To ask how much sickness you had off work during pregnancy

[Betty94]

Hi all,

I know I'm worrying over nothing but I hate being off work sick - in the first trimester I had a lot of time off due to HG, was put in hospital twice on fluid etc so nothing really could be done - thank god it settled down by 15/16 weeks but now I find myself every couple of weeks having spells of really bad sickness - there's no pattern or reason for it, it just is what it is and it's difficult because I work on the phones so throwing up and talking isn't ideal, in 23 weeks I've had about 20 days off sick  and I know it can't be helped but it doesn't stop you feeling guilty does it - how many days did you have off?

It's crap because like there's nothing I can do to help it but I feel like work will think I'm taking the mick I guess it doesn't help as a girl a lot younger than me (8 years younger) had a breeze of a pregnancy and didn't take any time off although saying that she delivered 6 weeks early due to complications so you can't always tell can you?

So I just wanted to know how much time off other people have had to either make me feel like a wuss or to help me feel a bit better

I can't imagine it will help you to know that I didn't have any time of sick in any of my pregnancies.

Everyone is different, if you aren't well enough to go to work you aren't well enough.

None. I did have the baby 3 weeks early so finished for maternity 2 weeks earlier than planned.

I had none (bar scans and appointments) with DD (born in December) but in fairness I had a relatively easy pregnancy once the bleeding in the first trimester stopped (12w). I didn't get more than "morning nausea" and the mental worry over the bleeding was helped by being at work. On the other hand my colleague was off more than she was in until mat leave because of horrific Morning Sickness. I honestly don't think you can compare as every pregnancy is so different. I think my advice would be if you feel unwell, stay off. Especially in these times.

None. Perfect health throughout. Perfect blood pressure, perfect weight gain, perfect iron levels, perfect everything. Fit and active throughout. I was like a walking advert for “how to be pregnant perfectly”.

Nearly died during labour. Go figure.

I didn’t work, but had I worked I would’ve probably needed the whole 9 months off. I can’t imagine I would’ve been well enough to work at all. I had severe HG which resulted in a AKI, I also had pregnancy induced cardiac issues. It was horrendous from start to finish.

In my first I was off for 6 weeks but that was down to issues at work.

On my second I was off for 8 weeks because of pregnancy complications and a very poorly baby xx

None, but I’ve worked from home since March so on my worst days I basically got away with doing nothing and would make up the work when I felt better.

None but I was working from home from 9 weeks so there were some days if I had to go to the office I would have called in sick but I managed from my sofa.

I had a day off sick as I fell over and grazed my knee badly enough that I couldn't face covering it with anything but not wanting people to see it, but I was very lucky and didn't have bad morning sickness. I'd only be sick once a day, you can't help that you've been poorly! Try not to worry about it.

I was signed off for 7 weeks at one point with severe sickness. I spent most of it in bed or with my head over the toilet bowl. Pregnancy sickness is recorded separately to normal sickness, so I wouldn't worry what work think. You can't help being sick.

It's so different for everyone. I had 2 days off during my first pregnancy when sickness at its worst, and one with my second.

I was lucky to have very supportive co-workers though who picked up a lot of my slack when I was feeling crap, so that helped me keep going. I have been able to return the favour for them so it all worked out!

None, but I bitterly regret struggling through. Those first three months were awful.

My colleague had bad morning sickness (much worse than I had) and had an entire 3 months off plus random days here and there where she was tired. Work were really understanding.

I had HG in both my pregnancies too. The first I had 2.5 weeks total off but was able to struggle through. With my 2nd I got signed off at 11 weeks and didn't go back except for 1.5 weeks when I was 7 months. I was in hospital on a drip at least once every 2 weeks right up until my son was born, it was horrible. Work weren't overly supportive but changed their tune when I had to go in to hand in my matb1 form, I looked like walking dead and had lost a power of weight. at the end of the day, you're main concern should be yourself and your baby, try not to worry about work.

I had to have have 2 extra half days off when a complication was found at 20 week scan, as I needed follow up scans & tests. Due to that complication which was going to require some sort of appointment every single week at a hospital 45 mins away, I decided at 23 weeks that I needed to start maternity leave asap. You cannot legally start it until 11 weeks before your due date unless your baby is born, so I had to do 2 weeks more work, then use all remaining annual leave to take me to 29 weeks then start my leave. I was expecting I might have to have DD at 28-30 weeks but she hung on in to 34 weeks.

Went off sick at 8 weeks and never went back until after baby was born. I was very ill and it didn't stop until a few hours after she was born.

I was signed off for 8 weeks in my first pregnancy but had none in my second (apart from maybe 1 day for a migraine!)

Every pregnancy is different and if you're not well you're not well, you can't help it. Try not to compare yourself to others too much.

I didn't have any time off, although I was quite sick. Spent an awful lot of time in work toilets though!

Everyone is different. I have managed loads of women through pregnancy, and some breeze through without any sickness at all, whereas others barely make it into work for the whole nine months. It isn't always predictable who is going to need time off either!

Some women do definitely take the piss, but I would never make that judgment as a line manager as I'm not medically qualified to do so. If you're too ill to work, then that's just the way it is, and it's why you are protected by the law from unfair treatment.

Hope that your feel better soon!

With my first I had HG and was off from weeks 7 to 25.

Went off sick at 7w because I couldn’t stand up. Stayed off sick until maternity leave started.

None in my second pregnancy. In my first pregnancy i was signed off sick with spd A couple of weeks early

I had half a day in my first pregnancy and one day in my second. I had the kind of job though, where if I felt dreadful I could just sit behind my PC and go through the motions without anyone noticing.

None in either. But I don’t see how that’s relevant to you
Some women need time off during pregnancy others don’t
If you’re ill and not we’ll then you need time off - that can’t be helped

I had a week off in first pregnancy due to severe sinusitis caused by pregnancy rhinitis.

Then 3 days off this time (currently 22wks) due to bleeding. I do have a lot of appointments this time though due to gestational diabetes, and being 42 and under consultant care.

Seven weeks.

@Mumoftwoyoungkids

None. Perfect health throughout. Perfect blood pressure, perfect weight gain, perfect iron levels, perfect everything. Fit and active throughout. I was like a walking advert for “how to be pregnant perfectly”.

Nearly died during labour. Go figure.

I was thinking "you sound like a dic... oh my god that escalated!"