8 weeks pg physically and mentally stressed

[44Jen44]

Hi there
I'm coming up for 8 weeks pregnant. I work as a Teaching Assistant in a secondary school. Just to be clear I was already finding this role extremely physically exhausting I'm on my feet for 6 hours a day, not allowed to sit down in classes. A few months ago I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and signed off for 6 weeks with extreme exhaustion the Dr said it was one of worst cases.

I'm 8 weeks pregnant with two children aged 7 and 9 with busy after school schedules. My husband is working away for three days next week and I'm already falling asleep exhausted every afternoon after finishing work. Every day I convince myself ill call in sick the next day because I am so stressed and tired. I have bad nausea but have been prescribed cyclizine last week to help. I just feel completely unable to cope in my job at the moment, hot dizzy sick tired and my family are counting on me to hold the fort completely by myself whilst hubby is away next week. I am at a loss I don't know what to do. Help advice appreciated.

Can you tell your employer you’re pregnant (so they don’t discriminate) then get signed off sick?

You’ll hopefully have more energy in the second trimester, but there’s no point making yourself even more ill by working yourself into the ground.

I'm 8 weeks and have been signed off work for the last 2 weeks as I just couldn't physically manage it as I have a disability also. I was feeling guilty for barely getting off the couch but I know it's what my body needs.

Trust your gut feeling, it sounds like you have a lot on and your body could still be adjusting to the thyroid meds (your levels might have improved but sometimes takes longer to feel that in the body).

I get that it's hard to make that call into work but by doing so you're putting yourself and your family first. Legally they have to accommodate you. But you could see how you go with a week off to start with and decide then if you want to tell them. I haven't told my job yet either but I've been getting a lot of infections so signed off on those grounds.

Honestly I've pushed myself in work over the years when my illness flares up and ended up in a worse state as a result and there's never any thanks. Put yourself and your family first

Good luck

I've ended up signed off for couple weeks feel bad about it, but something had to give.