So today I have come to realize that I am no longer physically able to keep the pace at work that I had been and prior to pregnancy. A little background.. I am a nurse for a specialty outpatient clinic and work 730-430 Monday through Friday. I have 6 doctors I room patients for and I'm constantly up and down and walking, etc. I cannot do things as fast as I used to and there's only me and one other nurse. My concern lately is she is going on vacation for almost 2 wks and the demand of my job has me worried about the stress it will put on me. Even when she is at work it's still hard on me. With that being said I want to bring this up to my boss and the doctors but don't want to seem whiny and like I'm asking for petty or that I cannot do my job. I just need to find a solution to make things easier on my body. How many of you other nurses or ladies with active jobs have this issue and do you think you will be able to continue working up to your due date? Do you have a plan or have you gone through this before?
Re: Fellow working pregnant mommas.
I can't even take hardly care of myself at this point.!!!I have a long 3 or 4 months ahead of me...
Born May 25, 2016
Angel Baby January 20th, 2017
Baby #2 Due December 6th 2017
I'll be moving into a more administrative role as I get bigger, which I'm not really looking forward to, so I'm definitely going to keep rocking my normal shifts as long as I feel comfortable with them and my doc gives me the ok.
Another nurse here! I will frequently "forget" that I am pregnant and do something stupid like not use proper body mechanics or lift something way too heavy and then wonder why I can't move when I get home. I am not working on a floor (God Bless you!) but the school is not as easy as it is made out to be, especially when I am the sole nurse for 2 buildings and have to literally run up and down the hill in the icy snow. I will unload supplies and get down on the ground to help my littles, or even scoop up a kindergarten student who fell off the monkey bars and landed just wrong. I think knowing your body and being clear about your personal limits is so important. I have reached out to other staff (guidance counselors, trusted teachers, our secretary) to help if there is something I feel I cannot do. I know our janitor was pissed I didn't let him help me move our giant standiometer when we were doing BMI screening! So ask for help.
Also, don't forget that you can talk with your OB about any accommodations that may need to be made at work. I have written many staff 504 plans for pregnant teachers and support staff who find they need an extra break period, no recess duty, or a longer lunch etc. As long as you have a doctor's note to support it, you are allowed to have certain adjustments and accommodations in the workplace. If you feel uncomfortable talking with the other nurses or MDs about it, maybe check in with your HR department. Make it clear that you want to continue working, but just need some extra supports. You would be shocked to hear some of the things that MDs have ordered for working adults to be included in 504 accommodation plans. Taking extra precautions for a pregnant nurse should be a no-brainer!
Editided because the bump app and Android phones don't get along.
Next, if your supervisor does not take steps to address the situation, you may need to refer to your Employee Handbook and/or speak to your HR department. How many employees work for your employer? Does your employer offer light duty work to other employees with temporary disabilities (e.g., if someone were to break an arm, would they be offered light duty work until it healed?)? If your employer offers this option to other temporarily disabled employees, you should be entitled to light duty work if your current workload is becoming too physically difficult, and you may have a Pregnancy Discrimination Act claim if you request light duty work and your request is denied. But, if such an option is not available to anyone else with a temporary disability, it would not necessarily have to be offered to you for a normal pregnancy. However, if you have a pregnancy with certain complications that rise to the level of serious health conditions, you may be considered “disabled” under the ADA because of the complications, in which case your employer would probably have to offer you reasonable accommodations, regardless of its light duty policy. You may also have certain state law protections available to you, depending on the state in which you work.
I would start with having a discussion with your supervisor and then escalate it to HR if it is not handled appropriately. Then, if it still is not adequately addressed, you should probably speak with an employment attorney in your area to help you determine your rights to accommodations. Good luck!
**Disclaimer: The above response is intended only to provide general information about the subject matter and should not be construed as legal advice.**
My **plan** was to work up to delivery pretty much, but because I'm so uncomfortable already and not even at 6 months yet, I have a feeling I'm going to take at least a week before my due date, but honestly I wish I could take so much more and just relax for awhile before baby boy gets here!!
Yes I originally wanted to work until my due date but I just can't. I'm planning to leave end of March and I'm due 26th of May. If your not in the uk I think it works differently. I get 6 weeks of 90% of my pay and then £140 a week for 33 weeks so I will already have a lot of time with her before I go back to work, it's just a big money drop each month that I don't work good luck talking to your supervisor or boss, update us on any news.
I'm a teacher, so I'm on my feet all day or most of the day (especially this spring semester since I have baby freshman who need constant managing). Last pregnancy, I worked until 39w (had DS at 39+1) and I won't lie, the last 2-3 weeks were fairly miserable. This time, I have the same plan-- unless I feel truly awful-- because I don't want to take on additional unpaid leave time, especially before this baby is here.
I also have given up on climbing two fleights of stairs more than about 5 times a day. I was a stairs only person prior.
Just take brakes as needed. We need our nurses! One of my co-workers is going to have to do some of her fmla prior to birth and work strange combo days. They should be flexible as you can do intermittent fmla(if you are in America of course).
Been married since 2009.
Unicornuate Uterus (yes I menstruate glitter)
Several MCs
DD born 2013 (our miracle "you can't have babies" baby!)
The public library supervisor on the other hand basically said "Well, this is the job, we've already been very accommodating with all your morning sickness, and I already don't know what we're going to do when you're out on maternity leave at the start of summer reading program." Really not the response I was hoping for!
I'm going to fill out and turn in my FMLA within the next week or so just because I want it approved prior to me having to take any early, unplanned leave due to the way I feel, etc. I'll speak with my doctor next Monday and see what he recommends. I may just take off a week or so prior to my due date with the fmla and use the rest when baby arrives. But again... this is all depending on how I feel and how long my body allows me to work I suppose!
week so I am going to be working 8-7 and Saturdays until April 30th... worried about managing the stress as well as the exhaustion that accompanies a non pregnant tax
season!
I'm expecting baby to arrive in early May and am planning to work up until the time I go to the hospital. I'm currently 26 weeks and will likely ask my boss to start lightening my workload slowly at around 32 weeks.
ETA My girls were born at 40w0d and 40w2d
Because my job isn't active, I do plan to work all the way up to the end, and I spoke with my boss early on and he told me if I get put on bed rest or am just too uncomfortable near the end to work from home so I am very very fortunate. Makes up for the no paid maternity leave, ineligible for short term disability, and crappy timing with being due a month after the "use it or lose it" PTO cut off.
Last week I set up a complicated test to run over the weekend so that I could check the results on Monday, and when Monday rolled around I couldn't remember the login credentials for the test user I created.