Any tips for surviving the third trimester while going into the office everyday? Feels significantly harder lately.

Following. No tips just solidarity. I’m only late second tri and it already feels so hard and leave feels like it’s an eternity away.

You should request accommodation! The 2022 law is very protective and they really can’t say no to you working from home.

If you must, I highly recommend a belly band that helps support your bump and elevating your legs as much as possible.

Where are you located? Certain states (CA and maybe NY?) allow you to take short term disability at 36 weeks, and this time doesn’t shorten your parental leave. Would suggest taking if you can!

That makes sense, because you are doing a lot! Ideas: Any option to arrive later, leave earlier? You may not need anyone’s approval to do that. Or, if you have a supportive partner, work from home a few days a week?

Also, food and rest. Re food, I found stopping on my way into work and grabbing a big breakfast sandwich to-go, with a lot of protein (eggs, some kind of breakfast meat) made a big difference in my energy level during the third semester of my first pregnancy. Re rest, I cut out any extra curriculars before/after work on weekends and really focused on staying as rested as I could. Dinner out with friends, after work mocktails, other stuff just took too much out of me. Shift to power saving mode.

This is the time to get your partner in the habit of running the errands, getting the groceries, cleaning the house, changing the sheets and doing the laundry. You just can’t — and absolutely shouldn’t (because it’s inequitable) — be shouldering domestic chores your partner can do. They’ll need to grab these tasks when the baby arrives, at the very latest, so now is a good time to start.

Good luck! You’re entering a phase of life that may sometimes seem very hard (and wonderful, at other moments). Keep the following in mind: (1) You are incredibly resilient and this will pass. Sometimes you have to take it minute by minute, little step by little step, but that sense of difficulty will end up behind you. (2) You are incredibly strong, and you’ve got this. You’re a kick-$&& person who has never met a moment she didn’t meet. (3) You can ask for and deserve help. Don’t go it alone.

Can you get a break from going into the office every day? You could ask your provider for a note requesting remote work as a reasonable accommodation if that would help.
Otherwise you could try to eat really well (protein smoothies made a big difference for me) and drink a lot of water to support your energy, take breaks when you can, and give yourself so much grace. Your body is making a whole human.

If you have pregnancy issues that make things hard to go to work every day get a note from your doctor recommending working from home or working partially from home. Your employer must honor medical recommendations.

I’m in FL so not sure but I don’t want to stop working, just need tips on getting through the mental/physical slow down. Will be trying to incorporate more protein for now.

Seek a wfh accommodation.

Ask to work from home. A lot of firms offer that option for the third trimester and I hope yours does too. It’s very hard third trimester to focus and care