long hours in early pregnancy

[foxtrottango]

Hello, Im feeling very confused at the mo but have always found good advice here, Im hoping you can come up trumps again :)

I am pregnant, 7-8 weeks so very very early days. I told my employer a couple of weeks ago. There apparently is no set policy so my bosses are making it up as they go along. I was given a risk assessment a couple of days ago but it wasnt a pregnancy one, they now cant give me the right one for a couple of weeks. I am currently working 6, 10 hour shifts in a row with as little as 10 hours between shifts. These include nights shifts and half night shifts. I am wearing a uniform that is making me so uncomfortable I want to cry. My uniform is designed to be worn whilst being active and is no good for sitting at a desk. Added to the fact that I seem to retain water and bloat past 5pm and its making me miserable. Also the job they decided would be best for me on night shifts included cleaning out the basement of the building we work in, which is filthy!!!

HR wont give a definitive answer and I just feel like they are leaving me in limbo.

My bosses freely admit that they have never had a pregnant woman work for them before and have no idea what I need. Recently my friend who does the same job for the same employer but with different line managers became pregnant and was immediately put on 9-5 weekday work.

I have high blood pressure anyway and my mother suffered from pre eclampsia with every pregnancy so Im very stressed at the thought that I might too.

I have my booking in appointment on 20th May but between now and then I will be doing another full set of 6 shifts plus some extra. Im exhausted already!!

So, finally, my question is this. Would it be considered bad form to go to my doctor and ask him for a medical certificate requesting that I am put on day shift. I have worked in my job for 10 years and every single pregnant woman I have seen in my job has left our department immediately and gone onto day work. Is it unreasonable of me to expect the same?
The night shifts arent fun but really it the sheer hours I have to work that are making me so tired. Would the doctor laugh me out of his surgery (I have a very nice doctor btw) for wasting his time or would he listen to my concerns. I have seen evidence that night shifts and long hours arent particularly good for baby and Im worried as it is such early days.

I would be grateful for any help

I have no direct experience, but would at least speak to your doctor and take it from there. The first trimester is bloody tough going. I work in an office and with DS I used to really struggle even finishing at 5!

I worked out coping mechanisms like eating little and often, drinking loads to reduce bloat, taking regular breaks - I think employers should provide somewhere for you to rest? Not sure on the legal aspect but I was told I could use the first aid room for naps by our H&S guy. Worth checking that too.

I have no direct experience, but would at least speak to your doctor and take it from there. The first trimester is bloody tough going. I work in an office and with DS I used to really struggle even finishing at 5!

I worked out coping mechanisms like eating little and often, drinking loads to reduce bloat, taking regular breaks - I think employers should provide somewhere for you to rest? Not sure on the legal aspect but I was told I could use the first aid room for naps by our H&S guy. Worth checking that too.

Hiya
Thanks for that, unfortunately there is nowhere I can rest so Im either sitting in my awful trousers :) or standing!

I think I am so worried as Im getting absolutely no symptoms, Im definitely pregnant but aside from my boobs being slightly tender and this tiredness Ive got no symptoms at all. I was pregnant once before and had awful sickness throughout but that one ended badly, so really I should be pleased its not the same this time i suppose! Im just a born worrier and always worried that Ill be wasting my doctors time!

human resources sound a bit slack

HR are shocking. They are now off site so my boss emailed them and they told him there was no set policy and just left him to his own devices. Thats why I feel if I got the medical certificate it would force them into making allowances by law, as if I leave it up to them they will probably mess about until the baby is born!!!

Are you in the police by any chance? Just guessing from your username. Surprised at the slackness.

Your boss is a numpty as is HR so don't worry about wasting your GP's time and see if they can help you.

:) Busted :)

Like any big organisation they fall down at the 'organisation' bit. TBH nothing they do surprises me anymore!!! I do feel under pressure to just do as Im told and carry on but Im so so tired, Im not really useful at the mo either (hence the 'why dont you go and sort out the basement' line!!!). They dont know what to do with me so Id rather get moved to another department where I can be helpful!

Would it be worth having a chat with someone else that is/has been pregnant and asking what was done for them? Then you could take those ideas to your boss as a starting point, and suggest they talk to the other woman's boss as they will know what to do?

It might just be that they're clueless, and really they should be able to rely on HR to sort it. My boss was also clueless, so I just phrased every pg related request as 'I need to do x because of y. I think this is standard practice for the department/accommodated by z policy/provided for by statutory maternity law. Happy to discuss if necessary ....'. My boss was over the moon because it meant he didn't have to come up with any suggestions/plans, and I got what I wanted/needed.

I have to admit that it was easier for me because we have a comprehensive policy detailing statutory and contractual rights. It is still up to you and your boss to use the policy to devise an actual plan though.

I have spoken to colleagues and they were all put on daytime desk jobs immediately. I think they were a bit more vocal about what they required though. I will have a chat with my boss tonight, the 2 things Im really struggling with are my uniform and the long shifts so maybe we can come to some arrangement. I still might make a trip to the doctor though just to cover myelf if they think Im being unreasonable!

I think explaining it in the way you suggest HAAS will help a lot though :).

foxtrottango I take it you are no longer front line? I work in another public service (altho not FL myself) and any pg staff are taken back office 9-5 the minute they inform their line manager as the risks are seen as too high.

Are you a union member?

Hi, i hope you have got things worked out for you by now but as for your trousers, have you thought of using a bobble to go between your buttons, it just expands the trousers a bit so stops the bloating feeling and the thinking you look like an elephant, you can get proper ones too from mothercare but i found a bobble worked just as good and didnt cost a lot either!