Hi everyone,
I’m currently 37 weeks pregnant and finally slowing down, but I’m struggling with guilt and anxiety regarding how hard I worked during my first and second trimesters.
I work in Investment Banking and for the first 6-7 months of my pregnancy, my schedule was brutal and extremely stressful. I was regularly working from early morning until midnight or 1 AM on weekdays, and putting in similar hours over the weekends. There were also several all-nighters where I didn’t sleep at all to meet deal deadlines.
I know lawyers often work similar, grueling hours during their pregnancies, and I’m curious if there is any data or collective experience from that field as well. In IB, "taking it easy" during a live deal simply wasn't an option.
Physically, my scans (anatomy scan, growth, etc.) have all come back normal so far. However, I can’t stop worrying about the "invisible" impacts. I’ve read that extreme cortisol levels and chronic sleep deprivation during key developmental windows can affect a baby's brain development, emotional regulation, and stress response later in life.
I feel like I chose my career over my baby’s well-being during those critical months. Has anyone else navigated this level of extreme overwork while pregnant? Did your baby turn out healthy and hit their milestones normally?