i don't feel like work is supporting me

Mel - posted on 08/21/2009 ( 4 moms have responded )

i handed in my matb1 form straight after my 24 week appointment.

im now 27+4 and had my work meeting 2 days ago.

with it being my first baby i have no idea what is involved in the meeting.

first the manager asked me when i wanted to take my leave from...

i said 3 weeks before baby is born. she said no everyone normally leaves 5 weeks before baby is born ( i don't want to take that long before baby is born on mat leave but was planning 1 week holiday before hand) so i said that and she returned with how many holidays do you have remaining.... 10 days... well we will book them in before your mat leave that will be fine..... writen down on paper before i could object any more.

2nd)) how long do you want to take

i understand you can take a year but can only get paid for 9 months and i cant afford 3 months without any pay!! like anyone normal currently

but i would like to take a bit extra than 9 months by about 3 weeks

"NO" its either 9 months or 1 year thers no inbetween

and then i was inquiring about staggering my return so that for 3 weeks i could come back for 3 days then next week 4 days then back to my full working week on the 3rd week

nope.... once im back im back thats it and if i want to have a few extra weeks on top of 9 months i have to book holidays while im on my leave for the end of my leave!!! (as we can't book them in yet)



then we got onto the risk assesment..... whcih i should have had when i told them i was pregnant

and definatly should have had after i nearly had a miscarriage while at work n had to get rushed to hospital!

i stated that i no longer felt my job was going to be possible for me to continue much longer

1) i got to go in chillers (food chillers that are under 5'C) and my boobs have started lactating now and get very sore very quickly when im in there... also my stomach seems to go hard and its so cold now im sure its getting colder

and ive been told that i shouldnt be going in there by anyone who has been pregnant

2)) my job requires for me to be on my feet n walking for about 4 hours a night

ive got the braxton hicks now which get worse while walking leaving me breathless n slowing me down alot

im also waddling (like a duck) as i think baby is laying right across my belly pushing my hips apart

and 3)) my job involves stretching to the top shelf n bending to the bottom shelf to check dates on the food also right next to the chillers

i have a big bean bag on my stomach that i very hard to bend

im getting a bad back and i go light headed while im stretching!!!

when asked which job would be more appropraite for me i dont have a clue how do u know unless you do it

i got reminded pregnancy was not an illness n most women can continue there job up till they drop

so the meeting got suspended until i can think of a job that i would feel comfortable in (since the 2 i suggested got turned down)



i feel like im a burden to my work although they inploy over 400 staff there and currently have at least 10 women who are pregnant n another 10 who are on maternity leave



many work mates sugggested going on sick after my leave as i would get full pay-minus 3 days amny just suggest i dnt come bck but i cant afford that and sickness goes on paremant records



any suggestions