Work till delivery

foodwatersleep · June 2013

FTM here, still pregnant with 8 weeks to go. I want to know if anyone has any advice or can tell me how realistic it is for me to want to work till delivery. I've already told my boss I want to do this but really have no idea just how much more uncomfortable I will be compared to now. At this point I'm fine working, I have a desk job, so it's not physically demanding at all. Did you plan to work till delivery? We're you able to do so? How did you feel in the last weeks?

Edit: reason why I want to work till delivery is to spend as much time as possible during my leave with LO. I think it would be a waste of my leave just waiting to deliver.

FemShep · June 2013

I worked through Friday and had DD1 on Saturday-it wasn't an issue at all. With DD2, I had an unexpected job loss and was home before her delivery. Trust me, sitting around on the couch doesn't make it any easier to wait-or necessarily any more comfortable!

thedash · June 2013

I worked until delivery with DS. It was fine. My workload was decreasing a lot at the end because each day I had no idea if I would be back the next morning. I am a lawyer and had hearings scheduled up to six days before my EDD. Then I helped others in my office with small matters, worked on transfer memos for my cases, and followed up on a few other small things. I woke up at 6 am on my due date with contractions and texted my boss.

BeckyTheEngineer · June 2013

I worked up until my due date, and baby was born 2 days after due date. It worked out well for me, since I generally felt best in the mornings and I was able to get a lot done. I would have been bored, and broke, sitting at home.

jbatch · June 2013

I worked up until delivery I worked Monday my water broke that night and I delivered Tuesday.. It was fine..

JessAnnJ · June 2013

I worked until the Friday before my due date. I was due on Wednesday December 27 and Monday and Tuesday were holidays. You will be exhausted and ready to stop working, but it's possible and like PPs said your workload will probably be lower towards the end. I'm glad I kept working to maximize my time at home with LO.

pitterpatter129 · June 2013

I worked up until the day before labor (induction). I'm a 1st grade teacher, so on my feet all day long. It wasn't an issue. I felt better at work than home anyhow because I was busy and not thinking of how miserable I was.

laurakaz13 · June 2013

I went into labor at work, drove my hour commute home and hung out all day until it was time to go to the hospital. I was 40 weeks pregnant.

honeybee111 · June 2013

I worked up until delivery with both kids - DD was born on a Sunday, and DS was born on a Saturday, and I worked Friday. I felt fine other than the usual pregnancy aches and discomfort. I'm a teacher, so on my feet most of the day, and it was ok. Like you, I wanted to maximize my time at home with the baby.

Deez10 · June 2013

I worked up until the week DS arrived (last day was on a Tuesday - had DS on Saturday). I went into labor Wednesday morning and stayed that way for 3 days - definitely didn't feel like laboring at the office. I had planned on working up until he arrived so I had as much time as possible with him.

Mine is also a desk job, I had a light work load by that point, was uncomfortable but not too bad - just got annoying having to use the bathroom every hour. I used PTB for those 3 days before he arrived so that my leave wouldn't officially start until the following Monday - 2 days after he had arrived.

GL and congratulations!!

MammaBear81 · June 2013

I worked until delivery for all of my kids. I have a desk job now and at the end it got brutal, however I don't know how much more "comfortable" I would have been at home, because weekends were just as crappy as work days! I wanted to save all of my leave for after baby arrived, and if I went out early, and ended up delivering late, I would have wasted a ton of my leave.

SCtoDC · June 2013

I had planned to work until delivery but I was so uncomfortable, having so many contractions, and dealing with a physically demanding commute that I went out on Short Term Disability two weeks early. It didn't make any difference to my postdelivery leave.

AppleJacks81 · June 2013

I don't know why people with desk jobs.want to take off work before delivery and burn up leave time! I worked up until the night I was induced (6 days after my due date), and then the day before my scheduled c section the second time.

yes it is uncomfortable, but if you have a desk job, you'll either be sitting at work or sitting at home

ss+el · June 2013

I did it. We ended my obligations two weeks before my due date and I was just a filler until I went into the hospital. As long as you're physically comfortable enough for your liking, I see no reason to go out early if you don't want to.

mben1119 · June 2013

I worked until I delivered, 5 days after my due date. The last few days were rough, but I wanted that time at home after Ds came.

Nechie122 · June 2013

I was even working during early labor so, yes, I'd say I worked up till the end!

The sanity saving thing was the ability to work from home during the last week or so. I was definitely more comfortable there plus no commute on public transportation.

As annoying as it was to work at 40 weeks pregnant, it was better than having nothing to do but overanalyze every twinge.

dizzycooks · June 2013

jbatch:
I worked up until delivery I worked Monday my water broke that night and I delivered Tuesday.. It was fine..

This. Except I started having contractions at lunch on Monday and then I went home after work and rested. My water never broke. I wouldn't do it differently.

ASmallWonder · June 2013

Personally I found it doable but obviously everyone's situation is different so you really have to play it by ear. With DS1 I worked the Friday before going in to be induced the following Monday night at close to 42 weeks. This time I worked Friday and had Monday and Tuesday off because I knew he was coming on Wednesday due to a RCS.

psthiel · June 2013

AppleJacks81:
I don't know why people with desk jolarge want to take off work before delivery and burn up leave time! I worked up until the night I was induced 6 days after my due date, and then the day before my scheduled c section nbsp;the second time.yes it is uncomfortable, but if you have a desk job, you'll either be sitting at work or sitting at home ;nbsp;

I thought the same thing, until I was in this situation. I work a desk job, but I managed a large team in a high stress environment. I was so miserable I went out on my due date because the stress was causing painful contractions. DD wasn't born for 9 days, so I "lost" that time with her but I wouldn't change a thing because I went into birth much more relaxed. Do what feels right for you and your baby.

AsOctoberFalls · June 2013

I worked until 3 days after my due date and decided to go on maternity leave then. I was fine physically, but I was mentally done. DS ended up being born almost a week later.

foodwatersleep · June 2013

Thanks all for your input. Makes me feel better to know that others have done this and didn't have any issues. I'm hoping my workload does taper off by the time I get closer to my due date, sounds like that was helpful to some.

theimpossibleastronaut · June 2013

I worked until the day I was induced. I didn't take an early leave, so I got to use it all to spend time with DD.

Honestly, the last few weeks were not so bad. I was tired, but you're tired anyway at that point I think.

Strunella · June 2013

Wednesday was my last day of work and my water broke on Thursday morning. It was my first day of maternity leave, 5 days before my due date. I was pretty uncomfortable by then, but it was manageable. Honestly, I couldn't have planned it better if I had tried!

iverske9 · June 2013

As long as your job isn't two strenuous you will be fine. It is super uncomfortable but doable. I was the same and worked up until a week before my due date (I was granted two weeks before birth paid time off that didn't eat into maternity leave. Many of my friends have worked up until the day before, etc.

ccam · June 2013

I worked until I was induced at 41 weeks. I was able to leave early and take a few half days that last week, but it really was fine. I just kept thinking that the more I work before delivery, the more time I can spend home with my LO on leave.

erbear · June 2013

I worked until the day I was induced with DD1 (41w4d) and until the day I went into labor with DD2 (40w3d). I wouldn't leave early. I was fine.

virginiagirl11 · June 2013

I worked until the day I went into labor.

With my first, I worked a full week, then went into labor on a Sunday and had DS1 on Monday evening (41w1d).

With my second, my water broke at 8pm on a Tuesday night after I'd worked all day without a clue that I was about to have my baby . DS2 was born Wednesday morning. He was four days early.

GreenMonkey1 · June 2013

I worked until the day of delivery, but worked from home the from my expected due date until DS was born (he was a week late). My office is 35 miles from the hospital (about 45-60 minute drive) and I was nervous about going into labor at work. I think my boss was nervous about that too, so he approved my request. It was a perfect situation because I did not have to start FMLA and wasn't stressed about being so far from the hospital.

BBBelly · June 2013

My company doesn't start "maternity leave" until the baby is born and they frown upon leaving before without a doctor's note justifying it with a medical reason, during which sick time is used separate from maternity. Management is usually flexible about telecommuting if moms get uncomfortable around the due date.

LoCarb · June 2013

I have a desk job and worked until the day I went into labor. Definitely do-able depending on the type of job you have.

brideandbreve · June 2013

ClaryPax:
I worked a half day, went to the dr in the afternoon and was admitted to the hospital that evening. I felt ok. The last day I had no appetite.

Same here.

Once I hit 37 weeks, I pretty much "checked out" mentally. Luckily I had a desk job at the time with pretty low-key duties and responsibilities. Other than that, I felt fine.

I took a half-day on a Wednesday for my 39 week check-up, found out I had to be induced, and sent my boss a text message. It was not a big deal at all.

QueSrah · June 2013

I intended to work until my due date. But DD was late and by the week before my induction I was bored because I had passed off all of my work. So I took 2.5 days off before my induction because I was too cranky/uncomfortable to sit in the office all day and do nothing and telework isn't an option for my position.

ChicagoWeded2007 · June 2013

AppleJacks81:
I don't know why people with desk jobs.want to take off work before delivery and burn up leave time! I worked up until the night I was induced 6 days after my due date, and then the day before my scheduled c section nbsp;the second time.yes it is uncomfortable, but if you have a desk job, you'll either be sitting at work or sitting at home ;nbsp;

Because in some cases the leave before the baby does not take away from time after the baby. Also I was very uncomfortable. I could not sit in my chair for more than 2 or 3 hours. And just walking down the hall gave me contractions. Plus I have a train commute and don't want to go into labor on the train.

itsmevkb · June 2013

I've worked up until I delivered with each of my four kids. Is it uncomfortable? Sure, but it was always still managable.

boogerbearoriginal · June 2013

I work a desk job as well, and I worked up to delivery. Worked all day Friday, and was actually in early labor just didn't realize it at the time lol, gave birth Saturday morning.

It's totally feasible so long as you/LO don't have unforeseen complications.

ZacksBride · June 2013

i have a job where i am on my feet all day (anesthesiologist), and when i had my first, i worked until my due date which was a friday. i was planning on going into work on monday if baby didnt make an appearance, but i went into labor on monday morning. i plan on doing the same with this baby. totally doable, IMO.

Curls218 · June 2013

AppleJacks81:
I don't know why people with desk jobs.want to take off work before delivery and burn up leave time! I worked up until the night I was induced (6 days after my due date), and then the day before my scheduled c section the second time.
yes it is uncomfortable, but if you have a desk job, you'll either be sitting at work or sitting at home

Granted, this will be my first baby, but my plan is to be in the office until the Friday before my due date (I'm due on a Thursday) then work from home until the baby comes. I'll still be putting in the hours and sitting at a desk, logged into my work computer, but I'd rather not have my water break at work and then have to take an hour long train ride home, then drive to the hospital (another 20/30 min further). If I worked closer to home/the hospital then I would be in the office up until the end, so for me it's a distance thing not a sitting at my desk working issue.

DaisyJanie · June 2013

ArkansasMom22:
AppleJacks81:
I don't know why people with desk jobs.want to take off work before delivery and burn up leave time! I worked up until the night I was induced 6 days after my due date, and then the day before my scheduled c section nbsp;the second time.yes it is uncomfortable, but if you have a desk job, you'll either be sitting at work or sitting at home ;nbsp;
I totally agree! I had a csection at 41 weeks and I worked until the day before. It was funny when people asked when my due date was and I told them it had already passed.

I got a kick out of that too, I worked until I delivered at 40w5days. Most people knew I was past my due date because I left work on my due date with contractions (ended up being Braxton Hicks, so I was back the next week). But a few people didn't know, so those last few days it was fun when people said, "aren't you due soon?" and I'd say, "Yes, last week!"

DaisyJanie · June 2013

Curls218:
AppleJacks81:
I don't know why people with desk jobs.want to take off work before delivery and burn up leave time! I worked up until the night I was induced (6 days after my due date), and then the day before my scheduled c section the second time.
yes it is uncomfortable, but if you have a desk job, you'll either be sitting at work or sitting at home

Granted, this will be my first baby, but my plan is to be in the office until the Friday before my due date (I'm due on a Thursday) then work from home until the baby comes. I'll still be putting in the hours and sitting at a desk, logged into my work computer, but I'd rather not have my water break at work and then have to take an hour long train ride home, then drive to the hospital (another 20/30 min further). If I worked closer to home/the hospital then I would be in the office up until the end, so for me it's a distance thing not a sitting at my desk working issue.

That seems like a good plan to me. I worked past my due date, but I have a quick commute home and I drive. I did end up leaving early twice that last week because my BHs would get pretty strong and I didn't feel well. My work was very understanding of it, and it was never a problem to get home, but that would have been rough to have a long train ride.

TheyCalledHerKate · June 2013

I worked until I had the baby. I had her on memorial day and had worked that previous Friday.

Leap08 · June 2013

With DD1, my MW pulled me out of work when I was just shy of 38 weeks. We had planned to induce at 39 weeks (there were some issues with the placenta, fluid, and growth), but I ended up being induced 2 days later.

With DD2, I started leave the Friday before my due date, which was on a Sunday. She was actually born on her due date, so that ended up working well. I was definitely getting tired and my back was killing me from sitting at my desk all day. I was really ready to start leave. I think if I had gone past my due date, I still would have been glad to be off work.

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