{"id":12501,"date":"2016-12-12T22:09:13","date_gmt":"2016-12-12T22:09:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sparkvisionnow.com\/\/?p=12501"},"modified":"2016-12-12T22:09:13","modified_gmt":"2016-12-12T22:09:13","slug":"10-things-to-avoid-doing-to-your-pregnant-colleagues","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sunneez.com\/sparkvision\/10-things-to-avoid-doing-to-your-pregnant-colleagues\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Things to Avoid Doing to a Pregnant Colleague"},"content":{"rendered":"

Top 10 Things You Should Never Say or Do to a Pregnant Coworker: A Guide to Respectful Workplace Etiquette<\/h1>\n

At some point in our lives almost all of us will work with a pregnant colleague, be a pregnant woman, or simply know a pregnant woman in a professional capacity. I wish I could simply write \u201ctreat them like normal human beings with appropriate professional boundaries.<\/a>\u201d Unfortunately, people seem to forget what that means once a bump is in the picture.<\/p>\n

So, if you\u2019re curious about the major \u201cDon\u2019ts\u201d for your pregnant colleague, look no further.<\/h3>\n

1. Don\u2019t ask if someone is pregnant.<\/strong> Seriously, please respect your coworker\u2019s privacy and wait for them to tell you. No one wants a pregnancy detective and you never know if that person is struggling with getting pregnant.<\/p>\n

2. \u201cWas it planned?\u201d<\/strong> Or in other formats: “Are you ready?”, “How long were you trying?!”\u00a0<\/em>It’s definitely<\/em> none of your business.<\/p>\n

3. Don\u2019t ask if she\u2019s having twins.<\/strong> And more generally, don\u2019t comment on her weight\/size\/appearance. She knows she\u2019s likely getting bigger, she\u2019s creating a human being inside of her. She doesn\u2019t need to be reminded.<\/p>\n

4. Don\u2019t touch her belly.<\/strong> Don\u2019t even ask if you can, just don\u2019t touch.<\/p>\n

5. Don\u2019t ask if she is going to come back after the birth.<\/strong> And even how she is going to manage her job\/travel\/home life. She has thought about it and has a plan, trust me. But you don\u2019t need to be a part of it.<\/p>\n

6. Don\u2019t share pregnancy\/birth horror stories.<\/strong> Becoming a parent is terrifying enough, please keep the stories to yourself. This also includes commenting on their birth plan if she shares it with you. Who cares if she wants an epidural or she doesn\u2019t?<\/p>\n

7. \u201cSleep now while you can!\u201d<\/strong> The newborn days are rough, and if it\u2019s her first child she\u2019ll know soon enough. Sleeping while pregnant is hard, let\u2019s not make it worse with snarky comments.<\/p>\n

8. \u201cAny day now!<\/strong>\u201d These comments seem to start around the sixth or seventh month, and that\u2019s unfortunate because there is still a long way to go.<\/p>\n

9. \u201cYou\u2019re still here!?\u201d<\/strong> The lack of paid parental leave in this country is shameful and as a result many women are working until they give birth. Yes, it sucks.<\/p>\n

10. \u201cEnjoy your vacation\/time off!\u201d<\/strong> Birth is still treated as a special circumstance vs a typical normal life event that. Caring for a newborn while putting your insides back together is not a vacation.<\/p>\n

Each one of the statements above has been said to me or a pregnant colleague by our coworkers, supervisors, or even CEOs.<\/h3>\n

Pregnancy is simply part of life for a significant portion of the workforce—so let\u2019s start treating it like that.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the worst thing someone\u2019s said or done to you when you were Working While Pregnant (WWP)? Or have you noticed anything with a pregnant colleague?<\/p>\n

\n

Christiana Mercer Rigby<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0writes passionately about millennial parents in the workplace and actively embraces the term \u201cmillennial mom.\u201d\u00a0She\u2019s a seasoned nonprofit professional, digital editor, community advocate, mother of small children, and lifelong learner. With a degree in Environmental science, and minor degrees in dance and sociology she’s never been one to take the straight forward path. As a compulsive volunteer she is still learning the difference between the right opportunities and the wrong ones. Community involvement is her passion and she\u2019s forever interested in finding common ground in the perspectives of others. As a parent, she\u2019s worked full time, part time, no time, and contract \u2013 so she\u2019s seen it all. Christiana is also deeply active in her community serving on nonprofit boards and government committees.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Top 10 Things You Should Never Say or Do to a Pregnant Coworker: A Guide to Respectful Workplace Etiquette At some point in our lives almost all of us will work with a pregnant colleague, be a pregnant woman, or simply know a pregnant woman in a professional capacity. 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