Help - urgent! Need to decide whether to ring in sick - is rest important for me, the baby or both?

[LoveInAColdChamberOfSecrets]

I am 6 and a half weeks pregnant and so tired I can't get out of bed. I have told my boss (who knows I am pregnant) that I will be in late which he is fine with, but I am wondering if this level of tiredness is my body telling me to rest properly? Could struggling in when this tired harm the baby? Should I take the day off? Is this tiredness a hint that I need to stay lying down or do I just need to pull myself together and drag myself to work? Help - I need to decide! TIA.

It won't harm the baby. But it is pretty awful, so if your boss is sympathetic and you're not inconveniencing anyone by taking a sick day, take the sick day. You are allowed to look after yourself.

i'm a dragger in under all circumstances but everyone has a different comfort threshold! I definitely had some painful afternoons at work in those early weeks but it's normal to feel tired in the first trimester.

You won't do the baby any harm, but you have my sympathy - I felt dreadful at 6.5 weeks pregnant.

Even so, I would go in if I were you. You are only at the start of the pregnancy, and even if you only feel awful for the first trimester (which is very common), you still have 5.5 weeks of it. I would save the days off for only when you are completely exhausted and can't go in, because otherwise you could end up never being in work!

Does your DH/DP support you? When you are that tired, the best thing to do is to come home from work, eat, and go to bed. Hopefully he realises just how tired you are, and makes sure that you get lots of rest at home and don't go dragging yourself around to do your share of the housework any more.

Shear exhaustion is part of 1st trimester and absolutely normal. It will continue until about 14 weeks, at which point it will be just tiredness IME.

Nothing wrong with taking day off sick to rest but don't expect day off to be miracle cure....you will probably wake up the same most days for next few weeks.

Thanks, everyone - I am compromising by working at home. I can't believe how exhausted I am! Putting the washing on seems like an impossible task, let alone the idea of a bus ride, followed by a walk, followed by a day in the office, followed by the commute again.

DH is being very good but is so busy at work at the moment (going in at 6am most days and working until midnight ) that he can't do much around the house either. Which means that if I don't do it, it doesn't get done. I may just need to accept that the floors won't be hoovered much for a while but I do at least need to deal with laundry and food. Everyone who manages to combine pregnancy with an existing child has my undying respect!

Have you eaten yet? Low blood sugar really effects me when pg.

I always dragged myself in but in the end no-one thanks you for it, look after yourself and pace yourself. Please note, I had 'words' with my boss last week and may have a slightly skewed perspective.

When pg with dc2 I had to find the energy to feed/dress/change dc1 and go to work as you have no choice. When pg with dc1 I couldn't get off the settee like you, I would work, come home, eat chocolate, sleep for 2-3 hours, wake, eat chocolate and then be out for the night. It's hard but does get easier.

LBATNC - yes, I've had some muesli with strawberries (although already starving again - will get something else shortly). I am eating for England at the moment - I also feel much worse when hungry. Thanks for suggestion though.

Yes being hungry is what made me feel sick.

Oh dear, I've been there and done that. :( I ended up eating an awful lot of sandwiches and ready meals. I longed for DH to be able to cook for me, but he was always working late (very valid reasons, but still annoying!). Do as little as you can, but I agree that it probably won't make you feel any better until the second trimester. :(

I had the same in my second pregnancy, and relied an awful lot on DH and other family members. DD also saw an awful lot more Cbeebies than she ever had before. It's one of the main reasons that we didn't have a third!

MrsTilttleMouse - yes, I have also eaten many, many sandwiches and things on toast! Hmmmm, am starving again, time for some more bread based food I think...

I tried dragging myself in, after having no sleep for around a week and being totally exhausted i collapsed and the doctor had to sign me off for two weeks anyway... I'd say if you feel like it again, just take a rest, even if just for a couple of days, yes it isn;t a miracle cure, but your body will need more rest than normal... its not easy cooking a baby!!

I also just ate pure carbs for the first 10 weeks... anything for energy!!