When to tell work

[EllaSW]

When is it sensible to tell work about a pregnancy if you are concerned about miscarriage and have a difficult employer and manager? I’ve heard some people say after 20 wks but I don’t see how that would work if you are unwell and need time for appointments or are already showing. Thoughts pls

You are protected by the law from the moment you tell them so might be better to tell them earlier, particularly if you need a risk assessment etc. With my first I was throwing up regularly but held off on telling work until 20 week scan (don't really know why), currently 18 weeks with my second and I told work as soon as I returned from mat leave at 12 weeks.

I told my management before I told my family 🤦🏽‍♀️ I’d love for everyone to be able to do that. My management put a risk assessment in place for me the very same day and that was it final.

@hopeful4usHow did you manage to hold off that long if you were unwell? You must be made of strong stuff! I’d like to do the same but I don’t think I’ll be able to ☹️

@Stressmummy12wow! What field do you work in?

Wih my first I told work after the 12 week scan, with our second I told work about 9weeks as I worked in a volatile workplace where we had some incidents that could have put me at risk, so I told them early on just in case.

A secondary school teacher and despite the sickness, I wasn't really showing. The desire to keep it secret possibly gave me adrenaline for the day as I was often sick on the way to/from work. It was commented on when I told work that someone had seen me sick and thought maybe I'd been hungover!!

Tbh it was a lot more pleasant once people knew.

5 weeks, 6 weeks, 4 weeks and didn't tell them. It was in my contract that I had to tell them as soon as I knew as I was a lab user as they would need to do a new risk assessment and change which projects I could work on. I had 2 miscarriages so it was helpful for them to know that I was having extra scans to determine viability and needing a few days off for the loss and relaxation of the office based work days

I had hyperemesis in the first 3 pregnancies and by 6 weeks I was needing time off. The 4th pregnancy I suspected that I was pregnant as the company put me in consultation for redundancy I took the test on my last day of work at 8 weeks pregnant

I told mine coming up to 11 weeks, mainly because I needed time off for first midwife appt and scan and didn’t want to take annual leave. I was also unwell and wanted to let them know in case I needed time off.

i was hugely anxious as my boss can be unapproachable but it went OK. Did work up a lot of courage to do it (I know I shouldn’t have been nervous) but just knew I needed to rip the plaster off and tell them.

I think it all depends on your job, risks etc and what symptoms you have.
I've always been desk based so I didn't really need to tell work straight away.

With my first it was after the 12 week scan, second around 16weeks and only because I had an emergency scan booked in for bleeding and needed time off so I had to tell them.
Currently 23 weeks with my third and I haven't told work yet... I'm lucky that I have no morning sickness and don't show too early although I feel huge third time and can't believe no one has guessed :) planning on telling my boss when I return from holiday next week.

I think legally you're supposed to tell them 15 weeks before your due date.