Forum Pregnant and working

Exhausted and working full-time, it's almost impossible to keep up.

10 replies

RoosjeGuest ·
Hi everyone!

I’m now 10 weeks pregnant with our first! Almost 11 and so happy! But I’ve been extremely tired and nauseous for weeks now... I work full-time in healthcare (heavy patients, lots of lifting and pressure at work). The last few weeks I’ve been scheduled in such a way that I get a whole stretch of work and only one day off, then have to go back to another stretch. I’ve mentioned that this is too hard for me right now and that I really want a schedule with at least 2 days off between stretches of 4 days. This was all difficult and swapping shifts wasn’t possible... Now I’m really tired and nauseous again, and I have a lot of back pain. I’ve also lost a few kilos... I feel like I’m working too hard and not getting enough rest... I’m worried this might be bad for the baby, and right now I feel like I can’t keep going like this... Are there any people with similar experiences and what did you do? I’d really like to work less now so I can rest more. I really want to do everything right for our baby...

Would love to hear from you all, and wishing everyone a nice pregnancy and a healthy baby!

Replies

  1. Trees87 Guest #2

    You work in healthcare... Probably in the Netherlands... In Belgium you can stop earlier (some at 12 weeks, some at 6 months).
    I'd bring this up with, say, the occupational health doctor or your colleagues. Hopefully there's someone you can swap shifts with, right?
    Hope you find a solution soon!

  2. kruimel #3

    Call in sick For about a week or so..
    That way, your managers will quickly realize that being completely out of the loop makes things even worse than working different hours/times.

    Maybe you could ask (or insist) that you want to see the company doctor.. They can assess and ultimately decide whether you should work less, for the sake of the baby and also for you..

    Congratulations on your pregnancy, and don’t push yourself too hard!

  3. Maria #4

    Go to your GP or occupational health doctor and explain what’s going on. You’re not supposed to be losing kilos, and I think you’re also not allowed to work so much (depends on your collective labor agreement), but after so many days of work, you’re entitled to at least X hours (or days) of rest.
    Another option is to report yourself as sick, but for longer than a few days, you’ll need to see your GP for that too.

  4. Ysabel #5

    That's so frustrating that your manager is so rigid. I'd listen to your body and definitely consider seeing a company doctor or your GP. You have every right to be heard!

  5. Anonymous Guest #6

    It’s regulated by law in the Netherlands that your employer must protect you once you inform them you’re pregnant. You’re entitled to adjusted working hours, so check the Dutch government website for more info.

  6. Roosje started this #7

    Thanks for all the replies! I just called in sick for a bit and noticed that with a couple of days of rest, I feel like a normal pregnant woman again—still tired, but not as exhausted. My team leader hasn't distributed the schedule any better for next month, so I'm thinking about discussing with my manager whether I can work fewer hours than full-time.

    Best, Roosje

  7. Maria #8

    Just keep in mind that you do have the right to lighter work. I don’t know if working fewer hours as a full-timer, as you mentioned above, affects your salary, but it shouldn’t if you’re pregnant! In that case, it’s better to ask your GP to put you (partially) on sick leave.

  8. Gast Guest #9

    Good luck, Meis, and fight for your rights!

  9. Ukje #10

    I also work full-time in healthcare and I'm currently 23 weeks pregnant. It's really tough working in healthcare when you're pregnant. I've also regularly asked my doctor to prescribe a week of rest. Which is totally normal if you're pregnant and work in such a demanding job.
    @Trees87: I live in Belgium and we have to work until 8 months!! It depends on the healthcare facility where you work. We even have to work nights until 6 months. After 6 months we're allowed to do more night shifts.

    Get well soon! Resting well is important!

  10. Roosje started this #11

    So nice to get so many replies, I really feel supported by this since I don’t know anyone in my family or friend group who’s pregnant either. It’s lovely chatting with you all. I’ve had to call in sick a few times over the past couple of weeks – I’d work for 2 days, then just feel sick and have to stop, which is pretty bizarre.. Luckily, the baby was fine! But the midwife said I need to rest more to recover instead of losing weight. I’ve mentioned wanting to work less now since it’s just not working out, and calling in sick every time doesn’t make the team happy either.. I have a chat with my boss next week, looking forward to it..

    Thanks ladies, and enjoy your pregnancies everyone!

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