I'm feeling so guilty about work...

[LorelaiVictoriaGilmore]

I'm 28 weeks pregnant. I work a 4 day week but on the days I do work, I am regularly billing (I'm a lawyer) 7-10 hours per day. I also have a 2 year old, so I'm running around most of the time I'm not working as well.

Over the last week or so I have basically ground to a halt. I have been diagnosed with SPD, pregnancy-triggered asthma and eczma and low iron. I also have been struggling with acid reflux. I have a history of premature birth (ds was born at 35 weeks) and a low-lying placenta this time too, so I have lots of extra appointments. I'm getting about 5-6 hours sleep a night because I am so uncomfortable and also stressed by work.

I am just not coping with work. HR sent me to an occupational health doctor who advised that I not work beyond 6:30pm in the evening - so once I've done bath and bedtime for my son I can be 'finished' by 8pm. But I just have too much work to do. By 6:30pm last night I was in tears because I just couldn't get everything done. I handed my work over to my boss and a junior and I saw that they finally emailed the client at 2am. I feel terrible that they were there so late doing 'my' work - but what can I do? It's going to start all over again on Monday, I've got to get to London for 6 hours of meetings on Tuesday which will probably run later into the evening...

Some moments I am so close to bursting into tears on my GP and begging to be signed off work. But then part of me thinks that I am just being pathetic - I can work from home a lot of the time and it's not that long until Christmas... why can't a just keep going for a few more weeks?!

Can someone talk some sense into me? Please! What should I do?

I've been on a conference call since 11.30am this morning and am flagging - but I'm going for my hard stop at 6.30pm!

Thanks for the reminder that I'm 50 per cent. through the week - made me smile.

I've got my gp's appointment all booked for Friday. Infuriatingly, the occupational health doctor still hasn't sent through their report even though my appointment was a week ago.

I hope you've got a trainee listening in and doing the attendance note!

Glad the docs is booked in, if you decide you don't need it this week then perhaps rebook for next week? Keep the option there.

I'd get HR to chase up occ health, their report won't be worth bothering with if they leave it much longer!

Well done OP. You're doing so well. Sometimes having options and understanding is enough to help a bit to keep us going. You're doing all of the right things. Just keep listening to your body. Don't fall into the trap that because they've been understanding you have to make it work. Sometimes it's not possible. So if it doesn't work that's ok too. Chase up occ health, that's a little on the long side for them and the report would help you.

Occupational health report finally came through and HR gave me a call. Woman from HR was absolutely brilliant. She said things like 'this occupational health report says that you can work from 8.30am until 6.30pm but that sounds absolutely mad to me in the third trimester... shall we tell them you can start at 9.30am and finish at 5.30pm? Or 5pm? Or earlier?' 'Hmmm, and you'll need at least a couple of hours break during the day....' She was supportive of me getting to the end of next week, but then pretty much ordered me to take a week off sick in the run up to Christmas because 'nothing happens then anyway'...

Phew! I think it might all actually be ok! Thank goodness I started this thread and got the advice of the wise women of mumsnet!

Very glad occupational health are being so supportive. Take them up on it and let your energy go into growing your baby. You are all they have!

Occupational health sound great!

How're you doing OP?

Aw! Thanks for asking. Ok - longing for Christmas! Work have pretty much done what they said they would and although the days have been really busy, I've been stopping at 6/6.30pm. The partner and junior had to do about the days in a row finishing at c. 3am and the partner did make one joke about being more tired than me... But I took it in the spirit in which I hope it was intended!