It's perfectly normal to work throughout your pregnancy well into your third trimester, as long as you remember to maintain a healthy work-life balance. While there's nothing wrong with resuming work, here are a few things you should pay attention to:

Stay out of hazardous working environments

And there's a good reason to. At 3 to 8 weeks during pregnancy, what you eat and breathe will have a great impact on the foetus, as his main organs have just begun to form. If you're always surrounded by toxic substances like benzene, mercury, lead, chlorine, and carbon disulfide, you're even more likely to put your child at grave risk during this crucial stage of foetal development.

If you're constantly working on a computer, you should be wary of electromagnetic radiation. There's an easy way to reduce and prevent it though: Invest in a radiation filter plate and attach it to your computer monitor, and make sure you keep all metal objects away from your computer, as they can reflect the radiation.

Go for regular prenatal check-ups

In addition to routine examinations, you should also undergo chest fluoroscopy, liver and kidney function tests and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) test to facilitate accurate prenatal diagnosis. Wise up on health-related knowledge and pregnancy know-how so that you're well aware of your day-to-day conditions.

Ensure a well-balanced nutrition

There are times that you may get too absorbed in work that you forget to eat, or over-indulge in unhealthy snack foods. But while you're pregnant, you should always ensure that you fulfil your daily nutritional needs for the sake of your growing child. You can also round it up with milk formulated specially for pregnant moms for optimal nourishment.

Stick to your regular working hours

Towards the end of your pregnancy, your body is working extra hard to accommodate your growing baby. So make sure you get enough rest every day. Maximise your working hours so that you can avoid overtime, which puts your health and your baby's at risk, as studies have shown that strenuous jobs can result in premature deliveries, babies with lower birth weight and high blood pressure.

Take two weeks off before labour

During late stages of pregnancy, your baby is developing at a rapid rate, so your body will undergo major physiological changes to prepare for childbirth. Taking leave off from work will not only help your body cope better, your child will also benefit from your healthy state of body and mind.

Whenever you're feeling at odds with your body or with the seemingly increasing pile of work sitting in your in-tray, just take things slow and calm. It will also help if your colleague is willing to take over tasks that are physically challenging for you. If all else fails, give yourself some time-out and take a short day's break.

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