Seriously, period leave?

OK, so I might be a few weeks behind here, but I only came across this when an advert popped up on my Facebook timeline, and I looked in to it further.

There is one company in Bristol which is apparently offering period leave. Seriously? As if it hasn't been difficult enough for women to make steps towards workplace equality (and let's be honest, we're not there yet). If I had a business, I would be so reluctant to employ women who may take up to a week of every single month.

There are a number of comments on the article, one of which says period pain is not an illness and therefore, women off work because of it shouldn't be marked as off sick. I agree that there can be some cramping or pain with periods (I have to admit, I have never experienced period pain), but if it is getting to a point where a woman can't function day to day, then that is not normal.

I have heavy periods. They are horrible. As a ward nurse, I worked long hours and I never once called in sick because I was on my period. There was, and is, no option for me to slack off when menstruating. To do so would put my patients at risk. The only time I have ever called in sick was when I was a student nurse and I was miscarrying. I took two days off, had the weekend off anyway and was back in on the Monday morning, still bleeding but still at work.

All my colleagues are female. How would that work in practice? We would constantly be staff members down. And what about the idea that women who spend a lot of time together synchronise their periods. I've not personally checked, but what if that meant all the women at work who weren't post-menopausal were off work together? Should we just close the department for a week?

The woman who came up with this idea may have wanted to be seen as caring for her employees. However, she may just have damaged women's equality at work even further.

Growing up!

I'm fast approaching a dreaded birthday. When I was younger, I could never imagine myself as a 30 year old woman and now, it is getting closer.

It feels as though I have grown up considerably, even in the last few years. I used to go to bed late every night when I wasn't working the next day. I would go to bed regularly at 2 or 3 am and sleep until 10 or 11. I can't do that now! Going to bed after midnight is a late night (though I'm still perfectly capable of doing it, it just seems like a pointless exercise unless I've gone out), and I rarely sleep late. I woke this morning at 6am! 6am on a Sunday morning! My alarm didn't go, and I didn't need a wee, my body just decided it wanted to wake. I managed to persuade it to go back to sleep but still I woke an hour later.

It's a beautiful day and I have plans, so I'm not too disappointed. I'm going to enjoy the beautiful April sunshine.

Waiting, waiting, waiting...

I feel as though I have spent my whole life waiting.

I've been thinking about having a baby for, oh, about 8 years. Eight years! That is just crazy! And I never seem to get anywhere close.

My job situation may be changing soon (for the better!) and that will be good - I'll definitely get maternity leave there. My family life is improving. And I feel as though I'm taking steps to improve myself.

Who knows, hopefully and at some point, there will be an end to this waiting and I may actually get what I have been waiting for all these years!