To those who have been pregnant and working

mamamerlee, LPN · Mar 17, 2010

Yes, you do need to eat every 2-3 hours! I kept peanut butter crackers or similar things available to eat whenever I felt strange. Lots of water, true.

I worked 'til April 30 - baby due May 24, delivered on May 10. Worked in Acute Dialysis at the time, 10 hr shifts and on call.

Second baby - they begged me to work 'til JCAHO came - Oct 1. Planned C-section on Oct 10th. Busy surgical floor, but little in the way of hard physical work.

Everyone is different, and can tolerate different amounts. Have a heart-to-heart w/your OB. EAT when you need to. Take care of yourself.

Best Wishes!!

sasha2lady · Mar 17, 2010

Eat eat and drink. I was the same way when I was pregnant. It will pass. I was hit with extreme fatigue. I worked 2nd shift 3 - 11 in LTC which is where Im still at...once I hit the 8 month mark I had to do mandatory double shifts...handed to me by the DON....then I started to swell up. Hopefully you have a better boss lol. It was rough, but doable minus the doubles.

BrnEyedGirl, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN · Mar 17, 2010

I agree,..keep snacks with you,..I found I was less tired after 20 wks,...in the end I was physically worn out after 13 hrs but it wasn't that same feeling of needing to sleep all the time,..I worked my last shift the day my kids were born,...hang in there!

LDRNMOMMY, BSN, RN · Mar 17, 2010

I agree, take snacks with you to work. I worked until 39w5d with my daughter on a relatively busy L&D floor 350-400 deliveries a month. It was rough, but I didn't want to use up much of my FMLA since I was delivering in a military hospital and I could go up to 2 weeks past my due date. I ended up delivering a few days later. I was 28 and it wasn't too bad.

I am due April 1st and am 32 now. My last shift was the 9th of March I worked on an L&D floor that does anywhere from 60-100 deliveries a month. This pregnancy was different. I also had to have frequent snacks and had a TON of nausea in my first trimester. The last few shifts kicked my tail. I am taking a year or so off with this baby because we are stationed overseas and are moving back to the U.S. in November. I figured I'll find a job when we get settled at our new duty station. I agree that everyone is different. Your body will let you know if you are doing too much.

**NickiLaughs, ADN, BSN, RN** · Mar 17, 2010

The problem is we're not "allowed" to have food on the unit, most people have been understanding when I sneak crackers in my pocket. But you know those crazy days where you're literally just RUNNING for 12 hours? You get that septic admit whose Blood pressure is dropping and the levophed isn't working, and you have to keep calling doctors and getting new drips and then they're on an insulin gtt. It's not exactly easy to fit food in and say "yeah my guy's SBP is in the 70's, he's tachy in the 140's: but that's ok, I need to eat something and I'll come back before he codes" Doesn't really work like that in my ICU....

I am going to talk to my OB about putting me on disability early if possible. I feel so lame because most of the nurses at least hang out until the 6 month of pregnancy, but I'm not sure I'll even make it that far. After about 3 or 4 hours on my feet my uterus starts cramping bad, and I know that's not good for baby, so I guess I'm one of the "wimps." There was one girl who made it until she almost went into labor, but she's on baby #4, wasn't born premature like me, and doesn't have a Ventricular Septal Defect (unrepaired) to top it all off.

Thanks guys for the advice.

ORNurseAngie · Mar 17, 2010

I am presently pregnant right now working on a busy med surg floor on midnights. I am the charge nurse and I take a full 6 patient load, I am just getting back into med surg after two years of working the OR. I am fifteen weeks pregnant but I feel okay now, It was rough go in the beginning but I am finally starting to feel better. I keep snacks with me I eat constantly at work and drink water like crazy, if I don't I get tired and cranky and then I am no good to anyone so every 2-3 hours I take like five mins to myself and scarf something down and then all is well again. I do however get nauseated and bothered by smells more than before, I can barely handle suctioning trachs and trach care, poop doesnt' bother me too much thankfully. The smell of tube feeding makes me positively gag. I do plan on working the entire time we shall see how that goes. I have a three year old and when I was pregnant with him I worked on the same floor I am on now just on days and I managed I was due March 1 for scheduled c section and I worked up until feb 7th after a particularly bad shift I left crying so I called in sick the next day and did not return to work after that until three months after I had the baby. It is possible to work up until the end you just have to take care of yourself. Hopefully you have some great coworkers like I did and do that are willing to help you out and "baby" you a little. Take care and good luck with the pregnancy!!1

ORNurseAngie · Mar 17, 2010

I just previewed my post after I sent it, can you say holy run on sentences. Wow what happened to that BSN degree, certainly doesn't show in my writing skills! LOL

tigkaskit, BSN · Mar 17, 2010

I worked rotating 12hr shifts in an ICU up till 2weeks before I delivered. Dr pulled me out of work at that point due to medical concerns (all turned out to be fine though).

I'm glad I didn't get pulled out of work any earlier because the more time I had off before the baby, the less time I would have off after the baby, and it was really important to me to have my full 3 months of FMLA available to spend with my newborn.

**NickiLaughs, ADN, BSN, RN** · Mar 17, 2010

Yeah, I guess figuring out the pregnancy leave is the hard part, best I can figure out is 12 weeks after baby is born, and if you end up disabled (bedrest) prior they can put you on short term disability? I think something like that?

I have a feeling that is my future cuz of my heart. I just wish our work was more lenient about the food thing. A lot of them have commented on me maybe going on leave sooner than later because it's hard to find a load that I can safely take without harming the patients or myself (can't have sepsis/cooties, can't have the "hard" ones, etc) some nights they really struggle to

find me an assignment, and with the economy that worries me too.

Oh well it will all work out one way or the other.

Indy, LPN, LVN · Mar 17, 2010

Your unrepaired VSD is a red flag for me, that could certainly contribute to your fatigue! Are you seeing a high risk OB and what does your cardiologist have to say about all this?! Disability, yes you might want to think that, and I'll say a prayer for your safe and healthy pregnancy and delivery. I really hope you are able to take the time off work that will be necessary.