Sometimes being pregnant can seem overwhelming. For first-time moms, not knowing what to expect can be stressful. Those pregnant with child No. 2 may be concerned about being the mother of two children as opposed to one. To top it all off, the number of mothers who work up until the last few weeks of their pregnancy is skyrocketing. Managing your career while dealing with your pregnancy and preparing for Baby can seem like a lot, but planning can alleviate much of the stress, leaving you better able to enjoy the journey.

Christy Murphy from New Castle, Del., found that understanding employers and a strong family-friendly policy can go a long way to make pregnancy both a happier and healthier experience. She works as a unit manager for HSBC-North America and was concerned that having to leave work earlier than planned because of a high-risk pregnancy would affect her career. But those fears were unfounded.

"During my first pregnancy, I had a few scares resulting in several unscheduled trips to my doctor due to false labor," says Murphy. "My boss was more than understanding and willing to work with me to ensure flexibility in my schedule, whether I had to come in late, leave early or take the day off. I was uneasy with leaving earlier than planned, but my boss was extremely understanding and made sure that my work and team were taken care of. Because of his help, I was able to focus on what was most important – taking care of myself so that I could deliver a healthy child."

Murphy is currently pregnant with her second child and has found that managing motherhood, pregnancy and a career is manageable with support from others.

"I have to say that my boss and upper management have helped me through this process a great deal," says Murphy. "If for some reason I can't make it into work or have to leave early for a doctor's appointment, it is never an issue, which makes it that much easier. The fact that I'm very organized and create a 'to do' list every day helps, too."

Diedre Dennis Wachbrit is an attorney who started her own firm after becoming pregnant with her first child. She wanted more flexibility than she would find in traditional firms and knew this flexibility would be important when raising her family. For quite some time she ran her business with one other "mommy friend," but now she has a thriving firm with 10 employees. As an employer she wants to give her employees the same flexibility she enjoyed. She believes this is important for the health of both the mother and the unborn child, not to mention the health of the growing family.

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