Given that I am looking to get pregnant soon and that I am a working woman, I recently picked up the The Working Woman’s Pregnancy Book. Sounds pretty straight forward, doesn’t it? I’m about halfway done (it’s a total of 572 pages so that’s not too bad) and I really like it. The information is given in a practical, scientific way, but it’s not sterile or hard-to-understand. It also includes personal stories by women of all professions, from a real estate lawyer to a ballet dancer to a state governor.
Working Woman’s Pregnancy covers the basic info such as getting pregnant, body changes, trimester changes, and of course the labor process. But it does so with the unique perspective of how these things may affect your job. Here are a couple examples:
How to Hide Pregnancy Symptoms at Work:
- Plan a vacation in your eighth or ninth week when nausea is often at its peak
- Always have a change of clothing and mouthwash with you
- Combine trips to the bathroom with other reasons for getting up, such as making copies or putting something in the mail
When Should I Tell My Boss? (There are several factors to consider in determining the best answer for you. )
- Privacy, specificaly in case of miscarriage
- Honesty, particularly if someone asks you directly
- Ability to hide it, if you are vomiting at work or otherwise showing signs of pregnancy
- Timing, if you are up for promotion or a special assignment
In addition to practical advice such as the examples just given, the book also offers advice from other working mothers, such as this quote from Anne C, a radiologist:
“Disclosing pregnancy in the workplace early on was mutually beneficial. Not having the burden of hiding it made for a healthier, happier pregnancy, and work administrators and colleagues could plan well in advance for my maternity leave.”
Or this quote from Peggy L, nurse-administrator:
“No matter what, hide it as long as you can, because after you tell, that’s all you are, the pregnant employee. I kept buying bigger and bigger clothes to cover it up. Just larger sizes, not maternity clothes right away…because once you start wearing maternity clothes everyone knows you are pregnant. I saved these larger clothes and used them after I delivered, before I lost my weight.”
I think these tips and experiences that show real-life ways of dealing with pregnancy are going to be really beneficial and definitely set this book apart from the others I’ve seen. There are also a lot of good resources sprinkled throughout the various chapters on everything from midwives (www.mana.org or www.narm.org) to eating fish (www.cfsan.fda.gov) to buying professional maternity clothes (www.maternitymall.com or www.lizlange.com).
Bottom line: this is a great book if you are working and are pregnant (or plan to be) or if you just want a good resource that includes personal experiences. I definitely recommend it.
RELATED POSTS:
The Working Woman’s Pregnancy Book
Healthy Eating During Pregnancy
Real Birthing Stories – A Request
Girlfriend’s Guide to Pregnancy
Related Posts:
Added to my feed. I learned a lot reading this.
10 comments