CNA job & Pregnancy

rn-jane · Jul 12, 2008

First of all congrats on both accounts. I would tell your manager and that you just found out and something you were not expecting.(no pun intended) I would sit down with them and explain how important the job is and how you plan on not letting this affect your performance. Maybe some guidelines should be discussed so no problem arises down the road. There is no reason this should affect your job, i would use assistance for lifting and stay away from patients with infectious problems like shingles, german measles ect.

bluemountain · Jul 13, 2008

Thanks for the advice. But the head CNA told me "if you think you are pregnant, you want to take the pregnancy test to make sure. Because it involves a lots of heavy lifting. If so, you may want to think about it"

I did not tell exactly I was pregnant, but I just mentioned the possibility of pregnancy after I got offered the job. So they could not take it back.

I will talk to them. Soon or later, they will notice my baby bump.

Thanks

rn-jane · Jul 13, 2008

Good luck and be careful. No job is worth your little ones well being, I wish you the best.

coolpeach · Jul 13, 2008

I was a CNA back when I was about 19 (38 now), and I have also had 3 children. I can tell you that I could not have done that job while pregnant.

It did involve a lot of heavy lifting. When I did it we would have between 10-15 patients each and there was no way someone could always be there to help.

I would get there in the morning and all the patients would be in their wheel chairs just finishing breakfast.

I would then start at the very first room, and put fresh sheets on the bed. Then I would wheel the patient to the shower, lift them by myself to the shower chair, shower them, dry them, dress them, and wheel them back to their room.When we got to their room I would then lift them by myself back into their bed.

By the time I finished this with all the patients it was time to start at the beginning again. I would clean up the patient and mess in the bed. Lift the patient by myself into the wheel chair, and clean the bed. When all the patients were in their chairs I would wheel them to the lunch room.

After lunch I would then clean the diaper mess of the patient, redress them, and lift each patient by myself into their bed.

Then it was time to go home.

This gives you an idea of how much lifting was involved, and some of the patients were over weight or heavy. The only thing I did as much as lifting was cleaning up feces, and urine. I would have thrown up 20 times a day if I were pregnant.

I know some nursing homes have floors that have patients that are more mobile, and maybe you can move to that area.

bluemountain · Jul 15, 2008

Thank you for sharing your experience. I see the picture. That's the reality and real world.

Do you know how other pregnant CNAs do after they tell their supervisors? Do they have to leave? or they are assigned other things?

If you do know, please let me know.

Thanks!

chevyv, BSN, RN · Jul 15, 2008

I was 24 and a CNA with my 1st pregnancy and I worked my butt off! I had no problems at all. I remember working on my due date and having to lift a 300+ lb pt. He kept telling my there was no way I was lifting him in my condition. I laughed and got some help and still no labor (he he).

My advice to you is to just relax and work. As your pregancy progresses, you can decide how much you can do. I was amazed how well I felt throughout the whole pregnancy. Be sure to let your doc know. I was healthy and felt great (a bit tired in 1st and 3rd trimester). Good luck and congratulations :icon_hug::icon_hug:

CT Pixie, BSN, RN · Jul 15, 2008

I was a CNA when I got pregnant with my first daughter. Must have been something in that water in the facility because there were 3 CNA's all who got pregnant around the same time, 4 nurses (all due around the same time as the CNA's) and one from housekeeping. Anyway, all of the nurses, CNA's worked right up until their due dates.

I worked Sunday 3-11pm, 2:22am on Monday my water broke and I delivered my daughter a few hours later.

None of the CNA's or nurses had any issues with working while pregnant.

Actually most of the other staff would go insane if they saw any of the mom's to be lifting, bending, stretching etc and go out of their way to help. Use to drive me insane, I was pregnant, I wasn't all of a sudden a fragile, weak, ill person. LOL

I would suggest if this is your first job as a CNA to take it easy, your body isn't use to the stresses of the job. Add to that all the changes that your body will go through pregnant, and you could hurt yourself or the baby. I had 6 years of full time work as a CNA at the time I got pregnant, my body was soooo used to the back breaking work by then. I actually felt great right up until I delieverd. The shift before I delivered I did feel "odd", stupid me just didn't realize I was in early labor

Congrats on the unexpected surprise :)

Jessica2 · Oct 10, 2012

i was pregnant with my first baby i had took pregnancy test 3 actually to confirm so i told my D.O.N she told me goodbye. now i am pregnant with my second and didnt find it out until i was 14 weeks along i told my supervisor because i have really bad dizzy spells and was afraid that i would drop a patient in mid lift my supervisor told me to leave.

kmarie724 · Oct 12, 2012

I worked as a CNA my entire first pregnancy. I worked right until I went into labor at 39 weeks. It is a myth the heavy lifting can cause a miscarriage. In my last trimester, I did need help lifting/moving some residents I had previously been able to move myself, but no one minded helping me. As long as you have a normal pregnancy, there is no reason you shouldn't be able to work as a CNA. Just rest when you can and make sure to get enough to eat and drink while you're working.

crichards00 · Oct 21, 2012

Make sure you get plenty of help from other CNA's for transports. Also work the less-intensive graveyard shift if you can.