One of the concerns that many expectant mothers have is about how their work might affect their pregnancy, or vice versa. For example, a woman who works around hazardous chemicals all day may feel relatively safe when it’s just her that would be exposed, but might worry a bit more about the situation when she’s pregnant. A common concern from women who intend to work while they are pregnant is for those who have jobs that require them to be on their feet all day. They wonder whether working all day on your feet while pregnant is safe.
The good news is that, as long as you’re not standing around in one spot, being on your feet in and of itself isn’t a hazard. Of course, it may be very tiring, but that’s a different story. Now, if you have a job where you need to stand in the same spot all day, such as with a cashier at a grocery store, there may be other concerns. When you stand still for a long period of time, your blood pressure tends to drop. When you’re pregnant, that can make matters worse. If your blood pressure drops low enough, it can lead to light-headedness and even feinting.
You can mitigate the risk, of course, by walking around. If you take a short walk of even five to ten minutes every hour or so while you’re working, you can help keep your blood pressure up.
Another way to help is with the use of support hose. Support hose will give your legs some compression, help your blood to keep from pooling around your feet and making them swell, and get puffy. There are also maternity belts designed for use during the alter part of the second trimester and during the third trimester that will support your abdomen and help to redistribute the weight, creating less pressure points.
