I’m off on mat leave just now but I’ve never liked phoning in sick. I do think a lot of it is to do with crappy managers making people feel bad. As for anyone else talking about you, they don’t know what’s going on with you and it’s none of their business so try to ignore that noise. Sick days are there for a reason and you’re entitled to take them. My work have a sickness policy so a manager can’t comment on your attendance unless it hits a “trigger” point and even then it should be about checking on people’s wellbeing, not about getting anyone in trouble.
Honestly i had 1 day off work aswell couple of weeks ago ( I work in an hospital) i had the sickness bug so I didn't go in. I had a meeting with my manager the day I went back which was like 3 days later ( I do 3 shifts a week) and she complained that my attendance is low ( from before I left on maternity leave) which is when I was like 7 months pregnant and pregnancy was kicking my ass and my manager was complaining about me having time off