If pregnancy is not a disease and should not prevent us from living normally, certain situations should be avoided. Among them, standing too long. But, what to do when our work leaves us no choice? Answers and advice from Camille Tallet, midwife.
working pregnant is often tiring for some expectant mothers, and all the more so for those who work pregnant and standing. If the professional activity you are carrying out is not exhausting, you can continue to work until the end of your pregnancy. This can only be beneficial on a physical and psychological level. On the other hand, if you are going through a high-risk pregnancy and your job exposes you to danger, you can ask to benefit from specific arrangements, or even a pathological leave. Everything must be done to make your daily life easier.
Why standing too long is uncomfortable during pregnancy?
Prolonged standing during pregnancy may be uncomfortable due to the weight of the belly exerted on the small pelvis. This can cause:
- Poor venous return, responsible for varicose veins lower limbs, a feeling of heaviness in the legs, heaviness in the perineum and vulvar varices.
- Lower back pain linked to the fact that the center of gravity of pregnant women moves forward, resulting in lordosis (curvature) in the back.
- Standing can increase discomfort created by Lacome syndrome which results in hyperlaxity of the ligaments linked to the hormones of pregnancy.
What are the risks of working standing up during pregnancy?
Standing too long during pregnancy can increase the risk of miscarriage, prematurity and intrauterine growth retardation. Many jobs involve standing for most of the day: childminder, teacher, doctor, sales and catering sectors.
The beginnings of pregnancy are often exhausting. The hormonal impregnation by progesterone tends to cause significant drowsiness. Unfortunately, it is impossible to fight against this irrepressible need for sleep. Fatigue will gradually subside by the end of the first trimester. In the event of a professional activity involving prolonged standing, if the fatigue proves to be too great, your gynecologist may prescribe sick leave.
Working pregnant in the restaurant industry
Pregnant women who work as a waitress for example or in the catering sector, are required to stand for several hours. While this poses no danger to your baby, it can however be tiring for you. feel free to wear a pregnancy belt and to ask for more regular breaks. If necessary, you can ask to benefit from a work arrangement, by being assigned to another position for a while.
Working pregnant in sales
If you work in sales, wearing a pregnancy belt can also be interesting to help support the baby’s weight and thus better support the standing position. You can also ask to benefit from a work arrangement, for example by asking to be positioned seated behind the cash register rather than standing with customers.
How long to stay up pregnant?
There are no set recommendations in this area. “Many midwives perform call duty up to 37 weeks of pregnancy and spend 12 hours on their feet without affecting their pregnancy. The standing position must simply be adapted for each woman and throughout pregnancy.“, informs our interlocutor.
“Standing must simply be suitable for each woman and throughout pregnancy”.
“Pregnancy is not a disease. You can work standing up but in a comfortable way”, argues Camille Tallet.
Compression panties
A disabling vulvar varicose vein when standing is due to poor venous return to the small pelvis. It is characterized by heaviness, pain, discomfort, the appearance of a visible vein on one of the two outer lips and an itching sensation at the end of the day. “I recommend the use of compression panties of the HERAPREG brand to be able to continue your active life“, she continues.
Flat, comfortable shoes, compression stockings
In the presence of edema of the lower limbs, pain and swelling of the tissues, the venous return is damaged. “It is advisable toavoid wearing heels and prefer shoes that allow the foot to roll off the ground, wear socks or compression stockingsto sprinkle your day with moments when you raise your legs and use cold to accelerate blood circulation“, details the midwife.
A restraint belt
To support the back in case of low back pain, it is possible to use a restraint belt such as Physiomat to help maintain the pelvis because, under the action of estrogens, the ligaments located between the iliac crests, the sacrum and the pubic symphysis will relax, which causes laxity and pain in the pelvis. “At the same time, it is essential to learn to blow while sheathing the abdominal wall. There is a technique, called winner flow, which allows you to achieve this“, continues our interlocutor.
Thanks to Camille Tallet, midwife and osteopath, author of the book Au bonheur des vulvaes (Éd. Leducs)