Sick leave straight into mat leave

[Sangriasally86]

Newbie and first time Mum here so please go easy on me! :-)

I spent most of my first trimester signed off work due to severe morning sickness, but then managed to go back to full time for the 2nd trimester. Since I hit week 28 a couple of weeks ago, the vomiting has come back pretty badly so my doctor has signed me off work. I'm due to go on maternity leave at 34 weeks, but I can't see myself being well enough to go back to work before then in all honesty. All I want to do is stay in bed because I feel so sick and I'm so uncomfortable with other aches and pains that it keeps me awake for most of the night. :-(

I feel really guilty for doing this to my employer though, but from my point of view it can't be helped and I feel like I should put my health before anything else. My mum thinks I should just force myself in for the last few weeks but that's easier said than done when I'm feeling so hellish all the time and not getting any sleep. Is it a really shitty thing to do though to just be off sick and then go straight on mat leave? TBH, my employer hasn't been particularly supportive throughout the pregnancy and I've had quite a few snide comments from my supervisor about being pregnant (mainly about my weight gain and being pregnant at "my age" - I'm 32!) so I don't feel like I want to really put myself out and make myself feel even more unwell just so I don't let them down when they haven't been particularly nice to me.

WWYD?

You shouldn't feel guilty for being off especially when a doctor has signed you off. You are protected by law and no amount of snide comments should make you go in.

Imagine how you'd feel if you pushed yourself too far and something happened to the baby.

Congratulations

If you aren't fit don't worry about it. I was signed off around 24 weeks with spd and didn't go back. I felt awful and I did want to go back but docs and oh said no. I wasn't sleeping due to the pain and I nearly had an accident as a result. That was the wake up call for me, some things are more important than work.

Here are your rights.
If I was you I would absolutely go from sick leave to mat leave. It's not like you're faking it so don't feel guilty.

Unless it is a really small company you work for they will probably have insurance against extended sick leave and knowing you can't come back is probably easier from a management perspective than having you in and out all the time - it allows them to get maternity cover in straight away and handover the work. Don't feel guilty, look after yourself and your baby.

Thanks for all the replies. It is a small company I work for (so I only get SSP anyway) but they've already had my mat cover in place for a month or two. I just feel bad not tying everything up and doing a proper handover, like I've left unfinished business in a way! It's just an odd feeling, especially as I don't think I'll be going back to work after mat leave.

Thanks for the link Casmama, a very helpful read.