Anyone worked as CNA while pregnant?

yousoldtheworld · May 13, 2011

I've worked with many pregnant girls, and most have worked up until within a few days of their due date! It's definitely possible, just know your limits as they come and pay close attention to body mechanics.

fuzzywuzzy, CNA · May 13, 2011

Yup, I don't have kids but given that most CNAs are women of childbearing age, there's always someone who is pregnant. I'm not sure about the nausea because no one I've worked with has complained about it, but I myself suffer from nausea most of the time and I just suck it up and sip on ginger ale. Usually you're so busy it's almost like you don't notice it.

As far as being heavily pregnant, you'd probably be miserable anywhere! Most of the ladies I work with stay until their due date or a couple weeks before.

allnurses Guide · May 13, 2011

I had no problems working while pregnant.

I did have to prop my legs up, on break, d/t the swelling.

The only bad thing, for me, was the heartburn!

Dear Lord, but did I want to cry when I had to bend down to pick up something I dropped or put on/take off my pt's shoes and socks, etc.

I lived off of Tums!

Jen411 · May 13, 2011

I worked until I was about 37/38 weeks on a hard short staffed dementia unit.

If you work in one of these units to sun-downers your belly is target practice. Their are some residents that want to touch your belly and are always saying "Be careful your pregnant" and then there are the others who hit and aim for the belly. Be careful!

I had to still lift and pull, sometimes you will find that you have good coworkers who will go over and beyond because you are pregnant. Because they remember how it was:)

and then there are other aides who dont.

Long hours on my feet and always having to pee were bothersome, but otherwise I was fine. Now getting into the car to drive to work was a problem my belly pushed on the steering wheel. I'm short so I have to have the seat up when I drive,hence the belly squashed:eek:

As for morning sickness this was my second pregnancy and thankfully I was blessed with no morning sickness or anything. But my sense to smell increased and smells like burping colostomy bags or the smell of resource(aka ensure) made me turn green. I found if I put scented lipgloss or lotions that smelled like food(chocolate,cake,etc) under my nose it helped me through the "rough times" lol

radicalsenseofhope · Jun 5, 2011

I worked as a CNA while I was pregnant (back in 2000). I wasn't supposed to do any heavy transfers or lifting and the other girls on the floor were usually helpful and understanding that I was pregnant and would help me out. They even let me put my feet up on breaks! But I worked with a great group of gals, on most days, at a great facility. The kitchen girls would load me up with extra food to feed the baby, LOL. My nurses even let me have frequent little breaks (a minute or so) to get some food in me because my nausea was worse if I didn't keep my blood sugar up. The only problem I had was that after a shift my feet would be swollen and huge, LOL. Also as I got bigger and bigger it was harder and harder to lean over and work with residents without my belly being in the way, LOL, but I got through it.

gorideaquad · Jun 6, 2011

I wrote my last exam today for the 5 month Health Care Aide program I've been taking. Next week we find out where we are being sent for clinicals (3 weeks at hospital/3 weeks at long term care facility) and I'm pretty excited. I'll be finished June 30th and I can't wait to get out there and start working again, and make some money!! ----> lucky for us they just raised the pay AGAIN so now the starting wage is $17.39. Yes Please!!
Ok so enough rambling....the whole point of my post is to hear from others if you've worked as a CNA or know anyone who has while pregnant? The husband and I are going to start trying to start a family in August (we've been waiting a looooong time and I'm not putting it off for anything else) provided I've got a job which I don't think will be a problem.
Just wondering......
How does a person get through the day if they are experiencing nausea and sickness?
Can you still lift, transfer, etc.?
When the belly really starts to get big is that gonna be really hard to be on the feet all day long?

I DO NOT RECOMMEND it at all. First, it is all grunt work, wiping bottoms, messes and such. The most important thing is you will be exposed and your fetus to many things you wnat to be nowhere around while pregnant. That being said where I work there are many pregnant CNA"s but it's like being a man down and not fair to the pregnant CNA or the rest of the work crew.

I would say no please don't work and be a CNA for your safety and your fetus' as well

gorideaquad · Jun 6, 2011

I wrote my last exam today for the 5 month Health Care Aide program I've been taking. Next week we find out where we are being sent for clinicals (3 weeks at hospital/3 weeks at long term care facility) and I'm pretty excited. I'll be finished June 30th and I can't wait to get out there and start working again, and make some money!! ----> lucky for us they just raised the pay AGAIN so now the starting wage is $17.39. Yes Please!!
Ok so enough rambling....the whole point of my post is to hear from others if you've worked as a CNA or know anyone who has while pregnant? The husband and I are going to start trying to start a family in August (we've been waiting a looooong time and I'm not putting it off for anything else) provided I've got a job which I don't think will be a problem.
Just wondering......
How does a person get through the day if they are experiencing nausea and sickness?
Can you still lift, transfer, etc.?
When the belly really starts to get big is that gonna be really hard to be on the feet all day long?

oh i forgot you will be making $17 as a CNA? where abouts

Anyways I did not mean to scare you but for myself I had 10 lb babies LOL so maybe this is why I would never think of working while pregnant.

radicalsenseofhope · Jun 6, 2011

I DO NOT RECOMMEND it at all. First, it is all grunt work, wiping bottoms, messes and such. The most important thing is you will be exposed and your fetus to many things you wnat to be nowhere around while pregnant. That being said where I work there are many pregnant CNA"s but it's like being a man down and not fair to the pregnant CNA or the rest of the work crew.

I would say no please don't work and be a CNA for your safety and your fetus' as well

Where I worked, they much preferred to have me there, even if I was pregnant and not 100%, than to not have me there (causing them to work short or hire an unknown newbie). I was a dependable and hard worker and they were willing to keep me on board pregnant because of that.

As for exposing the fetus, I suppose there is some risk to that. When I was pregnant, I wasn't allowed to care for a women who came down with shingles, so that my fetus wouldn't be at risk. But yeah, there are some risks there.

cmm4ever · Jun 6, 2011

I am new and being trained at a hospital now. The one women now 32 (has a 14 month old). Said she worked like up until a week or two before giving birth. I think you get 6 weeks off for lady partsl birth and 8 for c-section (really not enough-need to move to Canada lol). I was surprised to hear that, because im always hearing that its not good for pregnant women to lift alot. I think if your doctor puts you on light duty that might help. I am new and overwhelmed now...cant imagine doing this while pregnant.

klynn81 · Aug 10, 2011

I'm in Canada. I couldn't possibly be more excited about the 1 year of paid mat leave!

Poi Dog · Aug 10, 2011

My coworker is due next WEEK and she is still on the floor. Freaking amazing.