'Work after eight months of pregnancy is as harmful as smoking'

[RossettiConfetti]

I just came across this article - in the Guardian, link below - and came on Mumsnet to see what people thought about it, but can't find any thread on it although the study was published last week.

I'm planning on working until 2 weeks before my due date (am 28 weeks), but the docs have been making noises about my baby possibly being on the small side (although the measurements still fall into 'average' on the scans - I can't make out if they're just worrying) so it's a concerning read for me, and as it's seems like a reputable article, newspaper and study, I don't want to just ignore it.

Any thoughts? Anyone else working until v close to their due date?

'Work after eight months of pregnancy is as harmful as smoking: babies weigh 230g less on average'
www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/jul/28/working-eight-months-pregnancy-smoking

Interesting.

I wonder how they defined "work" since clearly there could be massive differences between someone working at a desk and someone working on their feet all day, or someone with a huge, tiring commute and someone with a short, easy journey to work.

Or indeed, someone with 3 existing children, multiple school runs and lots of housework and someone having their first child with plenty of opportunities to put their feet up...

i worked until the day before i went into labour.

i was 16 days overdue when i had her.

she wasn't tiny.

but i don't recommend it.

Exactly what Suzi said :)

It's only "as harmful" if you think that the only consequences of smoking are low birth weight.

This was discussed at length when this came out here

This was discussed on Matthew Wright last week, the general consensus was that if you've been told to take it easy by the docs and refuse to do so then yes it's akin to smoking as you are knowingly doing something that you have been told is harming your baby.

The flip side was that if you are financially not able to finish work early and are forced to then the stress could cause high blood pressure and therefore potential problems.

(these are opinions expressed on the show and not by me)

Thanks for the responses, and the link to the threat about it Trills (my Mumsnet search-engine skills must be lacking...)

Yes, the article does say there would be a difference between physical and sedentary work, which I can see. My reasons for working late are a short maternity leave allowance, which I want to maximise with the baby, not for me! (Although I guess taking it before the birth is sort of for the baby as well, and not just my well-being). It's a tough decision. I would like to finish earlier otherwise.

Its a tricky one really. Don't know about harmful but I cannot imagine working to that stage. I'm a primary school teacher and broke up from school 2 weeks ago when I was 31 weeks and I was totally on my knees. I cannot imagine going to 37 weeks (you have to go at full term in my LA) and this is my first so no other DC at home and a very supportive DH. You guys working up to DD, I take my hat off to you, I don't know how you manage it!

I planned to work till 38 weeks as that was the start of the summer holiday (am a teacher) but found the last couple of weeks incredibly difficult and ended up going 3 days before the end of term, blaming it on a swine flu outbreak. I was so relieved to have the excuse.

i'm having to work up 37 weeks and not sure how i'm gonig to manage becasue at 28 weeks i'm already exhausted. maybe i'll take the extra week off and start smoking again instead

i think there must be a lot of factors involved like your general health, how physically demanding the job is but also how emotionally stressful it is...

I'm planning on working up until 39 weeks but then I work at a desk. The only think that's a struggle is the commuter. However As of next month I'm going to be working from a desk in my house (or my laptop while I plonk my arse on the sofa) so will be comfy.

I worked to 37 weeks with my first. She was then 9 days over the edd so ended up with 4 weeks off work before she came. It was bliss.

Surely if your baby is small for dates now it isn't related to how often/long you're working? Your midwife/GP should advise and can sign you off sooner if they feel it's necessary.

I worked until 38 weeks with both my dc and they were both good weights (7lb 15 and 8lb10). They both came 3 days early so I only had a week and a half to put my feet up but it didn't do either them or me any harm! I preferred to have the extra time afterwards so I could spend it with them.

I worked until 32 weeks, job very stressful and I knew it wasn't doing me any good to carry on. But had the job been easier I would have gone on longer.

I am working until 2 days before due date, but it's only 3/4 days a week and I work from home. I do have to go into central London for meetings but it's up to me when I have those, so they never coincide with rush hour. If I were on my feet at work all day or dealing with rush hour travel, I am sure it would be way harder on me.
But I need to earn as much as possible before the baby comes, so I don't have much choice. Plus am sure baby will be late, so I will only be kicking my heels waiting if I finish earlier.

Didn't read the article but heard the news reports on the radio at the time and they were talking about heavy physical work.

Now, the thing is that I have a toddler at home and being at home with him involves heavy physical work from daybreak to sunset with little respite. Lots of mums will have several kids at home which will definitely require more physical effort than the average paid worker does in a day. So, I think you should take it with a pinch of salt unless you are a nurse or someone who is on their feet all day doing very hard physical work.

Have to say, I worked in a nursery with my first pregnancy untull I was 36 weeks. Was intending on working longer but once I got down on one of those teeny tiny chairs. I was no good to anyone!! with my second I wasn't working but my first was in play group till 1 every day. I really took it easy. This time I'm still not working but I have a one year old and a 4.5 year old at home for the summer holidays and I'm 34 weeks pregnant. It's harder work than the first time, when I was actually working!! I would actually prefer to be working in an office. (provided I didnt have to do a long commute)

The difference is 0.5 pounds so unless you are already measuring small I v much doubt this will make any significant impact on babies health if there are no other risk factors. Personally I get v annoyed by this type of research, or the way its reported at least.

Thanks for the reassurance everyone, and I read through the other thread, which was similarly interesting and put my mind at rest.

So I guess it's more a case of that I would prefer not work so late in the pregnancy and put my feet up sooner, but it has not much to do with health reasons and much more to do with the maternity package I'm offered.

I liked the point made by a poster on the other thread that a positive side to this new research and article could be that eventually it could improve maternity packages/flexibility for women. I like the idea of going down to part-time in the penultimate weeks before going on maternity leave.

Unfortunately my boss and peers are all 'I was in work until the day I went to labour' types and I feel there are expectations for me to do the same. Happily my job is desk-based with a very easy, short commute and I don't need to walk up and down corridors too much. I have my own office and can even get away with shutting the door and having a quick snooze over the desk if necessary. It's probably much easier physically than being at home with my toddler!

Maybe it's the other way round, and women with smaller babies feel less uncomfortable and more able to work?

There's a big difference between a physically demanding manual job, and one where you're sitting at a desk, which it's hard to see can be more harmful than sitting on your sofa or at your kitchen table at home.

Haven't read the full article and study, but will when I get time, hopefully I'll have access to the original paper.

Ephiny that is a v important point!

Surely correlation does not mean causation.

What is an 'average' birth weight though?

I worked full time until 36+4wks as a teacher, so I stopped at the Easter break. I felt very fit & well throughout my pg & only really had to reduce my workload to match my energy levels in the first trimester, but made sure I only did the "bare minimum" such as it is in teaching throughout. My DD was born at 39+3 weighing 6lb 5oz. Despite eating like a horse, she is still a slender build and only on the 50th centile for height & weight at 2.3yo. I am not huge myself and was a small 6lb 6oz baby despite my mum having to give up work at the required time (which I seem to think was quite early on relatively) in the late 70s. My mum didn't go back to work & my sister was also 6lb 6oz.

I can't imagine that genetics aren't playing a part somewhere in all of that. I suspect my DD would have still been a smaller size baby even if I'd stopped work 11 days earlier.

I worked to 37 weeks and then DD was born at 40+8. she was anything but small (9lb 13oz!) Sounds like there are a lot of caveats to the study findings...

Blueshoes is exactly right, correlation does not mean causation, and the study doesn't try to demonstrate causation.

The great thing about research like this is that it was based on several very large samples (which is unusual), and will hopefully prompt further studies. It takes a lot of funding to carry out decent in-depth research, but as Rossetti points out, more research may impact positively on maternity leave policies.

You'll always get people saying 'well, I worked until term and my baby was huge' but the study is simply pointing out a general trend. As with most research, you have to read it carefully and rationally see how you want to apply it to your own situation.

Interesting thread Rossetti!

I got home from work one sunny Thursday and was planning to meet a few friends for dinner when i started to feel a bit dizzy. Hubby brought out the b.p monitor- he is a doc- and what do we know, the b.p was through the roof.

our son was born four days later.

i went back to work when he was three months old.