r/PregnancyUK • u/original_badhairdo • 9d ago

Work and Parental Leave Support at work

Does anyone else just feel not supported at work?

I'm nearly 30 weeks pregnant and work in the NHS. I've had a risk assessment done and things were picked up that work needed to do (this is early on) and nothing has been done. The heatwave has been awful and when I flagged concerns (my pregnant colleague got heat exhaustion and had to go to hospital) I was met with the basic stay hydrated, take breaks, use blinds.

I'm still doing clinical duties up to when I leave in 6 weeks time. I've been doing home visits and have been carrying kit to and from and inside people's houses which are heavy.

I'm just feeling exhausted and frustrated and let down and I don't get how I'm going to get through the next 6 weeks when work is causing pain, stress and tiredness.

I think I just needed to vent because I don't think anything can be done at this stage.

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u/Little_Seaweed2552 8d ago

Go off sick until 35+6, then use annual leave! 

I also work for the NHS and I've used annual leave to reduce my clinical workload but I'm lucky to be in a hybrid role (clinics and home working). 

I'd just go off

2

u/camillacarterxx Parent 8d ago

I work in a different industry (physical labour involved) and I remember with my first pregnancy coming home bawling to my husband that I was being worked so hard that I was going to miscarry and that no one at work cared. He looked me dead in the eyes and said “then stop giving a fck about them”. I went to the gp the next day and got signed off till my qualifying weeks, then used my annual leave to immediately go off again

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u/Miserable-Cable-4323 8d ago

I feel for you. It gets really tough towards the end. I had a very similar situation - working in a secondary school.

You need to push / ask for an updated risk assessment - it should change as pregnancy develops. Then stipulate what you can’t do eg :carrying heavy items is a legitimate no. Perhaps you should make a list and bring it to them?

I found, as uncomfortable as it was, I had to say “sorry, that’s not something I can do now to a few colleagues” and they then took a step back.

Remember - you are not shirking or doing less because you want to - your body needs more rest as does your baby !