Can I spend a lot of time standing during pregnancy?

You may have to stand up for a long time at your job and this worries you when you get pregnant. Many women wonder, Is it bad to spend many hours standing during pregnancy?

Both sitting continuously and standing without changing position can carry risks and there are some studies that suggest that working many hours in a row might slightly increase the risk of complications.

Hypertension, low birth weight babies or premature delivery were some of the implications of spending many hours standing. However, other studies do not see a relationship between this point and the risks in pregnancy.

You have to keep investigating, but what yes it clearly increases is the risk of backaches or circulation problems (varicose veins, hemorrhoids ...), which can make it very difficult to carry the pregnancy, especially towards the end of it, so we will give some advice if you are pregnant and spend a lot of time standing.

It is possible that throughout pregnancy you can combine it with work and reach the end of the nine months without stopping working. But some jobs are better suited to pregnant women than others and each woman is different even in the same job (according to their physical conditions ...).

Therefore, if the pregnant woman carries out a job that is tiresome (in this case, because she is on her feet for a long time), she could request a transfer to another more suitable position if possible.

It is also not certain that the company will grant it, even when there is a medical report that supports this transfer; but remember that you have rights and if there is a risk for pregnancy, they could leave you at work.

The American Medical Association recommends that women whose work implies that they spend many hours standing a day leave their work (at week 24 if they are more than four hours, at 32 weeks if they stand up 30 minutes every hour). But this restriction is too strict for many doctors and it will ultimately depend on the state of the mother's need or not to stop working.

Given those previous points, don't miss these tips for pregnant women who spend a lot of time standing in his job, to avoid physical problems.

Tips for pregnant women who spend a lot of time standing

Depending on the job, you can carry out some of these tips during the workday, but if not, do not stop doing the exercises at home.

  • Walk a little every half hour to avoid lengthening a static position that loads the muscles.

  • Take a footrest or small elevator (cushion, box ...) to support each foot alternately, changing the feet position to relax the lower back.

  • If legs and back are loaded we can do stretches of legs supported on wall, bar or table (we already know that it changes the axis of the body and the balance is more unstable during pregnancy), or keeping balance, stretch the twin by bending each leg back , trying to make the heel touch the buttock. Hold the stretch for a few seconds and change legs.

  • Another movement that we can do often in our workplace, in breaks, at home ... to rest the legs is to rotate the ankles in circles.

  • Back pain is very common in pregnancy, as the joints of the pelvis relax, the abdomen has a large size that causes the balance to change (the mother usually arches her neck and throws her shoulders back), the part lower back curves and tension arises, pain ... These pains are more frequent if you work standing. Remember that there are specific exercises for the back during pregnancy, you can do spine stretching ...

  • Try to maintain a good posture that avoids muscular tensions, sitting with your back straight, echoing and getting up slowly, lying on your side ...

  • Exercise regularly from the beginning of pregnancy, as it has multiple benefits. The fact of strengthening the abdominal and lumbar muscles can prevent future pain, and the circulation that improves prevents varicose veins ...

  • Makes swing the pelvis to align the body. Standing, with the lumbar region resting on the wall, trying to stretch the back muscles. Swing the pelvis forward and back keeping your back straight.

  • You can also perform neck and head exercises that relax the tension in the area and relaxation exercises in general, which contribute to physical and psychological well-being.

Definitely, If you spend a lot of time standing during pregnancy, keep these tips in mind so that this does not affect your health or that of the baby. And if this situation still causes you discomfort, the pains are strong (varicose veins, back ...) and do not remit, consult the doctor without fail.

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