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Congratulations, soon you’ll be a mom! It’s exciting — particularly for first-time mothers. But there’s a problem, you don’t want to sit all day. Your office job, though, demands you sit for not less than 5 to 6 hours a day!
What’s more? Sometimes you strain to maintain a good posture. And? You’ve heard of possible consequences, for example, a miscarriage. You’re worried and want to know how to sit in the office chair during pregnancy – at least, safely! I got your back!
Firstly, you can sit down while pregnant — it’s one way to get enough rest. But, the wrong sitting position may badly affect the baby. The safest way to sit in an office chair during pregnancy is by allowing your back to sit straight and touch the office chair’s backrest and your feet to be flat on the ground.
But?
Table of Contents
Does Sitting Position Affect Baby?
Yes, the sitting position affects the baby. For example, maintaining a bad posture when you sit in an office chair during pregnancy, could potentially cause your baby to take the wrong birthing position.
Consequently, you could encounter complications that were possible and easy to avoid through proper sitting positions.
So…
How To Sit In Office Chair During Pregnancy
Though how you sit in office chair is primarily dependent on the safety of your baby — your safety and comfort as a mother are equally paramount. So, to sit in an office chair comfortably during pregnancy, maintain a posture in which you strain least.
What’s more? Your spine MUST align well each time you sit.
How to achieve this, therefore?
- Allow your back to sit straight and comfortably lean on the office chair’s backrest.
- Align your pelvis by leaning forward (slightly)
- Let the butts touch the back of the office chair
- If you still feel uncomfy, roll a towel and place it at the lower back for extra support. Else, use a soft pillow.
- Roll your shoulders down and pull them back — let them be in line with your hips
- Your ears, on the other hand, should be in line with your shoulders (directly)
- Move close to the office table and allow both arms to rest on the chair armrests (depends, though, on your current tasks). The elbows, too, should rest on the armrests of your office chair.
- If using a low seat, evenly place the feet, flat on the floor and allow the knees to take a 90 degrees curve. Else, elevate your feet using a footstool. The hips, too, should maintain 90 degrees when you sit.
- Maintain the same level with the working table when you sit at your office chair during pregnancy.
- Sitting at the edge of your office chair during pregnancy could also prevent strain. Ensure you slouch completely while in this posture.
- Straighten yourself up while seated. Next, fully heighten the curve around your back for a minute and while distributing your entire body’s weight on both hips, gently relax. Maintain a 10 degrees posture.
Additional Tips
- Regular simple foot exercise would be necessary if you sit in your office chair for more than 6 hours working. This way, you prevent cramps and allow enough circulation in your feet.
- Take regular breaks and walk around the office.
- Regularly adjust the height of your office chair during pregnancy to avoid strain
What Positions Should Be Avoided During Pregnancy?
Indeed, certain sitting positions are bad for pregnancy and should be avoided at all costs. They may either cause complications on your body or your baby. Other sitting positions may have adverse effects on the delivery day.
So, which are these sitting positions to avoid?
✅ Waist Twisting: There are many tasks in most offices and moving around is inevitable. But whenever you need to turn around and pick something on your working table, please move the entire torso.
A better option, though, would be to buy a good office chair that features swivel casters and also allows you to rotate at an angle of 360 degrees.
✅ Slouching: Sitting while your legs are hanging is totally unwise when you sit in your office chair when expectant. If the office chair is slightly higher and makes it impossible to lay your feet flat on the ground, please use a footstool to fully support them.
✅ Bending and Leaning Forward: Move your working table closer to you to avoid bending forward to type or read content on your screen.
Adding more pressure on your abdomen, particularly in the third trimester could be unsafe for the baby. Why so? There’s minimal cushioning from the body fat as well as amniotic fluid.
✅ Crossing The Legs: It feels comfy to keep your legs crossed, at least, for me. This, however, could cause improper balance when you sit in office chair during pregnancy.
Still, there may be insufficient blood circulation to your legs. Resultantly, varicose veins, as well as ankles, may swell. Avoid that by avoiding poor sitting posture.
Can I Sit Down At Work While Pregnant?
Women across the globe have different body shapes, heights, and weights. So, one chair may not be the best for every expectant woman. Your height, weight, and body shape determine how to sit and work at your desk while expectant.
Nevertheless, to avoid strain while working regardless of how God created you, here’s how to sit down at work while pregnant:
Use a Lumbar Support Cushion
The spine needs extra support during pregnancy when you sit in an office chair. A good lumbar support cushion would do your spine justice if you don’t have an ergonomic office chair, yet. Lumbar support cushions have a contoured design. Consequently, they can realign your spine, back, and hips.
To avoid sweating, purchase a breathable support cushion. Most importantly, purchase a durable one that takes the curve of your spine.
Buy Armrest Pads
Some armrests are hard to your arms and they may keep you uncomfy – thereby making working difficult. If your office chair armrests are made of plastic, they are especially the culprit.
So, an alternative would be buying armrest pads that are soft to your skin. Made entirely from memory and featuring a velvet polyester finish, armrest pads are ideal for pregnant ladies who spend many hours typing on their computer keyboards.
Buy A Soft Seat Cushion
Unlike recliners that feature a soft seat cushion, most office chairs have a hard seat material. Such may be totally uncomfy for any expectant lady who is working for more than one hour at their office desk.
Use a soft seat cushion, therefore, when using office chairs made of plastic – your butts will thank you someday!
Buy a Footrest
Most women complain about swollen ankles during pregnancy. While this is a common problem for most expectant ladies, there are effective (home) remedies to this. One such effective remedy is resting your feet on a footrest when using the office chair.
A footrest prevents strains on your legs and the lower back.
With enough blood circulation to the legs, swelling should be minimal (if there be any).
Consequently, you can still wear your shoes as they’d still fit comfortably on your feet.
How Long Should You Sit While Pregnant?
You can sit for as long as you want while pregnant. The rule of thumb, though, is to be comfortable and maintain the right posture! If one sitting position makes you feel uncomfy, change to another recommended position.
Even so, I would suggest that you avoid sitting for extended periods without taking breaks. With breaks, you don’t get fatigued and no parts of your body will feel strained.
So, if possible, when pregnant, sit for about 30 minutes, then take a small break. Spend this time talking to colleagues, taking water, walking outside to get fresh air – whatever you want, simply do it during the short breaks.
Related Articles:
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FAQs
Which Chair Is Best For Pregnant Ladies?
There are many best chairs for pregnant ladies, for example, the Duramont ergonomic office chair.
Check out this list for the best office chairs for working-class expectant ladies.
Can I Sit With My Legs Folded During Pregnancy?
Yes, you can sit with your legs folded during pregnancy. Even so, don’t maintain this posture for long. Here’s why. Folding your legs strain your muscles. Besides, it causes cramping and backaches that could otherwise make pregnancy challenging.
The Verdict: How To Sit in Office Chair?
When using your office chair, make sure your back rests comfortably on the backrest. For extra support, add a lumbar cushion to ensure the spine gets maximum support.
Also, keep your feet well supported using a footrest or use a chair that allows them to stay flat on the ground.
Keep your arms resting on the padded armrests when typing. Regardless of how comfortable you feel, breaks are essential. So, after every 30 to 40 minutes, take a break. Get out of your working area and walk around.
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