To think I cannot cope.

[bluefpg]

I don't think I can cope with the remaining weeks I have left until maternity leave begins.

I feel incredibly exhausted and weak and have totally lost my appetite. I am also suffering with SPD.

I've been off for the majority of last week and was due to return to work tomorrow but the thought of this is making me feel incredibly drained.

I just don't think I can do it and I feel so teary thinking about it

I just don't know what to do.

Yes OP see your GP but if you feel ill you should be phoning your midwife/maternity unit and they'll advise you. Not sure why you haven't already if you've been off for a week and not eating. Get to it.

20 days is 4 weeks, a fair chunk. Could you take a couple of days off a week until you go on maternity? Take a Tuesday and a Thursday off each week and you never work two days in a row.

@ATBhinchers I'm not in any pain and baby has been very active all week.

I'm just feeling tired in myself and appetite has reduced dramatically the past couple days

Floradix is great stuff for fatigue.

You can buy it in chemists/boots.

And I hope you feel better soon!

@slcol that's a good idea, I hadn't thought of that.

I might just reduce to a 3 day working week to see if that helps instead of getting signed off, it will depend on workloads though whether or not it gets approved.

But it's worth a try for sure

Who says you have to be in pain to seek medical help when pregnant? you feel really ill, so tired you can't cope and have had to miss work. Time to get checked out.

@ATBhinchers I think it's an issue my GP or midwife can deal with.

I've been where you are - 2 out of 3 pregnancies. I sympathise.

Agree floradix and spartone (take the latter in OJ). Unless H&B have an offer on then buy in Boots to collect the points. They will both help with energy.

Have you had physio for pgp? Are you wearing a support belt? If not get one. Do your work have an occ health? If so get a referral. If not they should at least be doing a risk assessment and you can address your pgp within it to help manage it at work. In my first pregnancy I worked until 38 weeks with it but my doctor recommend I worked from home a couple of days a week for my final few weeks, which helped. Is this an option?

I know your work aren't very understanding but you need to speak up and have some difficult conversations. If you don't then you'll only end up getting in such a state that you'll be off sick anyway.

From personal experience to make it as easy as possible, commute as little as possible, stock your desk with snacks for the week and keep drinks etc at your desk (my work supplied a kettle and someone filled it with water), go to bed early, cook easy meals or get someone else to do the cooking, rest at the weekends (and I mean really rest) etc. Also can you get some crutches? Look up exercises on YouTube for pregnancy physio and pgp - there are loads.

When are you due to go on mat leave?

@MaverickSnoopy thank you for replying.

My GP has referred me for physio, I'm just waiting for the letter to come through the door.

I do have a support belt but at the minute, it's a bit too large so becomes loose - I was going to wait until I grew into it a bit more as can't afford to spend money on another

I agree, it will be worth me having what might be some difficult discussions with work, if I don't then I fear the stress will cause more problems.

It makes it worse that they aren't supportive! And so it causes me anxiety telling them how I feel.

As PP said, I might take some annual holidays and have 2 days off a week until I go on mat leave (I'll be 36 weeks then)

I used annual leave to work part time (in effect) for my last 4 weeks. I took every Tue & Thu off, to break up the week because I was struggling physically. It also made my boss get a mat leave cover in place early for a soft hand over, which made it easier again to not feel guilty about starting mat leave early. I wish I'd gone sooner. DS was born so soon after I finished, I hadn't begun nesting. The nursery was an empty room waiting to be decorated and we didn't have the right size clothes yet. I didn't even have my hospital bag packed!!!

Trust your body to deliver your baby. Trust it to tell you when to stop work. And screw work. A lot changes in the time you will be off.

Have you got any holiday to use?
My holiday runs from April-April I'm due to take mat leave in July but using the rest of my holiday in June and mat leave starts on babies due date in July x

Also if your work can't support your needs they have to suspend you on full pay (I guess there would have to be doctors notes and non compliance from your work) x