Tips to be put on maternity leave early? CA
Hello fellow mamas,
I am trying to get my doctor to hopefully š¤š» praying to put me off at the 32-34 week mark for early maternity leave. For context I work 12.5 hour shifts in a Neuro ICU in the nursing field, my work commute is an hour and 10 minutes one way meaning I am up at 3:45am leaving my house by 4:45am and I don't get home until around 8:20 around average. When I was given a light duty modification note early in my pregnancy when I was in the depths of HG which has improved significantly since but not completely I was told my management and our director that there was no "light or modified" duty for my position and that even at a minimum if tried to protect myself by finding another staff member to help assist with extremely heavy lifts/turns/pulls that it is considered refusing and if I cannot preform I will be sent home. So unfortunately with no accommodations that can be made I am not only on my feet for 12.5 hours, but doing multiple heavy lifts (absolute minimum 50 pounds), pulls, turns an hour, and constant bending at the waist even though I try to keep my back strait and squat. I have been forced to go into chemo rooms which are a known risk to pregnant woman, and other isolation rooms that pose risks to me and my child. Although my other staff since starting to really show will try and assist me as much as possible, others simply could care less and turn their heads the other way. I am in so much pain by the end of the day I can barely walk when I get home, no amount of Tylenol, or hot baths has helped, but even now I wake up with pain whereas a few weeks prior it wouldn't hit me until the end of the day. I have a history of V-tach and my heart rate shoots up to 110-180s at work, I get out of breath easy, I often am going through vertigo spells at work and overall just have no time to even sit and chart without being pulled away for another task. I've had Braxton hicks since 20 weeks and sometimes although not painful they will come 15-20 mins apart for the entire day or days on end. I don't even care if I don't get paid leave until 36 weeks, it's not about the money. I know that per pregnancy FMLA/PDL gets 17.5 weeks with medical reason and 12 without so even without medical reason I have 2 weeks earlier of leave I can go covered by FMLA since a typical pregnancy only uses 10, I just feel desperate to be on leave at this point. I am miserable and exhausted, please help.
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Your OB should put you in leave by you asking. My sister is a nurse midwife in CA that works for an OB. I asked her how to bring it up to midwifeās and she said they just wait for a patient to ask and are super supportive. All they need is a note from them saying they recommend you not working for your or babies health. Iāve heard some OBs are jerks about it but there is no reason for them to be. Hang in there!
I'm hoping! I messaged her asking to discuss options at my next appt. and tried to briefly explain the circumstances and she sent a message back saying we can discuss but typically leave isn't until 36 weeks and I feel like I physically can't make it that long safety,
I think my cousin told her doctor that her feet and legs would swell and it hurt so they let her out earlier
Hello, I am a social worker for child protective services and work with at risk youth who can or have been highly assaultive to staff, I also work night shifts. I was so worried about being in danger & have fallen asleep a couple of times on my way back home. My OB didnāt do anything even when I told her Iāve been crying a lot and having anxiety attacks. I had to switch doctors because I switched to have the baby at a birthing center. The first midwife I met wrote me a letter and asked me what I wanted to feel safer. If I couldnāt get the accommodations then she asked for an accommodation to go on leave until the baby is born. My employer couldnāt do the first accommodation so they allowed me to go on leave early. Iām only 27 weeks and on leave. It is your right to get accommodations through the pregnancy workers fairness act and also your OB or midwife should be your biggest advocate. I had a OB tell me āunfortunately there are no rights for pregnant women in the workplace.ā š
Hello, your doctor can authorize you up to a month before your due date. You just have to ask and let them know why you need more time.
Your doctor can send you on leave 4 weeks before your due date without a medical reason. But if you want to be sent earlier ask your OB, tell them all the cons you've been experiencing and they should be able to send you on leave earlier.
my OB so far doesn't seem too supportive of letting me go before 36 weeks but I'm hoping after talking to her in person that will change. I know I am entitled to my rights but I'm not sure how to be put on leave when they won't be accommodated, and the doctor won't write me off yet. What would I do or talk to for that to be the case?
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