Awful morning sickness, can't work, don't want to let on I'm pregnant .....

[franch]

I work freelance through an agent/personal manager who's been very patient over the last year and a half through my pregnancy and the first year of DD's life. However I'm now PG again and suffering appalling morning sickness. Last time I was lucky in that my agent happened to get me no interviews in the first 12 weeks or so of my pregnancy, so I didn't need to tell her I was PG till after my 1st scan. This time however she's got me 2 interviews already this WEEK! Cancelled the first one saying I'd been vomiting, didn't know what it was etc. Said I'd go to the one tomorrow morning, thinking I could drag myself along, but am now thinking I really can't and really need to rest. I really don't want to tell her yet as I'm afraid she'll lose patience and give up on me but it'll be very frowned upon if I cancel at the last minute again tomorrow ...... Agh, what do I do?

Say you are having an attack of IBS (Irritable Bowl Syndrome).....say it's been in remission for a while and something has set it off...

Don't really want to lie too much as she'll eventually put 2 and 2 together and realise what it was .....

Think I'm going to call her now, leave a message, say the vomiting has come back and I don't know what it is (so that later I can say it was the start of MS but I didn't realise). Won't be popular but I guess there's no getting away from the fact that this 2nd PG, so soon after the 1st, is jeopardising my career whatever way I look at it.

Just going to hope she doesnt come up with any more work for me for the next few weeks - if she does I'm going to have to come clean.

Good luck - hope it goes well

Thanks KM

PLease don't worry too much about jeopardising your career Franch. Yes for a while you won't be able to perform as you did before babies, but you'll get back there at some point once babies become older and more independent. I've decided that can't really go back even after a year's maternity leave this time - the logistics or 2 pre-schoolers, child care, number of hours needed to be worked in order to cover childcare costs etc are too complicated. So I'm going to take a shortish career break, in the knowledge that by the time babies are older, will have at least a couple of decades left to think about career development. Am really going to miss it though.

Oh god - what a ramble. I suppose what I'm trying to say to you is look at the long picture. Your're in your 40's and you've got plenty of time to regain any lost ground. What's most important now is to keep healthy and happy.

Thanks pooka. I am worried about losing my agent as they're incredibly hard to get in my line of work but you're right - in any case I know what my priorities are!

Oh I'm sorry Franch - hope you don't think I was being preachy or sanctimonious. Probably a bit more preoccupied with the whole career/baby conumndrum at the moment because feel very sad that may not return after this one, while being happy to be pregnant. I do love work, you see (only do 2 days and it's like MY TIME).

pooka, I didn't think you were being preachy or sanctimonious at all! I totally identify with what you say. I do hope to get back to work eventually - am trying to keep it ticking over in the meantime with the odd job here and there but that's proving more challenging than I expected now that no. 2 is on the way. I meant what I said about priorities though - I'm a lot clearer on that now than I was when DD was newborn, if that makes sense.

Makes complete sense, Franch. I do hope you start feeling better soon.

Thanks pooka