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Original poster

Have you had any days off sick?

49 replies

ginger2000 · 22/06/2010 20:30

Just interested really - I am 25 wks and exhausted so have taken today off work and will probably take tomorrow off too as I just feel really run down. I have only taken one other pregnancy related day off at 5 weeks when I felt really sick. I have very recently had a nasty bout of thrush which has taken 3 weeks to clear up - I didn't have any time off for that but think in hindsght that I should have!

I just feel really guilty and am worried that everyone will just think I can't cope with being pg! Any thoughts?

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thisisyesterday · 22/06/2010 20:34

am not pg at the moment but yes, I had days off in my first and second pregnancies

a few times because i was so sick, then as it progressed just general tiredness, sometimes with a bit of dizziness thrown in!

xMrsSx · 22/06/2010 20:35

Looking after yourself is more important than whatever anyone else thinks!! If you need time off then take it, you won't look back and think about what others thought, but you might wish you had taken it a bit more easy...

Besides, have you noticed that EVERYONE has an opinion on EVERYTHING to do with your pregnancy already? So there will always be some ppl who will think you are being a wimp because their pregnancy was "sooooo much more difficult" for whatever reason. Tough titties I say... do what you need, and you need a day off!!

Hope you feel better soon.

berrycravings · 22/06/2010 20:37

I personally think you are doing great to only be on your second day sick over the whole 25 weeks.

I have struggled every day at work for the past 5 weeks, being sick most mornings and I took a day off sick one of those days as was just so exhausted and slept all day. I also luckily booked a week off at week 10 and spent nearly the whole week sleeping.

I feel proud of myself everyday that I have managed to get in, especially when you look around and see other people at work taking sick days for minor things. And being pregnant is not easy (IMO)

Just remember that if men were the one's who got pregnant, maternity leave would start the day the sickness kicked in!!(read that on here I think)

berrycravings · 22/06/2010 20:39

Forgot to add, do not worry and take the days you need. Its important to be well for both you and the baby.

firsttimer78 · 22/06/2010 20:53

I'm coming up to 25 weeks and only one day off so far (had a migraine)...number of days I've had to drag myself in due to tiredness/nausea etc etc are immense tho!

Hevster · 22/06/2010 20:54

Had 5 months off in last pregnancy and have been on and off work since 8 weeks (now 24) this time (hyperemesis). I am slowly coming to terms with the fact that I am rubbish at being pregnant and can't do a lot about it. If you don't feel up to working then don't push yourself as you will only pay the price the following day.
BTW I very rarely have time off sick when not pregnant therefore tell myself to try not to feel guilty.
Hope you feel better soon

JamieJay · 22/06/2010 20:58

I had a week at 8 weeks during a threatened m/c (lost first pregnancy so didn't want to take any risks)

A Monday at 24ish weeks after I overdid it one weekend and gave myself a migraine

Finally 4 days at 30 weeks as developed UTI and my blood pressure shot up so midwife suggested I rest.

Yes I felt guilty but figured that baby and i had to take priority and things could've got worse and resulted in me being off longer if I didn't take early action.

Plus, if you're feeling really crap you've got to ask how productive you're going to be at work! Sod what other people think

anonMum2 · 22/06/2010 21:03

Had a few months off with DS from hyperemesis. Currently only 7 weeks but have already taken 1 week sick leave so far(no choice). Have to say, after maternity leave with DS, kept catching bugs from DS's nursery so off sick a lot too. So my sick record is dreadful ever since I got pregnant.

Have to say I've always dreaded people thinking or saying why I can't just cope when others do, but then I do billions of hours at work when I'm well whereas others don't. So just trying not to feel too guilty at work.

There is no way I would ever think why another pregnant woman is not handling it well! So don't worry about that from most of us. Full sympathy for all pg women who aren't feeling right.

Original poster
ginger2000 · 22/06/2010 21:08

Thanks for all your replies - you all make a lot of sense! My sickness record is usually pretty good especially considering I have a 5yr old dd and haven't had a day off all school year for her! We also moved last week and I think that has just about finished me off!

Its soooooo hard to get out of the habit of feeling bad for not going in though!

OP posts:
storminabuttercup · 22/06/2010 21:09

I'm similar to hevster nearly 4 months in total with hyperemesis and water infections, 5 in total. I'm 30 weeks and tbh don't envisage returning before my mat leave.
Agree with others, your health and the babies is more important than anything! If you are worried about work your gp will write you a note.
Hope you get the rest you need.
Take care.x

DinahRod · 22/06/2010 21:24

No I haven't but that's just down to luck. Winter vomiting 'conveniently' timed at night/wkend and it helped me to work through threatened mc rather than mithering at home - but have complete sympathy for anyone with severe morning sickness, would make my job in front of a class impossible.

yama · 22/06/2010 21:32

Not a single day for my first pregnancy.

This time though, I've had 1 day and then 2 days for fainting (second trimester). At 29 weeks I had a week off for sore hips - only sitting alleviated the pain.

I'm now 31 weeks and am struggling again. I think the heat makes exhaustion worse.

It can't be helped.

lovely74 · 22/06/2010 21:45

I had a few days off here and there for exhaustion, fainting etc. I got migraines pretty regularly from month 6 to going on mat leave so often went home early / slept at my desk! Not much you can do really, I couldn't work if I couldn;t see...

My boss was pretty unsympathetic but I didn't care a jot. You know when you need a rest and there is no point taking any risks.

nymphadora · 22/06/2010 21:53

On week 7 & had had odd days before that. Going back next week but they are prepared for me not to last

Emster30 · 22/06/2010 22:36

I wouldn't feel bad!

I have had:
one day at about 8 weeks when I was so tired I simply couldn't function
two days at 25 weeksish with a cold - might not have taken the time off had I not been pg but felt I needed to look after myself
one day at the end of my holiday at 33 weeks when I had been involved in a minor car accident and had had to spend the night in a French hospital for monitoring - wasn't sure if this should count as sick leave as there wasn't anything actually wrong

Now I'm coming up to 36 weeks and am finishing work for mat leave in three days' time! Yay!

DuelingFanjo · 22/06/2010 22:38

I haven't. but I was very lucky and didn't have morning sickness.

Ozziegirly · 23/06/2010 03:47

I've had one day because I had slept terribly and would have been a zombie.

I also have to take my appointments as sick leave but that's a bit different. Probably equates to about 3 days in total.

But if I had felt worse I wouldn't have hesitated at taking time off!

Kathyjelly · 23/06/2010 04:39

I was lucky too and didn't get mornning sickness. I found that if I did all the following, I could carry on as normal....

ditching the diet
drinking loads of fluids
eating tons of fruit
going to bed an hour earlier

Mummy2Bubba · 23/06/2010 07:13

Hi

I took 2 days sick when I was so ill having not been to poo for 2 weeks!

Ive taken the odd day off annual leave like today as Im tired and feel like I need a day now or then. Im office based and go out to schools so its a heavy going, stressful at times, job with deadlines and targets. I work in an office with 13 women and schools are busy.

Sometimes you need a me day! (17+3)

Original poster
ginger2000 · 23/06/2010 07:52

Well - I caved into my husbands requests and took today off too. Had a terrible nights sleep so feel like a zombie (good descripton Ozziegirlie!)

I also work in a school (head of year) and the busy, standing all day aspect of it hasn't bothered me until this week - maybe the extra weight has just become obvious on my body. Am hoping to go back tomorrow and just get on with it.

OP posts:
porcamiseria · 23/06/2010 14:15

none! but a few last PG

I am soooo tired maybe I shiuld take one but feel guilt

Bewler · 23/06/2010 16:01

I took one after a particularly long, horrid business trip to Russia at 26 weeks but nothing else. I fainted on the way to work fairly early on and could have justified turning round and going home. Like Porcamiseria the guilt gets to me and watching my blackberry go mental is more stressful than being in work being ropey.
33 weeks now and plotting a pre-maternity leave duvet day sometime soon

vmcd28 · 23/06/2010 16:16

I've had a couple of days off and a couple of half-days when I've realised i just needed to get finished up for the day. TBH, I'm always amazed that anyone can have no days off sick when pg!

Jacksmybaby · 23/06/2010 17:25

I have had more sick days than working days with both my pgs (so far)! HG both times.

In my 1st pg I felt so guilty and stressed about taking time off that I worried myself sick (very literally!) over it. This time I have tried very hard to care less about it. Most of my colleagues don't think I'm taking the piss or being pathetic (I think); and those that do obviously don't know me very well and aren't worth worrying about. Is what I keep telling myself.

Please try not to beat yourself up over it.

Oh and anyone who tells you that "pregnancy is not an illness" can fuck right off is not being particularly helpful IMO.

cinnamongreyhound · 23/06/2010 17:35

I took a couple of days off when I was really sick in the first trimester but I felt fine for the rest of my pregnancy. I also worked with DH so I drove in and he drove home which really helped!

This time I'm self-employed so I have not taken a day off but I don't think I was quite as sick as I the first time. Although could be the threat of loosing money!