going on the sick

fro9etb8j5qsl2

You can get signed off sick and will get illness benefit up until you begin your mat leave. Nobody (neither employer nor social welfare) can force you to begin your maternity leave early.

With my first pregnancy, I was signed off sick from around 32 weeks due to back problems. My second pregnancy I was signed off sick for practically the whole pregnancy due to the same problems. No hassle at all.

catrionanic

Thanks girls for all your help and information. Really helpful and reassuring. One less thing to worry about, should I have to finish up early.

Pain actually has been a bit better today and yesterday. Work has been a lot quieter,so I am seeing less patients and hence doing less moving around. Gonna take it easy this weekend and hopefully will be feeling okay come Monday.

cyning

I was signed off sick at 4.5 weeks pregnant until my maternity leave started. Obviously never realised I would be off the entire pregnancy and a nightmare for my employer who was fantastic over it all. But you certainly can go from sick leave to maternity leave if you need to.

catrionanic

Sooooo the snoozle blanket arrived and I've not slept on in yet, but tried just turning on the sofa and it was much easier.

That said, all it really seems to be is two squares of a silky material sewn together at both sides, so that as you turn on it, the two layers slide over each other easily so that you can turn with less resistance. I feel that I could have easily made it myself! So two squares of silky fabric, sewn together along both sides, then placed under you with the two sewn seams to your sides, to the left and right of your bum.

My mums friend also recommended wearing silk pyjamas in bed for an easier turn, which makes sense!

fits

Mught try that. Luckily i dont have spd but man this bump is heavy!!!

greenttc

Hmmm will be interested to see how you get on sleeping on it. Taking inspiration from your snoozle i decided to sleep on a black plastic sack on Friday night and it defo worked a small bit but then it just got crumpled and ended up off to one side. So the next night i decided that maybe it would work if i got inside the bag ( with the bottom cut off) so i tried that Saturday night, worked better but was a bit sweaty,hadn't thought of plastic not being breathable! I sound mad but desperate measures and all that!

But silky pyjamas,now there is an idea! Or maybe silky sheets!

My pgp has defo gotten worse despite all the physio, really dont want to end up on crutches! But night time and turning is the worst!

Would love an update on how the nighttime trial goes, wonder will it stay under you or will it go off to the side like the black bag....???

implausible

I had this towards the end of my last pregnancy and had to take sick off work for 3 weeks until maternity leave took over. As others have said, you cannot be forced to take maternity leave earlier.

The last time I left it too late to do anything about it and ended up wearing the belt and using a crutch, so when I felt twinges before 12 weeks this time, I got proactive - physio, sketchers and swimming. Your physio doesn't sound great to be honest, better trying someone with experience in PGP. Mine was great, only went for four sessions and haven't been back since (I'm 26 weeks now), she gave me exercises which I do religiously and a pilates band for some of them, she also recommended a tennis ball for massage (my glutes were tightened up and killing me). Swimming once a week seems to help. Flat shoes kill me and the skechers that kind of look like boat shoes are now my uniform. I always sleep with a pillow between my legs and have had to forsake the comfy (sinky) couch in the sittingroom. I also have a good chair at work that swivels so I can turn to the thing I need instead of getting up all of the time - can you reorganise your work space a bit to do this?

I don't know if any of this helps, but for me, doing all this keeps it at bay until nighttime when I start to stiffen up.

catrionanic

greenttc - LOL!!!!! The thought of you settling down to sleep into a black binbag had me laughing out loud in work! You poor wee thing, anything for a good night's sleep eh?

The Snoozle was fine. So much easier to turn over - you literally just slide across the sheet and the Snoozle moves with you. It does bunch up a bit - I had to readjust it two or three times during the night (but I'm fussy). Was considering getting something sticky to stick it into the bedsheet with but I couldn't think of anything?

Like I said though, it would be super easy to make the snoozle yourself with two layers of silky fabric. Would save a few pennies and may be quicker than ordering online and waiting on delivery. I do think it's worth it though regardless, as it definitely reduces the pain when turning. Doesn't eliminate it entirely, but it helps. And I'm definitely going to order some silk PJs online... can't face a shopping trip in person as terrified of making things worse!

implausible - thank you so much for your really informative reply. I'm glad to hear that so far you're bearing up okay. I am also 26 weeks!

catrionanic

Just received an email offering me 15% discount if I buy another snoozle. Just have to enter code Fall2016 as discount code at checkout. Greenttc, may be of interest to you!

implausible

catrionanic wrote:

implausible - thank you so much for your really informative reply. I'm glad to hear that so far you're bearing up okay. I am also 26 weeks!

No bother, it seems to be working for me so far, fingers crossed. Doesn't help that people don't seem to know much about it. I got v sick of people saying I had sciatica the last time and my mother has put it down to laziness between pregnancies!

Must keep an eye on the Jan board for you so! This is my third and work is busy, so enthusiasm for discussing my pregnancy is low and I haven't been on it much, if at all.

greenttc

catrionanic wrote: »

Just received an email offering me 15% discount if I buy another snoozle. Just have to enter code Fall2016 as discount code at checkout. Greenttc, may be of interest to you!

Thanks Caitriona!!

I have just given in and bought it with your code, this stupid PGP seems to be getting worse and the ol balck bags are not working out so hopefully this will help! anything that will allow me to get a bit of sleep!!!!

Is yours much the same? any better/worse? hope you have managed to rearrage some parts of work...

stickybean

Just a quick question.. I was due to finish up at 37 weeks +3, but just got my letter from the social welfare, the date is a week ahead 38 +3 I really don't think I could go that long. I've no health issues, but am really starting to slow down and getting quite tired in the afternoons.

I asked my HR person, she said she can change it but I will have to resubmit everything and all the paper work in our office and recommended "off the record" I got sick for the last week, she said most people do that. Would my doctor sign me off?

catrionanic

Greenttc, I've cut back as much as I can, particularly with stairs and walking anyway that isn't strictly necessary, and the last 5 or 6 days have been a lot better. Today is a little worse again (had to walk from Dawson street to the start of Ranelagh last night) but thankfully not as bad as last week.

So sorry to hear you're in such a bad way, have you been back to the physio? A lady on my street had SPD so bad that she couldn't walk for four months, tried everything without success, and then she met a lady who is a 'movement specialist' who was doing a study and she said that it made such a huge difference. I haven't looked into it myself as I'm coping okay at the moment, but she gave me her number which I can pass onto you if you like. I'm not sure whether she's even still in Dublin or working or whatever as I've not looked into it (my neighbour's wee boy is now 2), but you could give her a call to find out.

Stickybean, how annoying that they messed your form up! I def couldn't work that late either. I get that you'd frel uncomfortable going on the sick, but it's only a few days, I'm sure you've been a reliable employee over the years, and you really won't be in a fit state to be working so it is a genuine medical complaint. Don't feel too bad about it. They're copin without you for six months or more - a few extra days won't break them.

catrionanic

Greenttc how is the spd holding up? Did your snoozle arrive?

greenttc

catrionanic wrote: »

Greenttc how is the spd holding up? Did your snoozle arrive?

Not great, it's a bit like yours in that when I rest and don't move it's better but if I do any amount of walking or moving that day I am in for a bad night! No snoozle yet, hoping it arrives this week.

How are you getting on with your snoozle? Is it making a difference?

I hate not being able to move around, feel like I am getting no exercise what so ever which is not good!

catrionanic

greenttc wrote: »

Not great, it's a bit like yours in that when I rest and don't move it's better but if I do any amount of walking or moving that day I am in for a bad night! No snoozle yet, hoping it arrives this week.

How are you getting on with your snoozle? Is it making a difference?

I hate not being able to move around, feel like I am getting no exercise what so ever which is not good!

Yeah the snoozle has really helped thankfully.

You just need to take it as easy as possible. I am such a lazy lump these days but what can you do. I try to only go down the stairs once in the morning, doing everything I can in the bedroom and carrying anything I'll need later with me, and up the stairs once at night to go to bed. I'm avoiding walking any more than I have to (which included missing a wee trip round the giants causeway with the husband and friends this weekend.... had to console myself with a Rice Krispie bun in the hotel instead while I waited!), and doing lots of online shopping! It has helped immensely though. The pain is only a wee niggle and a bit f stiffness for now.

My parents' neighbour is a midwife and has booked me in for a pregnancy massage with a physio who has massage training as a baby shower gift. Have you tried that yet?

greenttc

oh no, you missed a trip round the giants causeway!! I love that place and would have been devastated to miss that! that has really made me empathise with you more than anything! (I am a weirdo I know!)

It has kind of worked the opposite for me with missing stuff today, I am in work and my mum and sister are going to liffey valley for a bit of a browse, I havent been there in years and was a little jealous that I couldnt go cause I am working but then I remembered the hell it would have been with this PGP so i felt a little less sorry for myself! ha!

yes I am the same with becoming very efficient in my trips up and down stairs, to and from a printer in work, in and out of the kitchen etc......

I have been to the physio a good bit and she does rub out all the knots, it was only last week that she managed to hit the right spot so that getting in and out of the car is not as bad, all other pains remain though, it is crazy how many seperate muscles and movements are effected by this! I am thinking that a massage might be fairly similar to what my physio does so I hadnt really considered it! let me know how you get on!

cant wait for the snoozle to arrive!!!!!

greenttc

My snoozle arrived! So excited for bed tonight!

catrionanic

greenttc wrote: »

My snoozle arrived! So excited for bed tonight!

Haha, I hope it helps!

I turn a lot in my sleep and it keeps bunching up which is annoying. Let me know if you find a solution that that!

How's your SPD this last week or two?

fits

I heard from another twin mum that a silk sleeping bag liner does the job well as well. I dont have pelvic issues, but its really getting hard to turn over. Might try it out.

greenttc

catrionanic wrote: »

Haha, I hope it helps!

I turn a lot in my sleep and it keeps bunching up which is annoying. Let me know if you find a solution that that!

How's your SPD this last week or two?

Ah no, bunching was my fear, i will see how i get on. Not sure how you would get around that. Will let you know how i get on and if i get the bunching too.

Fits, wish i had thought o a sleeping bag liner, that would make sense, i even tried a black plastic bag at one stage

The pelvis is still quite sore but actually it is slightly better since my physio did a bit of internal work which was very uncomfortable in many ways but it really did sort me out in terms of getting out of the car and turning in bed, just shows me that there are lots of muscles and ligaments involved. Hopefully whatever she did is long lasting cause i don't really want to go through fixing it again but if I got really bad again i would do it just for the relief. Still sore walking and putting on trousers etc. how is yours, has it stayed okay since it eased off there? Rest definitely helps, you are right!

catrionanic

Mine has gotten worse again over the last few days unfortunately. It's manageable though, and not as bad as it was 3 or 4 weeks ago. I had a day off today and had to do a little bit of walking around Holles street and a couple of shops. Then I started packing my hospital bag and did some laundry and changed the bedsheets, and now I'm really sore. Which is frustrating because it's not as if I walked round the Phoenix Park or anything (which I would love to be doing in this gorgeous autumn weather!). Shows how easy you have to take it.

greenttc

catrionanic wrote: »

Mine has gotten worse again over the last few days unfortunately. It's manageable though, and not as bad as it was 3 or 4 weeks ago. I had a day off today and had to do a little bit of walking around Holles street and a couple of shops. Then I started packing my hospital bag and did some laundry and changed the bedsheets, and now I'm really sore. Which is frustrating because it's not as if I walked round the Phoenix Park or anything (which I would love to be doing in this gorgeous autumn weather!). Shows how easy you have to take it.

ah I was in Holles street today also, we could have been sitting beside each other and never know!

yes it is crazy how such a short bit of walking or a tiny amount of movemnet has such a negative effect on it. I would have been going for 5k jogs regularly before this baby made an appearance and now I am like a ninety year old! It will all be worth it in the end!!!

you have your hospital bag packed?? ah! must get on that! I think we are only days apart. have lots of the stuff already, just need to assemble it into a bag...

so my Snoozle report. well I thought it definitely helped, it was much easier turning over, I would have been a frequent turner too but the last few weeks I think I have trained myself not too as it was just too sore to turn over so I urn less now. I did have some bunching too but every time I had visit to the bathroom I rearraged the snoozle before getting back into bed so it didnt have too bad an effect. the poor snoozle is fairly wrinkled now though, I wonder will that only get worse and make the bunching worse too.

not sure how to over come that, I considered threading a string through each side of the snoozle and tying it to the top and bottom of the bed (we have a frame bed with a head and foot on it.) but then I wonder would it work the same. I dunno, will keep going with how it is for now though, it still helped despite the bunching! you are so right though, I think sewing two silk sheets together would have been more cost effective than paying 40 euro for it though.