work vs home

[HelenA]

I was just wondering whether anyone found HG to be worse when they have to work compared to being at home. Last time I was working while pg with Kimi but had to stop as I got so bad. This time I have been a SAHM and so far it doesn't seem as bad as last time, I'm sick but not quite as bad as the same time in my previous pg.

Did anyone find not working seemed easier than working?

I guess this is really a question to moms who have at least 2 kids and have had a working pg and a home pg.

[Atsie]

I found it worse when I was working. But I have a very physical job and was working one full and one parttime job. I think the exhaustion from working is what made it worse for me.

[PamelaRose]

I was on disability during the first trimester with all of mine, and there was no way on earth I could have worked. I did fax some lesson plans from the hospital and talk to my sub by phone. Wait - I tried to crawl back in at 10 weeks with Brody, and I made it 3 half-days before winding up back in the hospital for a week. Would I have wound up back there if I didn't try work? Probably, but I'm sure I accelerated the whole downward spiral.

Once I got past the first tri, I was able to make it back to work. It was shaky, and I had to be careful about eating, but I made it. I worked up until 41 weeks with Avery and until 2 days before delivery with Reilly, and while I was exhausted at the end of the day, I did so much better psychologically than I did with Brody's pregnancy, where I was at home over the summer from 33-42 weeks. That was NOT pretty!

[rjdecker]

Helen,

I worked with my first four pg and it was hard! With this last one, I worked only once or twice a month and the physical aspect of the job was also different (less!). The NP I work for thinks that the work part definitely affected how I felt. She was supportive as well. I think having a supportive boss can also make a difference.

Oh, and when I was working, the family suffered more as I just crashed when home!

Jenny

[Jenny]

When I was pg with Christopher I was working at a bank. I ended up in the hospital for a week and had to take some time off of work. My boss actually called me in my hospital room and asked when I was coming back!

Stay at home mom with Ben and Zach. Not hospitalized.

With Jordan I was working until I was hospitalized. This job was with child protective services. It was very hard to go into people's homes most very dirty and smell those smells. I would have to leave and throw up pretty often and I felt badly about that. It seemed disrespectful, excuse me your house is so gross our pregnant lady vomited! I ended up on disability for a couple of months. When I came back in my 26th week, I didn't do any home visits. Actually it was after his diagnosis and I didn't work directly with clients at all.

With Joshua I worked until the day I m/c then I quit my job.

I think working is much harder because you can't just lay down and take care of yourself when you need to. There is also the guilt associated with calling in sick. I felt best when I could just not move at all and have my lights off and sit in a cool dark room. Hard to make that happen at work!

[BrandiJK]

When I was pg with Brigit, it was much easier to stay at home then to work. This pregnancy has been hard, but I can't really compair it because I never went back to work after having Brigit. I can say, though, that I really wish I could call in sick once in a while, and that is just not possible at this point.

So...I am on the fence. Staying at home would be easier if it meant we were awarded with rest sometimes.

[mandy]

With the first I worked, the second I was a SAHM. The second was more bearable. With #2, I had no pressure to be at work and presentable and cope with a kindergarten class, therefore mentally and emotionally I got through better. But.................................................................. I was just as sick though

M x

[Mishelly]

I don't see or I can't comprehend how someone could work with HG!!! When I was 5 weeks pregnant I came home from work, went to bed woke up vomiting severly (my first HG episode) (no idea what was going on with me) went to the hospital thinking I was going to die and got addmitted for 2 days and coulden't work and didn't care that I coulden't either. It's absolutly impossible for me to work.

[JennyK]

With my first I was unable to work at all in the first trimester. After that I returned, but it was a struggle and I had lots of sick days (and hospital days).

With this pregnancy, thanks to disability insurance, I have no pressure to return to work. As Mandy said, it makes it easier to cope without so much financial pressure to return, but I'm just as sick. I'll go back part time when I feel up to it.

[meg]

I found it easier to work... of course, my hg was worse with each pregnancy and I only worked the first so I don't know how accuracte experience is...

Anyhow, I worked in the offices of a bank - no customer contact - just me and my computer in a cubicle. I used to fall asleep on my keyboard a lot.

[Beccy]

My PG's got worse each one along the line but I do think my last one was horrific because I was supposed to be working and trying to look after 3 children and then beating myself up when all I could do was lay in bed and cry.

Being PG and HG and working puts a real strain on you because you feel really guilty. I was off work basically for the entire pregnancy bar three weeks when I thought I was feeling better then got HG back so bad i was knocked out for several weeks.

My first PG was me throwing up in the am - nothing would stay put - but I still managed to hide it as I was only 16 and no-one new I was PG!! But I wasn't working then.

2ng PG pretty nasty NVP throwing up at nasty smells etc feeling pretty sick most of the time but not working and only one other child to look after.

3rd PG pretty bad HG from week 7, off work intermittently during the whole PG.

4th PG felt absolutely terrible from week 7 and no let up at all so to speak of - generally unwell mentally and pysically the whole PG.

HG is definately worse the more demands and pressure you have in your life.

That's my philosophy anyway

Beccy x x x
Mum of 4 beautiful daughters

[karolinagurl20]

I dont work, so I wouldnt know but walking from one room to the next makes a difference so im assuming that for me work would kill me since sitting on my buns is already all i can do to survive. I dont know how some of these moms work and take care of children. Hats off to you. Kayla