To take sick days off work

[rmack19]

First time single mum 30 weeks pregnant. Feeling exhausted and overwhelmed. Just had half term as I'm a teacher but my whole family descended on me and I didn't get a minute's rest. Just needed a day or two of peace and quiet and sleep before returning to work but am feeling so guilty now. AIBU to have given myself a couple of extra days off? I probably could have gone in but feeling a little emotionally fragile and definitely tired!

YANBU!! You’re growing a human, you’re going to be exhausted and you’re well within your rights to take a few days to yourself - you know your mental health and what you need, and in a few months you won’t even get 5 minutes to yourself! Take it from a first time mum with a 3 month old, put your own needs first and don’t feel guilty, these are the last few months you get to put yourself first without feeling bad!

I wonder if all these people who say OP was unreasonable to take 2 days off have been teachers?

Yes. I am am teacher. She had the 9 days previous off. 9 days. That’s when you rest.

wonder if all these people who say OP was unreasonable to take 2 days off have been teachers?

What, because only teachers could possibly understand feeling exhausted, burnt out and stressed by their jobs? OPs job has nothing to do with it. It doesn't matter if she is a teacher or works in the library. Teachers do not have the monopoly on stress and tiredness.

I am sure you didn't realise that having family over would make you so tired OP, so I am not going to judge if should have taken two days off or not. However, it's not a good idea to ask for validation on MN for decisions you have already made.

Teaching is more stressful than a lot of other jobs and OP has already had mental health problems.
If you are a teacher you should be more understanding but if course this is mumsnet where you should be in work even if you are dying.

The decision on Monday not to go in was the right one, but it followed some poor ones over the 9 previous days. Obviously that exact situation isn’t going to occur again, but I do think - as you’ve identified a need to focus on your mental health - that you should have done that in planning half term.