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6 Smart Tips for Navigating Your Pregnancy
Pregnancy is one miraculous experience for any woman. The changes it makes to her life can be completely seismic and life-changing. These involve new-found responsibilities and new choices for the baby developing inside her.
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Once you discover you are pregnant, you will ask many questions both concerning your personal and professional life.
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From the moment you discover that you are pregnant, you should take it easy. Those first difficult weeks up to the scan at 3 months/12-weeks can be quite stressful. After that, your life becomes much smoother.
Of course, you need to take the obvious health precautions like avoiding alcohol and making sure you have sufficient rest. It can be difficult to keep up any pretense that you feel fine all the time because your body is going through so many changes. This will include moments both at work and in private.
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Navigating Your Pregnancy, Smart Tip #1
Resolving Beforehand Work Issues.
Every pregnancy is different. If you feel like you are unable to cope, it is best to tell your employer. However, it is within your right to not say anything up until 15 weeks before your baby is due.
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However, by this time you will be in the office with a sizeable bump. That is quite difficult to hide! Many women opt to not say anything to their employer until after the 12-week scan. This is just so they know that their baby is fine.
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Informing your employer you are pregnant before the 12-week scan is entirely up to you. There are both upsides and downsides to this. If you have a chat with your line manager or boss, it will be easier to get time off for appointments.
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Once the 12-week wait is over, you can relax. The chance of miscarriage drops to 10% of all pregnancies. By now, you have made your news public.
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Now is when you really need to start taking the necessary precautions health-wise. You will need to monitor your day-to-day activities. Your employer has to make sure you are able to do your job as best as you can. .
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Depending on where you are in the world, there are different work provisions for pregnant employees. For example, in the UK, an employer has to legally make provisions for a pregnant woman to have a nap if so required!
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After all, the strain of carrying a baby can take its toll in many ways. Despite the amount of folic acid and multi-nutrients you may take, you will still feel exhausted. A nap can really help you recuperate!
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And as long as you are able to do your job, your employer cannot force you to take leave. This is a concern for many women under their work contracts. Some may feel that they will be denied certain workplace perks. Others worry about being terminated from their contract because they are pregnant.
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Rest assured that this cannot happen. You need to be treated much like any other employee who has an illness or medical condition.
If you feel that the conditions are not enough to help you, it is best to speak up about it. You don’t want to make life difficult for yourself. The health. safety and well-being of its staff should be a priority for every company.
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There are many companies which provide health and safety training for members of staff. These include training for pregnant women and the special issues they face.
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Navigating Your Pregnancy, Smart Tip #2
Be Mindful of Your Weight Gain
The first thing that comes with pregnancy is the weight gain. You may have spent half your life trying to lose weight. Now you will be putting it on!
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The myth of “eating for two” is something many pregnant women use as an excuse to eat everything they fancy. However, eating double portions means a lot more baby weight to lose after the birth!
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Navigating Your Pregnancy, Smart Tip #3
Monitor Carefully Your Diet and Nutrition
The amount of nutrients you need now is more important than ever. These include multi-vitamins and folic acid. You must ensure you eat a healthy variety of foods.
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Your body requires an 300 extra calories per day during your pregnancy. Include foods which contain healthy fats. Consume adequate amounts of protein and complex carbohydrates to keep your strength up. Aim for a plate of colourful foods to ensure you get a wide variety of vitamins.
One exception is to ensure that you don’t take an excess of vitamin A. An excess may cause birth defects.
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Navigating Your Pregnancy, Smart Tip #4
Undertake Low-Impact Exercise
Exercise is also important when pregnant. Low-impact exercises like swimming or walking are perfect for your condition.
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So when you’re on your lunch break, go for a stroll. And when you’re with your partner, go for a walk on the beach!
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Navigating Your Pregnancy, Smart Tip #5
Reduce Your Anxiety
You may feel anxious about the impending process of giving birth. Don’t feel overwhelmed. Take measures to calm yourself.
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Take up a practice like meditation, or schedule some proper time to relax. Join a yoga or pilates class for pregnant women. This is the key to an enjoyable pregnancy.
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Finally, there is a lot to be said for simply putting your feet up. And why not have your husband or partner spoil, pamper and look after you?!
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Navigating Your Pregnancy, Smart Tip #6
Consider Hypno-Birthing
There are now much literature and books about the concept of hypno-birthing. This process is a mixture of meditation practices geared towards having a healthy birth.
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The practices are all about taking deep breaths and visualization. The end aim is actually to achieve a mind-over-matter effect.
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It can be very easy to feel overwhelmed because people speak about the birthing process being an horrific experience. However, the number of skeptical women who were won over by this method speaks for itself.
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Pregnancy is a beautiful experience and it should be enjoyed. The world of work and occupational stresses can detract from the overall wonder you can feel. But by taking appropriate steps, at work and in private, you can enjoy the whole journey.
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Share with us below your experiences, challenges and successes in navigating Your Pregnancy!
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