Week 7 - time off work?

[PrincessAppleSeed]

Hi. Am 7 weeks pg with my first and have been feeling awful - sickness and exhausted. Had a kip at lunchtime yesterday, but barely made it through the day.

Just wondered if anyone else has had to take time off this early in pregnancy for feeling utterly shattered or sick. I haven't yet, but don't know if it is at all acceptable.

Thanks.

Congrats on your pregnancy

You don't have to tell work that you're pregnant until quite a long way down the line, so I would just tell them you're unwell - flu, whatever. Can you work from home at all?

No to working from home - I'm an Optometrist! Have told work, as it's a small company and they are a good bunch. I was also already arranging time off for IVF, so they wondered why my appts were cancelled as it happened naturally! But I do have to be fully on the ball at work.

Hi, if work know you are pregnant and you are not well enough to work it is worth telling work that it is pregnancy related illness, as pregnancy related reasons don't count in most ~(all?) absence policies etc.

Ah well if they know then ...

They should understand that morning sickness is very real and often quite debilitating. I'd stay at home for the worst days, go in when you feel able. They will hopefully appreciate your efforts even if you feel like crap

Cant remember how early I took sick leave but if you feel shattered and sick you are not much use at work! Take a day off stay in bed and rest and then hopefully you will be better able to carry on.
I am usually all for going to work unless you are dying but as DH keeps reminding me its not just you you have to think of there is ure bean as well!! Your body is pretty good at letting you know when you need a rest! And dont feel guilty you are pregnant!

For what it's worth, I've been off sick ever since I was 6 weeks pregnant, which was when my hyperemesis started, so don't feel bad. I'm now 27 weeks and won't be able to go back at all before ML but that is due to attitude of my employer.

If you do get signed of sick, I'd always have it marked as pregnancy related illness as it can't be counted in your sickness record and will give you extra protection if your employer decides to get nasty due to pregnancy.

Thanks for the advice. Having always been fairly healthy, I'm struggling with how rotten I've been feeling. But like you say, it is a genuine sick day. They may not be happy, but better than me throwing up on someone!!

Yes definitely specify that it is pregnancy related sickness and this does not get held against you in terms of your general sick record and redundancies. I told my work early for this very reason as I was feeling so sick and exhausted at around 7-8 weeks.

I am now 11 weeks pregnant and been off work since 7 weeks due to horrendous nausea. I work for a big company and my job is very intense as yours sounds. I have alot of important decisions to make and on my feet all day. I just couldn't do it. They have been understanding. They cannot do much else as my Dr has issued a sickline. They know I will be back as soon as I can but I believe I have to look after myself and my baby. Work is not my priority and wil have to wait until my body decides it can handle it.

COngratulations ! Yes I have been signed off work for 2 weeks with awful n&v,all day, and I am having to go back to docs today to ask for more time off as still not well enough to go back.Awful nausea started for me at 5.5 weeks, I am now 9.5 and it it sometimes a bit better, but if I try to do anything around the house I feel terrible again so end up sitting/lying down again. Glad to hear your employers are supportive. I hope it eases for you soon.

I've been signed of sick since I was 7 wks and now 12+wks due to Hyperesemis. Bit like MrsHuxtable I'm unable to return due to employers attitude. Make sure if your signed off it is pregnancy related as you will be protected more.

Thank you. I think the first step will be asking for my work to be adjusted - so I will request a break morning and afternoon, so I can catch up and have a rest. I'm more likely to be able to cope better if my day isn't completely chocker.

Sorry to hear there are other people feeling rough. What is hyperesemis? I have heard it mentioned, but wasn't sure.

Princess I'm not sure of the exact definition of Hyperemesis, but it's a severe form of morning sickness where you can't keep down any food or fluids, in many cases for several months or the whole pregnancy. It also often requires admission into hospital. It goes way beyond normal morning sickness and without being bitter, it sucks how many people don't get that it's a proper illness and not just pregnant ladies being a wuss.

horsey Sorry to hear you're going through the same crap with your employer! You have my sympathy.

If you feel crap, you feel crap. If it's a feeling you'd otherwise take time off for, then it's as acceptable as any other sick day :)

MrsHuxtable defination is right. It is condition that is not fully understood by the medicals to why and who gets it and it dont seem to follow a pattern at all. I think because its not fully understood by medical people it makes it harder for others to understand it is a genuire condition. Unfortuantly words can not describe what this condition does. As well as making you sick it is quite a depressive and leads to the mum to be morning her pregnancy. There is a thread on here called Hyperesemis Support on the pregnancy area that has all the information.

Gosh, well I'm very glad I'm nowhere near that bad and many many sympathies for those that are suffering with hyperemesis.

Sorry if I sounded moany when you are clearly far far worse!

Hope things improve soon for you.

yes, good idea to get them to give you a proper break morning and afternoon.

Now they know you're pg, they are supposed to do a risk assessment anyway, and have a talk with you about what you are able to do (and what your limits are)
You will be able to take it a bit easier - the first trimester and the last are the worst - in the first, you're sick and tired because you're body's adjusting, and in the last, you're just tired and heavy.
you'll be a bouncing ball of energy in the middle! (that's not guaranteed, of course, but that's the norm)

you missed all that when I was in the first trimester - I piled up loads of cushions in the corner of the shop and rested in those when I felt knackered!
and i kept lying down on the shop floor when I felt tired - was quite funny cos I had to tell random strangers that I wasn't just being a lazy cow, but that there was a reason I was resting on the floor!
(that's what you have to do when it's your own shop - when you have colleagues, you can get off the shop floor for a break!)

Hee hee, thanks Nickel - I can just imagine you stretched out. Hope there weren't any opportunistic thieves who heard your snores! :)

I crept upstairs and dozed in the staff room for 15 mins today! But when I have a full clinic of patient's to see that wouldn't be an option.

you have to make sure they schedule your appointments with breaks allocated in the times.

If your body tells you it needs to rest do. When you get your risk assessment done ask to have those breaks as part of minimising the risks