Work Residential 8 months pregnant

[Autumnsloth]

Hello, I wanted to ask advice about going away on a work residential. The residential is 3 days long, and takes place on an island which is at least a 5 hour train journey from where I live. By then I will be 8 months pregnant (3/4 weeks before my due date). This is my first pregnancy so I have absolutely no experience of how I will feel - is there any obvious reason why going to this event would be a problem?

Yikes, wouldn’t even consider it. I delivered at that point! Regardless it’s way too far from any reasonably sized hospital.

Nah. I've felt really well almost all the way through pregnancy and haven't really changed my routine etc, but now I've hit 35 weeks I'm just starting to feel like I don't want to do much. Things I was doing last week without any trouble are becoming a ballache, I'm tired, heavy, still suffering indigestion but also now bladder pressure at same time and the discomfort of baby moving into position. I definitely wouldn't be thanking myself for the trip you describe although I'd have probably said yes at the time because I felt so well!

Oh god no - I booked a film shoot for around that time (cos I was feeling like superwoman right up to the point) then had to go and wail on my boss's shoulder about how I couldn't face a four hour drive. To be fair, she was all 'wtf did you plan that for, you total numpty'...

The travel would really put me off, if anything happened you could have a baby without your partner reaching you in time!

I can't see how any risk assessment could find a safe way for you to attend. Have you thought about what you'd do if you went into labour whilst there? When I was in early labour with DS the car journey was the most painful of my life. Contractions and hyper-sensitivity. A ferry or train journey would be horrific. And public too!

I wouldn’t want to go. Too far from a hospital for my liking, should you unexpectedly go into labour. Although I’ve never made it past 37.5 weeks with any of my 3 DC, so I may be slightly biased there.

A 5 hr train journey would probably be very uncomfortable that far along in pregnancy too.

Does your employer know that you are pregnant? Is there pressure on you to go?

I wouldn't. People have their babies at 35/36 weeks. And if they don't they are getting uncomfortable and can't sleep. The route off the island and to the hospital would make up my mind.

Agree with others, no. I had an uncomplicated pregnancy but DD arrived suddenly at 36+3. In your set up, I'd have been delivering a breech (surprise!) baby en route to hospital.

I would discuss it with work, I suspect they would not expect you to come because if you did go into labour they would potentially incur costs. Though if in the U.K. in the worst case scenario the air ambulance would collect you. Talk to them. At 8 months you may wish to start maternity leave anyway

Not a chance unless my job depended on it, and I was in good form and worked right up to the end of both my pregnancies but there are far to many unknown variables here.

Also like pp have said 5 hours on a train at 8 months would have been agony with my second as he kept getting a foot stuck under my rib when I sat. I pretty much stood or lied flat the last 4 weeks

Speak to your HR tbh depending what is involved with the event if you have team building activities it's unlikely that the insurance would cover you anyway.

Physically, I would have been fine. I didn't really feel that pregnant. Yes, I walked a bit slower but other than that did everything that I normally did including running for trains etc. However my (first) baby was born at 37+0 with an overnight labour lasting 8 hours meaning I'd have been pretty screwed if I did go on your residential. Fortunately it was a weekend and overnight as otherwise I would have been at work, we even had a conversation about 3 hours before the contractions started about when I'd start to feel "properly" pregnant whilst we were putting together the baby room furniture. Babies are classed as full term from 37+0 and generally don't require any additional support if they're born beyond 35ish weeks.

I can't imagine your HR dept would be happy about you going as they'd have to do a risk assessment etc - presumably they know you're pregnant?

Your job should never depend on it. You are protected by laws which require your employer to make reasonable adjustments to keep you safe.

It's a bit of a weird one in the sense that my department know that I'm pregnant, but the residential is not directly linked to them (external body that funds various mandatory training events). My job doesn't depend on it, although a considerable (around 15% of yearly salary) bonus does.

I e-mailed and explained that I would be pregnant and didn't feel comfortable going given distance to the hospital. The possibility of going into labour early hadn't even occurred to me(!). Definitely don't want to go now I've thought about that, as others have pointed out, genuine risk of not getting there in time and of my partner also not being there. I think the stress of those possibilities wouldn't be helpful in the months leading up either.

My job is pretty physically undemanding so I don't think I'll start mat leave until quite late. But yes, will just have to accept the loss of bonus.

Might be worth checking with someone like ACAS or Maternity Alliance about the bonus - if it's dependent on an activity you can't complete due to your pregnancy - this could be discriminatory

I’d fight for the bonus! I think they’d struggle not to give you it to be honest.

You might want to talk to Maternity Action about this. It’s difficult for them to make reasonable adjustments for your safety as short of relocating the course there isn’t much to be done, but it’s potentially discriminatory if it means you cannot be paid your bonus.

No I wouldn't.

I wouldn't. I had my first at 36 weeks and was still in the office a few hours before giving birth with no idea at all that it was about to happen!