Hi! I totally understand your concern, HL policies do seem to have tightened compared to a few years back, and it's frustrating when you're relying on it for a demanding job, especially in your second pregnancy.
From what I hear, a few gynaes at KKH are being stricter about HL now and won't issue it unless there's a genuine medical need or you're already admitted, so it's worth asking upfront during your first consultation rather than finding out later. The thing is, different doctors have different thresholds, so you might need to interview a couple before you find one whose approach matches what you need, some mums have had better luck asking explicitly about their HL criteria at the booking stage rather than waiting till late pregnancy.
Since you're repeating and your body's likely to feel it more this time, it might be worth having that conversation early on: are they willing to support HL from a certain week onwards, or do they require medical grounds? That way you're not caught off guard like your friend was. A neighbour of mine switched gynaes mid-pregnancy for similar reasons and her new doctor was much more flexible, so it's definitely worth exploring your options rather than settling if the fit doesn't feel right. Wishing you all the best with finding someone who'll support your needs this time round!
AMNM