Police officer...when should I tell work?

[sarahfirstbabyxXx]

Hi there. I've just discovered that I'm pregnant. 5 weeks today :-) This is my first baby and I haven't told anyone yet (not even my mum). This makes it hard when I have so many questions!

I'm a police officer. Obviously there are risks with my job and I'm wondering whether anyone had any advice as to when to tell my Sergeant.

Also I feel like my doctor isn't bothered. He doesn't want to see me and just asked me to self refer. Is this normal? I feel like I need to speak to a health care professional to make sure everything is okay.

Yes, normal in lots of areas to self refer to the midwives. But do book a GPs appointment if you are on any medication or have any specific concerns. They can do very little at this stage if you are otherwise well though.

I'd say tell your boss ASAP as I imagine in your job you're going to need them to risk assess to keep you safe from now really. But I have no experience of the police personally.

I suspect you ought to say straight away to allow them to put you on light duties ( pre maternity duties) as they do for other front line staff (paras)? Assuming its the same across the board that is?

Hughes congrats btw

Hey Hun Congratulations firstly.

Yes! I would tell work straight away.
Massively respect police officers so you need to make sure your number one and look after your self. Work will need to do a risk ass.

:)

Congratulations!

I'm a paramedic. I told them at 7 weeks. I could have told them earlier, but by 7 weeks I had awful fatigue and morning sickness. I couldn't physically handle 12 hour night shifts.

Once I sat down and went through the risk assessment, I just couldn't see myself doing it with that knowledge. There are risks with lifting, manual handling, the hours, the night shifts, risk of infection such as HIV, Hep B, etc and my risk assessment even mentioned the danger of driving on blues.

It comes down to what you are happy with. Personally, I couldn't even cope with the second hand smoke our customers like to share with us so frequently. They can keep it quiet until you are ready to tell everyone.

Thanks for the advice. I dealt with a not so pleasant lady in custody last night who was getting a bit violent and I started to realise that I wasn't safe in that environment. It's just going to be a shock stuck in an office.

Also, do I calculate my pregnancy date from the first day of my last period, or calculated date of conception? So am I 3 weeks or 5 weeks pregnant?

I'm a front line police officer. When I got pregnant last summer, I didn't tell work, but I could feel myself being hesitant and pulling back from situations because I was worried about the baby. Then I found out I'd had a mmc when I went for a scan, and I cannot let go of the idea that I caused it when I policed an event in full body armour, uniform and coat, 14 hour day with next to nothing to drink when it was scorching hot. (I peed once all day and it was like treacle.)

This time, a combination of the above, plus sickness making blue light runs impossible, meant I told at around 5 weeks. It was hard, and everyone guessed I was pregnant straight away, and my god restricted duties are BORING - I feel like I've been pregnant for about five years - but there's no doubt in my mind that getting off the streets asap was the right thing for me, my baby and the team mates I wasn't able to back up as well as normally.

Sorry about the essay!

From first day of last period.

And in my experience pregnant police officers go on light duties really early on so you should tell them as soon as you feel the need.

Congratulations!

You're 5 weeks-it's counted from the 1st day of your last period.
Congratulations!
Unfortunately in a police environment it's not easy to be discreet if you're a beat cop, you need to speak to your sergeant sooner rather than later so your duties can be modified

Yes you're five weeks. And from what you've said, definitely tell ASAP.

Thanks everyone!

I've got some heavy aid this weekend, which is going to mean long hours on my feet. Duties won't be happy about having to re-organise at such short notice!

Plus I have the Sergeant's exam next week...so added stress!

I suppose I'll have to tell my family. My mum would be heartbroken if she knew that work knew before her xx

Sod the aid, sod duties, don't make my mistake! Good luck with your pregnancy - and the exam :)

Good luck with the exam... Ive got an important course with several exams when I'll be 30 weeks. You won't need added pressure on top of it. But seriously, don't let them make you feel guilty for saying anything! I dragged myself through my christmas shifts, should have done new years but I saw sense! Put yourself and your baby first.

I told parents and work. I didn't even tell friends, but people from work are very good at keeping things confidential so I still managed to wait until 12 weeks and the scan before sharing the news. Just put your wellbeing first.

Depends on your skipper & prob how you want to get round it and tell people or not. If you don't want people knowing yet then as your aware it's impossible to keep anything quiet in some circumstances as people in the job make up their own minds/ rumours but if you have a skipper who is able to work with you to think of a genius way to get round the light duties then tell them, if not be prepared they will be likely to put you on light duties as they have duty of care and have to complete a work based risk assessment. Depends on you and how you feel, how you want it to be on your team or with your colleagues. I wouldn't worry about Ospre, there is always next year

I just worry about people finding out too soon. Everyone has it in their heads that they shouldn't say anything until after the 12 week scan. I'm worried about jinxing it!

IMO you're far more likely to jinx it by going out and putting yourself in harm's way. Telling people doesn't cause problems. I found it hard when my first pregnancy went wrong, and I came back from my ERPC and had people asking me if I had a nice time off - putting on a happy face was really tough. It was easier around the few people that did know.

Thanks everyone! I think I'm going to take everyone's advice. I've discussed it with my husband and I'm going to tell work soon :-)

Even after the 12 week scan you will be convinced you will jinx it. I still do. But we all know the risks are actually out there, whereas telling people won't change the outcome. I had the same dilemma, I didn't want to say anything but it's amazing how rapidly you can change your mind when you have to carry a 15st bloke down the stairs, get assaulted or have someone with an infectious disease spit in your face.

I miss doing my job every day, there's a reason why I didn't ever have an office job. But turns out I've got a high risk pregnancy, so I have to put my health first over what I may or may not jinx. Just think about how you can cope if your symptoms get worse. Can you take short notice leave? I have had colleagues take short notice leave until, pushing off telling everyone a little longer. There is also the option of an early reassurance scan in a few weeks if you want some confirmation?

I think with police officers they put them on light duties.

I'm a hospital doctor so my job can be physical and tiring and there are infection/radiation risks, and my work did absolutely zero to help last time I was pregnant. I told them around 15 weeks, and then I had to fight and fight to come off 14 hour shifts, 12 days in a row, night shifts, the cardiac arrest crash team, when I was exhausted and fainting much later in the pregnancy. They wouldn't do a risk assessment until I made them and then when it said I shouldn't be working such long hours they said it wasn't valid After I'd got quite run down I finally got my GP to sign me off the long shifts and the nights, wish I'd just gone to them in the first place and not bothered telling work. So this time I just can't even be bothered, I'm not even going to tell them until I have to, which I think is 25 weeks. I had a really small bump last time and no one noticed anyway, even though I was exhausted and sick. I hope the police look after their pregnant ladies better.

Congratulations OP. It's a really exciting time! The doctor wouldn't really do anything unless you had specific questions about medications or pre-existing medical conditions. A booking in appointment with the midwife at around 8-12 weeks will get the ball rolling. Hope all goes really well and you have a smooth pregnancy :)

I am 10 weeks currently and am nearly dying with tiredness/sickness on the long on call shifts and the nights- but it does get easier in the second trimester usually.

Arrgh, my post is so miserable and bitter!! I am so sorry. My own stupid issues from last time. Sarah I think you are absolutely right to put yourself and your baby first at this time!! I always tell myself, you work for what - 30, 40, 50 years? And most women have 1,2 maybe 3 pregnancies? It's a drop in the ocean and they should look out for you.

You don't have to tell your mum if you don't want to - with both my pregnancies work have known a good 6 weeks before our parents!

Hi. I'm in a similar boat- i'm a teacher in a special school with highly aggressive teenagers who on a daily basis try and kick, punch, bite (etc) staff and a few who are known for finding/making weapons to use to hurt people.

I told my work as soon as I knew becuase I didnt want to put myself in a situation where I would have to make the choice between jumping into a physical restraint and risking a MC or hanging back and potentially risking a colleague getting hurt.

They were really good and i've been able to hang back due to extra staff being allocated to my lessons.

I think from other people's experience at my work as soon as they tell them that they're pregnant they put them straight on to light duties. With this being my first pregnancy it's just hard to know what to do. But everyone's advice has been really helpful. I never thought I would be the sort of person to use a website like this, but it's good to know there's a place for all my questions!

Tell people you have an injury (not the sgt -be honest there!)

One of the girls at my work was on light duties very early on. Some people asked me why she was light duties so I just said arm injury.

You can then tell people after the 12 weeks

I experience severe sickness from early on in my pregnancies so family and colleagues have always known well in advance when I have been pregnant. I miscarried my second pregnancy and of course, everyone knew. I didn't mind that they did. I appreciate that it's personal and it's hard but it wasn't possible for me to keep any of my pregnancies a secret until the 12 week scan so I didn't worry about people knowing as there was no point. You have to put your health and the baby's health first.