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?

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.

Ooops, sorry for double posting.

Ooops, sorry for double posting.

Sodding computer. If it does it again this time, I'm turning it off... That'll show it who's boss!

(But seriously CharBell.. take the time off!)

Goodness me, I really can't believe that you would even think of risking this for a JOB!! Really, come back and post on this thread when your baby is a few months old - you won't believe what you were saying BC!

I work in terribly macho and driven environment but it's only work. This is your life.

Are you going into work today?

I think you really should take the time off work. It's only two days off work, and legally they can't do anything about you being off.

I'm not saying anything bad is going to happen, but two days off work is nothing compared to having a full term, healthy pregnancy.

I'm 13+1 and had some bleeding last week. My DH wouldn't let me move after I'd been told to rest, but to be honest, I wouldn't have done it any other way.

I agree with all the rest - take some time off.

Your work will have to cope without you when you are on maternity leave - won't do them any harm to have a practise run ! And even sitting at a desk can be stressful.

And don't dismiss it - if you are bleeding and having "contractions" at this stage that may be an indication of problems. The longer the baby stays in the better, and if that means you taking time off work to stay at home and sleep - so be it. Don't take any risks - you won't forgive yourself if anything happens.

Hmm. I thought you'd all say that. It's not that I think I am indispensable. It is that my boss is scary and disapproving.

Anyway, I went in.

Just read on the Bounty newsgroup that lots of people are feeling slightly more achy bumps so I feel a bit better.

Thanks for all your advice though.

CharBell-lots of sympathy. I'm also at 27 weeks My boss isn't scary and disaproving, although he is a bit of a prick (despite having kids himself-but his partner stays at home and he doesn't agree with mothers working...) but I work for a charity which may be about to go under. They simply can't afford to fund stretches of sick leave and it doesn't help that a few other people have been off on long term sick.

I've had a few incidents of bleeding, quite similar to yours. Was similarly advised to rest (not specifically not to work but I'm pretty sure that the doctor assumed I wasn't working due to existing young child).

I basically went in, finished up and started holiday followed by maternity leave. If I hadn't done this, the loss would have been to my clients who are people who need help to claim benefit-eg single mothers whose Income Support payment has gone missing. They should have systems in place to deal with this but they just don't.

I have to say that I got told off for calling into work late and inconveniancing a client. I had been admitted to hospital and that was the first time I could get to a phone. This helped me to develop a real f**k you attitude towards them.

My direct line manages's attitude was "when I had a miscarriage, the first thing I made my partner do was phone into work". I have to say that that probably wouldn't be the first thing I would do (maybe call the hospital?). At the end of the day, it IS just a job.

Work can be b**ds. After the baby is born you will probably find that whatever you do, you are a. not taken very seriously b. you have to juggle to the extent that work WILL suffer. And this will probably be deeply upsetting after you have worked hard for them for years.

So just sympathy really, and I've got an idea of what it is like. I'm sure you have an idea of your legal rights and you know that they couldn't techically sack you or anything for taking time off in connection with pregnancy. But in practice that isn't worth much-I've been repeatedly passed over for additional responsibilities, always on pretty shaky grounds, since my son was born, and more so since I announced pregancy no 2.

Thanks Mergle Mergle. My boss has kids too and his wife is a GP so he thinks he knows everything. Sounds pathetic but I just wanted to hear from someone who had done the same thing. I was always going to go into work! Glad it is the weekend. :-)

CharBell, just wanted to say please make sure you take it as easy as you can, both in and out of work. As I said, I'm carrying on too (though I think I'm in a nicer position than you as I have a good boss and colleagues) - and I had a pretty positive appointment at the doc's on Thursday when he said my cervix is fine -, but am making sure I don't overload myself (no 'visits' from students between classes, no standing up to teach, etc.) I'll also have no hesitation in calling a class off if I feel overloaded.