Being pregnant at Christmas

This isn't helped by the fact that office parties can also be forums where tongues become loosened. If your pregnancy is generally known, office parties prompt questions from colleagues about your maternity plans that you may not wish to discuss yet.

Make sure you are clear with yourself about what you want to disclose and what you don't, so that if your boss casually asks whether you intend to come back to work after the baby, you don't feel obliged to give an answer either way. Remember your rights - you do not have to commit to when or whether you come back to work until eight weeks before you actually do. See www.direct.gov.uk for details on all of your maternity leave rights.

Remember too, however, that it works both ways; work bashes are not the best place to ask your boss whether returning part-time is an option - save that for the office!

Fighting fatigue
Your body is working hard at the moment, making a new life. Christmas can be stressful, so make sure this doesn't adversely affect that important work you are doing. After all, Christmas happens every single year - you can always execute your master Christmas plan next year or the year after.

If you are in the latter stages of pregnancy, do you really want to host a family get-together while carrying a huge bump? Starting Christmas shopping early is always a good idea, but particularly this year so you're not tramping round the shops with heavy bags on Christmas Eve. Online shopping can work wonders, as can sending your partner out with a shopping list!

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