Is It Safe To Move Furniture While I’m Pregnant?
Renovating the house is common when waiting for the arrival of the baby. The nesting instincts of the mother, will be hard to keep her still. Though there are no established standards of safety regarding moving the furniture or lifting heavy objects, acting with caution is nevertheless necessary.
Why It Is Harmful
One of the risks of moving around heavy objects is that the mother may get a muscle strain or even tear a ligament. The reason is the flow of Relaxin through the body of the expectant mother. The tendons, ligaments and muscles of the mother’s body relaxes in order to let the joints of the hip bones loose in order to prepare the body for pregnancy. Hence, during this time it is easy to tear or strain the ligaments. Even the bones may get dislocated as the muscles and tendons are the ones that hold them up in alignment.
There is also the risk of getting your back strained. The way the mother moves around will change during ,as the center of gravity moves forward. As a result when trying to exert your-self to pick a heavy object, the strain on back will be multiplied. Such additional strain will just make the matters worse.
Another inherent risk is dropping something against the stomach. The heavier the object more will be the risk of injuring the fetus.
The risk of falling or slipping while moving the furniture is not uncommon.
Safety Measures
One should always consult a doctor. A doctor who is familiar with the history of the patient is the best person to let you know how much strain the patient can take.
It is usually safe to move furniture in the first trimester. Even then the mother should be careful regarding any unforeseen injuries.
If one has to move the furniture, care should be taken that the back is not strained too much. It is advisable to bend from the knee and keep the back straight while picking up or pushing heavy objects. If the mother has a protruding belly and the back muscles are weak, a maternity belt can be of great use.
The most important measure one can take is listening to their bodies. Straining or over exerting one-self is something the expectant mothers should avoid. Getting too excited with picking or pushing around heavy objects may lead to overheating, excessive strain and not to mention injuries. Hence, moving furniture during the first few months is fine, provided one pays heed to the limits and takes ample breaks in between. If one feels tired, it is always better to ask someone else to do the work.
Renovating the house is common when waiting for the arrival of the baby. The nesting instincts of the mother, will be hard to keep her still. Though there are no established standards of safety regarding moving the furniture or lifting heavy objects, acting with caution is nevertheless necessary.
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