Making plans at work

[mrs_z]

Hi everyone,

been quietly reading here for a while, and this seems like a lovely place on the web! I'm almost six weeks pregnant with my first, and still trying to wrap my head about the entire thing.

I was just wondering whether anyone else was struggling with not telling work - I know that it's still way to early to let my employer know, but my job involves making plans for the future regularly that don't just affect my home institution, but also colleagues in other places (I work in academia). I'm starting to feel really bad to make plans that I know won't happen, but can't let anyone else know yet...and then others make plans based on what I'm telling them.

But then I'm also catching myself thinking, if something goes wrong with the pregnancy, I'd probably want to bury myself in work, so it's better to keep carrying on as usual?

I guess I'm just overthinking things. It's just all a bit overwhelming at the minute...

 

[Pin badge]

Congratulations! In my first pregnancy I was working in a school and told the head master at approx 10 weeks due to being asked to do new duties that would have put me at risk.
In this pregnancy (new job in a different field) I had to tell them at about 8 weeks as they were ordering in a new set of uniform which was made to measure...I had to confess that mine wouldn't fit in my current size.

I think in your position I'd tell my line manager as I'm sure they'd appreciate plenty of planning time. If the worst happened (God forbid) you would tell them any way and no doubt appreciate the support.

Both times my work were lovely and supportive, in my first pregnancy I ended up with some complications in the 2nd tri and was off from the first week in November until January! Some things you can't plan for and work have to deal with it, so try not to put too much worry on yourself xx

 

[Tigger87]

I told my boss first time around at 9 weeks because I had a bleed and needed time off for a scan.

I've told a work colleague this time at 4 weeks - were close anyway and she just had her 12 week scan and was telling me about all the handovers she is going to need to do in the next 6 months which isn't very long - so I had to say she'd be best handing over to someone else!!!!

I plan to tell my boss as soon as I get a private moment. I have a trainee at the moment who will be in limbo when his 2 seniors leave for a year and my boss is talking about taking on more - which could leave mine without a decent trainer! And it's his future, so I want to make sure I do ok by him!!

 

[mrs_z]

Thanks, you two! Really helps to read how you went about this. I think I may actually need to let my work know sooner than we'll be telling our families - we want to wait until 12 weeks just to make sure (and because some people tend to get overexcited ).

So now...on to figuring out how to break the news to a pretty much exclusively male workplace...

 

[Jojo84]

I told my work at 5 weeks because I had to make adjustments.

If you make plans for work and you're on maternity leave its okay - your replacement can do that or they will just find someone else to do it. Or you can tell them if you prefer, but either way it will be fine,

 

[Jessicae267]

Hi I am just wanting some advice I am nearly 9 weeks pregnant with twins and have suffered 3 miscarriages in the past so I am quite worried if everything is going to be okay however I currently work as a hca within the nhs and had some time off a couple of months ago due to a miscarriage and depression and had to have an appointment with hr as I had a few other sickness periods they disregarded the miscarriage and depression but since the day I started I have felt victimised by my manager he is constantly causing me stress just because he doesn't like me so I am thinking about putting in a grievance against him but I feel so stressed with it all and it feels like there's something new to stress me about every time I'm in work and I recently had one day off for sickness and couldn't keep any food down but my manager told me I would be sent back to hr if I had anymore time off and the second stage of a capability hearing would start I just feel like I can't cope with all the stress anymore and worried about my babys health I'm scared that if I take time off for stress it could cost me my job and worried if I could actually take time off for stress sorry for long post just don't know what to do.
Thanks jessica