Is it really bad of me not to go to work today?

[BettyButterknife]

10cm of snow has fallen overnight and I've only seen one car drive up our street and that got stuck.

My work is a mile's walk away, and I'm 13wks pregnant. I'm probably a bit paranoid as MIL lost a baby at 5 months pg after a fall in exactly these conditions.

I would rather stay at home and risk the wrath of my employer than risk falling over on the way in or home again! But I feel bad as I know a couple of my colleagues have struggled in this morning, one walking far further than me as the buses aren't running but they aren't pregnant as far as I know...

[moondog]

Yes, I think so.
Pregnancy isn't a disease and a mile is nothing.

[mrsrvc]

Betty, If you are worried the I wouldn't risk it. Call work and explain. Is there anything you could do from home, or maybe just take it as holiday.

[ChristianaTheTwelfth]

Message withdrawn

[Ineedsomesleep]

Stick your wellies on love.

[wilkos]

if you are that worried then stay off, but bear in mind that if you start treating yourself as a "precious vessel" as early as 13 weeks then you will probably not be taken very seriously for the next 40 weeks even if you genuinely need the time off.

i have to say if a miles walk in the snow is worrying you at 13 weeks you are really going to struggle in a few months time

[DorotheaPlenticlew]

I don't think you need to worry too much if your pregnancy is normal and healthy so far. A slight tumble in some snow won't generally hurt at 13 weeks. Can understand your caution but you aren't really at a stage where it should be any more risky for you to walk than a non-pregnant person.

[wilkos]

oops, I mean the next 27 weeks...

[DorotheaPlenticlew]

Yes, as wilkos says, you might want to save the goodwill up for later as things do get physically quite a bit more challenging in later months!

FWIW, I am 23 weeks and although I am trying not to go out on icy pavements, I have to still do some walking around to take toddler DS out and about, collect him from nursery, etc. It's just a matter of being extra careful, wearing right shoes and not going on the slippy bits when avoidable.

[pooka]

I'd agree with the other posters who have said that is best to go in, or at least try to. There's being careful and then there's being careful IYSWIM.

[thedollshouse]

I think you should go but you should get someone to walk with you so you can hold onto them. I fell over taking ds to school yesterday and I was being extra careful.

Obviously I can't disagree with Moondogs statement about pregnancy not being a disease because it isn't but the next person who says that is going to get slapped around the face with a wet fish. I am normally a very healthy person who never gets ill but for me this pregnancy has been horrendous, I have spent the whole pregnancy with sinusitis, I have had a flu like illness twice, been admitted to hospital on one occasion, had a sickness bug twice, sciatica in my back and legs and have picked up every single bloody cold that has gone around. Not everyone "blooms" during pregnancy.

I never ever take time off sick from work but this pregnancy I have taken three days off because I haven't physically been well enough to go and I am pissed off at hearing people say "it isn't an illness, you know"

Sorry to go off on an tangent. Luckily for me my workplace closes at the first sign of a snowflake (I work in a school) so I don't have to make the journey today.

[BettyButterknife]

Thanks for your comments, it's my second pregnancy so I know how hard things can get later on!

I've had a couple of slips and lost my footing already this winter, and I don't really fancy it happening again.

Luckily, my MIL who normally takes DS on Wednesdays has just called to say she's snowed in, so I don't have any childcare - looks like I have a better excuse now

[pooka]

Thedollshouse - sinusitis, flu, sickness bugs and sciatica are all illnesses though of course. So I'd slap anyone who countered you having any of those by saying "pregnancy is not an illness" with a wet fish!

The pregnancy itself may make you more susceptible (it did me) but it's a case of working out whether absence is legitimate. Personally I think the OP should have tried to go to work because she isn't ill. If she'd had any of the illnesses you mentioned, then of course she shouldn't go in.

All moot though if no childcare....

[BettyButterknife]

Thedollshouse - someone in the Mumsnet pregnancy book said pregnancy isn't an illness but if you had half the symptoms and weren't pregnant you'd think you were dying.

[DuelingFanjo]

personally I would go unless I had terrible morning sickness. Strangely in my work it seems the bosses can't possibly make it in but most of the plebs have done.

[MrsCrawf]

I should think most reasonable employers ought not to expect a pregnant woman to walk in the snow - slipping over is a serious concern. I was really surprised to hear how many people on here don't have this opinion! I am not even dreaming of stepping outside the door (however I am 35 weeks and on crutches so don't feel very steady on a good day!)

[HooperMummy]

Mrs Crawf - I'm totally with you!

It might only be early days with the OP's pregnancy but surely it's not worth the risk?

I do see the point about not wanting to use up all the goodwill too early but I would have thought that most emplyers would be understanding about something like this...