1st Trimester
Nurse Lisa
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When To Tell Work?
Nurse Lisa
member
This is my first pregnancy, so I am not sure as to what the appropriate/proper time is to tell work. I really don't want to tell them earlier than necessary, but I want to do the appropriate/professional thing. So, when do you all tell your employers?
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Re: When To Tell Work?
Me: 32 H: 34
DS #1: 8/10/11, DS #2: 10/13/14
TTC #3 since October 2017
It depends on a lot of things. Particularly whether there is anything about your job (or your pregnancy) that will require changes and special accommodations. How long you intend to be on maternity leave -- or if you even plan to return at all -- also makes a difference in how much advance notice they will require. Consider as well whether they will need to bring someone new in to cover your absence, whether an existing coworker will need to be trained on certain things, etc.
There can also be a difference between when you tell HR/management and when coworkers find out. Depends on the dynamics of the office and how much confidentiality is actually available.
From your name...I'm guessing you a nurse??
I am a nurse in the ICU, therefore there is a lot of physical and weight bearing work. My plan is to select a few trustworthy close co-workers who will kinda be my special helpers (helping me roll pts, moving them up in bed, etc.). It will eventually come up that they will inevitably assign me a pt in pregnancy precautions, or a pt with TB or something that I can't take, therefore I will have to come out and tell them.
I understand with the Christmas parties, I was planning on doing the exact same thing, just carry around a beer bottle with a smidgin left in the bottle, I just have to remember not to accidentally drink it! agh!
Good luck everyone!
I am 6 weeks along and I just told my boss today that I am pregnant. Like you, at first I was going to wait because I wanted to make sure everything was good with the pregnancy...but I had some unexpected doctors appointments that I could not lie about. I was getting really stressed thinking about if I was to get morning sickness, or feel tired during the day, how would I explain that to my boss without telling them I am pregnant.
So all-in-all I would say to just be up front....it will be more stress free for you if you get it out of the way now....
Just my opinion...good luck!!!
I'm not showing (at least not yet), so we are going to try and wait to tell my office until after the 1st trimester. It has worked ok, because my morning sickness hasn't been too bad, until the last 2 days. Plus my office is fairly relaxed if you need to leave early/come in late due to appointments. Hopefully I can stick it out.
We will, however, be telling my boss next week... because I work for my dad! That should help as well. You might consider letting your supervisor know, if not the whole office, so that you don't get the evil eye when you have to run to the bathroom or take a long lunch due to an appt.
I feel the same way. I told my boss and supervisor to be stress free. they are really excited for me and I know will keep it top secret until I feel like telling my co-workers. I'm an up front person and do not want to be sneaking around going to the doctor or being mysteriously sick.
BFP #1 EDD 08/07/11 DS born 07/27/11 Welcome Mr. Smiley!
BFP #2 05/28/12 EDD 02/03/13 Natural M/C 07/14/12 10w6d
BFP #3 10/02/12 EDD 06/11/13 Please stick baby! Stick!
13w for me.
If you have a need to tell (exposure to radiation at work, heavy lifting at work, etc.), tell sooner. But if not, there is no reason to tell employers until 2nd tri.
I disagree with the "tell them so you're not stressed" advice. I think it would be much more stressful to have to go through a loss with everyone that you work with giving you puppy-dog eyes all day. Also, I went through 7 weeks of very bad m/s before telling my bosses and only missed one day of work because of it - millions of women work through m/s and "being tired." I didn't feel like I deserved special treatment and I didn't need to tell my boss so he/she could feel bad for me - I was responsible and toughed it out. But hey, to each her own.
It's fine if you're comfortable telling your supervisors. But there is not actually anything sneaky about keeping mum on your dr appts. If you're filling out the leave slips honestly, it's no one's business why exactly you're going, regardless of how often. Plenty of employees have chronic illnesses or temporarily go through something that requires many visits and do not have to tell anyone anything that they don't want to.
It is not dishonest. It's just private.