when should I stop working?

[scampifriess]

Im currently 24 weeks and i’m not struggling but i think im beginning to, I work in a pub behind the bar on my own. ive had my hours reduced from 30 to 20 a week but 20 hours on my feet with no where to sit is getting a bit much for me, running up and down the stairs to restock wine and change barrels and crouching down to sort out the fridges. I’m fully capable of working like this at the minute but its becoming exhausting because even on my days off i still am expected to come to help run events and i hardly get any rest at home because im constantly having to clean and tidy my partner working 8-6 6 days a week he cannot help me. i’m becoming so so tired and i dont know what to do

8-6 he bloody can help.

Why is there so much cleaning and tidying if you are both out of the house?

Your employer needs to do a risk assessment on you, it would make sense for you to train up your replacement and they can do the heavy work.

Why are you expected to come in on your days off? - are you paid for that time?

It’s a hard one because the sooner you start your maternity leave the sooner you have to go back after having the baby which can be equally exhausting (and expensive), so it’s a really personal decision.

I’m currently on maternity leave and my baby is 8 months old, I didn’t start my maternity leave until basically the day she was born but I did use annual leave to be off prior to that, I actually used my leave to have an extra day off a week for a few weeks which helped me massively as it helped balance work & rest, and I reduced the amount of the physical aspects of my job that I was doing with managers agreement although I know that will be more difficult with your job as by nature it is on your feet.

He's working 60 hours per week, presumably with commute on top and OP is working 20. I'd say pregnant or not the division of labour at home is probably going to fall on her side a little more and that's reasonable.

You might be ok - I worked in a pub 20 hours a week on top of a full time job. I worked right up til around 38/39 weeks. I also planned to work on New Years Eve at 41 weeks pregnant (my logic was I'd either still be pregnant and fed up so I might as well work or I'd have had the baby so I'd be fine to help for one night (3rd baby, family members pub)... of course baby decided to arrive on New Year's Eve instead 😂

We had loads of pregnant bar staff over the years - all worked til full term. Things we did:

Had a bar stool behind the bar for her to sit on between customers (she could also go out from behind the bar to sit anywhere at quiet times), landlord was available to do barrel changes, etc. Bar staff on before/after tried to sense check of any bottles were running low that might need a new one getting before they went home.

There are definitely things they can do to help make things easier on you! I presume you don't want to be forced to start maternity leave too early? If they try to get you to, push back for them to fulfil their legal obligations for a risk assessment and reasonable accommodations!