Managing a Pregnancy As a Nurse | Woombie

Nurses are some of the hardest-working people in the country. While the healthcare field is diverse, the majority of nurses are women. Many of these talented women are balancing work and home lives, and that leads them to work during pregnancy. If you're a nurse who's working while pregnant, here are a few tips to make things easier. 

Stay Comfortable

One of the best ways to make pregnancy easier while working as a nurse is by staying comfortable. While being pregnant isn't always the easiest thing for your body, there are ways to minimize your discomfort at work. For instance, switching out your regular pants for high waisted scrubs will help support your belly and keep your bottoms up. Many women face increased skin sensitivity during pregnancy. If you do, you may need to wash your scrubs in a free and clear detergent to avoid any extra discomfort. 

Along with swapping out your regular scrubs, you may want to also get more supportive shoes to help you during your pregnancy. While nursing is always hard on the feet, being pregnant while nursing is even worse. Getting a supportive pair of shoes or adding inserts to your shoes will help you stay comfortable at work. In addition to increasing comfort levels, proper footwear will also reduce your back and hip pain while you're expecting. By managing your comfort levels at work, you can make your pregnancy easier on your body. 

Stay Nourished

Another way to make your pregnancy easier while working as a nurse is by staying properly nourished. Depending on your field of nursing, it's not always possible to sit down and have full meals and regulated breaks. If you're working in the emergency room, you might only have time for a quick snack before another patient needs your attention. No matter where you work, it's essential to keep little snacks with you. Tucking a protein bar or a string cheese into your scrub pocket can give you access to some extra calories whenever you need them. 

Along with eating enough food, it's also essential to stay hydrated. Growing a human inside your own body is tough; your body is working overtime these days. No matter where you're working, make sure you have access to plenty of water. If you don't feel like chugging plain water, adding in an electrolyte mix can give you some extra hydration and nutrients your body needs. By keeping plenty of snacks and drinks close to you at work, you can make it through your shift without a dangerous sugar crash. 

Stay Rested

Finally, it's important to stay rested. It's no secret that nurses don't really take days off, but you may need to make some exceptions during your pregnancy. While you're expecting, it's normal to feel more exhausted than usual. Your body is using all the resources it can get to feed your baby, which leaves you feeling a bit strung out. It can be overwhelming to be pregnant while working and simultaneously planning everything out before giving birth. Spending your days off building furniture, setting up the nursery, finding a car buying service to upgrade to a mom car, and acquiring all the baby supplies means you’re not able to get all the rest you need. Take some time away from work to rest. Even just a day or two off can help you get the sleep you need to feel better and hit the ground running again. 

Along similar lines, you may need to rest while you're at work more often. As your pregnancy progresses, the organs in your abdomen get compressed to make room for your baby. You may get winded and tired more easily, whereas before you could've kept working for hours. If you need a break, don't be afraid to ask to sit down for a couple of minutes. Sometimes, just allowing yourself space to breathe and relax for a bit is all you need. By getting the right amount of rest, you can balance both work and pregnancy. 

Final Thoughts

Overall, it's possible to manage a pregnancy while working as a nurse. By monitoring your health at work, and having a pregnancy scan, you can make it through your shift without any issues.