do you feel bad for your job because you are pregnant

I ask this because today my boss and I were talking, Im covering for a maternity leave ( Im not pregnant yet) and she was going on and on how its going to affect the company that this girl is out and how mothers shouldnt get special privelages because they choose to have a child. I was saying how we dont get enough time off to be with our babies( we only get 12 weeks most unpaid) and how other countries get a year and the Us should as well. And she just kept going on and on about how hard it is on productivity when a women has to go out on leave for a choice that she made And it just made me so angry. Mind you she has a child as well :mad I cant belive that she was saying these things. It makes me really nervous when/ I get pregnant in the future.....

Message edited 2/2/2009 8:21:08 PM.

Re: do you feel bad for your job because you are pregnant

No I do not feel bad for my job and her attitude stinks! (unfortunately, her attitude is pretty common though)

Re: do you feel bad for your job because you are pregnant

Unbelivable. If anything, I think a lot of women are MORE productive when their jobs are accomodating of their pregnancies. AND more loyal towards staying w/ their company.

Re: do you feel bad for your job because you are pregnant

That is just disturbing!!!

but to answer your question, I do feel bad for my job. I have a lot of responsibilities at work and also I have a hard time letting go. I like things done a certain way.
I am very fortunately to work with a group of wonderful colleagues and my company's maternity leave is great.
If I work in an environment that's so negative toward mothers like the one you described, I would not feel bad at all.

Re: do you feel bad for your job because you are pregnant

No, i don't.

They will find a long term substitute (I am a teacher) and life will go on. If anything, the adminisitration in my building has ALWAYS emphasized family first. it's more important than any job

Re: do you feel bad for your job because you are pregnant

I had a boss like this (a woman as well) and she lacked compasion for women with children. She had two chilldren of her own.

I didn't feel bad when I went out on leave but I knew it was a problem. It's also not special treament - physically it would be imposible to have a baby and get back in the office by 9 am....really.

Re: do you feel bad for your job because you are pregnant

This actually made me angry reading it. And I can't believe that she herself is a mother. Disgusting.

I do feel bad for my job only because I started less than a month ago (when I already knew i was pregnant) and will have to go on leave in the summer. But I need a job just as anyone badly as anyone else does right now, so that bad feeling only goes so far. lol

Re: do you feel bad for your job because you are pregnant

Re: do you feel bad for your job because you are pregnant

i feel bad for my job... BUT im due in May, our company gets interns in the summer so told my boss to snag one since i'll be returning in August...

i really would like to come back to the team im working in, which the company does not have to guarantee...

Re: do you feel bad for your job because you are pregnant

It was crummy of her to say all of that to you! She sounds completely oblivious to life outside of the workplace.

I don't feel bad about being pregnant or going out on leave. I am in the education field and wouldn't be if I didn't love children. For me, it just makes sense. I wouldn't give a hoot if any of my superiors felt that I was leaving them astray. My life is not work.

Re: do you feel bad for your job because you are pregnant

nope. i havent told them yet but if they dont like it thats too bad for them. i plan on starting to look for a new job right after the baby's born anyways so i could really care less if they liked it or not. my job is my job...not my life. its just something i do to make money. my family is my life.

Re: do you feel bad for your job because you are pregnant

she sounds a bit rude....

Re: do you feel bad for your job because you are pregnant

i was just talking to my sister about this. Having a baby is a major life event. There is more important things in life than one's job. Unfortunately, my sister and I have had many life changes that have taught us just how short life is.

Re: do you feel bad for your job because you are pregnant

No LOL...I feel bad for me that I have to go back to work after the baby. I've been working since I was a teenager..I deserve some time off to be with my baby.

Re: do you feel bad for your job because you are pregnant

No I don't feel bad at all, but my situation is unique. I have 2 male bosses whose attitudes stink and who have made passive comments about hiring young females and pregnancy throughout my pregnancy.

Not to mention my bosses are never even at the office - one is there about four hours a day in between the gym and his kids soccer, lacrosse and basketball games.

Re: do you feel bad for your job because you are pregnant

No LOL. But today isnt the day to ask me that question. I dont think Ill be going back to work after the second baby.. just trying to save a little money now.

Re: do you feel bad for your job because you are pregnant

Ladies, don't ever feel bad about your job. I am very,very lucky, my job and supervisor has been very accomodating, but your family comes first.

Re: do you feel bad for your job because you are pregnant

what a WITCH for her to say that, I had one manager say that to me also. At first I felt bad and now I can give two $HITs because when I come into work after a day or so off my line at work is horrible and I mean horrible. I am always cleaning up after them etc... I could go on and on.

I told the head chef good luck when I am gone because no one is going to keep my side the way I do.

Re: do you feel bad for your job because you are pregnant

Her attitude stinks! She should want kids some day. She sounds like a real prize.

Re: do you feel bad for your job because you are pregnant

I do feel bad in a way, but I think one of the reasons maternity leaves aren't so burdensome in countries other than the US is because they're long enough to have someone come in to properly cover your job while you're away, so that your responsibilities aren't left to be apportioned between existing employees who are probably already overworked. Women are usually out for a minimum of 6 months here in the UK, but can take up to a year - plus you can choose not to come back while you're out. If someone is already in place, they may be willing to take your job on permanently should you choose not to go back.

In the end, I wouldn't feel too bad - no one is indespensible and as much as we'd like to think no one can do what we do, it's very easy for a company to find someone to fill the gaps or take over completely if necessary.

Re: do you feel bad for your job because you are pregnant

No I don't feel bad because as much as I'd like to think work can't go on without me, it can and it will. A maternity leave will cover for me for a couple of months in the beginning of the school year and then I'll be back, so they'll deal. If I sound blunt, it's because I have had a similarly despicable conversations with my principal about my maternity leave. He basically told me that if I don't come back by the end of september he might not put me back in my same teaching position next year. A position (and program) that the other teacher in the room and I created this year. Put in our own time, blood, sweat and tears to get off the ground and running. A program that is now successful already in February. But no, no, he told me if I don't come back by the end of sept. he might have to put someone else in that position. So I told him, sure, I'll be back Oct. 1, end of story. Rant over!
Don't feel bad or nervous when you get pregnant. Your kid will, and should be, the most important thing in the world to you. It is sad that this woman doesn't feel the same way about her own children.

Re: do you feel bad for your job because you are pregnant

I think it really has to do with the type of company you work for. I know a lot of companies try to retain their female talent.

I know at my last job, they probably would have found it to be a nuissance if I got pregnant while working there. At my current job, my bosses are genuinely happy for me. They think it's great that I am starting a family. I mean they all have wives and sisters who are moms.

I'm surprised your FEMALE boss who is a mom has such a negative attitude.

Re: do you feel bad for your job because you are pregnant

No. As a another poster stated I feel bad for me. I work for a small company so I only get 6wks then I have to hand my baby over to a stranger. America is so far behind the European companies with this.

ETA: I have the ability to work from home so I probably will be checking in during those 6wks.

Message edited 2/3/2009 2:16:41 PM.

Re: do you feel bad for your job because you are pregnant

Nope- not at all- life will go on and there is always someone there to cover. sadly we are just a number and the job goes on without us. I will miss a few of my coworkers but other than that I can't wait for my time away from here!

Re: do you feel bad for your job because you are pregnant

lol I feel bad for myself that I have to go to work!