Have you had any days off sick?

[ginger2000]

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?

I have had a lot of time off since from around 9 weeks. Had to take two weeks after losing a twin, was bleeding so much so that could not be helped, even if my boss did not see it like that. Then I have taken 6 days for morning sickness as I could not move and yesterday I had to have a day after fainting.

We have been told that our baby has a 1 in 8 chance of Downs or Patau syndrome and I am feeling very down at the moment, I cannot face being here don't know what to do!! So depressed.

I've taken 3 days off so far in 27 weeks, and I'm toying taking another day today. I'm completely exhausted - most likely heat exhaustion with the weather as it has been over the last few weeks. I feel like I can barely breathe, let alone function in a professional manner. Might see how I feel later...

Fortunately for me, my HR Director is completely brilliant. I went to see him last week to apologise for having been totally rubbish, spending a few hours working from home each day and working odd times, but he told me that "we are not an organisation that clock watches. You get the job done when you are capable of doing it. The most important thing is the health of you and your baby". Bless them...

Trouble is, I still feel guilty... If I were not pregnant, I'd have struggled in but I just think that I really just need to accept my limitations and accept the hold of my bed sometimes...

I've had really painful cramps which made moving difficult, nausea and exhaustion which was made worse by work, and then started getting dizzy and faint when exerting myself as well. I tried to get a risk assessment but so far they've been rubbish and don't seem to be taking the idea seriously, and I don't get sick pay but can't afford to lose money from not being in. So have taken the last week and a half off out of paid holiday, as going in was becoming far more than I could manage.

I had half a day off with my first. Am only a casual worker at the moment, so pick and choose my days and hours, think if I was working full time with this one I would have had a few more days off as I feel tireder and sicker with this one than I remember being with DD.

So far half a day when I practically keeled over coming down the stairs. And my boss, marched me out the door, into his car and drove me home.

I have been exhausted this whole pg (am now 20+4 with twins), so reading thiss thread maybe I should have had more! Thing is, I only work 3 days a week so would feel really guilty if I did (the other 2 are days with DS2 so not really days for resting either. But I'm planning on stopping at 30 weeks so thats only 10 weeks away.....

3 days so far (all last week) and I'm only 6+3 today. Awful sickness last week.

Hi, I took 2 days off at 8 weeks because I had a sore throat and my ear hurt! Totally pathetic and thank god noone asked me what was wrong but I thought "fu*k it! I never usually take time off and went in when i had swine flu (first day without realising) so I deserve some time" and i do not feel guilty about it one bit. If you need to take the time off, do and don't feel bad about it!

i know what u mean, i totally feel like my other colleagues will be thinking - shes only pregnant, y is she taking days off?! but if u havnt been pregnant its so hard to understand how much strain it puts on ur body just to carry on functioning properly!
Another women at work is 34 weeks pregnant and so far shes only had 1 day off - shes one of those married to her job women which makes me feel like i have her reputation to keep up with as im 2 months behind her and have had 3 days off so far - for actual sickness anyhow.
iv had altho only one of those was due to down rite exhaustion, with my 2 year old and full time job my body just gave in and i needed to rest. the other 2 days were sickies for other reasons - so i havent been to bad thinking about it!
if ur body needs to rest, then let it rest. u will have plenty of tim to make up for it after ur maternity leave if u plan to go back that is. think about that baby and u, thats all that matters rite now.

II've been off for the past 7 weeks with hyperemesis and also awaiting an amnio this fir due to high downs risk on one twin (am 16+2 with twins). Also had HG in my last preg and had prob about 3 weeks in total off during whole preg and worked up until 35+ weeks- For my dedication to duty last time I was rewarded with pre-eclampsia and a severely growth restricted DD- induced at 36 weeks (thankfully now a very healthy 4 1/2 yr old).

So I would say feel no guilt whatsoever- yours and your babes health are the most importnant things here and you will get no thanks for putting yourself out-as I nearly learnt to my great cost- I would never make the same mistake again!

my amnio is on Fri not fir- doh!

I've had a total of 8 weeks off so far for hyperemisis and UTI . 18 weeks now and back at work. Hope I won't need any more time, but will take it if I do. Baby is more important.

I had one day off when my morning sickness was just unbearable and I couldn't get out of bed, and another with a UTI. elizabethsmum is right, you don't get any credit for dragging yourself in when you feel dreadful so I wouldn't bother martyring myself if I ever have another baby!

Hi, I am 28 weeks pregnant with my first baby and i have had lots of days off sick, mainly due to back ache. i'm lucky becuase pregnancy related sick days don't count towards my sick record, and i have a very understanding boss. I quite often go into work and if i've had a bad nights sleep or my back aches too badly i head off home early.
I feel it is more important to rest and recover during pregnancy than stress about work.

I was signed off at 34 weeks with anaemia and low amniotic fluid, other than that no. But I wa slucky, I had no morning sickness. I did have extreme exhaustion though, getting through the day was hideous for most of the 1st tri. I certainly just crawled through waiting for the weekend!

PS: I think it does depend on what job you do as well, like a few others here I'm a teacher, and was finding it increasingly hard going.

I've had quite a lot unfortunately! Was signed off for two weeks due to bleeding at 7 weeks, then the good old morning sickness kicked in. I managed to make it in throughout, but ended up getting signed off again for anxiety (This had a lot to do with them domoting me and stripping away all of my responsibilities once they were informed of my 'situation' as they called it). Two days off since with back pain and signed off again yesterday with SPD.

My health and that of that baby's is much more important than my being at my desk as far as i'm concerned.

Was due to finish next friday anyway so now got 5 weeks of waiting around for kiddo to make his appearance.

I'm not entirely sure what to do with myself!

Up to 28 weeks I had 3 days off. But am now signed off for 2 weeks for pelvic girdle pain. I'm on my feet all day at work and have to walk a lot which has made it a lot worse.
On my last day in I did not get a break for 7 hours. And cried all the way home.After that I realised I was being an idiot and the baby and my health are way more important than what my boss may think.Waiting to see the physio now.

Hi ladies - came across this thread just as I am feeling very guilty about not being at work. Am 23 weeks and had really bad morning sickness until about 2 weeks ago - have been working in another office some days where i can drive in rather than getting the train & the tube to London. However just as my sickness has finished I have now had really bad neck & back pain - woke up early hours of Sunday night and actually went to A&E as it was so bad. Just had a phsysio appointment this morning - was going to try to go in this afternoon but the physio said i was nuts and that I was bound to ache this afternoon. She advised me at least to stay at home for the rest of the day. Boss has been ok but i just know the work & emails are piling up plus the one or two unhelpful people who just give you "that look" when you come back in the office having been off. Feel like I have been through the wars a bit and the work guilt doesn't help.

lizardqueenie don't feel bad, i have had exactly the same 'looks', and worse 'comments'. One in particular felt the need to tell my boss she did not feel she could work with me because she could not be sure i would be in the office on a daily basis. Fortunately my boss was a bit more savvy than her and knows that absence from work due to pregnancy is often inevitable, and i'm sure your boss will be aware of this too.

Sod everyone else, every pregnancy is different and no-one should feel bad for not feeling spritely. You are growing a person!!

I spent a long time worrying over colleagues opinions before i realised that actually, they don't matter one inch.

chin up!

I am 23 weeks and have had one day off due to morning sickness.

However, I am contemplating taking off every second Friday from now on because I am finding I am getting very tired. I work full time and quite long hours in a stressful job and the way I feel right now, I cannot see how I will keep going for another 15 weeks. I was planning on working until 38 weeks in an effort to save my maternity leave but I am starting now to think this might not be doable.

Does anyone else find full time work very tiring? I wonder whether I am just being a wimp.

Thanks very much Palace - the worst comment i had (and when I think about it its just from one person rather than a whole team/ office) was "Oh, you're in, we wondered if we were never going to see you again!". I didn't really know what to say so I said, "No, no such luck". I have got 10 weeks to go as I am using a lot of A/L before I take my maternity leave.

Emmyloo - I am finding it really tiring too, particularly the commuting, I don't think you are being a wimp but unless you have another pg lady in your office going through the same without coming on forums like this you would feel a bit alone. take heart in the fact that its not just you. And don't feel bad if you leave work early. Thats the first thing that I managed to get my head around, I thought no way can I carry on doing this right up until the last minute so I will be leaving at 34 weeks which I know everyone can't do but I do feel that there is a pressure to work right up until the last dot. Do you have any hols you can take?

It is absolutely not a competition - only you know how you are feeling and what you can manage. Your health is really important and if you feel that you need a day off, take it.

Thanks lizardqueenie.

I also feel there is this pressure to soldier on and work right up until the end. If I lived back at home where my friends and family are I think I would be more tempted to finish earlier, but there is not as much of an attraction to finishing early given I live in UK and I don't have many friends and family, plus the weather will be rubbish. I think I would find myself sitting at home bored.

I still have 23 days leave left for this year and have a 10 day holiday planned at the end of August with my husband. However, I am contemplating taking a week at the beginning of August and going home just to get a break...

Why do I feel the need to prove I can keep on working as if all is normal? It's stupid! What am I trying to prove? The last pregnant woman in my department worked until 38 weeks and they made a big deal at her leaving lunch how she continued to work long hours as if she wasn't even pregnant and how great that was, blah blah blah. I was sitting there thinking, "thanks a lot for setting the bloody standards so high!!"

I think there is pressure on - not just from people at work but also just from people that say things like "oh, but dont you want to spend more time with the baby at the end". Well yes of course i do but I don't want to be a wreck by the time the baby comes.
I think every person is different - its so true especially when it comes to pregnancy - maybe that lady who went up to 38 weeks had a really easy pregnancy. Actually, the last lady pregnant in my office said that she worked right up until the last dot as she couldnt stand to be at home with her husband- which was quite funny. (this was despite the terrible snow and ice we had at the time making walking on the pavement fairly scary).

I think you should def try and make time to travel home and see friends and family - how far is home? Also taking time off in August when the weather will still be nice is a good idea - gives you a chance to recharge your batteries.