AIBU if I call in sick

[flowerchop]

I had to leave work early yesterday (Monday) to go to the maternity ward and have some mid pregnancy checks due to not feeling great about a few things. I ended up being there for 13 hours and only just got home. More because I was so non urgent they kept seeing me every few hours but refused to discharge me due to high heart rate.

I'll only get 5 ish hours of sleep max and still feel really unwell and perhaps just knackered and stressed.

Would it be really awful to call in sick for today...

I'm a secondary school teacher - it gets really looked down on to take days off and I've had my fair share. I feel anxious about going into work but also feel anxious about calling in sick due to getting judged. I know I'll struggle at work tomorrow but at the same time the students miss out on learning because I'm not there :/

Just see how you feel in the morning and then decide. Hope you feel better soon. It's not nice being unwell and pregnant...

You're either well enough to work or you're not. It doesn't sound as though you are.
13 hours in hospital, high heart rate, 5 hours sleep, that's not great. If I was you I would take at least half of the day tomorrow to rest and catch up on the extra few hours sleep. You must be exhausted! If you feel better you could go into work for the second half of the day.

I’d just push through. 5 hours sleep as a one off isn’t a big deal

Does you being off impact exams? If not stay home

For me it would depend on my involvement with GCSEs. If I had no year 11s then I’d call in sick, if I had year 11s I’d power through as a one off.

Your pregnant, your sick , I mean its a no brainer.

You can't be penalised for pregnancy related time off.

Take the sick day.

Your health come first, your family (your baby) comes next, school comes a good way down that list.

You may have exam groups, but at this point the crucial stuff should be done, and besides, what is one important time for them is every year for you.

Take the day, feel better, learn to rest, and come back when you're feeling better. I don't know how much you get paid but I'd be surprised if it's enough to sacrifice your health or that of your family.

Your baby and health comes first. No question.

But, as a side note, get used to 5 hours sleep, or less. 🤣

You can't be penalised for time off when pregnant so that won't affect your attendance record.

You and your baby come first so whether you are judged or not is irrelevant. Going in today when you feel as you do you may end up off even longer. So take the day and rest

I agree with the poster saying think about what you have on today such as any GCSE students you might have.

If it's not a GCSE/ exam prep heavy day then I would definitely call in sick.

Even if it is, if you're not up to work you should take the day off, but see how you feel when you're up and about.

Take the day off OP, I'm a secondary teacher too. I lost my first pregnancy so with my second I wasn't taking any chances, I was off as much as I needed to be and work just had to suck it up. (Yes they looked down their noses but I didn't care by that point.) I figured I have responsibility to the kids I teach however in my mind, to me personally, my child was way more important than them so I wasn't taking any risks having already had to give birth to one dead child. Sorry if that sounds dramatic.

Anyway since having that child (several years ago now) I have been back in work and back to very little absence and no one even remembers the pregnancy absences.

You're pregnant and need to rest. Take the day off (that's coming from a HR Manager) 💐

Definitely take it off if you still feel unwell.

Pregnancy has to be prioritised.