coping with sickness at work

[moonsquirter]

I'm still really early stages, only six weeks, but suffering horribly from morning sickness and general exhaustion. I don't want to tell anyone at work that I'm pg yet, for obvious reasons, but I hate that they all must be thinking how useless I am.

I also just want to crawl under the duvet and stay home to rest for a few days but don't want to seem like a skiver. And anyway, I can hardly do that for the next few months.

Any tips on how to deal with it? Or should I just come clean and explain why I spend my time looking pale and miserable, and bursting into tears...

congratulations on your pregnancy moonsquirter. sorry you are feeling awful.

I suffered a lot during the first 14 weeks of my pregnancy. I just got through it the best I could and didn't tell anyone til I'd had my 12 week scan.

Most mornings I would get there and throw up. I worked for a very large company so used to use the loos on different floors when I could!

Do you work in an office? Can you find a room to have a nap in at lunchtime (that's what I did quite often) and if "found" would just mumble something about being under the weather/hung over.

I wore more make up than usual (as I thought this made me look less peaky but er think I just looked more scary).

I did the bare minimum at work, really what I could get away with. When I finally came clean there was a lot of "aaahhh now we see" sort of comments/looks. Some of the girls had suspected but of course didn't want to say anything.

Have the odd day off if you need it, it won't hurt them and it will do you good.

Hope the grottiness doesn't last too long for you!

Congratulations!!

I'm not saying anything until after my 12 week scan. For me, snacking every few hours is really helping keep the sickness at bay - I have a stash of food in my drawer and eat cream crackers a lot (it must look suspicious, but I don't care!!). If I start to feel sick, I shove a cracker in my mouth and walk quickly to the loo, deep breathing on the way!! Working from home as often as I can (which is once a week max. for me) has also helped. I would second what Miss WooWoo says - take it as easy as possible for the moment, I'm hoping I will be able to make up for it when I'm feeling less sicky in the 2nd trimester (here's hoping anyway ).

Feeling pretty awful (and basically wanting to stay under the duvet for a few months, but not being able to!!) has made me realise how marvellous all those friends and colleagues who have already been through this are!! It sounds stupid, but I never thought that morning sickness and tiredness could make everything such a struggle!!

Congratulations!

I took the decision to tell two people at work and ask them to keep it quiet. One was my boss (who I'd have to tell if anything went wrong so didn't feel it important to wait until 12 weeks) and my deputy who would need to pick up a bit of the slack I was generating.

It wasn't a problem with them knowing, both kept it under their hat but it made it easier for me to do my job and get through the wobbly times when I just wasn't performing at my best.

I can understand not telling everyone - because you don't want to be on a course in 6 months time and someone you vaguely know asks you about your pregnancy and you're not any more - but just your boss seems sensible.

I suffered this pregnancy so far more than previous pregnancy.

My first pregnancy I told my manager at about 7 weeks so I didn't need to book leave for scan and like JustAnotherManicMummy told my colleague as we worked shifts and did the same job persay..... and I didn't want if something went wrong to have to phone up and explain...

This pregnancy I have been so so sick I changed jobs a week before it got really bad so had to tell my new manager (same co/same department) as I didn't want him to think I was hung-over/taking the piss etc...

Up until today (13w+5) I've had two days off sick because of total exhaustion and head cold and a cough the 2nd time...whilst I don't think my boss is particularly happy the time off (I could of worked from home but too exhausted) I have kinda of though sod it! Pregnancy sickness can't be held against your sick records! Good luck whatever you decided to do.

Congratulations!

My first 14 wks were rubbish - tired tired tired and sick. I had to leave promptly on time, although done by 2pm. I got through it using rennies, drinking shed loads of water, eating almost every hour (this included splitting my lunch in two). I even brought food to meetings!

I also slept at every opportunity in the evenings as my DH cooked etc. I also snuck to toilets or rooms for a quick shut eye.

I didn't tell anyone at work until 12 weeks and they claimed they "knew" although everyone says that!

So sleep loads and eat little and often.