Coping with Pregnancy as a Working Mom with a Toddler

Seeing the “yes” answer from my pregnancy test result brought me excitement since I wanted to give my daughter a sibling. After about five minutes of joy, I suddenly froze, as streams of loud thoughts ran through my head. “Wait a minute!” I blurted out. “What will I do with work if this pregnancy gets tougher?” “What if I can’t get up early in the mornings due to morning sicknesses?” “What if I get fired from my job?” “What if I’m not qualified for short-term disability?” And so many other questions bugged my mind as I thought out loud, that I started having anxiety. 

But guess what, yes; this pregnancy was very different from the other. I had morning sickness almost every day, terrible headaches, insomnia, certain foods reactions, constant fatigue, weight gain; et cetera. Despite all, I had to wake up every morning and go to work because I was saving my PTO. Thank God, my boss was very understanding and worked with me regarding my schedule. There were times I had to turn up late for my doctor’s appointment even while dealing with my little girl’s high energy. I was so ready to give birth, I had my mind made up.

To ease my anxiety and take care of my family, I had to be creative at work and create a routine at home. At end of my trimester, I told my boss at work and requested a change of schedule. I volunteered for an extra shift when needed because pregnancy is unpredictable. I created an agenda and made sure that all the work get done as scheduled to avoid being swamped at work. Taking a 15 minutes nap as well as 15 minutes walk was a must for me.

I had a deep conversation with my husband about my condition, feelings, and plans. We have a great understanding and he so much cared for me. He was always there to help me, however. My husband was my support system and he made my pregnancy journey more fulfilling.

Every woman should endeavor to figure out what works for her during pregnancy, though first pregnancies are mostly tougher; you may find my journey helpful and see how it can benefit you.

Here is the list of things I did that worked for me during my second pregnancy.

• I prepared different meals for the week so that I could have varieties of meals to choose from.
• I scheduled laundry on Thursday and Saturday.
• I try to sleep early when I can.
• I took 10 minutes to break for relaxation now and then.
• I drank water every minute to stay hydrated because going to the hospital for dehydration was not an option.
• I ask hubby for help with cleaning when needed.

Was the routine helpful? Absolutely! Though sometimes I had to break the routine, and that’s okay.

During my last trimester, I had to work from home because COVID-19 struck. I couldn’t even recreate a routine. I was mostly extremely tired that I couldn’t even cook, I had to put a chair in the kitchen to cook because my belly was feeling too heavy, but I maintained the walking routine and water intake. Getting fresh air was also key. Good thing, after all, I was very grateful to spend time with my family and work from home until I gave birth.

The bottom line is, being a mother and caregiver means being creative. No matter the situation we will find a way to cope, honestly moms: do we really have a choice?  Well, we all know the answer. Motherhood is tough and rewarding at the same time. There is always a way of coping.

Fellow moms, I know you also have your stories; please tell us in the comments what worked for you.