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What to do? Taking time off to visit EPU?

Discussion in 'Pregnancy' started by pinknfluffy, Feb 5, 2012.

  1. Ok, so I'm 6 weeks 3 days and have had spotting on and off for the las week and a half. Then yesterday was out with my husband when I just 'felt' that I had started bleeding. We rushed home and I had bled enough to go through my knickers, quite watery but red. Immediately assumed the worst and rang the midwife who basically said there was nothing I could do as it's the weekend and wait and see till Monday.

    So changed knickers and put on pad and since then no blood. One or 2 tiny brown spots when wiping. No pain or cramps of any kind. Still have pg symptoms (mainly v sore boobs) and positive test this morning.

    So I am now wondering what to do tomorrow. I'm an Early Years teacher and my school is short on cover so taking time off work is incredibly difficult. I really don't want to tell work that I'm pg yet, my head has made it clear he's not keen on the idea of losing me to maternity leave so I really want to tell him when it's actually confirmed and viable. I could pull a sickie but have never missed a single day in all my career, even when really ill so know that would raise eyebrows and lead to the 'are you pg?' questioning I get every time I'm even a little bit peaky.

    Obviously we have half term in a week so I'm almost tempted to monitor the situation till then and then go to the EPU on the Monday, when I'll be 7.5 weeks and morel likely to see a heartbeat etc on the scan. Am I mad? Advice please - I of course want to put my health and the baby first but am trying to manage that with a career where I know that being pg will be held against me and when I know I'm going to need time off later on. If I can avoid missing work unneccessarily now I'd really like to. What do you think?
  2. Coolgiraffe

    Coolgiraffe Occasional commenter

    Sorry you are having to go through this.
    I think what I would do is phone in sick monday morning even though you think this will be problematic for school - they will survive so don't put them first!!
    Maybe say you are trying to get a doctors appointment and will let them know once you can get back in to work.
    phone the midwife again on monday morning and see how they want to proceed. There's a chance that even if they want to scan you that it won't be the same day - some units unfortunately make you wait.
    That way, you can get back into work as soon as you want to and say you have a follow up appointment whenever the scan is if it turns out to be later in the week.
    If you don't get advice and actually wait another week the worry will do you no good. And you never get any thanks from employers for a spotless sickness record - there are no prizes for that!
    Hope they can put your mind at rest soon, take care and let us know how you get on.
  3. I would say you and baby first. I have had to make several visits to epu over the last few yers and my school have always been very understanding. They have to be! In my last preg I bled from 4 weeks so was up often for arranged and some emergency appointments. If i felt I had to I went up first thing and on a couple of occasions left school to go. Most of the time after being scanned(always on same day at my epu) I went back to work. Once I felt so wobbly I stayed off. My school were very good about it and I am hod. Take care.
  4. toeinwater

    toeinwater New commenter

    A'int that the damned truth!
    I too think you should take tomorrow off. So what if people raise eyebrows; I'm sure you can fob them off with something when you return.
  5. hey hun, i'm sorry you're going through this. i'm not sure what to advise - the early scan could let you know for definite one way or another, or you could see a fetal pole and be told to come back in a week to check for a heartbeat. there isn't actually anything medical that can be done to stop a miscarriage this early in a pregnancy. if you really would rather go into work and wait a week then go over half term, that wouldn't harm your baby if you are still pregnant.
    thinking of you x
  6. I would definitely call in sick. You are not pulling a sickie you are going through a threatened miscarriage. Get to the EPU and find out what is going on. Bleeding in pregnancy is awful, that said I had bleeding in both my pregnancies one of which is now nearly 3 and the second of which is now a month old.

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