To take time off for lunch today despite leaving early?

[tryingmyworst]

I have a maternity appointment at 2 today, so need to leave for 1pm to get there on time (and that’ll be stretching it).

Just wondering if I was being unreasonable to take my half hour lunch break before this? I can’t find anything online to say if I can do this or not.

I wouldn’t bother at all but I have horrendous sickness still in the second trimester and feel much better after some food. I don’t have time to go shops this morning for something at my desk so it’ll be staff cafe.

AIBU?

[DDiva]

Of course it's important you eat.

However in your situation I think I would have made more of an effort to bring in food I could eat at my desk or in the car. It would just look like you're minimising the inconvenience to your colleagues and employers rather than taking every opportunity not to work.

[Fifthtimelucky]

Like the OP, I needed a proper cooked lunch every day to avoid feeling sick. I had a long commute to work so an appointment in the middle of the day would have been very disruptive.

I always used to arrange my ante natal appointments for first thing in the morning so that I just arrived at work late. Then I did a normal day at work, and had a normal lunch break. On occasions I worked later than usual in order to finish things off, but I often did that anyway, whether or not I had an ante natal appointment

[livefornaps]

Omg it's one fucking day just eat what you like, leave when you like. Can't believe the martyrs on here - if you dropped dead tomorrow, your post would be filled by next week. Look after yourself, don't sit there feeling sick if you need hot food, bloody hell.

[Wheresmykimchi]

@Nottherealslimshady

They don't have to give you an hours lunch, you're legally entitled to 20 minutes and they dont have to pay you for it so don't take the piss.
I think taking a break from 12-1 then leaving early at 1 is taking the piss and really you're about to take a whole load if time off so worth getting some brownie points in rather than taking as much as you can from them. Grab lunch on your way to your appointment.

OP does not need to get brownie points because she is going off to have a baby 🙄

[christinarossetti19]

And OP isn't 'about to take a whole load of time off'. She'll be going on maternity leave.

Those little, noisy things that emerge from women's bodies do need someone to look after them, you know.

[NewPapaGuinea]

Some of these responses are quite, Victorian! Talking about not being dedicated to the job etc. It’s a one off half hour break to eat. In the grand scheme of things it won’t make one iota of difference to your work.