Anyone not take time off to rest when advised to?

[CharBell]

Am 27 weeks. Bled for first time today. Was red blood, small clot. Not much. Panicked, went to delivery suite. Got monitorred and had internal (nice.) All well.

Mentioned that I'd been having more contractions over the last three days and bump had been more tender. Had assumed it was normal and maybe ligaments streching.

They said all well but take the rest of the week off work.

I can't bring myself to take tomorrow and Friday off (took rest of today off.)I assume they are just being extra cautious but my job isn't physical.

Anyone ele done the same thing?

If they've told you to rest then you should do just that!!!! Would your work not be happy or something if you took the rest of the week off? Your baby is more important.

I have been given this advise when I was pregnant after some contractions at 20 weeks, I rested for a day and overlooked it but well, in my country you are not even allowed to climb stairs while pregnant so it was a bit OTT, however I did never bleed.

So I believe it's a wise idea to follow the advise. The job may not be too physical but... it's only a couple of days, can you take some of the work home?

My work is not like other places. It's kind of a walk in with a broken leg kind of place.

I know I should err on the side of caution but so many people seem to bleed occasionally, I don't see why going into work and sitting at a computer will make it worse.

I know the dilemma. I'm a lecturer (teaching-only, in an English department abroad) and when I'm not there the students don't get taught, full stop - we're a small, chronically understaffed dept. and I've got the biggest teaching load. At 23 weeks I had a scare (thought I'd lost my mucus plug!) and my gyn said my cervix was too soft and short and proceeded to sign me off for two weeks. It did me the world of good but it was sometimes hard to stay away. Now I'm 32 weeks and legally entitled to stop at 34, but the semester is just getting geared up again and I'm going to carry on for as long as I can (AFTER the birth I will obviously be off, though!). However, I'm watching myself carefully and should it turn out to be more sensible for me to stop, I'll have no hesitation in doing so. It is difficult knowing people are relying on you, but in the end it's better to be safe than sorry and take the time off.

CharBell - I'm currrently off work on sick as a precaution (am 26 weeks today)due to the fact that I had severe pre-eclampsia with 1st pg which resulted in emergency delivery of dd at 29 wks, her in scbu for 6 weeks and me in Icu for 3 days. I had been told to rest that time and didn't - after that experience and now having beautiful precious 4 yr old, I won't take any chances - it's just not worth it - and I have a desk job too. Please don't risk anything - you & your baby are the most important things

Thanks MollyDolly but were you told to take time off the first time because you had high blood pressure?

I think I would feel differently if I had high BP. Oh I don't know, maybe I wouldn't.

Charbell, take the time off. I do know where you are coming from - with my first I was told to go to hospital immediately after soem tests had come back. They let me out that evening after I begged and I went into work the next day, only to get a phone call at 11am to say the consultant wanted me admitted straight away. And I still delayed so I could finish a meeting, and called work every day for the next 2 weeks I was in hospital - I spent more time in the stairwell on my mobile than I did in bed. (my problem was a liver condition, not bleeding)

And 2 weeks later, after an emergency c-section, I wondered why on earth I had ever cared about something so inconsequential as work when I should have been thinking about this gorgeous baby I had jsut given birth to.

I know, it's just that your situation sounds much more serious than mine. You had a liver thing which sounds mega scary.

I actually think yours is scarier - mine wasn't going to be dangerous to my baby until v. late in pregnancy, and I, and the doctors, knew exactly what itwas. Yours might actually be affected by you doing too much - and just getting to work might be too much.

Please do believe me, after you have had this baby you will laugh at your devotion to anything other than it.

Message withdrawn

Personally I think you should take the time off - if it was me I would never forgive myself if something happened. And even though you don't do anything physically at work it's the getting up, getting out the house on time that isn't as relaxing as getting up slowly and mooching around in your dressing gown if you feel like it. Go on, taste the daylights of daytime TV

I'd take the time off. I was signed off for 2 weeks at 26 weeks with depression. After 2 weeks my GP signed me off for another 2 weeks and I protested. But I decided to sleep on it, and the next day I realised that only my baby and health was important. In fact, I ended up getting signed off for the rest of my pregnancy. I'm still not happy about having had to take so much time off, but at least I now accept that it was very important to do so, and am now battling the going back issues.

Please do take the time off. I bled heavily from 13 - 16 weeks and was told to carry on - they only tell you to take time off if they really mean it.

I'd take the time off. I was signed off for 2 weeks at 26 weeks with depression. After 2 weeks my GP signed me off for another 2 weeks and I protested. But I decided to sleep on it, and the next day I realised that only my baby and health was important. In fact, I ended up getting signed off for the rest of my pregnancy. I'm still not happy about having had to take so much time off, but at least I now accept that it was very important to do so, and am now battling the going back issues.

Please do take the time off. I bled heavily from 13 - 16 weeks and was told to carry on - they only tell you to take time off if they really mean it.

You will never forgive yourself if something happens, you will always wonder 'what if...'

In six months, I PROMISE you, you will not give a TOSS about your work.

Really, what's the worst thing that can happen at work if you take the time off? Bet it's not as bad as the worst thing that could happen if you don't take the time off... Seriously, they wouldn't be telling you to take the time off if they didn't think you needed to.

Get a good book, put your feet up on the sofa & stay at home reading & eating chocolates for a few days. You're probably right, your work adds no risk at all. But if anything bad happens while you are work when advised to stay at home, you will feel so awful, you won't forgive yourself, it's not worth the risk.

Look at it as a perk of pregnancy... I got to re-read Watership Down one day in my first pregnancy due to a blood pressure scare (which I knew was just down to sleep deprivation and dehydration on the day). But it was a treat for me

agree with anyone else - do what the docs advise.
just because you work with a bunch of idiots who don't listen to their body doesn't mean that you have to be part of that. you're not going to get extra marks in your next appraisal for having gone in when under medical advice not to - don't let work rule your life like this.

sorry for the rant, just struck a nerve as I used to work in that sort of stressy work environment - it's only when you're out of there that you realise how daft you were putting work before everything else.

Charbell, have not read the rest of replies but assume everyone has told you the same.

I worked full time as a HR Manager when I was preg with ds1. I developed high blood pressure at about 26 weeks and had to be monitored. I was told to take it easy, but still went to work, as a desk job.

Blood pressure didn't impove, and it got to the stage at 32 weeks that the midwife asked me "its the job or the baby, which will it be!" Needless to say I was then at home with feet up for rest of pregnancy. Ds1 was born on due date gorgegous, five years on I would say

TAKE IT EASY means just that!!!!

In my opinion, you should take the time off if your medical advisors have told you to. You may think your job demands your presence but once your baby is born, you will realise that s/he is far more important than your job. Nothing more to say about this .

I was told to take it easy, ignored them and carried on as usual. Ended up spending the last 6 weeks of my pregnancy in hospital. I definitely would do as they suggested if I had my time again.

yes I stayed at work till 3 weeks before due dated (my consultant told me repeatedly to stop working) despite being totally knackered .

The reason I stayed working was it is my own business, it would have cost me money not to work (still had to pay staff wages, overheads)and my business partner would have been really struggling to manage . ( I took only ten weeks off and he nearly had a nervous breakdown)

Don't know if it was related but got preeclampsia and had to spend some time prior to the birth in hospital.

STAY OFF WORK.

Hi, i bleed when pregnant with my dd. I was 9 weeks when i first bleed and got signed off for 2 weeks, and took time off. As soon as i went back to work i started bleeding again. This happened 3 times so in end doc signed me off for rest of pregnancy. I only worked at a desk but my baby and my health where important. If they have told you to rest my advise would be to rest, and make most of it once baby arrives even if you get told to rest and want to someone else might have other ideas. Hope all goes well x

I had threatened labour at 25 weeks last time and was in hospital for 3 weeks getting it under control and then was ordered to stay home till I delivered which I did at 35 weeks. I am 28 weeks now with my 2nd and I got a bit paranoid last week thinking that my waters had broken which they hadn't. If I were you I would absolutely take no chances. A premature birth could result in babies death or it being disabled or SN for the rest of its life. A week off work is a small price to pay for the health of your baby at this stage.

Charbell

Have you had a scan? Have they told you where the bleeding was coming from? Do you know where your placenta is?

Sorry if I sound paranoid, but I bled at 27 weeks and it turned out I had placenta praevia. I also had 'tightenings' although I kept being told it was nothing to do with the placenta praevia and in the end I put it down to stress (at being kept in hospital, which I hated).

I know what you mean about work. I was in hospital for 10 weeks in the end, and ended up with my laptop in there with me, working as best I could. And anytime they let me go out for an hour I went straight to work... not home! Sad or what . But work will survive without you (I thought I was indispensible, but it turned out I wasn't!). If you have been told to rest, you should rest. Your baby needs to come first.

Good luck.