Assisted Conception & Work

Hello Ladies,

I have been wandering through these forums for a while now, but have kept pretty quiet.

I have a question to ask you all who are going through Assisted Conception and also work full time.

How do you manage it???? I work full time 8.30-5.00 in an all male work environment. I have been here for just over 5 months and am not sure if i should tell them the honest reason about all the appt i have been having to go to and all the tests i have been having done. I am not sure if they will understand and if it will jeopardise (sp?) my position here as i love my work.

Was wondering if anyone could give me a few pointers on how they have handled this situation?

Thanks for your help in advance.

Prue

Hi Prue,

I guess I'm lucky with my workplace - I just say that I have a medical appointment and will be in late - they don't ask any questions and I dont tell any lies!

I've also generally had my appointments early in the morning which helps. I've also taken days off where needed for OPU or transfers. Which clinic are you with? Perhaps you can ask for early appointments or during your lunch time? Perhaps you can take your supervisor aside and have a quiet word that you will be having a few medical appointments and that you might have to take off early/be in late but that you'll make up the time if need be? They dont need to know the details if you're not comfortable telling them.

Best of luck with it,
Cheers
H

Hi there Heather,

Thank you very much for your reply!!

I had a quick talk to work today about having a fair few appts coming up over the next couple of months. He advised me that to date i dont have any leave owing to me, due to having too many holidays hehe :lol:

He was totally cool when i offered to either make up the time that i take off or take it as unpaid leave. Which suits DH and I perfectly.

So that took a total weight off my shoulders not having to worry what work will say everytime i need to get to appts or tests.

With my blood tests i am ok cos i can get there really early and if they are not too busy i can make it back to work in time to start as per normal. Which is lucky. But as far as ultrsounds are concerned they are only open from 9.15am until 4.45pm, so thats the only thing which is hard. And it takes me at least 20 minutes in good traffic so even makes lunches hard.

But not to worry i think i have sorted it out now.

Thanks for replying!!

Prue

Mrs chunk

I totally know where you're coming from. I'm in the Army and there isn't a much more male environment than that!!

Because of my duties I have had to tell the men in charge about what is going on so that I can avoid certain things during certain parts of the cycle. It does help to tell certain people just to take the pressure off you, but I haven't told everyone for obvious reasons. I find that men just don't want to hear that stuff, you know, they wouldn't want to get into a conversation about it which is good.

I'm glad you feel better now you have cleared things with your boss and I hope the treatment goes relatively smoothly.