If you are pregnant and have decided on working during your pregnancy, you are like most other women today. When our (or at least) my parents were having babies, it was much more common for a woman to stay home while she was "with child." Today, however, most women continue to work through their entire pregnancy - even if they plan to stay home once the baby is born.

Unless you have an extremely dangerous job or a very high-risk pregnancy there is really no reason why you shouldn't continue to work as long as you feel comfortable doing so.

Here are some tips for working during pregnancy:

~ Hopefully you have some sick or personal days saved up. If you get a bad case of morning sickness, you might need them! Depending on what you do, you may be able to adjust your hours during the first few months of pregnancy.

~ Take lots of snacks with you to work. You may find that your morning sickness is calmed by crackers, tea, Sprite, etc. Make sure you keep plenty of whatever helps you to feel better in your desk at work. You'll be glad you have it!

~ Take time for lunch! Even if you used to spend lunch at your desk catching up on work, it's important that you take time to stop and eat. Many pregnant women find that skipping meals can bring on a serious case of nausea. Try to keep the nausea at bay by taking the time to eat.

~ Get up and walk around. If you work at a desk all day, make sure that you get up and walk around every hour or so. Moving around will help you to avoid leg cramps.

~ Put your feet up. This is especially important as you reach the latter stages of pregnancy and will help to keep swelling to a minimum.

~ Follow your doctors advice. If your OB tells you that it's time to stop working or that you should cut back your hours, then it's time to do it!

~ Get enough sleep. You are likely to be more tired during your pregnancy; if you are exhausted after a long day at work, don't feel bad about turning in early at night.

~ Consider telecommuting for part of the time if your job allows it. Many companies are sending employees home to work. If your company is one of them, pregnancy may be the perfect time to test the "working at home" water.

~ Avoid travel in the latter stages of your pregnancy. If your job requires you to travel, you'll likely have to stop traveling sometime in your 3rd trimester. Make sure that your employer is aware of the date when you will no longer be able to travel.

~ Don't get to stressed. When working during pregnancy, you have to be extra careful not to let everyday things get you too stressed out. If you work at a high stress job, find someone that you can talk to, like a spouse or close friend.