7 Tips for Staying Active and Comfortable While Working From Home During Pregnancy

Isn’t it great that working from home is now a super common thing? Many work places are really accommodating for their pregnant staff, which is such an awesome part of being pregnant in this day and age.

So how do we make the most of this flexibility? It can be so easy to end up vegging out on the sofa and not really feeling any better than if we’d had to do the commute into the office.

Below are some ideas to help you make the most of your working from home time, many of which can be applied to office trips, too.

1. Optimise your desk setup

Your office - your choices! It’s worth taking the time to get your desk space working for you. As your bump grows you can keep changing this so that you stay comfortable throughout the whole pregnancy. Some areas to consider include:

• Desk height - make sure your elbows are at around 90° (a right angle) and use any cushioning needed for your wrists. This reduces the risk of RSI or carpal-tunnel syndrome. You can buy adjustable desks or maybe try different surfaces in different parts of the house.

• Chair comfort - adding more cushions to your chair or using a yoga ball or kneeling stool. As your bump gets bigger, you’ll probably need to adjust your setup, so find what works now and don’t be afraid of changing it up later

• Foot support - at first, you might find it more comfortable to have a small stool to try to keep the knees at around 90°. By the end of your pregnancy you may want to lift the legs even further by using a higher stool or even another chair.

Don’t be afraid to try different things throughout the day. If you have a laptop, why not try different surfaces and chairs? You might find that you feel best with one setup in the morning and a different setup in the afternoon. Keep trying stuff and adapting to your changing body.

2. Set a timer and move!

Staying active is so important for pregnancy, but when you’re stuck in the middle of a workday, it can be hard to stay motivated to get up and move. Setting timers or reminders throughout the day is a great way to remind you to get up, do a couple of stretches and go for a walk. Some smart watches have this sort of thing as an app, and you can even place the reminders on your calendar.

3. Try desk yoga

If you don’t have time to go for a walk and you need to be at the desk for calls or support tickets, why not fit in some quick desk yoga? I’ve got you covered with this 7 minute desk yoga sequence for pregnant people:

4. Choose a healthier lunch

I don’t know about you, but I’ve always found it hard to grab a really healthy lunch when I’m at the office. So often, lunch becomes a quick sandwich or pasta, which does the job, but doesn’t leave me feeling great. At home, you can keep fresh ingredients in your fridge, so you can make some great salads or wraps full to the brim with pregnancy-friendly nutrients. I particularly loved avocados in my pregnancy, and the collagen they contain is fantastic for keeping your bump skin healthy. Why not stick some fresh avocado, salad and pre-cooked chicken or falafel into a wrap for a quick and healthy at-home lunch?

5. Take a meditation break

Go and lie down somewhere, taking a lovely big stretch in the process, and put on a 5 minute guided meditation. Give yourself that time to return to your body and your self, calming the body down and allowing you to come back to the desk afresh. Make sure you set an alarm so you don’t fall asleep!

6. Work on these key muscle groups

When we’re sat in the same position all day, it’s quite detrimental for certain muscle groups. The muscles we need to target in a pregnancy with lots of sitting include: the glutes and hamstrings, side hip muscles, calves and feet, in between the shoulder blades (upper back), side core muscles, twisting core muscles and the back.

Fun fact: yoga as an exercise was created because monks, who spent their lives meditating, were suffering the health consequences of sitting down all day, every day. It’s no wonder then, that the yoga industry has boomed as more and more people work at desks. More excuses to go to a pregnancy yoga class!

7. Use that commuting time productively

One of the beautiful benefits of working from home is not having to commute. For many of us, commuting involves yet more sitting down and stress. Instead, use this time to fill your cup. Maybe it’s a 30 minute walk, yoga or meditation. Maybe it’s writing in a diary, maybe it’s getting some extra sleep. The point is that this can be me-time, both before and after the working day, so take that extra time to pause and look after you.

Bonus: Quick Desk Yoga Sequences

Here are two quick desk yoga sequences you can do right at your workstation:

Wheelie Chair Sequence

• Arm and side stretches
• Squeeze something for pelvic floor lift
• Gentle twists

Static Chair Sequence

• Shoulder rolls
• Side stretches
• Stand up and stretch
• Lift against chair (wedge chair against wall)
• Side planks with leg raise if desired
• Glute stretches

Working from home can be so beneficial when you’re pregnant, but only if you actually make the most out of it! So avoid lethargy and achiness, stay active through pregnancy and get your home office work environment working for you!

Remember to always listen to your body and consult with your healthcare provider before starting any new exercise routine during pregnancy.