3rd Trimester

question for working moms (and moms-to-be)

When are you taking off for maternity leave?  I originally planned on working as long as I possibly can (Although I'm full time, I'm technically contract, so I don't get paid for time I'm not in the office.  Also, my boss is the only other person in the office so she relies on me for a lot, and I feel bad about leaving her for too long).  I'm 35 weeks now, and I'm starting to get so tired that I'm not sure how long I'll manage working full time.  I might lessen my hours or work some from home.  I'm just curious when everyone else plans on taking off?
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Re: question for working moms (and moms-to-be)

  • I haven't fully decided as of yet..I know my job doesn't consider maternity leave to begin until the baby pops out..lol..so I may go two weeks before and use my own time..unless the baby has other plans or I need to go out early for a medical reason and then take STD..Honestly I'm 29 weeks and exhausted!
  • I am using some vacation time before baby is due - so my last day is April 27th and I am due May 17th. I will come back to work in May 2013 (we get a year off in Canada).
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  • My c-section was planned for 39 weeks (a Tuesday).  I worked up until the Friday before and started my leave the day before. 

    This time, I am scheduled for 39 weeks, 3 days, (another Tuesday) and I will be working until the Friday before, once again and start my leave the day before.

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  • At this point I'm planning to work up until the baby is born, or my due date, whichever is first.  I could take off at 38 weeks without jeopardizing any time off after the baby, but we are in our busy season and I would lose the opportunity for overtime if I did that.  As crappy as I feel, I need/want that extra money if I can get it.  Plus, I doubt I would feel any better staying at home chasing a toddler around for those extra weeks. 

    ETA-in my job it will be easier to have a firm date as a last day, rather than working right up until I deliver.  Obviously I'm gambling that I don't go into labor prior to 40 weeks, but if I go past my due date I'll just turn my work over to my replacement from that point.

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  • My c/s is this Saturday and I'm working until Thursday. I'm taking off Friday to pack/prep/clean my house. I have been exhausted for weeks but I wanted the most time off after baby is here.  
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  • I work in L&D and I will be working until I deliver.  I see too many women take time off early and regret it.  Personally I know pregnancy is really uncomfortable especially toward the end, but I don't understand not pushing through.  It saves us money and that is very important to me/our family.
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  • I will work until 41 weeks or I deliver, whichever is first.  Last time I did the same and I don't regret it (I delivered at 42 weeks last time).  I would rather save time off for once baby is here
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  • I'm still working and plan to right up until I go into labor.  I just didn't want to use up my time off before the baby was here.  I am lucky that I can do my job from home if needed, so if I go overdue I plan on working from home until the baby comes.

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  • imageKristinmo:
    I will work until 41 weeks or I deliver, whichever is first.  Last time I did the same and I don't regret it (I delivered at 42 weeks last time).  I would rather save time off for once baby is here

    This is what I did last time (and will do again).  I gave my "for sure last day" as the Friday after my due date, but #1 surprised us at 38weeks. 


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  • I will be calling my office to inform them that my maternity leave is starting once I'm in labor.  I don't want to take any time off beforehand because I only get 7 weeks off (6 weeks of short term disability and 1 week of vacation that I've accrued) and want to save it for when the baby is actually here.  I wish I got more time, but it's just not a priority in the U.S.
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  • I am teaching in Canada... I plan on taking some sick time towards the end of my pregnancy.  I'm due the 25th of May, so I plan on working until about the 4th of May. 



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  • both previous kids I worked up until the last day (friday with dd1, went to the hospital Sunday, she was born Monday) and dd2 I went into labor monday night, I had been at work that day.

    This baby I have a scheduled c/s on a Wednesday, if she comes early I will be working until she gets here other wise the Friday before my c/s will be my last day

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  • I'm a contractor too so my time off is also unpaid.  I wish I was already out of here.  My last day scheduled is the Friday before my due date.  I'm due on a Tuesday.  That Friday also happens to be the last day of the month so it was convenient paperwork-wise.  I went ahead and scheduled 7 weeks off in case baby makes a late appearance.  I'm strongly considering not going back after baby arrives, but I would really miss the pay check.  This is the most I've ever earned in my life.
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  • I'm working until the end.  My due date is a Friday - that last week (the week of 3/26) I'm working from home and will continue to do so until I have the baby.  It's what I did with DS and it worked really well.  Not only are you more productive b/c you can just be in sweats and not deal with a commute, but it sort of forces your coworkers to at least try to problem-solve without you being right there to answer a question.  If there is something you've missed training someone on, or another issue, you can be available by email or phone before you go totally on leave.
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  • I plan to work as long as I can and would love to work up until labor. I am only 28 weeks so not sure what to expect as of yet but I will have the option to work from home a lot towards the end which should help me. Good luck with your decision.
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  • I have went down to part-time, but I plan on working until I go into labor. 
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  • I'm working full time until baby pops out, unless the doctor tells me I should be on bed rest (no sign of that happening, thank goodness!)

    I only get 6 weeks partially paid leave for a normal vaginal delivery, 8 weeks for a c-section and I can take up to 8 vacation days after that.  I don't want to miss a second with DD when she arrives so even though I'm miserablely uncomfortable, here I stay.

    All that being said, I might try to go 1/2 days next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (I'm due on Thursday) but if I feel ok enough to come in, I might just save the vacation time.

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  • with my DS , he was due January 2 but was born on January 8th.

    my last day of work was 12/31. honestly, if my commute was better i would have worked that last week because I was soooooooo bored at home and everything was done.

    However this time around, I am takign several days off prior to my due date because 1) i am not prepared and 2) i want some bonding time with my DS.

    My due date is april 28th and I plan on having my last day be the april 23rd.

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  • My EDD is April 10, and my last day of work is this Friday. My district has spring break next week, and the doctor is putting me on STD March 26. I figure that I pay into a private STD insurance plan, so I might as well take the time off since it has no impact on my time off after giving birth. While I won't be returning to work until August, I'm only missing 8.5 working weeks.
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  • I worked a full 8 hour shift the day I went into labor, which was 5 days past my due date.  I wanted as many days as possible with LO once he arrived!
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  • I'm working until I go into labor.  My office is 10 minutes from my hospital; my home is about 45 minutes from my hospital (on a good traffic day).  I think I'd also go crazy with boredom at home before the baby comes.

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  • JURAHJURAH member

    I'm planning to work as long as they let me.  As pp have said, I want to maximize the 6 weeks paid leave I get to be with baby.  I also know that I would be a total wreck sitting at home with nothing to do if I left early.  As it is already I sometimes become super "is this the onset of labor" hypochondriac on the weekends. lol.

    I do already work from home on Fridays and may ask to have a couple of additional days of work at home if I go past my due date of the 30th, but my doctor hinted at last appointment that she won't let me go much past anyways due to my blood thinner regime.

  • I'm working until May 25, though, the last week will be vacation so techinically my last day is the 19th.  I'm due May 29th.  Since I'm in Canada and get a year off, I was comfortable not working right up until I deliver.  If I end up sitting at home for 2 weeks waiting for baby, I'll still have lots and lots of time with him.
  • 39 weeks today, still hanging in here! I'll work until I go into labor. My speed and production has slowed down, but I feel like I'm still getting things done and I feel like people respect that. Unless doc tells me differently this afternoon, I plan on being here 'til the end!
  • Im a little over 38 weeks now, I plan on working as long as I can.  I figured when I got this far along and started getting overly tired, I could take some half days or something.  Silly me for thinking that, my boss took it as an invitation to go on vacation!  She comes back 4 days before my due date!  So there is no taking off work for me!  I would suggest, when you start getting really tired, to take some time off, even if its a half day from work.  It will make a WORLD of difference!
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  • I originally was going to have last friday be my last day (give me a week before my EDD) but bc of my week waiting period prior to my STD starting, and only having a week of PTO I decided this friday will be my last unless she decides to come a few days early!
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  • I teach and had planned on teaching until spring break, which was one week before my edd.  However, LO decided she was ready to arrive, so I worked one week less than I had anticipated.
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  • I started working from home at 38 weeks because my feet were getting very swollen at work (DD#1 was born in August). I had a dr's appt at 39 weeks 6 days and was 4 cm dilated, so they told me to go to the hospital around 6pm to start pitocin. I worked at home until 5, put my out of the office message on, and DD was born 6 hours later at 12:04 AM on her due date. I took the full 12 weeks that my work allows- 6 weeks paid disability and 6 weeks of vacation time.
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  • My mat leave officially starts may 1st at 36 weeks. But thanks to having a boatload of vacation time saved up, I'll be working only 2 days per week through April.
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  • I'm working until I go into labor. To me, taking time off before doesn't make sense as I'd be bored to death at home waiting for him/her to come.
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  • HkayeHkaye member

    With my dd I was scheduled for induction, so I worked until the day before it. This time I will work up till I go into labor or I might take off at 39 weeks.

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  • I was planning on working until 39 weeks, but my doctor directed me to take my leave at 36 weeks because I was going into premature labor (5cm dilated and 85% effaced). My job also didn't offer modified or light duty work options, so I had to go home.   Now I'm stuck at home on week 2 of my leave with no baby and having infrequent, non-productive contractions and wishing that I could be at work. 

     Luckily, I can take up to 24 weeks under my pregnancy disability and FMLA.  We can't afford to take that much time off, but I'm glad that I can extend beyond my 14 weeks since my baby hasn't appeared yet.

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  • aeh72aeh72 member
    I am getting induced on the 19th (at 39 weeks) and I am planning to work through the 16th.  However, if I was not getting induced and didn't know my "due date" (assuming LO doesn't decide to come early!), I would probably stop working about a week before my EDD.  I want as much time off work as possible after the baby is born so I want to use a minimal amount of FMLA and vacation time ahead of time.  I know myself well enough to know that the last week before my EDD, I'd be on pins and needles and worried about going into labor and unable to mentally do any work so taking that week off ahead of time would be worth using.
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  • I would really like to work up until he arrives.  I did this with my daughter and I know how valuable that time after the baby gets here will be.  With that said, I'm also exhausted and getting really tired of dealing with the B.S at work so it is getting harder and harder to commit to another  6 weeks.  But....I will stick it out because I only get 12 weeks and I don't want to miss out on the bonding time.

    My daughter was a reflux baby and pretty fussy.  She really only started to get into a schedule for naps and such at 10 weeks or so....so those last two weeks of some stability made me feel so much better about leaving her when I went back to work.  It would have been so much harder if I had to go back earlier.

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  • I am working until I go into labor. I did that last time and since I have no complications or anything this time, I plan to do the same. With DD, I took a half day on my last Friday b/c I was feeling really crampy and tired and DD was born on Saturday morning at 4.30 am.
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  • I'm working until I go into labor - it will technically be unpaid medical leave for me.
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  • I am working up til 36 weeks..... I have temp disability and will be out 4 weeks before delivery and 6-8 weeks after depending on type of delivery and another 6 weeks for Family Leave Act ...... my doctor is putting me out early i have an hour drive back and forth to work ...plus I cant use that 4 weeks after ...use it or lose it .. and the money I will not be bringing home is really going to cover gas money so its not a big loss for dh and I ...... I am sure I would be bored if it was winter time but since it will be summer I am sure I will be outside to enjoy the weather and my sil is due April 1st so I can go help her with anything or visit my niece and wait for our lo to arrive!
  • my last day will be when i am 36w2days. I also live in canada so i have a year off, which is part of the reason i am going almost a month before my due date
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  • I'm working until I'm 37 weeks (May 4).  DD will stay in daycare, and I have vacation/family/sick leave that will carry me until May 22, at which point I will switch to Mat Leave.  Even if I go overdue, I'm in Canada and get a whole year off, so a couple weeks at the tail end of that isn't really going to matter to me.

    Last time I couldn't WAIT to get back to work and I'd rather have the time off at home to chill out and enjoy the last couple weeks and get everything organized and ready etc.

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