Because of the increase in the cost of living and the demands of modern work, more women are forced to continue working even during pregnancy.
According to Paw Research Center, 82% of pregnant employees continue to work until within one month of giving birth.
Pregnancy is one of the most challenging things women have to go through. So having to work during pregnancy will be a real test.
As you know, office work involves hours and hours of sitting on an office chair. With all the changes in a pregnant woman’s body, the toll of sitting for hours will be much heavier.
But don’t worry, ladies, we’re here to help!
In this article, we will go over sitting positions you should practice and ones to avoid. We will also give you some tips on how to improve comfort while sitting.
Table of Contents
Good Sitting Positions for Pregnancy
When sitting for hours in an office chair, pregnant women will often feel pain on their lower back, pelvic girdle, and around the hips.
They can also experience pain on their shoulders and upper back.
One good way to avoid lower body pain is to try to always keep the space on the pelvis open. You can do this by pointing your knees outward whenever possible.
To prevent shoulder and upper back pain, you’ll want to fix your posture when you sit. Keep your chest up and your shoulders down.
Here are some positions you can try out:
Crossed Feet
When you begin to get tired of your normal sitting position, you’ll want to find other positions that will ease tension and help you feel more comfortable.
Try crossing your feet as an alternative way of sitting. You can cross your feet under your office chair.
You can also stretch out your legs and cross your feet in front of you.
This is the best alternative to cross-legged sitting because it leaves your pelvis open. Just make sure your knees are pointed outward at all times.
Sitting on the Edge of Your Chair
Another position that you might find comfortable, and one that is safe for pregnant women, is to sit on the edge of your office chair.
Move your butt forward on your seat until only half of your butt is supported by your chair. This position encourages your body to get into an upright position.
It also allows you to plant your feet on the ground more firmly.
Again, make sure to keep your knees pointed outward to open up the pelvis area.
Sitting Back on Your Chair
When you begin to get tired of sitting on the edge of your chair, you can switch to the opposite position.
Which is sitting back on your chair. Slide your butt all the way back until it makes contact with your chair’s backrest.
Lean back on your chair and find a position that is relaxing.
Sitting Positions to Avoid During Pregnancy
There are a few sitting positions that pregnant women should avoid. These positions can cause pain and discomfort and might even lead to pregnancy complications.
Let’s take a look at some of them:
Cross-Legged Sitting
Cross-legged sitting is a position many people find comfortable. However, pregnant women should avoid this position for a couple of reasons.
Sitting cross-legged compresses the pelvis and leads to discomfort.
It is especially important to avoid cross-legged sitting for women in their third trimester.
During this period, the baby’s head will be pointed downward, which is the position you want for delivery. Sitting cross-legged will take away space from the baby and might motivate him to change his position.
This might complicate the delivery.
Try crossing your feet or placing one foot on top of your knee instead.
Slouching
Slouching is one of the most common problems with people who spend their day sitting down.
For pregnant women, this is an even bigger problem.
With the additional weight up front, pregnant women are more prone to slouch. And because of the changes in their body, this can take a bigger toll on them.
Back pain, stress, and discomfort will be the results for women who slouch when they sit.
Tips to Improve Comfort While Sitting
Adjust Your Chair Properly
It is very important that your office chair is adjusted properly.
Make sure it is at the right height for you. You don’t want your legs to be dangling from your chair.
Neither do you want it too short that your knees rise above your seat.
Another thing to check is the recline on your office chair. Too much recline on your chair can cause back problems.
Not enough recline can also be very uncomfortable in the long run.
Lastly, if your chair armrests are adjustable, you’ll want to adjust these properly as well. Find the height and position that you’re most comfortable with.
Back Support
A back support or lumbar support will go a long way in keeping you comfortable in your chair.
When you sit on your office chair for hours, your lower back takes the biggest hit. Even more so for pregnant women.
A high-quality lumbar support will take a lot of the strain off your lower back and keep you comfortable for many hours.
We recommend this Comfort Lumbar Support Pillow from Everlast. It comes with memory foam and very comfortable mesh exterior.
It even has straps so you can attach it to your car seat.
Seat Cushions
Another great product you can get to improve the comfort of your chair is a seat cushion.
Often times an office chair will not have enough padding on the seat. Seat cushions add an extra layer of padding and can help reduce lower back pain.
Conclusion
To all the working pregnant women out there — you ladies are the strongest among us!
We hope that this article will be helpful to you when you’re looking for ways to make working through pregnancy a little bit easier.
My name is Vance, and I am the owner of To Ergonomics. Our mission is to improve your workflow by helping you create a supportive and welcoming environment. We hope that you’ll find what you’re looking for while you’re here.