Pregancy and Work

Patsama Vichinsartvichai

MD., MClinEmbryol., 
EFOG-EBCOG., EFRM-ESHRE/EBCOG. 

For patients who are over 12 weeks pregnant, CONGRATULATIONS! You've successfully passed the primary stage and are moving forward. 

I recently came across an article in Forbes magazine discussing the unique experiences of pregnant working mothers. Instead of the usual greetings like 'Hello, have you had lunch?' or 'How are you?', in Thai culture, one might hear comments on the size and shape of the belly like, 'Such a small bump', 'That's quite a large belly', or 'It looks pointed, surely it's a boy!' (by the way, ultrasound has said nothing about the baby's gender yet!). Does this sound familiar? The author, a self-proclaimed 'Badass Feminist Business Owner', offers three pieces of advice to balance the powerful working-woman identity with the fatigue of late pregnancy:

1. Acceptance: 

Recognize that the strong, independent woman and the exhausted mother-to-be are both parts of you. It's okay. Step back, and try to embrace this duality.

2. Take a Break: 

Imagine you're a koala. Did you know they spend 90% of their life sleeping and the rest eating? (Though, you don't have to nap that much!). You might think, 'There's so much to do, how can I rest?' But when you're extremely exhausted, sometimes a short nap is necessary. Your company won't crumble if you take an afternoon siesta after a warm drink. Right?

3. Prioritize:

Consider scaling back some tasks. If, hypothetically, your due date is in February next year and there are ten projects to wrap up within the first quarter (is this sounding like my life?), don't embark on all of them. Focus on what's feasible before your delivery. Because while you're on maternity leave, no one else will pick up exactly where you left off. Goals are not always about pushing limits.

Wishing everyone a smooth and easy delivery when the time comes!"

Dr. Pat