It’s normal to need some time off when you’re pregnant. Your body is changing, and this is going to present you with a variety of symptoms. Here are some of the best ones to blame when you need a personal day.
1. Morning Sickness
Morning sickness is a misnomer because while this nauseous feeling can occur in the morning, it can also plague you all day long.
Let your boss know that your morning sickness has become an all-day affair to skip work and get some rest.
2. Lower Back Pain
No one questions a person who looks like they are carrying a bowling ball underneath their shirt when they complain about back pain.
Some pregnant people struggle with lower back pain more than others do, but it is a valid excuse for anyone growing a person inside their body.
3. Doctor Appointment
You are going to have a ton of doctor’s appointments while you are pregnant. Your boss won’t be able to keep up with when they all are, so you can throw in an imaginary one on occasion and score yourself some rest.
Just make sure you have enough time off to attend all the appointments that are actually taking place.
4. Exhaustion
During the early days of my first pregnancy, I took a nap during one of my breaks at work and woke up with marks on my cheek from where I had been sleeping on the carpet.
The exhaustion is real! It’s so real that you can use it to get a day off any time.
5. Dizziness
It’s normal to get lightheaded or dizzy when you’re pregnant. Keep snacks around, and make sure you don’t stand up too quickly. In fact, many people lump dizziness in with morning sickness, so you can use it as a reason you need to take a day to drink some tea and nap.
6. Nausea
Smells, sights, or tastes can set off a very real nausea response in pregnant women as can fluctuating hormones. That’s why nausea is a solid reason to call out for a day off at any point during the pregnancy. It’s always a believable excuse.
7. Swollen Feet and Ankles
Some women experience swelling of the feet and ankles while they are pregnant while other women don’t.
Whether or not you do, it’s still an excuse most bosses won’t question. Movies and TV have made us assume that swollen feet and ankles are just a part of the pregnancy package.
8. Hip Pain
Your baby is making a home out of your body, and your hips get to suffer the brunt of this. Hip pain can make walking, standing, or sitting for too long uncomfortable.
If you have a job that requires tons of physical exertion, you will have to be extra careful not to strain your hips during this time.
Taking a day off and blaming hip pain is a believable excuse. In fact, your hips may hurt so often that this isn’t even really a lie when you tell your boss.
9. Neck or Shoulder Pain
You will carry your baby in your arms once he arrives, but until then you will carry him with your whole body.
That leads to pain in your neck and shoulders as you try to stay upright while your stomach lurches forward. Use this as a great reason to stay horizontal on the couch for a day.
10. Spotting or Bleeding
One of the first signs of pregnancy is the absence of a period. That’s what makes spotting or bleeding while pregnant so scary. While spotting can be a normal part of a safe pregnancy, it can also be cause for concern.
No one wants a pregnant woman at work if she’s bleeding, so this excuse will get you a day off with no questions asked.
11. Illness Outbreak at the Office
When you’re pregnant, you don’t want to get sick. A simple case of the flu landed me in the hospital when I was carrying my twins.
While it’s not impossible to avoid every germ, an illness outbreak at your place of work is an absolutely valid reason to take some time off or work from home.
Certain illnesses can negatively impact your pregnancy, and it’s not worth taking the risk of catching something by going into an office that you know is a cesspool of germs.
12. Contractions
Contractions aren’t always just something you get to experience during labor. Braxton Hicks contractions show up to give you some practice rounds, and they hurt.
Though they tend to lack the consistency of actual contractions, they are enough of an excuse to use if you need a day to watch reality TV instead of dealing with people at work.
13. Hemorrhoids
Since around 40 percent of pregnant women have the pleasure of experiencing hemorrhoids, this is a totally valid excuse to use when you want a day to rest at home.
No boss is going to ask further questions once you say hemorrhoids, so don’t worry about having to explain.
14. Hazardous Work Environment
Not every work environment is safe for a pregnant person. If you are working in conditions that are questionable or being asked to perform tasks that can put your pregnancy at risk, you need to call out of work.
Conditions should be safe and suitable before you return.
15. High Blood Pressure
Your doctor will monitor your blood pressure closely while you’re pregnant. While some women have no issues with their blood pressure, other women will watch their blood pressure increase during pregnancy.
Tell your boss that the stress of your job will not help an already high blood pressure reading, and kick your feet up for the day.
16. Preeclampsia
Going right along with high blood pressure is preeclampsia. Fingers crossed you do not have to deal with this while pregnant since it can cause a variety of complications for you and your baby.
However, if your employer refuses to believe that high blood pressure can be a sign of a bigger problem, you can always remind them that it is one symptom of preeclampsia.
17. Hormones Are Out of Control
Your hormones absolutely will be out of control throughout your pregnancy, so this is a valid excuse from month one right up until the baby pops out.
Changes in your hormone levels can leave you feeling exhausted, weepy, and every emotion in between. Take a personal day to meditate through the overwhelming feelings, and blame your hormones.
18. Loss of Bladder Control
One of the things I miss most about my life pre-pregnancy is bladder control. In fact, the loss of it can start while you’re still pregnant.
If you’re not too embarrassed to share this information with your supervisor, you can even blame your failing bladder on why you need to call out for the day.
A baby resting on your bladder means navigating a work experience that could get messy on a hard day.
19. Depression or Anxiety
Hopefully, you won’t experience a wide range of difficult emotions while pregnant. However, changing hormones as well as practical worries about raising a child can cause anyone to feel more blue or stressed than usual.
You can take a mental health day and let your boss know you need some mind recovery time.
20. Pregnancy Complications
You can experience mild or major pregnancy complications, and pretty much every supervisor should be aware of this fact.
While some complications can be scary and require monitoring by a doctor, you can also just experience some pregnancy discomfort that makes going to work feel impossible.
Think insane amounts of gas, an aversion to all smells, or a child kicking you in the kidneys 24/7.
Closing Thoughts
When you’re pregnant, you sometimes just need a day off to relax and admire your growing belly. Fortunately, pregnancy offers a variety of excuses for calling into work.
Kristy is the mother of four, including identical twins. With a background in education and research, she is constantly learning more about parenting and raising multiples. When she has spare time, she enjoys hiking into the woods with a great book to take a break.