advice please? :(

[newmummie]

I'm aware this is probably in the wrong thread title but just checking anyways

I’m approaching 34 weeks pregnant, my last day of work is the 16th July, (I’ll then be 37 weeks) I am finding it extremely difficult in work at the moment. I’m not sleeping at night, at most I’ll get a 3 hour sleep, this is on a lucky night, most nights I’ll get an hour, this is leaving me extremely exhausted in work to the point where I’m almost dozing off and have to keep shaking myself. I’m also suffering with extreme sweats especially in my work place, I can’t seem to cool down. I’m constantly warm and needing to splash cold water on myself, I’m suffering with really bad headaches, I think this is down to no sleep. My nausea has also came back and I’m feeling rubbish all day. My pelvis is also causing me a lot of pain. On top of all of that I have gestational diabetes and the past few days my sugars have been terrible and high! I’m struggling to get them down. So I’m really stressed. I’m coming into work and staring at the clock until it’s home time, I’m not my usual self. AIBU to start my maternity now? Will my employer understand? I’m so scared I let them down. Especially because the ROTA is already done, I don’t want to leave them short staffed. What would you do? I’m on the verge of tears, I don’t want to let anyone down, but for my own mental and physical health I really believe it’s for the best. Or do I just suck it up and stick the next 3 weeks out? What would you do, honestly?

I would ask my doctor to sign me off sick if WFH isn't an option.

Agree with pp, see your GP and get a sick note to cover you until your mat leave stats.

The rota isn't your responsibility. Your physical and mental health comes first.

I would get a sick note, but I've been told that you need to be off work for 7 days first before a dr will issue a sick note, is this true?

If you go off sick now they may start your ml earlier. Don't feel bad though, their rota is their problem.

You can self certify for first week. In meantime book gp appointment or see your mw,

Pregnancy related illness is different. You can ask the doctor to sign you off. I won't wait, make an appointment asap.

I would be signed off sick too. See your GP, I don’t think the 7 day thing applies as obviously you’ve been pregnant for more than 7 days.

Thank you all. I'm nearly sure at this rate if I go off sick my maternity kicks in, not sure. However, if I did tell my employer that I want to go off now, when it wasn't for another 3 weeks could they tell me no? or do they have to say yes? my fear is them telling me no

I've read that I'm not allowed to give my employer short notice like this

Its not notice u are giving them. You are going off sick with pregnancy related illness. Though they can trigger your maternity leave as u under 4 weeks before due date.

They can't say no. As u will be able to get a sick note from gp. Even below 7 days
I was that bad in my end of pregnancy I went to work one day cried and said I have to start maternity after today. They understood and was such a relief. It did trigger mat leave but it was not my worry how they cope. Imagine if u broke your leg. They can't ask for advance notice of you going off sick.

I won't be able to get a sick note in time as I'm looking to take tomorrow and onwards off. However, I do have 3 weeks annual leave that I can take, I was scheduled to take this later & then start maternity after. So if I tell my employer my reasonings am I allowed to start my annual leave & then maternity from tomorrow even though this wasn't the plan. Sorry, I'm just super nervous ahh

Hi op, I have pgp that was exacerbated by driving and hg. I arranged with my employer to wfh the last few weeks. Tbh I was fit for nothing by that point but it meant I got loose ends tied up and was at least able to be on my birthing ball at home while I was in the laptop which helped the pgp would you be able to wfh temporarily? If you really feel you can't manage it then speak to your gp and get a sick line for maternity illness. Their cover is not for you to worry about they've no guarantee that you'd not have baby early for example so they'll know that you going off a bit earlier was always a possibility. So don't worry about that. I'd chat to them and explore options as well and say you're struggling with the commute the heat and the nausea etc and ask about wfh. They have to make reasonable adjustments for you while pregnant. For eg driving is part of my job but they couldn't make me drive while pgp was being flared up by it.

You don't need the sick note ready before you go off sick. You call in sick first then sort out sick note. As others have said, if you take sick leave now, your employer may start your maternity leave early.

Do what is best for your health. Don't worry at all about rotas etc.

Check your maternity policy. Somewhere in there it should say if you're signed off sick for pregnancy related illness after a certain amount of weeks, your mat leave will automatically start! Either way I would get signed off, sounds miserable.

You are sick, so you take sick leave. Please stop worrying about the rota they will manage.

I’ve just recently had DS and got to the point that I couldn’t bare going to work anymore. Mentally and physically. You can self certify for I think 7 days so you can literally phone your boss tomorrow and say you’re too unwell to come in for the reasons you stated, are they able start your maternity leave sooner as you’re struggling and if not you can speak to gp about signing you off.

I really do recommend taking this time off for yourself if you need it before babies here - I tried to persevere for another couple weeks once I felt “Done” and it really broke me. I felt so much better at home until DS was born

Also if you’re sick leave and turn 36 weeks pregnant you automatically start mat leave. I believe this is for everyone as the gp told me so

I get why you are nervous but if you went in to labour early you or your employer wouldn't get a say in it. This heat is horrible for a pregnancy you can't carry on suffering just be honest with them. The worse they can do is start mat leave earlier or if they won't then you can self certify until you get a dr appointment. Good luck with everything.

You can self certify for the first week off anyway, no need for GP to sign you off.

However, in practice, all that will happen is that your maternity leave will start a bit earlier than planned.

It’s all OK OP, please don’t worry. People have to do this all the time.

Prioritise your health and baby.

You can self-certify for up to seven days.

Doctors often expect you to do so because you could get better within seven days and save them the job of having to write a sick note. However, if it’s obvious you’re going to be sick for more than a week, they’ll write you one immediately.

Sick notes can be backdated.

The above comments on sickness starting mat leave early in some scenarios are true.

You are sick. You are not giving anyone notice of anything. You didn’t predict this; you’re just sick.

It is not your fault you are sick. Decent people will understand.