The crux of this is that I am a clinical NHS working, pregnant and patient facing. Recently things have gotten worse at work and our workload has sky rocketed, the patients are more sick, are older and require a lot more care. We have staff absence (some long term) and a lot of inexperienced staff who need support and aren't really coping very well themselves. Some days I don't get my break til hours after I should, if I don't eat until later I don't feel great (quite shaky and hypo), the physical side of the job has gotten so much worse and I carry a lot of stress having to help junior staff members but manage my own huge workload.
I have brought up the break thing, the workload and the fact that I am pregnant and trying to nurture a human and I'm not managing. I usually get told that other people haven't had a break, they can't see how else they can support me.
I am going to ask the GP to sign me off with stress and fatigue for a few weeks with support from my midwife and I hope my managers will them take me seriously! I feel awful, I'm never off work and I know it will further their burden but I really need to look after myself and my baby too! Am I a dick for abandoning ship?