I am pregnant!

SmilingBluEyes · Mar 16, 2004

exhausting is not even close.

congratulations.

lady_jezebel · Mar 16, 2004

That's what I was afraid of! Oh, dear. Hopefully it's ultimately worth it in the long run....

altomga, ADN, BSN, MSN, DNP, RN, APRN · Mar 16, 2004

That's what I was afraid of! Oh, dear. Hopefully it's ultimately worth it in the long run....

CONGRATS lady_jezebel !!!! I did not find it hard to work up to my due date (I work step-down ICU)....yes more frequent bathroom breaks, had to put my feet up b/c swelling, morning sickness (and I work nights)..sucked, but pregnacy isn't an illness (when it is an uneventful one that is).....so just know when to tell your co-workers you need 5 min or so....and good luck and enjoy your pregnancy.....(oh okay..it was my 3rd baby also....don't know if that helped me, but anyway)

CONGRATS AGAIN AND KEEP US POSTED!!!

ava'smomRN · Mar 17, 2004

Congrats on your first baby! and your new job. i dont have kids nor do i work as an rn but life has taught me that we as humans usually know our physical limits.... your body will let you know. Congrats again! and Good Luck

missmercy · Mar 17, 2004

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Yes, I think it's safe to say it will all be worth it!!!! I was not working full time when I was expecting, but I know alot of gals that do -- and do it well!! They DO tend to need the restroom alot!!:) But ya know, we just tease them about putting a leg bag on. I know that as soon as my co-workers found out about my pregnancies, they were looking out for me. I think we have a nack of looking out for each other! We need to!! Pay attention to what your body tells you. Sit when you need to, rest when you can and take good care of yourself and that wonderful gift you are carrying!!!

Shed13911 · Mar 17, 2004

I was working full time as a charge nurse in a busy nursing home during my first pregnancy. I worked the floor so I was constantly running up and down the halls. I also had to pull double shifts when my 3-11 nurse called in and I could not replace her. I had a normal pregnancy and worked up until 3 days before my baby was born. I believe if you have good health when you get pregnant and you are doing the same kind of work as before the pregnancy, you can work up until the end if you choose to. I had no choice either as we needed the income too. :uhoh3:

I hope this helps. I believe you can do anything you want even when you are pregnant!! :chuckle Congratulations, and let us know how you are doing!! :balloons:

zacarias, ASN, RN · Mar 17, 2004

Congrats Jezebel!

Anyway, do I know you? I'm on 6NE at UWMC. Very exciting news for you!

SmilingBluEyes · Mar 17, 2004

No, pregnancy is not an illness, but many pregnant nurses wind up on bedrest due to over-work, inability to take adequate liquids in and inadequate bathroom breaks. Trust me i know ...i see em in my OB unit for tocolysis (stopping preterm labor). Esp. on med-surge, you will have to be very careful......it's a breakneck pace and unrealistic to think you can just keep up with it all the time, esp IF you develop preterm labor or any complications at all. And your coworkers, while well-meaning, have heavy workloads too, and they may NOT always to help you out enough for you to get much needed breaks/rest.

You will know what you can and can't do as you go along, but remember your health comes first....a job will have to wait if it comes down to it..... I was forced onto 4 weeks of bedrest as an L and D nurse when I was pg. It was NOT easy to keep up and I was always working myself into preterm labor. BE CAREFUL!!!!

Best wishes!

abigailfaith · Mar 17, 2004

Thousands of congrats to you! I am just a student but when I was pregnant, my husband and I were in the middle of building the foundation of our house and the hard work is possible but the best advice I can give is to listen to your body. When we are pregnant, our bodies seem to have an amazing way of letting us know what we need when we need it! I have to admit that if it wasn't for being so active while I was pregnant, I don't think my labor would of been so easy. A few hours of contractions, then a 3 hour nap, pushed for about 20 minutes and there she was!

Now what I did is nothing compared to the work load and physical/emotional demands you will be facing. Maybe if it is going to be a bit much, they can let you work somewhere a bit slower paced? (Is there such a thing as slower paced as a nurse?)

Again, congratulations! Pregnancy is so much fun (well, more so after those first weeks of exhaustion and nausea...peppermint mints worked great for me.) Picking a name, finding out if it is a boy/girl, the nursery...and that is all before the baby! The baby is the icing on the cake!

Again..congratulations! :balloons:

Tweety, BSN, RN · Mar 17, 2004

Congrats! Take care of yourself. Everyone is different. But basically with some limitations obviously you should be able to perform at the same level and job as you have. But universally my coworkers have said one thing, as was mentioned above....it's exhausting.

lady_jezebel · Mar 25, 2004

Thanks to everyone for their advice, sharing & congrats. Right now I'm too excited to be exhausted (but it's early). I will remember what you have all said.

Zac -- you know me. 6SE!