For a working woman, being pregnant becomes an experience of several emotions and life changes. You start to feel biological, psychological and physiological changes within yourself. Hormonal changes in your body lead you to issues like fatigue, nausea, mood swings, etc. It becomes worse if you have a family to look after. And if you are a working woman, then your responsibilities increase phenomenally.

So, how do you manage kids, family and work while dealing with depression, mood swings and pregnancy-induced body pain? It’s easier said than done, but there are ways to enjoy life, pregnancy and work altogether.

Here are 7 tips to on how to manage your life during Pregnancy:

1) An increase in appetite, food cravings and binge-eating sessions will become an inevitable part of your life during pregnancy. Thus, you need to start with a healthy diet plan. Having a nutritious diet plan is the key to alleviate a majority of the problems for the next nine months.

Eat fresh fruits, vegetables and salads as snacks rather than indulging in various high-calorie junk foods like chips, french fries, etc. Doing this prevents you from gaining unnecessary weight while you’re pregnant. Moreover, it keeps you from experiencing fatigue and prevents you from living a sedentary lifestyle post-pregnancy.

2) Habitualize yourself to exercise every day, even if it is for just 20 to 30 minutes. Being active raises your spirits and keeps your blood-flow smooth. This also adds to the nourishment of your baby.

Join an exercise class especially for parents, where you’ll get to socialize with other moms-to-be. When you see others motivated in situations same as yours, it motivates you too.

3) You need to let your co-workers know that you are expecting. Open up about this to your boss and colleagues after the first trimester. It makes them conscious about your fragile and emotional condition. Added to this, they won’t speak with you in a manner that can trigger mood swings or irritability. Another important thing is keeping your boss updated about your health from time to time. It helps if you need to transfer some of your workload.

4) If you have an option to work from home, make use of this option. Inform your employer about your situation so that you don’t face problems and can take occasional breaks from your office environment. In fact, it relieves workplace stress by working from the comfort of your home.

5) It is always wise to think about your post-pregnancy options well ahead of time. Be clear as to whether you want to return to work as a full-time employee after your maternity leave, or you would consider working part-time instead.

6) Don’t try to control every aspect of your home and work. In such cases, letting go and relaxing once in awhile can prove to be a big help. Understand the importance of staying stress-free and happy during pregnancy. You need to realize that it’s okay if your house isn’t spick and span. And you don’t need to feel stressed out at work either: avoid gossips and office politics, whether it is directly or indirectly related to your work.

7) A backache, leg swelling, sleeping disorders, and mood swings may get out of your control sometimes, but how well you endure this pain is up to your inner core strength.

A great way to minimize the stress is to focus on cheerful activities that keep you active. Such activities include shopping for your maternity clothes, clothes and gifts for your baby, and also sprucing up the nursery.

Getting pregnant is a wonderful feeling for a woman, so enjoy every bit of it. You are soon going to be a dear mom to a beautiful soul, cherish this moment and take a break from this stressful period.