Pregnancy Trimesters A Step-by-Step Guide for Tackling the Nine Months at Work

Pregnancy Trimesters A Step-by-Step Guide for Tackling the Nine Months at Work Congratulations Youre pregnant. Maybe it was long planned or maybe it happened sooner than you expected. Either way, now that you have a baby on board, you are officially on the road to motherhood. Butthats bedrngnis all. Since you also work, you will soon have full-fledged working momstatus.Fortunately, being pregnant at work is a great primer for working motherhood. As you advance through the various stages of pregnancy, youll find yurself becoming more prepared for your life as a mom.I still vividly remember my first pregnancy. Wanting to start our family early in our careers, I was barely six months into life as an associate attorney when I became pregnant with our son.I had a rough first trimester, which meant that as I learned how to conduct depositions and co-chair trials, I was also staving off horrible nausea and trying not to puke on my shoes (sometimes I succeeded).I worked right up until the da y my water broke, unexpectedly, a few weeks before my due date. From beginning to end, I learned some helpful tricks for navigating pregnancy at work. It also helped that my firm focused on fighting pregnancy discriminationI had an ally every step of the way.Today we share some of these helpful tips with you.First TrimesterNausea. Vomiting. Exhaustion. Food aversions. Mood swings. Headaches. The first trimester is known for many things, and, with the exception of the tiny baby that grows from the size of a poppy seed to the size of plum, none of them are good. The first trimesteris a wondrous time for fetal development but a very challenging time for womens health.What you need most during this time at work is betreuung and understanding. Deciding when to tell your employer you are pregnant is a personal decision. Personally, I disclosed my first pregnancy very earlyat around six weeks. I didnt even tell my family until the second trimester, but I felt my employerwho I saw everydayh ad to know sooner.I chose to do so at that time for two reasons1) I had a very understanding, supportive employer whom I trustedwith the nachrichtensendung, and2) I had terrible nausea and vomiting. I needed help with court appearances. I wanted the office to understand why I wasnt coming in early or staying late for appointments. Beyond that, the sickness was overwhelming and keeping it a secret only made me feel worse.So, I chose to tell my boss and ask for certain reasonable accommodations. For me, that meant working from home more frequently as needed, obtaining coverage for court appearances when I felt particularly awful, lying down (yes on the floor with a pillow and blanket in my office) during moments I thought Id die of exhaustion, and not handling any additional work outside of my caseload (meaning I didnt handle any potential new client consultations).If you find yourself struggling to stay afloat during the first trimester, consider asking your employer for a reasonable accommodation. The UC Hastings Center for WorkLife Law provides a helpful list of workplace accommodation ideas along with guidance for your doctor if you need a note for your employer.During my second pregnancy, which turned out to be a twin pregnancy, I experienced even more severe hyperemesis during my first trimesterso much so that I couldnt even get out of bed some days. At that time, I already worked exclusively from home, but, had I not, I would have either requested the remote work location or a temporary leave of absencesince my condition was so severe.Workplace Essentials and To-Dos for the First TrimesterNot everyone has such a trying first trimester though. You may be able to get by without feeling compelled to share your news. Still, heres a list of essentials you may want to keep in your office or work area during your first trimesterSnacks to stave off nauseacrackers, chips, ginger chews, sour candy, lemonadewhatever helps you (if anything),A place to store your naus ea medication (if applicable) and prenatal vitamins,A pillow and blanket (dont laugh I know many a pregnant woman who has needed a lunchtime nap during the first trimester),Your doctors phone number,A place to periodically sit if you do not already have one,A wastebasket, andBloat-hiding clothing (if you dont plan on sharing your news quite yet).You should also brush up on your employers parental leave policies and your workplace pregnancy rights. If at any point in your pregnancy you believe your employer is treating you disparately on the grund of your pregnancy, contact an attorney, the EEOC, or your states civil rights commission.If you havent already, you should also formulate a plan for how you will handle your doctors appointments as it will be important to begin receiving adequate prenatal care while also balancing your workload.Second TrimesterWelcome to the second trimester, the magical unicorn of trimesters. During the second trimester, most women say goodbye to morning s ickness and say hello to much more energy. You will likely also start showing. Youll be big enough that people wont mistake your beloved baby for a burritobut still limber enough to tie your shoes.With my twin pregnancy, I never experienced that much coveted second-trimester energy burst (multiples pregnancies are rough), but I know its real because I had it with my first pregnancy. With my first, I can still remember being in spin class around 25 weeks pregnant, feeling strong, and thinking that I wouldnt mind being this pregnant forever. I also sailed through work during the second trimester, and there is a good perspektive you will too.Second trimester is a great time to continue taking on new projects. In most cases, you are still medically able to travel, so conferences, out-of-town assignments, and even vacations (babymoon, anyone?) are all fair game.If your second trimester is not the stuff of dreams, know that you are not alone and that you can still request a reasonable acc ommodation if you need onethat right never goes away during your pregnancy.Regardless of whether you feel amazing or awful, now might be a good time to share your pregnancy news with your employer if you havent yet. Discuss how much leave you plan to take and when you plan to start. Ensure you are both on the same page regarding who will be handling your work while you are out and what your role will be in preparing them for your absence.Third TrimesterBeing in your third trimester is a little like being a senior in college. Youve struggled and put in the work, and now you are so done. Beyond done. Only now, instead of getting ready to throw on some heels and walk across a stage, youre preparing to go birth a baby somewhere.Youre big and exhausted, but theres an undeniable electric energy coursing through you as you await whats ahead. You are also so busy during the third trimester. Doctors appointments become more frequent. You may be finishing up a nursery or doing other home reno vations. There are parties, baby showers, photo shoots, and the weird nesting instinct that has you up at 3AM reorganizing soup cans in your kitchen.Working During the Third TrimesterSomewhere in the midst of all that, youll wrap up work projects, prepare your replacement, write your transition memo, and still find time to finalize a merger like a rockstar.Keep detailed notes of projects and communications throughout your third tri since you never know how soon your baby may decide to arrive. With my first, I was in the midst of a multi-week administrative hearing, finalizing a huge summary judgment motion, and handling several depositions in a federal case when my water broke 17 days before my due date.Though I hadnt planned on starting my leave for another week or so, I had documented and discussed my work enough that my colleagues were able to pick up where I left off without too much drama.In addition to finalizing those last-minute details, be sure youve talked to your employer about your need for a private lactation space upon your return to work if you plan to breastfeed. Even if you discover your plans dont pan out after your baby is born, you will still want to have a plan in place for that first day back.In any event, congratulations Youve made it. Youve successfully navigated a workplace pregnancy and now youre on to the tackle the greatest challenge of all motherhood.