Sick leave following maternity leave

[Honeybeesinthetrees]

Im due to go back to work in a couple of weeks however im struggling with my mental health due to some family stress and post partum anxiety. Im still breastfeeding and just dont feel ready to go back to work.
I spoke to my GP who agreed to refer me to counselling and advised he would write me a sickline when I need to return to work.
I just don't know how to go about telling my manager and when. do i ring just before or email a few weeks in advance or send a text? I work in a government job and don't want to upset anyone but also don't want to have to go into all my personal mental health issues

When you say government job do you mean the civil service? I understand that you won't be returning to work immediately for other reasons, but just in case it helps with some returning to work anxiety I've found the civil service HR very flexible when it comes to breastfeeding. When I'm in the office I've access to a room I can pump in, with a fridge to store milk, and can use flexi-time to pump (or feed when WFH) as needed.

How do you talk best with your line manager? I'd probably email in first instance asking for a call / teams chat to discuss your return to work.

It's more a local authority.
It's not just the breastfeeding its more family stress to do with a number of things including anxiety leaving my baby as well as a recent family bereavement, i just dont feel fit to work and the GP was very quick to say about the sick leave so wont be an issue getting it but just not sure the best way to tell my work, ive never had a sick line or any extended period of time off work

Sorry that you're feeling this way.

I would suggest emailing your manager and asking when would be convenient to have a conversation about your return to work. You don't need to go into the details of your mental health issues but if asked you can just say that your GP has signed you off as not yet fit to be back at work. It's likely that they may ask when you think you will be back so worth thinking through a polite response "my GP has suggested that they will sign me off for X weeks and then review with me on Y date."

You could wait until just before your return date but I assume that they will be making plans for you coming back, possibly reallocating work and there may be someone who has been covering your leave. A lot of people will say that you don't owe work anything more than the usual 24 hours notice that you are sick but it might be fairer to give some notice if you can.

Are you hoping / planning to go back? And do you have any additional maternity pay that you might have to pay back if you don't return to work?

If you are not comfortable speaking to your manager can you contact HR instead?

Is part of this simply anxiety about actually returning to work? Because that can be a whole thing all in it’s own which can leave you feeling like you can’t go back. Have you had any KIT days? Would you be willing to try some? I’m just worried you’ll build up the idea of returning into some huge thing and it will paralyse you more. Just something to consider.

However, if you’re genuinely unwell and cannot work then you just follow the same sickness policy as you normally would.

Thank you,

Yes i will definitely go back, it's quite a stressful job and i know im just not mentally fit enough to do it competently. Im going to email ti schedule a call but give him the heads up its about extending my return to work date. My manager is usually very understanding just feel guilty and like im letting people down

Possibly, im waiting to engage with counselling which i think will help me in dealing with some aspects of what is happening at home. I do want to go back

Did you have any holiday saved up (I accumulated loads while I was away) you could use to mean you are only going back a day or two a week while you get used it it again? My husband had mental health problems/ anxiety and the longer he was off with it the more going back worried him until he spiralled into having an anxiety everytime going back to his job got close. In hindisght I wish we'd kept some work link going for him so it didn't become harder.

That’s great that you’re looking into counselling. If you want to go back then you shouldn’t be struggling or left out in the cold. Everyone gets unwell and burned out, it doesn’t make a difference that yours is after maternity leave so you don’t need to
worry that you’re letting anyone down or anything like that. You’ll get better, and you’ll go back when you’re able to handle it all and give your best self to work.

Just try not to let yourself build up the return as part of the stress itself. Once you’re back, you’ll slot right in like before. And if you go back and it’s a huge struggle, you have options like requesting some flexible working or using a day of annual leave a week to have a couple months of 4 day weeks. There are options you can discuss with your manager to make things manageable for you.