a store or ordered in
- It helps to have a private office if at all possible, this way you can put her head down for a few min without worrying that ppl are watching and know u must b pregnant
- In general take it easy, don't take on extra work, don't offer to fill in for another employee, come a little late or leave early on days that ur not feeling well
- Ask ur dr if medication is right for u - it was a life saver for me

amother

Sapphire

Mon, Aug 21 2017, 9:45 pm

The only way I survived my last pregnancy was diclegis, I think I would have died otherwise. Before that was available I had one less kid so I somehow survived, before that I worked at a job where they were overstaffed, and I had an hour off every afternoon to rest (not on purpose, I just lucked out). I get very very ill during all of my healthy pregnancies as it sounds like many of you do, and I think it's silly to ignore our bodies and say just do what you gotta do. That's exactly what I did and now my body is paying the price. Yes of course it's doable, but I find it ridiculous that we live in a society where we are expected to turn ourselves into shmatta's to work.
But back to the original post: DICLEGIS!

shana rishona

Mon, Aug 21 2017, 10:26 pm

When I was in my first month with my first pregnancy, I was extremely nauseous, weak and often dehydrated but I had no choice but to work and somehow I managed. I also just started a new job.My boss realized right away that I was pregnant which ended up being helpful because she was very understanding when I had to run out to throw up,miss days or come in late.She let me take it easy .But I knew that in order to do my job,I wouldn't be able to do much else so I allowed myself the luxury of takeout,buying ready made food etc.I also made sure to take napst and take it easy and basically not do anything else whenever I was not at work. My husband took care of the laundry and cleaning and I hired a cleaning lady for 2 hours once a week as well.