When to tell work? Emergency Services

[BaebaeNo2]

I have just found out I'm pregnant, I'll be five weeks tomorrow. I had my first day back at work today after being on holiday and I felt I was holding back etc. felt worried when blue lighting to calls. Should I be telling them? I didn't want to tell them and be put on light duties. Any advice...or similar experiences

I’m currently 24 weeks with 1st baby. Slightly different job but I work as an occupational therapist and part of my role is a lot of moving and handling and using/ lifting large ramps etc..

I told work when I was about 11 weeks as personally I wanted to see how the pregnancy hopefully progressed but at the same time wanted to ensure I notified them as soon as possible so I could maybe modify my role/ work.

As soon as you tell them, you should have a maternity risk assessment carried out with support from HR or your supervisor/ manager and that will be a time where you can go through your role and any risks to yourself or baby, from there if you need to make adjustments you can. Every pregnancy as they say is different and as you progress new things will come up. May not necesscarily mean they put you on light duties initially...

Congratulations!

I’m currently on light duties, work front line in Ambulance service and was put on light duties as soon as I told them.

I didn’t want to tell them straight away but then worked 3 night shifts from hell and suddenly felt very vulnerable. I was also stepping back, avoiding heavy lifts and standing back with violent patients, which Was putting my crew mate in danger. At first I regretted coming off the road so early but kept telling myself it was the safest thing to do. I definitely got a few shitty comments about coming off so early, but quickly told them ‘ I don’t want to have a miscarriage and blame myself for not being safe’ that shut them up! (Others were more supportive)

Since then I’ve worked flexi hours 4 days a week. No nights/weekends!

I’m now 31 weeks and I’ve been signed off with SPD for 2 weeks. I’ll go back for 2 weeks then finish on annual leave at 35 weeks!

Good luck!

I'm a response officer and currently on light duties too, it sucks. I told work at 8 weeks as I was so sick I couldn't hide it anymore. I wanted to hold out a bit longer but like you I found myself holding back and suddenly felt very vulnerable attending violent or risky calls.
If I were you I would tell them ASAP, it's better to be safe then sorry.
I'm now 28 weeks and being on light duties does take its toll, Iv never been so bored!! But it's a small price to pay to keep me and bubba safe 😊

I wish my works would take my pregnancy serious last pregnancy no risk assiment . This time 16 weeks still not done one

I work in ED and our ambulance service takes all frontline crew off the road as soon as they inform them of being pregnant. They do a variety of light duties such as training, school visits, appraisals etc. I was very envious when I got to late pregnancy and was struggling with clinical work!

It’s frustrating having to disclose your pregnancy so early but it’s the safest option and fairer for your crew-mates.

I’m a physio in elderly and stroke wards so I have manual job so had to tell very early - only 5 weeks as I didn’t want to risk myself or others with heavy work loads. Only told my immediate line manager xxx

Congratulations! When I was expecting my first over 20 years ago now I was allowed to carry on front line duties (police) even after I had told them. I didn't go on to light duties until about 18 weeks when I couldn't get my trousers done up, and had to go into some ghastly maternity smock! Even then I was still dealing with the general public in the enquiry office until I went on mat leave at 38 weeks. Two years later with my second H&S had kicked in and as soon as I told them it was light duties, and no public contact whatsoever.

I work in a job where people can potentially be aggressive and I told work straight away so risk could be managed. I appreciate you don’t want to be put on light duties but if that keeps you, your baby and the other people you work with safe then you need to tell them. It wouldn’t be fair if there was something you couldn’t do and it leaves a colleague in a vulnerable position

I work in cardiac Cath lab and have to be on call for 24h for STEMI, cardiac arrests, ICDs etc. Also in the lab we wear heavy lead aprons due to X Ray.
In June I was 8 weeks pregnant and had one of this horrendous on-calls 17hours and did CPR for 45min with the leads on. Later on I started bleeding and it ended it miscarriage. I can't say it was the on-call that did it, but when I got pregnant again I was so scared that I wasn't going to risk it. I am not just doing clinics, no emergencies and no on-calls. My advice would be to take it really easy. Also you don't know to what pathogens you are exposed to sometimes. One of my colleagues tried to be brave and worked in the labs and she was kicked by a patient badly. Working frontline emergency is really hard without pregnancy and super hard when pregnant. Please be careful. Hope my experience helps you to decide. No work is worth the sacrifice in my opinion.

Thanks for your comments, it helps with making a decision. I would hate to put anyone at work at risk either because I'm holding back. I just know as soon as I go light duties everyone will know.

Congratulations! Not the same, but i work as a veterinary nurse and in our industry we have to tell people for h&s. I have to evacuate if any patients are being gassed down. No xrays/heavy lifting etc and so on so i had to tell people as i was asked to do all of the above! Can you tell someone in management for now so they are aware and can assign you appropriately?

Fellow girl in blue! I've been told by my best mate who's got a now 1 year old that I should tell line manager ASAP. She didn't and got in a scuffle and kicked in the stomach luckily everything was fine but it put things in perspective. Yes you'll be light duties undoubtedly bored yes people will guess but it's worth it and they'll support you. If it's anything like my response team they'll be excited for you! X

How soon did you tell work? I've still not told them, I was in for paperwork yesterday so that was ok. I'm back in on Saturday. I can tell my supervisor, but it's pretty obvious what the reason will be. Then again, it's not worth risking getting in to a fight etc.

@BaebaeNo2 it was my mate who was pregnant and I think she had a week at work where she didn't tell anyone she was about 8/9 weeks when she told them

I'm 6wks pregnant with my first and a frontline Cop in uniform. Every call I've been to in the last few weeks, my overriding concern is the baby growing inside me; We are all aware of the dangers lurking around every corner and I guess it's normal to be super protective. Only for the first time it's not only me and my colleague I'm protecting, it's a tiny baby too.

My first midwife appointment is 18th February: I'll be around 8wks. The thought of having to tell the shift and my line manager then doesn't please me greatly, but it's definitely the safest option.

Glad this thread was started! Will keep an eye on it in the coming weeks.

Happy pregnancies and good luck

I'm not far behind you then. I'll be 6 weeks on Wednesday. I wasn't feeling well so I've taken a few days off work and I'm putting in for a few holiday days (yes, I've still not told work, I keep putting it off) 😬

Hi @BaebaeNo2. Hope you're keeping well. Have you informed work officially yet? I've not

Did you manage to tell work?

I work as an endoscopy nurse, I'm 5 weeks pregnant and I had to tell my boss because we use a magnetic imaging device in the procedure room (similar to X-ray, pregnant women aren't allowed to be near it), so needed to be doing stuff that took me out of there when the device is being used. It's frustrating to tell work earlier than you want to, but your safety comes first!

Hiya, I’m a frontline cop and told work at 5 weeks. Not ideal as my colleagues worked it out fairly quickly when I wasn’t ready to say but had to go on light duties. Work have been very good about it!

Same job as you op. I intended not telling as long as possible, anticipated about 14 weeks but unfortunately 4th child syndrome I had a massive bump by 8 weeks so it was blatently obvious. If you're already feeling you're holding back, I would tell your sergeant and ask her to help you create a believable lie as to why you're on restricted duties. Personally I didn't mind everyone knowing as my team were my best friends and I would have needed their support if it had gone wrong anyway.

Oh I’m 18 weeks now so pretty comfortable with everyone knowing! :)