Working whilst pregnant... Learning to push on through!

My job is a fairly physical one. That is to say it involves me getting up and down from the floor often, smelling smells and seeing sights that can turn a grown man's stomach at the best of times (let alone in the midst of a morning sickness attack), tackling stairs and heavy lifting often and valiantly wrestling anxious animals (many with more paws and claws than they know what to do with). I work at a veterinary hospital and love my job in every way but the bigger I grow, the slower I get and that doesn't leave me much room to be an asset to my team. Depressing, much?

No longer can I assist with radiographs, clean litter boxes, lift or restrain particularly enthusiastic dogs and cats (in fact scratch handling cats all together - little buggers!), assist with anesthesia or handle a variety of substances. Honestly, I'm having a good day if I can make it back up off the floor after taking a temperature at this point. Frustration has set in and truly, I'm struggling to learn when is when for this temporary body I'm currently inhabiting.

http://www.makeyourenglishwork.com/2012/07/11/pregnant-not-allowed/

Too many times now I've jumped into the midst of the action only to find that the situation is too squirmy, kicky, heavy or bitey for my own good and have had to withdraw with my tail between my legs (pun intended). My colleagues are fab, always urging me to take it easy, but the truth is I'm not sure I know how to yet. I've never been particularly limited before and I find myself craving to be the same as everybody else, leaping to the aide of a coworker, or putting my hard earned, albeit still developing skills to good use. After all, practice makes perfect, right?

At the end of the day, baby bear will always come first. I know this and if that means taking a back seat for a while then so be it. Presumably it can't be as torturous as giving up the ol' vino for 9 months (kidding! - well, sort of...) But it's a brand new skill I'm going to have to get used to as my belly grows and my activity level slopes off into couch potato territory. Bring on daytime TV, please!