If you are a working woman, whose job involves long standing hours, then it can make your pregnancy difficult. Sustaining natural bodily changes, while managing everything around you, is not an easy job. Ideally speaking, standing for long hours is seen as risky for your as well as your baby’s health. In this post, we will look at the impact of prolonged standing in pregnancy, and how to minimize its impact.
How safe is it to stand for long periods in pregnancy?
If you ask your doctor whether prolonged standing is advisable in pregnancy, then the answer will be No. It can cause high risk to you, and your unborn baby. There are chances of preterm delivery, and acting as a hindrance in the optimal development of your baby.
Pregnancy can make the body more fragile. So, you need to be extra cautious not to stress your body. It can adversely affect the health of your baby in the below ways:
Leads to High Blood Pressure: Prolonged standing can cause high blood pressure, and that can lead to lethal complications at this crucial phase of life.
Hinders Fetal Development, and Growth: When you stand for long time periods, then it can cause an adverse impact on the development, and growth of the fetus. According to the study performed by researchers on the development rate of babies, it was found that standing for 25 or more hours in a week, slows down the baby’s growth. The baby was born one centimeter smaller in circumference compared to the average circumference of the baby’s head at birth.
Furthermore, it was found that in such women babies weighed 5 to 7 ounces less when compared to babies who were born to those who worked below 25 hours a week. Long work hours can also result in higher chances of birth defects, low birth weight, and premature birth.
Cause Pain in Lower Back: Another risk that is caused due to prolonged standing is extreme discomfort, and pain in the lower back, and leg region during pregnancy.
Cause Pelvic Pain: Standing for long periods can give rise to Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction in pregnant women. It is a type of medical condition that causes excruciating pelvic pain.
Aggravates Oedema: A pregnant woman can also feel pressure or swelling at the time of standing in pregnancy. This condition is referred to as oedema.
Premature Labor and Delivery: If pregnant women spend a lot of time standing, then it can even make them prone to preterm labor or birth. Both of these circumstances result in fatal medical complications.
Low or High Blood Pressure: It has been seen that pregnant women when stands for several hours, can experience an increase or reduction in their blood pressure levels. Both of these conditions aren’t good for you and your baby and can lead to several complications. Low-blood pressure can cause fainting, and light-headedness in a woman and high blood pressure can cause fatal stroke, or heart attack.
Measures To Minimize the Risks
Looking at the above risks associated with long hours standing, you would want to reduce these risks. So, here are a few steps to follow in those scenarios.
- If your job requires prolonged standing, then you should talk to the employer and ask to give you a desk job.
- Keep moving in place of standing. It ensures better flow in your veins and prevents the clotting of blood, and edema.
- Drink 10-12 glasses of water, and consume healthy fluids to stay adequately hydrated. Stay away from any kind of caffeinated beverages as they can dehydrate you.
- Wear shoes with soft cushioned soles or choose to wear flat sandals with no heels. It will keep you comfortable while standing and walking.
- After every continuous hour of standing for an hour, sit for 20 minutes. Avoid sitting cross-legged.
- Work can bring you stress, and that can harm your and fetal health. So do meditation, and yoga to manage stress levels.
- Wear compression stockings to promote better circulation of blood, and offer better leg support.
- Get assistance from your obstetrician to find out more on ways for effective management of standing for a longer time.
Also read: Car Travel During Pregnancy; Is It Safe?
Conclusion
There is no problem in standing occasionally in pregnancy. But you should exercise caution. Standing for a couple of hours in your pregnancy indicates high-risk pregnancy, and it is not advisable.
It can cause stress in your body that can impact the immunity levels and overall growth of the fetus. So, ensure that you avoid prolonged standing during pregnancy. Implement these tips to make standing easier, and safe for you.