Work and Pregnancy

If you're pregnant, you're already a working mom! If you work outside the home, here are 25 tips for working moms-to-be from Working Mother magazine. From coping with morning sickness, to negotiating your maternity leave, to making your return to the workplace easier, here's what you need to know to make your transition from work to home and back again as smooth as it can be.

Keep Yourself Healthy at Work
1. Combat morning sickness. Keep carbohydrate-rich snacks in your desk, such as crackers, popcorn and pretzels. For more ideas, read the article about managing nausea. 

2. Don't skip meals. Eat at least three meals a day and make them as healthy as possible. Eat nutritious snacks—like carrot sticks or bananas—throughout the day to keep blood sugar levels stable (they're more volatile when you're pregnant).

3. Drink lots of water. Staying well hydrated keeps your body's fluid volume up, nourishes your growing baby and helps maintain your energy level.

4. Get moving. Even moderate exercise can keep a host of pregnancy woes at bay. Get up and walk around once an hour or so; sitting or standing in the same position for a long time increases the possibility of blood clots, varicose veins and swelling.

5. Fight fatigue. Getting enough sleep is crucial. Ten or 11 hours a night is not unusual for pregnant women. Try to arrange a catnap at work, either on a sofa or with your feet up on your desk.

6. Plan a timely departure. Try not to work right up until your due date. You need a little time to relax and unwind. Remember, stress hormones can make labor more difficult.

Negotiate Your Maternity Leave
7. Know the law. Unlike many other countries, the United States doesn't provide for paid maternity leave. Since 1993, the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) requires companies with more than 50 employees to allow parents 12 weeks of job-guaranteed time off, unpaid.

8. Learn the state of your state. Some states have laws that extend FMLA coverage. Vermont mandates that companies with as few as 10 workers must allow 12 weeks of unpaid leave for new parents. California has extended its disability insurance to cover major family events, such as the birth of a child. For more information about state coverage, visit the U.S. Department of Labor's Web site.

9. Do your homework. Research your company's maternity leave policy. Read the employee manual. Talk to someone in human resources about paid and unpaid time off. Find out if you can add vacation or accrued sick time to your paid leave. Ask about how your annual bonus or review will be affected by your leave. If you're adopting, inquire about cash awards to defray costs. Check with co-workers to see what arrangements they made.

10. Consider your timing. In general, it's best to wait until the end of your first trimester to let your boss know that you're pregnant. But, if you're suffering through morning sickness or having a difficult pregnancy, you may need to discuss your pregnancy earlier. If your boss initiates a discussion about your leave before you're ready, say that you're working on the details of your request and promise to communicate the specifics by a certain date.

11. Define what you want. Figure out how much time you'd like to take. Think about taking time off before the baby's born or phasing back into your job by working part time. Make a budget and figure out how much unpaid leave or partial pay your family can afford.

12. Keep your options open. Consider things you can't control, such as when the baby is born, the difficulty of finding child care or the possibility that you may be too physically drained to return to work quickly. Think twice about using all your vacation and sick days for maternity leave—save some days for later.

13. Anticipate your boss's concerns. Your boss will want to know how long you'll be away and how your work will get done. Figure out how your job can be covered in your absence.

14. Draw up a plan. Make a written list of everything you want to ask for, as well as alternatives if one of your requests is denied.

15. Negotiate—and be ready to bargain. Open your negotiations by emphasizing your commitment to the company and your plan to continue working after the baby is born. If you can't get as much time as you'd like, try to negotiate a staggered return, telecommuting, or working part time temporarily.

16. Promise to be available—within limits. If you're asking your employer to be flexible, it's a good idea to show that you can be flexible, too. Agree to be available for consultation, but be realistic about what you'll be able to do while caring for a newborn.

17. Confirm it all in writing. Once you and your boss agree to a plan, write a letter outlining your understanding of the arrangement and keep a copy. If you have problems or questions about negotiating your leave, call the National Job Survival Hotline at (800) 522-0925, sponsored by 9to5, the National Association of Working Women.

Make the Transitions Smooth
18. Divvy up your duties. Don't leave the matter of your replacement until the 11th hour (or ninth month, in this case). Find out if you're expected to play a role in finding and training her. If your colleagues are expected to pitch in and help, start long-term projects before you leave and hand off small, distinct tasks to particular people.

19. Tidy up. Put your desk in order. Organize your files, reports and other data that will be needed while you're away. Create a clearly labeled folder with contact information, file locations and other pertinent information.

20. Spread the word. Let contacts and clients know when you'll be leaving and who'll be handling your work while you're away.

21. Pack your personal stuff. If you can't lock your office, take valuables home ahead of time. Password protect personal or confidential computer files, or copy them to a floppy disk and delete them from your computer's hard drive.

22. Reroute your mail and change your voicemail message. Find out who will handle your mail while you're gone. When recording your out-of-office voicemail message, include the length of your absence, the approximate date you expect to return, and the name and number of the person(s) covering for you. Set up an automatic e-mail reply with the same information.

23. Take stock. Find out if you'll have access to voicemail and e-mail during your maternity leave. Also, find out whether you're expected to return company equipment, such as a laptop computer that you currently use to do work at home.

24. Check out if you're supposed to check in. Your employer may ask you to periodically report on your status and your intent to return to work, and that's perfectly legal. You may want to touch base occasionally with the boss or colleagues for your own benefit, just to stay in the loop.

25. Stay connected to workingmother.com, where you'll find ideas, tools, support and inspiration to help you be the best working mom you can be!

These tips are adapted from past issues of Working Mother magazine. For more information on these and other topics affecting working moms, or to subscribe, go to the magazine's Web site.