Dr. Lori Gore-Green offers her top three tips for women who are simultaneously pregnant and running a business. Disclaimer: Check with your primary care physician that these practices are suitable for your situation! Every pregnancy is different.

1. 3 T I P S F O R
R U N N I N G A
B U S I N E S S W H I L E
P R E G N A N T
D R . L O R I G O R E - G R E E N
D R L O R I G O R E G R E E N . O R G

2. B E I N G
P R E G N A N T
comes with lots of challenges:
swollen feet, morning
sickness, the inability to
engage in certain physical
activities, and the fact that
you’re literally growing
another human being. That’s
no easy task, and running a
business on top of that
physical stress makes it even
harder.

3. W H A T T O D O
Thankfully, in today’s day and age,
women can often do both
throughout the term of their
pregnancies. Here are a few ways
that might help:

4. B R I N G
P R E G N A N C Y
I N T O T H E
C O N V E R S A T I O N .
Often, talking about pregnancy and maternity
is considered a no-no in a corporate setting.
Women who are pregnant are not
acknowledged as such; it’s just not as
important in comparison to team-building
exercises or the latest numbers in a report.
However, given how taxing a pregnancy often
is, even at its best, make pregnancy and
maternity talk part of the conversation.
Introduce the topic and don’t look back.
This will also help make it easier for
colleagues who become pregnant in the
future. Pregnancy doesn’t have to be and,
more to the point, shouldn’t be a taboo.

5. R E V I E W
P A R E N T A L
L E A V E P O L I C I E S
T H O R O U G H L Y .
Start-ups, in particular, are not known for their
generous time off for new mothers, but they are often
known for wanting to implement considerate policies
for both new mothers and fathers alike. If your
company doesn’t have a formal policy in place yet
because it’s so young, get those details squared away
now rather than waiting until your third trimester.
Keep in mind the transition back to work, too, as new
parents move back into the workforce. It’s an
adjustment going from full-time parent to a full-time
employee, and allowing for that period of time will
only be to your benefit and your employees’.

6. R E M I N D Y O U R S E L F T H A T Y O U
C A N ’ T D O E V E R Y T H I N G .
No one likes doing this. We all want to be the one who can do it all,
but the truth is, we can’t, and it’s better to recognize that now. Being
pregnant will require flexibility in your expectations of yourself and
of your work routine. Working twelve hours a day is a lot to ask, so be
upfront and honest with your team about your limitations. Doing so
will keep you healthier in the process because you will be taking care
of yourself and your baby, rather than stressing yourself out trying to
finish one last report. Prioritizing your daily tasks will make your life
so much easier.

7. T H E B O T T O M
L I N E
Your body is going to need certain
things to successfully grow a baby,
and your job is to listen to it,
especially if you’re running a
business at the same time.

8. DISCLAIMER:
As always, make sure to speak with your medical
practitioner about the best practices for you.