Missing a lot of work due to pregnancies. Really anxious about it

[nofaith]

I was signed off for 3 months earlier in the year with hyperemesis during pregnancy, unfortunately I then lost my baby at 17 weeks. I was then signed off for 4 weeks after the miscarriage.

I went back to work for a couple of months before discovering I was pregnant again. I was signed off again with hg, but the sickness actually calmed down and has remained manageable only a couple of times a day so I went back. I’ve only gone back for a couple of days and I came home with a pounding headache and feeling absolutely exhausted. My anxiety is sky high about this baby dying too. I couldn’t concentrate at work at all and was finding myself just googling miscarriage stats on the computer.

i don’t feel like I’m mentally up for being at work right now. I’m petrified of every little twinge and cramp, I’m either nauseous or if I’m not I’m terrified about why I’m not and scared it’s coming, there’s obviously excess discharge during pregnancy but I can’t help but run to the toilet every time in terror. I just feel so guilty getting signed off again when I have missed so much work and I feel like I look like im taking the absolute piss

i really don’t know what to do

Would you look on it really badly to get signed off again with mental health? Would it be protected as due to pregnancy? I’m strugglint

Pregnancy related sickness leave is protected, what sort of job is it, have you had a pregnancy risk assessment, is there any occupational health and hr department. I would speak to your go, get signed off for the time being but how long have you worked there, do you think you could manage at work if they made adjustments for you or do you think you will need long term sickness time off. Hope you feel better soon.

Pregnancy leave is protected and can't be used against you for performance management.

Having said that:

• you still have the same sick load so if your amount of leave means you move to SSP then that won't be changed because the reason is pregnancy
• your Statutory Maternity pay is calculated based on your earnings in the 2 months before week 15 of pregnancy (think that's right but double check it) so if you are only getting SSP during that period your mat pay could be affected
• There is a cut off of 34 or 36 weeks where your company can force start mat leave if you are off sick even if you would have preferred mat leave to start later

I'm not going to lie, as an employer it is hard and a bit annoying when people are off sick a lot, regardless of the reason because it makes it difficult with arranging cover and redistributing jobs, also while you are on full pay there is no budget to cover a replacement or temp. But that's not your problem and it's something that your employer just has to deal with.

Your employer can also start your maternity leave early as a result of increased sickness.