Time off work after miscarriage at 5wks?

[Walker12]

Looking for reassurance/advice following a very early miscarriage (5-6 weeks). This was my first pregnancy after ttc for 2 years. I am quite a pragmatic person usually and aware of rates of early losses but have been left really devastated by it all. I have been on AL this week and the thought of going to work on Monday and people asking about my holiday makes me cry! I'm torn with it being such an early loss I suppose, whether I should just try to get back to normal. Would be grateful to hear of anyone else who has been through similar and how they managed it with work.

I took 6 weeks off with 2 weeks annual leave afterwards (it was Christmas) for my first, and I've taken 5 weeks off for my second. You need to put yourself first and get yourself signed off.

I took two weeks off for my miscarriage at 6 weeks. I'm glad I did, I needed it.

Take care of yourself OP, don't minimise what you are going through because it was relatively early.

Is this true? My managers have usually been pretty hot on leave entitlements and it’s never been mentioned and my leave counted towards my sick leave.

Thank you everyone I can't tell you how much it means to read all these comments. I have spoken to a few people in real life about it (and my partner is so wonderfully supportive) but no one I know has been in this situation so I really do appreciate you all sharing.
I think a few people have mentioned the anticipation of the future and that's exactly what I feel I am grieving. Even though we didn't have a long time knowing we were pregnant, my mind naturally thought about the due date, a baby by Christmas, thinking about the type of child and person they would be. I do think I am holding some internalised stigma about it being 'early' but this is helping me challenge that. I keep reminding myself that there was a start of life that existed and I am allowed to feel sad that that's gone.

I am finding a lot of comfort in being outdoors/in nature at the moment so trying to focus on that whilst letting myself be upset when the feelings come.

Everyone’s different, like you I had an early miscarriage during annual leave and it wouldn’t even have occurred to me to take the next few days off when I got back, I’m not sure how it would have helped? Work was a good distraction for me.

I don't speak from experience but everybody is different and I don't think you should just 'crack on' if you don't feel you can.

@Pollywoddles it absolutely is true x any pregnancy related sickness including miscarriages is not meant to be counted as sick leave

Maybe in the UK but not in Ireland, I can’t find any mention of it here, must dig out the circular for pregnancy related sick leave. They are trying to bring in paid compassionate leave for early miscarriage, this wouldn’t be needed if you could just be signed off under pregnancy related leave. Interesting that it’s counted as such in the UK though, I don’t know why they just don’t do the same here.

Actually that’s for another thread but to go back on topic, avail of your leave if you need to OP, it’s there to be used.