Travelling when pregnant - Advice please kind people.

Judi101

Thanks everyone. I appreciate the feedback. I am based close to home but I cover a variety of branches and have to travel to them to do my job each day as I have to visit the staff at their base branches. I am at different places each day and travel for an average of 2 hours each way, more if I am visiting more than 1 staff member.

I know there is no specific medical reason for not driving, but I am worried that with my fatigue I am at risk while driving, especially as it involves leaving home about 630am and returning about 7pm. I guess as well the accident I had last year because the other driver was not paying attention and pulled out into me has really scared me now I am pregnant again. I hate the idea of asking my boss for special treatment as a hate making a fuss and with my first worked right up to 39 weeks with no special considerations. Its harder with a second as I dont get the chance to rest now unless its a weekend so OH is here. Going to go see the doctor and hopefully its just a case of needing iron tablets.

inkie

I think that its going to be a csse of looking after yourself and taking rest when you are home to prevent youself from feeling overtired. As you are aware - this fatigue is only a temporary state, and pregnancy is not a preclusion to driving. I doubt whether your boss would agree to your request. A risk assessment should be done, but I would not consider driving to be a risk.

When I was pregnant with both my 2 I did lots of driving -as a community midwife, in fact the last shift I did before I went on mat leave was a 12 hour night shift delivering someone - I was in the same room myself giving birth the following week!

Spendless

Travelling made me so sick that on one occassion I threw up all over myself as I was stuck in traffic and no where to pull over, so just as well I wasn't working.

Try and get as much rest as you can> i always def felt better once I reached my 2nd trimester.

Judi101

Thanks to everyone for the advice. Its really appreciated. I am going to the doctors tomorrow to see if there is anything he can advise as I dont want to cause a major fuss at work, I am not that type of person. I told my boss today and he said I needed to think about asking for redeployment! (basically I am effectively asking to be released from my role and get 12 weeks to find and secure another job with my current employer (its a large orgnisation) and if I cant I lose my job.) Nice bloke.

chergar

Judi there is the health risk of blood clots (dvt) if you are sitting for long periods. When I was pregnant with my second I worked in an office and during my risk assessment was advised to get up and walk around every hour or so - even if it was only to go to photocopier or to the toilet just to keep mobile.

I think your boss is being really unsympathetic here could you possibly speak to someone else - HR for instance.