An Office Guide to Comfort During Pregnancy

Good posture while sitting and standing is always important at work, helping us avoid back strain and remain comfortable throughout the day. During pregnancy, your body is under more strain than usual, and it’s important to stand, walk, sit and lie in positions that put the least amount of strain on your back. We have put together a guide on what you can do to stay comfortable, looking at how to sit when you’re pregnant and what additional support you should look for in the workplace.

How to sit correctly at work when you’re pregnant

Many of us spend up to 8-9 hours a day sitting at a desk when we are in the office, so it’s important you know how to sit correctly during your pregnancy to minimise discomfort.

To sit comfortably during pregnancy, you should ask for a good quality office chair with lumbar support, if your company provides one:

• Sit with your back straight and your shoulders back. The bottom of your back should touch the back of your chair
  
  
• Position the lumbar support (this can be a rolled-up towel, detachable lumbar support or one built-in with the chair) in the natural curve of your back

If you do not have lumbar support, here is how to find a good sitting position at work when you’re pregnant:

• Firstly, sit at the front of your chair and slouch
  
  
• From there, draw yourself up and accentuate the natural curve in your back as far as you can go and hold this position for a few seconds
   
• Releasing this position slightly will leave you with good sitting posture
  
  
• Make sure you distribute your body weight evenly on both hips
  
  
• Keep your hips and knees at a right angle and use a footrest or stool to comfortably rest your feet flat on the floor
  
  
• You should never cross your legs
  
  
• Adjust your chair so you can sit up close to your workspace, using your desk as a place to rest your elbows and arms and keeping your shoulders relaxed
  
  
• When using the pivot function of your office chair, turn your whole body not just your hips
  
  
• Try to avoid sitting for much longer than 30-minutes at a time
  
  
• When standing up, move to the front of your chair and stand up by straightening your legs. Avoid leaning forward at your waist as this will put more strain on your back
  
  
• Do regular pregnancy stretches each time you stand up

This is how you can help maximise your comfort sitting at work during pregnancy. If you find following these steps don’t help, you may want to consider a standing desk.

How to stand correctly at work when you’re pregnant

If you’re using a standing desk or find you’re regularly on your feet at work, here are some steps you can follow to try and stay comfortable while standing at work.

• Keep your head up straight, avoid tilting your head forward, backwards, down or sideways
  
  
• Always align your ear lobes with the middle of your shoulders
  
  
• Keep your shoulder blades back and your chest forward
  
  
• It’s important to have straight legs but don’t lock your knees
  
  
• Stretch the top of your head upward
  
  
• Keep both your stomach and your buttocks tucked in as much as you can, avoiding tilting your pelvis backwards or forwards
  
  
• Point your feet in the same direction, with your weight distributed evenly. Keep the arches of your feet supported by wearing low-heeled shoes to avoid back strain

When standing at work, try to avoid staying in the same place for too long. One of the best things you can do to avoid straining yourself is regularly have a little walk.

Pregnancy Chair Support

If you’re wondering what to ask for to help you stay comfortable at work, or you’re an employer looking for more information on how you can provide for employees – here are some additions to the chair and workspace that will help offer more support during pregnancy.

Lumbar Support – Many office chairs come with these fitted, or you can buy products that attach to chairs that may not have them. If you find you’re a little short on options, a rolled-up towel does a great job of supporting the Lumbar and Coccyx.

Armrests – Forearm rests support the forearms from overreaching, while providing a slight curve that allows you to get closer to the desk.

Adjustable Chair – Having a chair that is adjustable helps you get closer to your desk, which stops overreaching and makes it easier to work while maintaining a good posture. Having a pivot function also prevents the need to twist, turn and add additional strain to your back.

Footrest – Part of having a good posture while sitting during pregnancy is to have your feet flat on the floor. Having a footrest allows you to do this without stretching and provides more comfort than the floor.

Following our guide should help you maximise comfort during pregnancy, by maintaining a good posture while both sitting and standing. If you’re looking for a new office chair to help offer extra support, Furniture At Work have an excellent range that helps meet specific individual requirements.