Physical Health & Appointments

Your physical health and practical needs during pregnancy and after, separate from Wellbeing, which covers your mental and emotional health.

What the law says

You're entitled to paid time off work for antenatal appointments, your employer must pay your normal rate for this time. Your partner also has the right to unpaid time off for up to 2 antenatal appointments.

Once your employer knows you're pregnant, they're legally required to carry out a workplace risk assessment covering your specific role and any health needs, this can result in changed duties, adjusted hours, or other reasonable adjustments. Full detail on Your Legal Rights.

Physical Symptom Tracker

Purely physical, separate from Wellbeing's mood tracker. Useful for spotting patterns, and worth bringing to appointments.

Appointments Tracker

Every midwife, GP, scan, or specialist appointment in one place, useful to bring with you, and to show your employer if time off needs confirming.

Questions Worth Asking at Appointments

Common questions parents forget in the moment
  • Is there anything about my role at work I should mention (heavy lifting, standing, chemicals, shift work)?
  • Are there any symptoms I should be monitoring or reporting between now and my next appointment?
  • Is there anything specific to my situation (existing conditions, previous pregnancies) I should factor into my plan?
  • What's the earliest I could safely start maternity leave if I needed to?
  • Who do I contact between appointments if something feels wrong?

Workplace Adjustments

What you've asked for, and where it stands, useful for your own record, and for the risk assessment conversation with your employer.

Common Adjustments to Consider

Ideas, if you're not sure what to ask for
  • More frequent breaks, or somewhere to sit if your role is normally standing
  • Reduced or no heavy lifting
  • Parking closer to the building, or flexibility around travel/commuting times
  • Adjusted uniform or PPE if the standard fit isn't comfortable
  • Temporary change of duties if your role involves risk factors (chemicals, extreme temperatures, prolonged standing)
  • Flexibility around start time if morning sickness affects your commute