Shift workers, when to stop night shifts?

[SouthwestSis]

I work in the NHS, a mix of 10 and 13 hour shifts and 46 hours a week on average (sometimes up to 70 hours in any 7 days).
When is it reasonable to ask to reduce/stop my night shifts? I can't just play it by ear as I need to give work some notice to find alternative cover so trying to think ahead.
My night shifts are scheduled in blocks of 3 or 4 in a row, and I'm not sure how much longer I can do this, I was thinking of asking to do max 2 in a row soon.
I'm interested to know what other shift workers have done. Work is so busy at the mo and I can't always reliably take regular breaks, I feel like I need to prioritise my own (and babies!) health for once.

If you're finding them difficult now then I would just give notice now.

My manager asked me if I wanted to stop doing nights as soon as I told her (at 17 weeks) that I was pregnant but I was happy to keep doing them so she said I could just let her know anytime if I changed my mind.

I kept doing nights and on calls until my mat leave because I was well, and felt fine, slept well after etc but if you're not coping then just go for it. No harm in it!

I don't do night shift, but I do on call. So from 9pm till 8am, I go to bed then sometimes (quite often ATM!) get phoned into work. However, I'm in work the days surrounding being on call. I can take the morning off following a busy night, but I already have a toddler so its not as easy as just catching up on sleep. Currently 16 weeks,and I hope to stop on call by 27 weeks. Its also an issue about lone working as well as one call shifts are done alone.

I can't wait to stop as getting woken suddenly us making me feel really sick just now!

Thanks for thoughts so far. I'm only 14+2 just now and don't have another set of 3 nights until 20w so just wondering whether to ask work to make it make 2 nights for then or see how I feel closer to the time....
Keen to hear more opinions of other shift workers too!

I didn’t stop nights, I can only think of one person who did but that’s because she used to faint. If you’re struggling then speak to your manager.

I'm a junior-ish doctor (I'm actually a senior reg these days but as not a consultant still technically junior), did nights in both pregnancies. First time I stopped at 24 weeks, but continued long days (2-3 in a row) till 34 weeks. Second time I was already only working 60% i.e. 3 days a week, which made things a bit easier, and I contained nights till 32 weeks, but they were mostly only 1 or 2 at a time. I was supposed to continue LDs until 35, but then developed high BP during a busy shift at 33 weeks, ended up going from working on labour ward to being a patient in maternity triage. They took me off all long shifts after that!

It's a very individual thing though. There is guidance for doctors so I imagine there must be for other healthcare professionals, but it's usually quite vague and down to your individual risk assessment.

Also, tbh nights in the late 2nd trimester were easier than in the 1st because I wasn't constantly running off to vomit/trying not to, and by then everyone knew I was pregnant so tried to go a bit easier on me, whereas I didn't tell anyone early on!

I did shift work for 10 years before I fell pregnant. I never had any trouble with night shifts, I was always able to sleep during the day no problem. But pregnancy made me so tired and ill I couldn't do the night shifts so stopped quite early on.

Some colleagues carried on doing shift work right up until due date, some had to switch to day shifts. Just do what you need to do for your own health and wellbeing, don't worry about any one else.

Good luck with everything

I don’t think I asked for a specific shift pattern - so just carried on. I stopped work at about 34 weeks. My nights effectively stopped earlier - can’t remember - maybe 30weeks - but that was due to shift pattern rather than planning. I would see how the pregnancy goes - eg do you have additional scans because of concerns, or gestational diabetes, how do you experience morning sickness? It’s so individual and I think HR would understand if you have difficulties (so don’t feel like you have to carry on for longer than you are comfortable).

Both pregnancies I’ve stopped very early on, mostly due to tiredness making hyperemesis worse. I’ve continued doing long day shifts though as I’ve found them ok. I did have to start maternity leave at about 32 weeks though because I just found i was too big to be able to do my job easily (I’m a midwife and I could no longer reach into the birthing pool to deliver babies for example…)

I already replied above that I didn't stop working nights but just wanted to add that most pregnant nurses in my hospital do stop working them. It's really left up to personal choice where I work though.

If your next set of nights is 6 weeks away that should be loads of time for your manager to arrange cover? If you're worried about it now then I'd probably just get the request out of the way rather than waiting until closer to the time.