To be terrified to tell work I'm pregnant?

[LeedleLee]

I posted this in employment issues but didn't get many responses.

Hi all. Just found out I'm about four weeks pregnant. Very much unplanned (was on the mini pill and took it religiously every day!!), but we're happy.

However, I'm quite worried about work as I only started there in early June, so have only been there for just under five months. I'm really enjoying it, passed probation, and been getting glowing feedback from my manager. I qualify for SMP, so the only thing worrying me is that I haven't been there that long!

Due to the nature of my job (I work in a lab in a chemical plant) I will have to tell them pretty much ASAP (although my manager is currently on holiday and will be back next week so will tell him then). We handle some pretty strong and dangerous chemicals and a risk assessment will need to be done.

I really enjoy my job and don't want to jeopardise anything. I tend to worry a lot anyway and I'm sure it'll be fine, but still! By the time I go on leave I'll have been there over a year.

Did anyone else get pregnant not long after starting a job? How'd it go?

Thank you 😊

Anyone?

You have done nothing wrong. How they react will be a good indication of how good an employer they are. And if they want to keep you, then they will look after you.

And congratulations!

I got pregnant after a year in a new job. It was fine and I was there for 2 more years after coming back from mat leave.

The bigger the company, the more they are used to this and will have experience of dealing with maternity leave cover etc.

I work in HR and those things happen often. If it makes you feel better and you have that kind of relationship with your manager you could tell them that it wasn't planned. But you definitely do not have to as it's none of their business.

Congratulations

Thank you both! From what I've seen so far they seem like a very family friendly company, and they're pretty big so will have no doubt dealt with many pregnant employees.

I do get on very well with my manager and he has four children of his own.

Once worked somewhere where they recruited someone heavily pregnant for a key role - she didnt start pre-baby, then about fifteen months after accepting the role, announced that she didn;t want to "come back"

Congratulations! I got pregnant a month after starting a new job. It was a lovely surprise, but very much unplanned. Work were brilliant (to my face, at least!). I'm still there over a decade later and have increased my hours from my original jobshare contract, so I think it worked out ok for them as well as for me.

I do also know of someone who was hired while heavily pregnant, and did about 6 weeks before going off on maternity leave. The company felt she was perfect for the job and had reached out to her during her pregnancy.

My friend started a new job at the beginning of term in January. Then had a little too much fun on Valentine's Day, shall we say. Her boss was fine with it. Child is about to turn 2. She went back part time and all is fine.

I found out on my year anniversary that I was pregnant (so not brand new but still felt new!). My boss was overjoyed.

Good luck.

I left an absolutely horrendous toxic workplace 4 years ago. 4 days after I accepted my new job I found out I was pregnant. A shock but also a desperately longed for 2nd child after 2 years of trying and 2 MMC. I was ill thinking about telling my new employer but he was incredible. I started my job at 26 weeks pregnant and I have never looked back. Please don't worry and huge congratulations on your happy news!

Thank you all for being so reassuring ❤️

And the congratulations as well, of course