any other pregnant nurses?

[moomin2015]

Just wondering if any one else is a pregnant nurse struggling with shift work and hard physical work and wondering what will happen about going back to work after mat leave?! It's all a long way off for me & I don't want to sound naive I had thought about all this before but now I'm pregnant it seems more difficult and more expensive than I ever thought!!

I am a nurse and currently expecting number 3. I don't work on the wards anymore as I'm in a clinic based role but I did with ds1 and ds2. Yes ward work while heavily pregnant is exhausting, particularly nights and I ended up going on mat leave around 34 weeks although there are plenty who are made of stronger stuff than me and somehow managed to keep going right up to the end. In terms of going back, it wasn't too bad with just ds1 but by the time ds2 came along I admit I found it hard to juggle shift work with family life. DP is a doctor in the same hospital so the ward were quite accommodating to us both in terms of me arranging my shifts around his but I realise I was privileged in this. I only worked two shifts a week (12.5) but sometimes these would all fall together in a four day stretch and that was very hard. I now work office hours as a specialist nurse (less money as no enhancements) and life is so much easier I can't contemplate going back to ward work anytime soon. I don't want this to sound all soon and gloom as there are lots of nurses who seem to manage shifts just fine but I wonder if trying to find some community work or research might be something to consider when returning to work? If you are NHS you don't have to go back to the same department you just have to return to the NHS. Also the child care voucher schemes are really worth while and save you lots in child care costs particularly if you take the maximum amount. Good luck with everything. Enjoy your time off with the little one and try not to worry too much about going back to work - you'll find what works for you but enjoy your mat leave in the meantime.

I am a nurse or was until I took a career break after DD was born over a year ago. I went back for 3 mths after mat leave and handed in my notice as I didn't want to fit shifts around my family life and wanted a career break anyway. I found being pregnant really hard. Especially the first trimester, that was so hard. I was so sick and totally exhausted. My colleagues were fantastic anyway and wouldn't let me do very much in the way of moving patients but the 12.5 hour shifts were still exhausting. Just being out of the house 15 hours a day. I had an hours commute both ways on 2 trains. I went off at 31 wks, took all my annual leave in one go and added a years mat leave onto that. Im not made of very strong stuff, such a weakling and other pregnant colleagues put me to shame working right up until the end but well whatever lol!

When I go back it wont be back to that sort of job. I will be looking at CNS or clinic work or practice nurse. Something more family friendly and somewhere easier to get to!

I am a nurse on a busy ward and I am in the middle of my nightshifts at the moment! I am 12 weeks pregnant and am struggling with the shifts and the heavy workload. I also work 12.5 hour shifts so by the end of the shift I am on my knees!
Work have been really helpful but dealing with the 'lovely' early pregnancy symptoms and trying to work has been tough!
The only thing I have been finding it difficult is the way other nurses have been treating me-there appears to be an expectation that I should be able to care for aggressive or agitated patients who can hit out and when I suggested someone else should look after them I did get a funny look and a comment that I should learn to deal with it!
I plan on coming back on reduced shifts due to childcare but I didnt realise how difficult the NHS could be about maternity!
Hope you have a lovely pregnancy

Thank you for the replies ladies nice to know it's not just me and helpful to know there are options out there! :)