I need to admit defeat...

[nori]

Hi All,

Well the title kinda says it all... I think ive finally realised i cant carry on having around 2 hours sleep a night and working full time for another 3 weeks (i also have a 1 hour drive each way to work every day). I completely overdid it yesterday (walked quite a distance) and my fanny feels like its being pushed out by the baby and my hips hurt..

Ive done so well up until now and havent really slowed down that much (probably why its hitting me now).

Ive tried everything to get a nights sleep (allsorts of pillows) but it just doesnt happen..Im getting up 6 times a night for a wee and every ligaments around my pelvic area crack when i turn (which i do a hell of a lot as my bum keeps going numb).

Now i dont know what to do.. Im thinking of asking my boss if i can use 6 days of next years holiday so i can work monday wednesday and friday only for the last 3 weeks. I know they will just tell me to get signed off but last year i had over 3 months off when i was in hospital with my crohns. I really dont like being signed off and taking time off sick unless completely necessary.

Im kind of angry with myself as i feel like ive given in..

Any advice?

Claire x

 

[skyraaa]

poor u hun. ur body is telling u 2 slow down u need 2 listen 2 it,
try relax when u can i know easier said then done lol but u got 2 think about the health of u and ur baby

take care xx

 

[Becky]

It's not giving in, it's listening to your body. There is no point carrying on and making life difficult for yourself in the run up to having your baby, you should be taking care of yourself and enjoying the last few weeks before life gets crazy for a while!

 

[Laura_James&Amber]

Its not giving in hun, like skyraa and becky say its your body telling you to slow down and you listening to it. I can totally understand how you feel though because before I was pregnant I was a really active person, could never sit still and had loads of energy but as I've started to slow down what with lack of sleep and sciatica, I've felt very frustrated with myself.
I think you need to start your maternity leave earlier, you will feel better for it as you can catch up and sleep and I've found that doing things like housework has been made easier as I can do it in my own time when I have the energy. Hope you start to feel better soon

 

[hennaly]

How ever can you feel like you are giving in, you sound like you have done a fantastic job so far, i have no idea how you have managed with no sleep being as pregnant as you are and still working, sounds like you need some rest young lady

 

[purplebluered]

Hiya just sneaking in here to reply...

I finished work at 32 weeks, i had an hour to and hour and a half commute each way and was on my feet all day. I originally wanted to finish at 36 weeks but realised I couldn't and boy when i finished at 32 weeks I actually started to enjoy being pregnant, enjoyed the sleep that I got when I could during the day as well at night. Please don't be too hard on yourself you need it. I felt so much more prepared for labour energy wise by having had all that time off and you know what? You haven't given in, you're doing what's best for yourself and your baby, you definitely aren't doing yourself any favours by sticking it out you'll end up making yourself ill through the lack of sleep, etc. I don't know how you're doing your commute on 2 hours sleep...I'd have found that impossible!

 

[nori]

Thanks everyone. I was comparing myself to my old boss (also a close friend) who is on maternity leave at the moment. I spoke to her today and totally forgot she went down to a 4 day week. she was telling me that the one less day was her saviour at the end. She was also saying about another girl i worked with who left 2 months before.

Feel abit better about it all now.. just feel like a wuss as i went through so much last year and was working on very little sleep then (due to the insomnia on steroids). Then realised that the steroids also gave me the artificial buzz which pregnancy doesnt tend to do!

Will let you know what happens tomorrow.. lets hope its not as hard work as moving me next to the printer (for those of you who read that thread!) Will try not to cry this time! lol

Claire x

 

[lea m]

Im kind of angry with myself as i feel like ive given in..

Aww hun why you angry with yourself?! You dont intentionally make yourself not sleep or do silly things to make you have SPD?!

Things like this you cant control! It sucks but its part of pregnancy (for most women) and thats nothing to be angry with yourself for!! Geez I would have left a long time ago hun! You have done great so far and if it feels too much then it is!

 

[halemon]

Hi there,

belive it or not i'm finishing work this week - im only 29 wks so much earlier than many ladies but i just feel i want to give myself a bit of rest before the little one comes along and i also continue to have wonderful bowel probs which make even walking about painful if bubs is sitting on a sore spot! when your baby is here you'll forget all about work so just get signed off, you are more important and will make yourself ill if you don;'t slow down and relax! I've really been overdoing it lately, walking miles, doing the allotment and crikey do i ache now for it~!! i know exactly what you mean about hips and fanny hurting!! hehe

Take some time out, you'll feel loads better for it!

 

[ninjawomble]

Hun Ive admitted defeat too today, I understand about feeling crap about it.
My backs so painful that Ive gone off sick, and will get signed off at end of week...its just gettin ridiculous. I cant work on a heavy ward anymore Luckily I only had three weeks of work left and the rest are hols, but the though of just those three weeks in agony made me upset

At the end of it all though, we have to take care of our health and that of our LO, so take care of yourself, and enjoy the rest

 

[Becky]

Well I think I'm joining the club. I'm supposed to have another 6 weeks at work but there's no way that's acheivable so I'm going to speak to my manager today about finishing in the next couple of weeks. I need to be in this week and next so I'm looking at the week after. That'll make me about 33 weeks and to be honest I don't think I could last any longer.

I can't see the point in pushing on when I'm having random sleepless nights, I'm in pain/ discomfort most of the time and just finding it difficult getting about. I might as well have a relaxed few months before having baby.

 

[andreag]

I know just how you feel - all through my first pregnancy I actually worked longer and harder in an effort to prove I was fine and some kind of superwoman. It was absolutly ridiculous but from somewhere I felt alot of presssure to not let being pregnant get in the way.

This time I'm a bit more relaxed, and had to already admit that I can't walk as far as the pressure in my pelvis and hips makes it really painful. I only work partime now anyway (3 days a week) as I'm at home with my daughter the other 2 so I can be a bit more flexible with my time. I would definatly try and drop your days - I'm sure they would rather have you partitme than not at all. I ended up working from home for a couple of days during the late stages last time and that wass great. No-one bothers to give you a medal for working hard and late into your pregnancy - my boss only remebers the time I was off and not all the extra I did - so I would make sure you look after yourself first. I was amazed once my daughter was born how quickly I forgot about everything to do with work.

 

[nori]

Well its all sorted... I spoke to my boss and said i would like to work every oher day this week and use my holiday up (so off tomorrow and thursday and working wednesday and friday. Im then taking next wednesday off but working the other days (its my birthday on 9th so may aswell go in) and then i finish on the friday. Ive persuaded them to let me take 6 days of next years holiday this year.

I could have gone down the road of getting signed off but preferred this route (im very stubburn cos of the amount of time i had off sick last year)

I can finally see light at the end of the tunnell!!! Just need to make sure i relax and dont start trying to do more housework!

Claire x

 

[hennaly]

Excellent, now get some well earned rest ready for baby to arrive

 

[bobby1]

Claire, glad to hear that you are going to be getting some well deserved rest. You really haven't admitted defeat at all, and like others have said are just listening to your body!

Enjoy your rest, relax and now you can focus on preparing for bubs