I had worked at a children’s nursery for over 9 years, I had worked as hard as I could and always worked overtime, and was room leader
When I became pregnant, I was instantly demoted as I was told by management I wouldn’t be able to continue my job of room leader as I would get too tired, then because I was demoted my hours dramatically decreased, this knocked my confidence as I had gone from being there full time, to just about part time
Yet even though I wasn’t the room leader any more I was still expected to complete room leader jobs, yet I still had to cover the room leader when the room leader was out of the room.
I was told to look after the children with the students while management would go off and have long management meetings (which they hadn’t done before)
I had to explain all of my antenatal appointments, which my hours were adjusted around so that I was never paid.
I was told by the management that if I was struggling that I should ask for help, when I did ask for help because I wasn’t quite as quick as I used to be (getting up and down from the floor with a big bump) I was told I was pregnant, every woman has been through it and I should just deal with it, I have always been a hard worker and I felt that just because I was pregnant, all the hard work of the previous years didn’t matter, they were giving me extra jobs as well as expecting me to cover the room leaders job.
It got to the point that I didn’t want to go to work and I was crying every day, wondering what I was doing wrong and if my hours were going to be cut any more.
When I did have my baby, I was being text and phoned by management every week asking me when I was going back (was I having 9 months or a year off) I had already stated that I would be having 9 months off.
I was dreading going back, becoming very nervous and agitated.
In the end my partner and my family agreed that it wasn’t worth the stress of me returning to work.