Best Jobs For Pregnant Women
Best Jobs For Pregnant Women: The modern workforce and labor laws have advanced in ways that try to ensure pregnant women have equal rights and opportunities. However, some women still face extra obstacles unique to expectant mothers.
Best Jobs For Pregnant Women
Being pregnant never means you have to give up on a job search or employment. After all, working with a baby on board can be a great thing, especially if you focus on the best jobs for pregnant women during your search.
According to an article in the New England Journal of Medicine, nearly half of all pregnancies in the US are unintended. So, annually, millions of women face challenging circumstances and difficult decisions, especially if they are not financially secure or do not have much family support.
Even for women with good relationships or stable living arrangements, unexpected pregnancies can cause new financial pressures, as having a baby carries higher costs. And those pressures are only compounded if a pregnant woman has recently been laid off or is alone or in a bad relationship.
That is why many pregnant women need to quickly find employment and work during pregnancy. They also don’t have time to go to school for a year or more to train for a new career. As a result, the best jobs for pregnant women in this situation are often positions that utilize their existing talents or that require only a small amount of continuing education or on-the-job training.
Getting a job while pregnant may present some specific challenges, but it is possible. According to Pew Research Center, more than 65 percent of American mothers work during their first pregnancies. And, of those, about 80 percent keep working until within a month of giving birth. Many of them even work from home.
So if you are pregnant and need a job, or want to find a new job that is more family-friendly, you’re in good company. Many women consider changing jobs if their current positions are not suitable for pregnancy or do not offer the benefits and flexibility they’ll soon need.
Generally, pregnancy-friendly jobs meet some or all of the following criteria:
- They don’t require physical exertion beyond what you are already used to or types of exertion not considered safe for pregnancy.
- They don’t cause excessive emotional stress.
- They offer flexible work hours, personal time for appointments, and time off as needed.
- They provide good medical benefits.
- They don’t require a long commute.
- They don’t require excessive exposure to toxins, contagious illnesses, or other physical hazards.
- They offer private space to nurse or pump milk if needed
Read Also: What is the average salary of a phlebotomist?
Jobs to Avoid When Pregnant
- Any job that exposes you to potential toxins should be avoided throughout your pregnancy.
- Common chemicals that can cause damage when breathed in or absorbed can be found in pesticides, paint, car exhaust fumes, and even cleaning products.
- These types of chemicals are very widely used in house cleaning jobs, so that is a category you’ll probably want to stay away from while pregnant.
- If it isn’t possible to avoid continuous exposure to high-risk materials, it’s always best to find a different career or request a temporary role change.
- In the latter half of your pregnancy, doctors generally recommend avoiding careers that put a strain on your body.
- Any form of heavy lifting, as well as long periods of standing, should be avoided at this point.
- These activities can not only harm your child, but they can also cause health issues for you.
Top Best Jobs for Pregnant Women
1. Virtual Assistant
Usually, the virtual assistant position covers the same things you’d find in the administrative assistant job description. You support a business or company leader, handling a variety of office-related tasks, all while working remotely.
There are full- and part-time options available, and many come with flexible schedules. Plus, a $41,977 a year, making this a potentially lucrative option.
2. Freelance writer
Taking on freelance writing projects can be a great way to earn money if you are already an expert communicator. Editors, organizations, and even individual professionals of all stripes are looking for writers for temporary projects as diverse as marketing materials, grant proposals, articles, blog posts, advertising copy, website content, white papers, and books. Also, writing is something you can do from home.
Median hourly pay: $24,071
3. Private tutor
Did you excel in any academic subjects when you were in school? Are you an expert in something? Many students benefit from one-on-one tutoring outside of class in subjects with which they struggle. In addition, these days, many tutors offer their services online and conduct sessions with their clients through video chat technologies such as Skype and Facetime.
Median hourly pay: $24.65
4. A virtual customer service representative
A lot of organizations now hire people to handle online inquiries or take customer phone calls from home. That’s why being a customer service rep is among the most suitable online jobs for pregnant women. You’ll need a reliable computer and Internet connection, but you may get to choose your hours.
Median hourly pay: $17.23
5. Personal shopper
Many working professionals (especially busy entrepreneurs) do not have time to purchase necessary clothing, personal items, gifts, or supplies. As a result, they sometimes hire people to find the best deals on quality products, make informed recommendations and do their shopping. It can be a fun job for expectant moms who are avid shoppers, especially since they get paid to spend other people’s money.
Median hourly pay: $11,761
6. Office clerk
Many companies need people to take care of basic office and clerical tasks such as filing, typing documents, answering phones, taking notes during meetings, performing simple bookkeeping duties, and sending and retrieving mail. Clerical positions are among the most common temporary jobs for pregnant women. And they sometimes turn into good long-term employment with advancement opportunities.
Median hourly pay: $16.98
7. Transcriptionist
If you’re a quick and accurate typist, working as a transcriptionist could be a solid option. You just listen to recordings and type out what you hear. And you may be able to do it remotely, all while earning around $47,500 annually, which is certainly respectable.
8. Proofreader
As a proofreader, your main job is to critique – not necessarily correct – someone else’s written work. So, if you have a great grasp of spelling and grammar, it could be a natural fit, allowing you to earn $53,037 per year looking for problems in someone else’s book, article, or other written content.
9. Web Developer
Web design is another option that can be very flexible. You may be able to work from home, snag a part-time position, or freelance as you put your skills to work creating and maintaining websites, all while making nearly $73,760 per year if you’re working full-time.
10. Library assistant
Local and regional libraries sometimes need additional workers to help sort and shelve books and other materials. This type of job also sometimes involves compiling records, retrieving materials for loan, and registering new library materials. Plus, libraries are calm and quiet work environments, which means that they tend to offer pregnant-friendly jobs.
- Median hourly pay: $19.98
11. Cake decorator or baker
Are you into arts and crafts? Do you have any experience decorating cakes for special occasions? You may not have world-class skills yet, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start refining your talents on the job. Many stores and bakeries hire people who show potential in this culinary craft.
- Median hourly pay: $14.13
12. Graphic Designer
A popular option if you want to freelance, graphic designers, create a variety of images for companies, like logos, brochures, advertisement layouts, and more. Often, earning around $52,110 a year is possible if you work full-time, making it one of the higher paying options on the list.
13. Video Editor
In the world of online content, video reigns. That’s why companies are willing to pay handsomely – often around $37,900 a year – for video editors that can help them bring their vision to life.
14. Retail seller
Some retail jobs are more pregnancy-friendly than others. For example, many maternity stores like to hire pregnant women, as this makes their main customers feel more comfortable. Additionally, other stores that sell pregnancy or baby products also sometimes offer suitable jobs that don’t necessarily require you to be on your feet all day.
Median hourly pay: $12.14
15. Child care aide
Having this type of job during pregnancy can help you prepare for life after giving birth. You can practice feeding babies, putting them to sleep, changing their diapers, and more. Many daycare centers offer this type of employment for pregnant women. And sometimes it leads to more advanced careers in early childhood education.
Median hourly pay: $11.65
16. Multimedia artist or animator
Creative women with drawing talent and active imaginations can do well in the computer animation and special effects industries. The work requires a lot of focus, but it isn’t physically demanding. And, outside of periodic deadline pressures, it is also frequently low-stress.
- Median hourly wage: $37.36
17. Market research analyst
As new trends emerge and others fade away, market conditions change and create fresh opportunities and risks. So companies always need marketing professionals who are skilled at researching and evaluating competitors as well as current and future market conditions.
- Median hourly wage: $31.64
18. House Sitter
If you’re looking for jobs for pregnant women that are incredibly low stress, consider housesitting. Your main duty is to simply be present at someone’s home, though you may need to handle some basic chores like watering plants and getting mail. Pay-wise, it can usually work out to $12.61 per hour, and you may be able to work a remote job at the same time, too.
19. Paralegal
We’ve taken a close look at the paralegal job description before, but the basics are that you spend your time supporting a legal office or lawyer. You do need some higher education, though usually less than a Bachelor’s. Once you have that, you could be earning $51,740 a year and might even be able to work from home.
20. Customer Support Representative
Many customer support rep jobs are part-time, and some are remote positions. You’ll spend your time helping customers solve problems, usually by using set procedures. Plus, you might make about $34,710 per year in a full-time position, which is solid.
21. Translator
Are you bilingual or multilingual? If so, working as a translator could be right up your alley. You might be able to earn $51,830 annually by translating documents, writing subtitles, and more.
22. Search Engine Evaluator
Search engine evaluators check out the results list to see if they make sense based on the search term, reporting back if something isn’t right. Typically, they earn about $35,471 annually for their efforts. Not too bad, right?
23. Financial planner
Few people have the expertise to consistently choose wise investments, minimize their taxes, plan their estates, and create budgets to achieve their long-term financial goals. As a result, financial planners and advisors can make a meaningful difference in other people’s lives. And they can often work for themselves or find employment that comes with outstanding medical insurance and family leave benefits.
- Median hourly pay: $42.95
24. Medical transcriptionist
Many healthcare practitioners (especially doctors) make audio recordings about the details of their patient interactions, diagnoses, treatments, and potential plans of action going forward. But those recordings need to be transcribed into accurate and readable medical reports that can be easily understood and kept with each patient’s records. Medical transcriptionists fill that need, and many of them get to work from home and set their hours.
- Median hourly pay: $16.96
25. Dispensing optician
This job is often good for expectant mothers who feel energized by meeting and helping different people each day. It involves assisting customers with selecting eyeglass frames or contact lenses and ensuring that they are ordered and produced according to the proper measurements and prescription specifications.
- Median hourly pay: $18.53