Fatigue during first few months of pregnancy

Now your body is working for two and burning up energy more quickly, you are bound to be more tired than usual. Add to that, the fact that the child is growing in you at a rapid rate and is using up so much energy as it does so.

During pregnancy especially during the first few months, being very tired is an understatement for most pregnant. They feel totally drained. Sleep is a merciful surrender to oblivion; and can come at any time, on the bus, at your work desk, on the train anywhere. What to do? Here are a few tips:

• First, accept that yourself, tired as you are and do not feel disappointed that you are so tired and can do as many things like before. It is only for a short while and it will pass.

• Following on the previous tip, rest, rest and rest! For many women especially those that are usually very active and have a long to do list every day, the notion of rest is scary. How can I sleep when I have so much to do? I don’t want to lazy, I have to be strong etc. at this point, you are already very string. You are in production/manufacturing mode. All the energy and materials that your baby needs to develop are being supplied by you and this is one of the most important jobs you have at the moment. So for now, be perfect in growing your baby. Besides, the more you rest, the more energy can go into growing your baby so it is actually a act of kindness to your baby when you sleep.

• Work- ah, this is the tricky bit. If you are not self employed, this might be a bit frustrating. Going to work when you have morning sickness or during the rush hour is a daily act of martyrdom. The advice will be to try to get your company to allow you some flexibility if this is really an issue for you. If necessary, speak to your boss in confidence. Tell them that you are pregnant and will appreciate if they let you start work a little later and finish later. This way, you get an extra few minutes in bed and avoid the morning and afternoon traffic. It worked wonders. If it is not possible to talk to your boss, take a day (or half day) off once in a while to rest. You will also need this when you need to go to the hospital.

If you do work for yourself, try to organise your work around short breaks spread across the day. Taking a 15 minutes power nap can make a big difference.

• House chores- if you live alone and there is absolutely no one to help you with the house chores, you might adjust your house chores to the times you feel better. Some women get sick in the morning, cleaning and cooking in the evening might be a better option for them and vice- versa. Also cut yourself some slack, so what if you can cook that gourmet food this Saturday? What if you do your laundry a couple of days later? Remember, this is a temporary situation and is not your whole life and so build some flexibility into your routine. For instance, instead of cooking every day, you could cook every couple of days but please make sure that you follow the procedures for re-heating your food. When you are pregnant, it is advised that you do not reheat more than once and it must be piping hot.

• If you do not live alone, delegate more work (nicely) to your partner, family or housemate. Most people will be willing to take on your chores while you are pregnant but be careful not to snap at them when they do not them on time, or as well as you do. No need to remind them that if only you were not pregnant, you’ll do a better job!

• Eat more nutritious food to replenish your energy. Your baby is using up a lot of energy and you might need to increase your food intake to keep your own energy level up. Please discuss this with your doctor so that you eat healthily and in the right quantities.

These tips should help to make the first few months less tiring. Always remember that this all for your baby and the temporary discomfort is worth it. Good luck!

Please discuss any of the above tips with your doctor. This does not qualify as proper medical advice!

Work during Pregnancy

This is an interesting subject but not an easy one. The decision to work during and after pregnancy is something you should consider even before you get pregnant. For some people, this decision is quite simple. They are in employment, their partners’ income will not support them and a new baby and they get maternity leave benefits etc. Therefore, they keep their jobs, work through their pregnancy and go on maternity leave at the agreed time.

For others, the situation is not that simple. Their partner’s income cannot support them; their jobs are stressful or just not conducive for pregnancy or even after the child is born. They need the extra income but what to do? This article cannot answer these questions for you but will provide ideas that might help. If you are already employed but find that the job or work schedules are not conducive for you during pregnancy, find out if the company offers flexible arrangements for pregnant workers. In most advanced countries, there are regulations that encourage companies to support pregnant employees either by offering them another job, allowing them to work part time, take time off when they need to go for test and doctor’s appointment etc. If you are not sure what rules apply in your countries or your company, consult your local council for information. You might find that this solves the problem.

If however, there are no regulations in your country and no company policies supporting pregnant employees, then you might want to ask for some flexible work arrangement for yourself. If the location of your office etc is affecting you, prepare for your meeting with your boss by getting a doctor’s report. To make it easier for your boss so that they are more disposed to grant you what you want, you might also research the company to see if there is another department or office where you might be of good use to the company and maybe even save them some money.
You can ask if you can come to work only a few days in the week and work from home on the remaining days. You could offer to work part time during the rest of your pregnancy for reduced pay or offer to find some to job share with you so that the company operations can continue to run smoothly. There is no guarantee that your company will give you what you want but presenting these well thought out options might increase your chances. Ultimately, you will have to decide whether to remain at that job if the company refuses to change your work conditions.

Another option is to go it alone i.e. work as a freelance consultant or business woman but this has to be well thought and put into practice long before you get pregnant. Think of your skills and which of them you can transfer into working on your own. The advantage of this is that you work at your own pace and control your working conditions. It might also help when you have had the baby so that you can look after your child and still earn some money. It is also possible to get employment afterwards since you have using most or all of the skills you need and you never really stopped working. The obvious disadvantage is that there is less income guarantee because you will have to depend on project opportunities which might not always be there.

Flexible business opportunities to sell already established products are also another option. For instance, you can sign up to companies who want more exposure for their products and are willing to offer them to you at wholesale prices. You might have the chance of getting an extra income to suit your family’s present needs.
Whatever you option you decide to go for, here’s to wishing a happy, productive and fulfilling work-family balance!

Looking Beautiful While Pregnant

You are pregnant and it is beginning to show. More importantly, your trousers are getting a little tight and you are finding it difficult to button up. You could leave your trousers unbuttoned or you could give yourself some comfort and style while making your baby comfortable by buying bigger clothes.

But hang on, should you go for clothes in bigger size? Absolutely not if you want to look trendy and smart! Maternity wear allows you to wear just about the same size as you normally wear but with enough allowance for your body changes like your tummy and bust.

But you do not want to spend money on clothes needed for just a few months! Well, if you are going to buy bigger sized clothes, why not spend the money on maternity wear that will make you look beautiful, smart and trendy?  And you do not need to spend exorbitant prices on your maternity wear, Cherie Mamma offers maternity wear at very affordable prices and you can wear most of them even after you had your baby! Gone are the days when women tried to hide their pregnancy in baggy clothes hoping people would not really notice they are pregnant. Also gone are the days, when women put beauty and fashion on hold because they are expecting a baby.

I am not a psychologist but I think women dress up in baggy clothes when they are pregnant because they sometimes feel that being pregnant is not really socially acceptable. I mean we might get fat, tired or ill. It might also convey to employers and colleagues that we are unfit to work.

Well, being a mother is a blessing, it is an essential part of being a woman. Let us embrace ourselves completely as we are without any apologies to anyone and show off the miracle growing within us. Once we know we ought to be proud of this achievement, then it will be ok to dress beautifully while pregnant.

I do not necessary drool over celebrities but the new trend of celebrities getting pregnant, showing their bump proudly and being gorgeous will help women all over the world know that it is ok to be pregnant and beautiful and again there is no need to apologise for it.

So dear Cherie Mammas, dress up and show off your bumps! While you are at it, have a makeover and take beautiful pictures to keep the memory alive for yourself and your kids when they grow up!

Since you can wear these items even after you have had your baby, you really have nothing to lose – well apart from a drab and baggy appearance.

While you are shopping, have a look at our Baby Essentials to start planning for your baby’s arrival.

Good luck!