I would like to know if anyone has gone through this. I am pregnant and have had to stay in bed most of the day for almost 2 weeks already, as I have literally no strength to be standing for more than a few minutes. I am self employed working alone in a salon. Fortunately at the moment we have had to close because of Covid. But are due to open in the next week. Obviously if I am still like this I don't feel I can work. But has anyone been through this? Especially if you couldn't be at the salon all through the pregnancy. How did you keep up your communication with clients, so that hopefully even if they seek someone else for now they will eventually be back when I am back to work? Or did you just contact them when all was well, and you hope you didn't have to start building up clients again? This is so worrying, as when I was going to have my eldest, I didn't experience any of this and I worked up until the last week, was away for 3 weeks altogether after the birth. I hope someone has been through this and can offer some advice.
Difficult pregnancy & need advice
- Thread starter Ruggier
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HMC
Well-Known Member
Omg yes. My (first) baby is now 8 weeks old, I am still on maternity leave. I am self employed and had 1 other employee at the time I fell pregnant. I ended up with hyperemesis gravidarum (severe vomiting and nausea) and had to leave at 6 weeks pregnant because I couldn't work. I found (thankfully!) and hired a locum therapist and she stayed for 2 months and helped me through my first trimester which was the worst. I couldn't get off the couch. After the 2 months she had to leave, so I had to go back but part-time because that's all I could handle. I sent an email out to clients explaining my situation, basically said "I'm pregnant and struggling with it, I'll do my best but also need to look out for myself here" and also put an ad out for another second therapist to cover me in the future. I found a junior and trained her as much as possible until I went on leave after Xmas last year. It was the hardest Xmas I have ever done! I felt like absolute sh**! I think continuing to work as much as I did made me sicker. I will be honest my business has taken more of a hit than I would like without me there. But what helped was being honest (but not too pitiful) with my clients but still making sure they know they are valued. I am fortunate to have worked hard at my reputation and loyalty with clients so they are continue to support me while I am not there... (I have been working for around 7 years with 80% of my clientele). Happy to help more if you need more. 
Omg yes. My (first) baby is now 8 weeks old, I am still on maternity leave. I am self employed and had 1 other employee at the time I fell pregnant. I ended up with hyperemesis gravidarum (severe vomiting and nausea) and had to leave at 6 weeks pregnant because I couldn't work. I found (thankfully!) and hired a locum therapist and she stayed for 2 months and helped me through my first trimester which was the worst. I couldn't get off the couch. After the 2 months she had to leave, so I had to go back but part-time because that's all I could handle. I sent an email out to clients explaining my situation, basically said "I'm pregnant and struggling with it, I'll do my best but also need to look out for myself here" and also put an ad out for another second therapist to cover me in the future. I found a junior and trained her as much as possible until I went on leave after Xmas last year. It was the hardest Xmas I have ever done! I felt like absolute sh**! I think continuing to work as much as I did made me sicker. I will be honest my business has taken more of a hit than I would like without me there. But what helped was being honest (but not too pitiful) with my clients but still making sure they know they are valued. I am fortunate to have worked hard at my reputation and loyalty with clients so they are continue to support me while I am not there... (I have been working for around 7 years with 80% of my clientele). Happy to help more if you need more.
Thankyou for that. I had not found anyone who could relate to what I am going through. I hope I do feel abit better at some point so that I can go back even if just for a few hours. Thankyou for ypur help
Not pregnancy related, but when I was severely anaemic I literally could not stand up for more than a few minutes, even sitting upright was a challenge. I didn't have enough strength to get out of a paper bag. Getting a few iron infusions and finding a supplement that agreed with me made a huge difference. It was amazing how every couple of days I'd go 'ah, I feel normal now', and then a couple of days later I'd go 'wow, NOW I feel normal!'. It took a while to get the levels up.
Please get your iron levels checked! Anaemia during pregnancy is pretty common.
Please get your iron levels checked! Anaemia during pregnancy is pretty common.
Havencheltenham
Member
My advice, give urself a break, u r growing a little human being, ur clients will want to see u when u r able to work. My biggest regret is not giving myself the time to enjoy having a baby, for my second I was working on the day I went into labour and took 6wks off. They r small for so short a time, the last year has taught me, there are definitely more important things in life than clients, I promise u. Good luck 
Amber5748
Active Member
Have you spoken to you midwife about this? You need to get checked out to be on the safe side.
I have and she has said that these are normal pregnancy symptoms. I have now had some blood tests so hopefully whatever is happening will show up in the results.
I have now had some blood tests so hopefully something shows up so I know what I can do to help myself recover
