Did you take any time off work in the first trimester?

[Sparksi]

I am so overjoyed to be pregnant with our rainbow baby, but wow do I feel rough!

Just feel as though I am recovering from a tummy bug - intense nausea, food aversions (even the thought of most food makes me want to vomit!) weird lethargic feeling, very fatigued but not fall asleep tired. Generally a little spaced out too.

My attendance record is generally great, only ever had 2 sick days in my few years of being in this position. I feel weak and rubbish and would love to just hibernate but equally know that is frowned upon and will be very hard to get away with without disclosing to my line manager that I’m pregnant.

How much time did you have off work, why and what weeks of pregnancy?

I had to work from home from 5 weeks pregnant due to the sickness
( was before Covid so WFH wasn’t the done thing)

I’m still in the same job over 6 years later so didn’t damage my career

Should add the main reason I needed to WFH was I couldn’t complete the 1.5 hour commute each way without vomiting

None at all. Not a single minute.

However, I did take a few days off in the second trimester. Felt uncomfortable, and hot all the time (at 5-6 months pregnant,) and a bit nauseous some days. At 7-8 months I was OK, but did feel like a beached whale. 😬 (I finished work at 8 months, then was back when baby was 3 months old. (Only allowed 16 weeks maternity leave then! 1990s!)

Nope but I was absolutely exhausted after working. So I used to go home to bed.

I had to randomly eat loads of sweets as well to stop being sick and passing out during the day.

I didn't have gestational or any other type of diabetes either.

None, just used to leg it to be sick when I needed to. Started as morning sickness and progressed to all day easing up about 7pm sickness. Was in Armed Forces so it was very much ‘you’re pregnant, not ill’.

I was off for weeks and weeks and weeks with horrendous morning (all day) sickness. I just told my manager and hr. No-one else needed to be informed.
Had a sick note from GP which I had to renew every few weeks.

None at all. I was very lucky though. My worst symptom was the tiredness. I did fall asleep on the train a few times. Luckily my stop was the one before the end of the line so I only had one stop to travel back if I went too far.

No but I worked from home so didn’t have to commute. I was never vomit-y sick even though I felt like I could of been, it was more the tiredness that kicked my arse more. But WFH meant I could have lunchtime naps and rest as soon as work day had ended.

I had time off before I finished for maternity leave - I planned to finish the week before my due date but my BP was creeping up and my lovely manager said to me to take the week off sick and finish a little bit earlier.

I had 4 weeks off (8-12) with my first and 3 weeks off (9-12) with my second. The first trimester was the hardest for me both times around (not the case for everyone, but for a lot it does get better). I worked past 38 weeks both times (desk job, second time round was a job where I could work from home).

Loads. I had HG

I had hyperemesis so had a good few weeks off while they tried to get a medication to work as I could barely stand up etc

I have had Hyperemesis 3 times and worked through all 3 in the office with one sick day which was this pregnancy because I was hospitalised for dehydration/ketones for iv fluids and meds. Hospital on the Monday (non working day), took Tues as sick day and stayed in bed, wed business as usual with toddler and Thurs back in the office.
it’s been horrendous and I basically had to just work and then go to bed until about 20 weeks when I started to feel better but i find it too difficult to take sick days when it’s effectively my life choice.

Yes. If you need time off. Listen to your body.

will be very hard to get away with without disclosing to my line manager that I’m pregnant.

If you do take time off, you really must let HR know that it's because you're pregnant. It legally has to be recorded differently and separately to any other sickness you've taken.

I took 8 weeks off with DD1. With DD2 I didn't take any time off but did wfh the whole time (normally we have to be hybrid). I worked for a different company with DD1, and wfh wasn't allowed and there was no way I could do the commute or be in the office.

None. I was quite sick during the first trimester and absolutely exhausted but I did keep going to work as usual. The worst thing was that there was no toilet in the building that I worked in, so I had to keep rushing to the building next door when I needed to throw up!!

Do you know if you get paid in the same way for pregnancy related sickness as you would any other sickness?

I’m six weeks so still early, just worried about taking any time off now in case symptoms ramp up and I feel more rough around the 8-12 week mark

None, as I didn’t need to. If you need to, take it!

@Sparksi yes, for pregnancy related sickness it still follows whatever sickness pay policy your company has. It just doesn't get recorded the same way in your general sickness absence.

Basically it just can't be used to your disadvantage - so as part of a disciplinary, or dismissal.

No, except for the booking in appointment at 12 weeks which I left a couple of hours early for. Made all appointments for 5pm afterwards to minimise time off

I took about four weeks over the first three months. I had HG and had had miscarriages previously so was attached to a drip for days on end. I’m still in the same place of work 11 years later so no one looked down on me for it and it hasn’t affected me long term.

No but I didn't get any morning sickness or nausea. Would occasionally gag when brushing my teeth but it was fleeting so didn't need any time off.

I was exceptionally lucky in that I actually felt great for most of my pregnancy besides the last couple of weeks when I felt huge and hot all the time.

I even had GD and still felt really well despite needing insulin.

It's luck of the draw and if you need time off because you are t well enough to work then you need time off and that's that. It should all be covered under the maternity policy.

I did but I had HG and was hospitalised about 4 times.

If you need time off take it - work doesn't give a shit about you so take care of yourself

Same! Loads of fun wasn't it 🤢🤮🥴