Heavy lifting in pregnancy

[HerbalHolly]

I'm 13 weeks pregnant and I am a shop keeper. One of the ladies from the neighbouring shops came to congratulate me on my baby news and to offer to bring down my metal shop window shutters and put them back up in the evenings now that I'm pregnant and shouldn't lift heavy things.
Is this really necessary? It hadn't occured to me not to do it myself and I don't want to trouble her with it. Does anyone have any ideas on whether or not I can carry on doing this myself?

I'm 14 weeks and about to move house so I hope a bit of heavy lifting is alright!

I think its more of a risk to your back than the baby - I am careful and slow about lifting, and if it feels too heavy I ask someone for help. Lots of pregnant women have big heavy toddlers to heft about after all.

I went mad doing up our old house when pg with DS a 18 months ago. I think the heavy lifting thing is for women who maybe should rest/stay off their feet/have a threatend mc? I have always done exactly what i did when i wasn't pg when i was pg iyswim although everytime i did lift something i got a proper scolding from everyone

Like QOFE said in previous post it might be an idea to watch your back though as your ligaments loosen during pregnancy i think - Good luck with the next 27 weeks though

I overdid things at around 14 weeks running after house guests and generally doing to much bending etc and had a bleed.

I think that if you are otherwise healthy with no complications then you should carry on as close to normal when PG. If you 'listen' to your body you can feel when something is really too much.

Women have evolved to be able to cope with pregnancy alongside looking after existing children and doing daily subsistence work (like fetching water, or gathering food) in conditions far far harsher than anything we have to deal with.

As the pregnant owner of one of those heavy toddlers I just do what I'm comfortable with, and if it feels too much, I stop. For example: Have stopped hoiking DS onto changing table to change him and now put nappy mat on the ground if it's a big whoofy poo (sorry if TMI!) And I'm about to go take a big, bulky chair into the furniture repair shop, and I will definitely ask them oh-so-sweetly to lift it out the car for me

I'm 27 weeks, BTW. DS is 2.5.

I have stopped lifting DD - she is 6 YO so really not necessary to lift her!

But still happy even at 28 weeks to lift DS he is 3.5 but not so heavy.

Last time lifted DD right to until end (she was 2.5)

Hi, actually when you are pregnant you should have a Health and Safety assessment at work by Law. The Health and Safety perimeters of your duties are then agreed for the duration of your pregnancy. Will try and find link.

Here you go
www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg373.pdf

It's not a problem if you feel you can do it. I was fine throughout my pregnancy lifting heavy things. I stacked 1 ton of logs 3 days before I gave birth and it didn't cause me a problem at all.

Thanks ever so much for all your replies. I'm going to carry on for as long as it feels ok, and thanks to all your advice I'm not going to worry about it.
Ande - what I didn't mention was that it's my shop and I'm the only person who works here, a Health and Safety assessment would be a bit of a giggle.
Thanks all.