First and foremost, every pregnancy is different. Even when it's the same woman getting pregnant! What I found worked for me, what my limitations were and the like may be different for you. This is simply a guide that I hope the expecting moms out there find useful. And you know as a proud mom I will now have to find some pictures of my children to post!
When I found out I was pregnant with my first child I was working full time for someone else. I had actually started working for her while she was pregnant so that I could run things while she was on maternity leave. She knew she was a having a cesarean section and had an expected recovery time of 8 weeks. I came in and started working for her when she was about 7 months pregnant. If you own your salon and don't have anyone else working for you then you may want to look into hiring someone temporarily. If you have to close up for your maternity leave try to set aside a little money every month (even tips) to try and cover yourself for the weeks you'll be enjoying your new bundle of joy. It's always a good idea to prepare for the longest leave you'd expect which is typically 8 weeks. A vaginal birth recovery is usually about 6 weeks. I returned to work after my first baby after only four weeks but I came back only one day a week.
It's really a guessing game when it comes to planning your time away from work. Due dates are typically the day when you can plan on NOT giving birth! Most first time moms can expect to go up to two weeks on average past their "due date". I know some groomers who have worked up until the day they went into labor. I was actually working the day one of my groomers came and told me she was having contractions and had been all day. She had a baby girl early the next morning. I chose to take my leave 2 weeks before my "due date" for my first baby. The best thing for you to do is whatever you feel most comfortable with. Most clients understand the unpredictable nature of pregnancy and when they are aware of the impending birth would understand a cancellation call.
My first trimester with both pregnancies were horrid. I felt like I had the worst flu of my entire life. It was hard to work through at times. I had to cut down on the number of dogs I was doing a day simply due to my fatigue and nausea. Of course there are other women who feel great throughout their entire pregnancy. Until you know how your body is going to react to those pregnancy hormones I would recommend scheduling a bit light. Make sure you don't lift anything over 40 pounds by yourself in the first trimester. If you are considered high risk, don't lift anything over 25 pounds. I know it's limiting, but it really is a short period of time in the grand scheme of things. Of course once you are into week 14 don't start benching 300 lbs either!
If you haven't learned how to groom sitting down this is the time! I had been taught long ago that "real" groomers didn't sit down to groom. Now I know that only real groomers who want to still be grooming for a long time sit to groom. It took a while to get the hang of, but certainly was a saving grace for me as I got bigger and more uncomfortable.
Don't touch any flea products or chemicals. No flea collars or applying spot on treatments. At least not without gloves! They can't exactly study the effects of pet flea treatments on unborn children so they don't really know what hazards it may pose if any, but why take a risk? Don't do any dipping either. We don't use flea and tick dips anymore at my salon but when I was working within a vet clinic I would periodically have to do mitaban dips for mange. Anything where you have to get dressed in rubber from head to toe you should not be doing while pregnant. Good rule of thumb there!
Keep yourself hydrated. If you are having morning sickness sometimes lots of little snacks throughout the day can help. Also those Sea bands do really work. They apply pressure on your wrists at a certain spot to help with nausea. You can usually buy them at any pharmacy. When your body tells you to take a break, listen. You need to take care of yourself if you want to be able to continue working for the majority of your pregnancy.
If you have back problems or start experiencing them during your pregnancy I highly recommend a maternity belt. I had a great one that was three pieces. A back support, underbelly support, and overbelly strap. Another great help is using an antifatigue matt in front of your table if you are standing. They do make a huge difference in how your back and feet feel at the end of the day.
If this is your first child and you can, sleep as much as you are able. I remember feeling guilty if I took a nap when I came home instead of spending time with my husband. I wish I could go back in time and reclaim all the sleep I missed! I certainly get very little now!
I know many groomers don't have health insurance. It's so important to get prenatal care during your pregnancy. There is help out there in most, if not all, states for pregnant women if you look for it. I know in NY state there is PCAP(Prenatal Care Assistance Programs), and many other states have similar programs. If you have just found out you are pregnant even before you get to the doctor you can buy prenatal vitamins over the counter. It's important to make sure you are getting the nutrients you and your baby need from the beginning. It seems that in the grooming industry there seems to be a higher than average number of smokers. I know it's difficult, but stopping smoking can be one of the best things you can do for your unborn child. I know exactly how hard it is since I was a smoker until I saw those two pink lines! Enough said.
If you have complications during your pregnancy the most important thing that you do is to take care of yourself and your baby. You can never really prepare for everything and have to deal with certain issues as they come. With my first I was due August 22 and had her on Aug 21. I stopped working 2 weeks before my due date and only had her early because I was induced. With my second I was taken out of work a full month before he was due because of pre-eclampsia and then had a cesarean because my 10 lb 5 oz little boy couldn't turn around and was breech. So I know how things can happen not exactly the way originally planned. My best advice is to take care of yourself, see your doctor regularly, and enjoy this part of life. While you're pregnant it may seem like it will never end, but once it's over it will seem like the time flew.
After delivery, accept all the help people offer. Let them take care of you. Your body has been through many major changes in a very short period of time. You may experience baby blues, post pardem depression or post pardem anxiety. You may feel great! Whatever the case may be take time to pamper yourself and your baby. You've waited 10 months (yes if you count it most pregnancies are actually ten full months!) and now it's time to enjoy the beautiful new arrival in your life. Don't vacuum or mop or do anything strenuous for at least six weeks or whatever your doctor has advised. They don't stay babies quite long enough and there will always be dogs to groom. Love your baby and enjoy your maternity leave. And if you're like me you may not want to go back to work full time at all.
