Lifting and carrying

[Emerald33]

Hi.
I've just found out I'm pregnant (only six weeks) and I haven't seen a midwife or anything yet. I did see my acupunturist last week and told her (to avoid needles being stuck in the wrong place!!) and she gave me a long lecture about not carrying heavy things. Thing is I have quite a stressful job, with long hours and I travel about a bit with work and have to carry a laptop/powerpack/overnight stuff on and off the train and on the tube. I never really thought about it but now she's made me worried. I haven't seen a midwife or anything yet but we tried for ages and had basically given up before this happened so now everything is making me nervous.

I tried googling this but there wasn't a clear answer. Has anyone else had a situation like this? Sorry to sound so stupid over nothing but I feel like I am blundering around in the dark!

Personally I continue as when not pregnant as much as I physically can. I travel too and have a ginormous laptop bag and suitcase and then sometimes physics equipment too. I have spd so it means my joints are quite wobbly around my pelvis so for that reason I try not to be too much of a weight lifter but that's it.

I work in a fairly physically demanding job. Ive been recommended to lift about 10% less than I was. I also have horses so I have to deal with buckets of water and mucking out so I think if you're already doing lifting stuff, you should carry on, but don't lift any more than what you were before you found out.
Congrats! I'm also 6 weeks :)

I commuted and travelled whilst pregnant with twins. I got myself a sturdy rucksack for my laptop and switched to flat comfy shoes fairly early on in the pregnancy (I was waddling by 4 months )

Don't be shy to make eye contact and ask for a seat on tubes and trains (you can get a badge from TfL if you want "Baby on board"?) If you need or want one.

I definitely wouldn't carry more than I normally would - and in fact as your pregnancy progresses, you might find that your body will just be unable to carry / lift as much, so don't put pressure on yourself to do more.

Congratulations

Thank you all very much - I feel reassured! I will definitely look at getting one of those badges (I seem to remember a lady at the last place I worked got one).

Agree with pps, if you were capable of carrying stuff comfortably before pregnancy, no reason why you still can't!! We're pregnant, not ill/incapacitated! Listen to your body though, I'm guessing as time goes on things will get a bit more difficult, but really, if you can stay as active and strong as possible, your body should be able to cope with carrying the baby and giving birth more easily than if you give up completely.

Just carry on as before and listen to your body. I found it was only at about 35 weeks I started asking for help as the bump was getting in the way!

I used a trolley type laptop case from quite early on though. Once your bump gets so big you just feel daft wearing a rucksack as well!

I started getting really fed up with colleagues shouting at me for carrying anything heavier than a lever arch file! I've got a 2 stone 3 year old that needs a pick me up cuddle from time to time! I think there was a fair amount of arse covering going on!

If your body is used to carrying heavy things then you should be fine. Just be careful when lifting, straight back and all.
I'm still lifting my 2 stone toddler around at 33 weeks. I can't say no to him if he asks for a cuddle.

I didn't think of having to lift a toddler! This pregnancy has caught me very left field! Thanks again for all the advice. Looking forward (!) to continuing dragging my bags on and off the Northern line!

You can lift and carry anything you feel comfortable with. At 18 weeks I still need to carry an 8 yr old around a couple of times a week, a toddler, as well as large bags of shopping etc etc. You just need to get on with your life as normal, unless you have any specific problems. Your acupuncturist is terribly irresponsible to be giving out such advice, Im guessing they are not a medical professional anyway?

I had to lift a mahoosive water cooler bottle today as nobody at work knows yet and I finished the bottle - it doesn't go down well if you're seen finishing the bottle and not replacing it!

I think the problem with lifting is that as soon as you're pregnant a hormone (relaxin?) loosens all your joints and ligaments so it's easier to do damage to them. I still lift heavy stuff, just I'm more cautious about using knees and not my back, and not twisting or bending suddenly.

Plenty of people will tell you not to lift or carry. As a pp said, its more to do with the relaxin doing its bit meaning you can injure yourself more easily. I am 21 wks and though i have a desk job, I have three horses. I carry quite heavy buckets, bend to do their feet and push a wheelbarrow round the field picking up poop.

I have found that my arms ache MUCH more easily with the buckets, and that pushing a wheelbarrow is bad for pgp. Its better to pull it behind or get the husband to do it

Even drying/straightening my hair makes my arms ache!

I would try to be more careful when lifting and carrying and equip yourself with a decent trolley. Life goes on!

Another horsey person here who does the usual incredibly heavy lifting on a daily basis. A bag of horse feed or bedding weighs 20kg for example. However I've tried to be a little bit more careful than usual, but circumstances don't always allow. oh who am I kidding I've lifted heavy trugs of shit on a daily basis. That's what I'm used to though.

The main thing is to do what you can live with. Sadly miscarriages do happen, and they are normally completely outwith your control. But if the worst did happen you don't want to add guilt (however misguided) into the mix. So take whatever precautions feel right for you.

Best of luck with your pregnancy.

I will get a trolley bag. I am used to lugging this stuff around so I will just be more careful. Will have a look at this relaxin thing as well. Thanks all for your help.

I just did a weekend at a festival complete with carrying enormous backpack and everything at 20 weeks. I asked the midwife about exercise and heavy work and she said to basically continue as before but listen to my body and stop if something is too hard.

As others have said, you are fine, but it is easier to pull a muscle etc so just go gentle.

If it was a no no you could never have a second or third child.