The weekend was good, I took the Friday off and had a luxurious day. There is the nausea, but the fact that I can do as I please in the day is such a relief.

At work I tried negotiating working from home once or twice a week because of the sheer distance between my work and home, around 40 Kms through one of the most polluted and indutralized parts of the city. The bus travel leaves me with nausea and a headache, not to mention the puke in my chest.

However, my boss said that he wouldn't be able to negotiate this with the Human Resources division, because he was the Head of the Learning Group. It is then that I realized how work places aren't meant to accomodate a pregnant employee's needs. First-trimester sickness is taken for granted and is infact overlooked in all "maternity policies".

In my opinion companies should make some levy for pregnant women during their first-trimester. Then again I am not talking about compassion and kindness, but hard rules that will protect the interest of both employer and employee.

This is not really a time when you are 100% percent concentrated on your work, there might be a few exceptions, but generally most women are not at their optimum best. I can't get to think deeply about this issue, but maybe rules like a extra hour at lunch for rest, or minimizing work hours, flexibility in work hours, few days off for check ups or intense tiredness would help women cope better with their pregnancy and the work place.

Most provisions are made only for just-before delivery or post delivery. But having your progestorone raised and HCG levels high during your first trimester makes life pretty complicated and a work life very hard to adhere to.

A pregnant working woman, needs to negotiate at her workplace, to help her give the best to her job and her health. But the negotiation should result in "pregnancy- friendly" policies . And most women work to make the money, so recommending going on leave without salary, or a resignation is not an option.

I am actually shocked that pregnancy related work rules have not yet been formulated, here in India, even in modern societies I find women just sticking with discomforts of pregnancy but continuing to work. Even the work place needs to think and feel about us pregnant women. We need that human side, now more than ever.

What are the provisions for maternity leave?

Every organisation has provisions for a specified period of time that is
designated as maternity leave. This may vary form 3-6 months and is usually a
paid leave. However, though leave may be granted, most women may have to undergo
subtle discrimination once her colleagues come to know that she is pregnant.
Thus, it is a good idea to tell the immediate supervisor about the pregnancy.
This makes it easier to dispel any doubts or misunderstandings between the
employer and the employee. In India, usually a maternity leave is for 12 weeks
and the employer pays for the leave. In case of a miscarriage, a woman is
entitled to 6 weeks paid leave from the day of the miscarriage.

The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961The Central Government passed the Maternity
Benefit Act in 1961 which extends to the whole of India, and to every
establishment belonging to the government – industrial, commercial or
agricultural. It provides for certain benefits which are granted to a woman
during her pregnancy. Also she cannot be dismissed from service on account of
her pregnancy.The maximum permissible period of maternity leave is 12 weeks,
with 6 weeks leave to be taken before delivery and 6 weeks immediately after the
child is born. A woman can ask for light work before she goes off on leave. The
employer cannot reduce her salary in this scenario. The maternity benefits can
only be withdrawn if the employee joins some other organisation during that
time.