Working concerns for pregnant baker
Question: I am 6 weeks pregnant with our first baby. I am a baker and wanting to continue but realise it is heavy and hot work, up to 45 degrees and I want to know how I should work, any precautions I should take , when I should finish work?
Leigh’s Answer: Wow this is a very different question and I applaud you for thinking about this so early. Oh, and congratulations!
The first thing you should do is speak to your employer and discuss their policy on this issue as they may have already done this research on your behalf as part of their OH&S. If you haven’t told them yet for fear of reprisal you shouldn’t worry, employers in Australia have a responsibility to protect their staff. Then of course you should discuss this with your doctor or mid wife.
But there are things you can do and consider on your own, day to day. First of course is to be aware of your own body, you are going to feel faint and possibly nauseous, don’t try to be a hero, if you need to rest then do so. A general rule is if you were doing ‘that work’ or ‘that exercise’ etc before you were pregnant, then you can do it through your pregnancy.
Your body changes A LOT, such as your ligaments soften which can cause straining. Hence why people say don’t lift that you’re pregnant! While they are probably thinking the baby is in danger it is more that the mother can hurt herself. This type of work obviously requires you to stand for a long time, so the softening of ligaments can be an issue as your pregnancy progresses. Particularly in the third trimester as you will have a lot of internal pressure and your circulation can become affected causing problems like varicose veins, and you may experience strong groin and leg pains. You will need to rest more and be able to sit down more often.
If you are lifting or loading ingredients, the “experts” say you should not do this past about 20-24 weeks. You can ask for a reassignment in your workplace, maybe you can work on the counter later in your pregnancy.
Working in a hot environment doesn’t pose any direct issues on it’s own to the baby, but you need to drink plenty of water and eat high energy foods (if you are up to eating). If you are feeling faint, step out and get fresh air and tell a friend that you work with to keep an eye on you. If you have medical conditions that could affect your blood pressure etc then you really need to reassess your working situation, your own little bun is the most important.
Leigh
Thanks to MumZone - Resources for mums for this question to Leigh
