Sick days when pregnant

[Micehunter]

I’m 25 weeks pregnant, feeling horribly guilty about potentially needing another sick day tomorrow.

In the first trimester I took two days off for nausea, my sickness was worse at night and twice I had been up all night vomiting so was exhausted. Then a fortnight ago I had 2 days off for a UTI which really wiped me out. Now DH has given me a stinking cold, I barely slept last night and just feel rotten. I always struggle to sleep when I get a cold and I’m panicking about having to take another day off.

AIBU or should my employer just expect this? I’ve worked there 6 years and before I got pregnant have barely had 1 day off sick.

If your unwell OP then your unwell! Not a lot you can do about ir and I'm sure your colleagues would prefer you didn't share the illness love.

I was signed off from 5+3 with morning sickness which turned out to be severe hyperemisis that led to multiple hospital trips - which was even worse cause I work in Obstetrics 🤣 lost 9 stone through the pregnancy (I had a lot to lose anyways but not that way ffs). Was signed off the whole pregnancy and went on mat leave early after using up annual leave etc. No one ever made a bad comment, management were really helpful and supportive. Don't feel bad about taking a sick day if you need it. I didn't.

I'm similar OP, just into third trimester and in the last 3 weeks had time off for a bad cold and gastroenteritis. I feel terrible about it but I feel like it was inevitable. I was running on empty and so so tired I was bound to catch something with toddler at nursery. It's a matter of when not if the next infection strikes unfortunately. I think my work appreciates that and I have barely had a day off sick in 3 years there including my previous pregnancy.

I had HG all through my pregnancy, worked in a male dominated office, the closest women's toilets were a 5 minutes walk and a floor up or down, none on our floor, and whenever I puked it was with such force that I would wet myself. Some people absolutely stunk like fags which was a massive trigger for my sickness and we had a kitchenette where people would cook the smelliest foods. Anti-emetics worked, but you can only have so many per day and they only work for so long and aren't a magic cure-all.

On that basis I think I worked 1/3 of my shifts over the course of 9 months, either in full days or partial days and then having to leave.

It was pregnancy related sickness so they just had to suck it up. However they would have gone down the normal absence procedures for not pregnancy related sickness.

When your on your death bed looking back at your life will you honestly think
"Wow I'm so proud of myself for having such few sick days at work, what a great employee I was"

I was signed off for 3 months with sickness in my first pregnancy. I'd only worked there for a month before getting pregnant, I think they hated me.

If you're ill, you're ill. And they know you, and it sounds like they'll know you aren't one to take the piss when it comes to taking sick days.