Q: Is it safe to be on your feet all day during pregnancy?

A: No matter how healthy you may be, when you stand on your feet all day in one spot it applies pressure to the entire body. This is because the heel supports most of your body weight. By the end of the day, you will feel sore. As you progress through the pregnancy, you will find it more difficult to stand due to the weight gain and water retain. You can take a few measures to help relieve some of the pressure. Wearing supportive panty hose for example can help take off some of the strain by providing you with some compression. It will help prevent inflammation by controlling the blood circulation. You can also wear a maternity girdle or belt to support your waist and stomach.

For the most part, if you move around you should not have any complications. You may feel tired however. In fact, during the first 12 weeks of your pregnancy you will feel fatigue due to the changes occurring in your body. Standing in one spot all day could increase your fatigue. 

Standing motionless can cause pain. Standing in one spot all day also lowers the blood pressure. This could create complications, especially during the 2^nd trimester. During the 2^nd trimester, your blood pressure will naturally decrease. Your blood pressure will return to normal during the 3^rd trimester. When your blood pressure drops, it causes you to feel woozy, which some women have fainted.

Rather than stand in one spot all day, take a few short walks throughout the day. For the most part, as long as you are healthy you can stand on your feet all day, just keep the blood circulating naturally. Consult with your physician if you are a high-risk patient.