Working mamas! who is working until delivery?

gracesmama

Ahhh it's finally May! crazy to think we are finally ... almost... there!! Question for the working mamas - are you still working? Do you have scheduled time off before your EDD? are you working until your EDD?

My EDD is May 26 and i plan on being here until our sweet baby girl makes her debut - especially since i will only get 12 weeks off. However, this morning i rolled out of bed, feet sore and swollen, moving like and 90 year old woman, and  i looked at myself in the mirror and wondered WHYYYYY. I've got a great job, i work for a regulatory agency and i really just sit at my desk and write emails most of the day but it is still exhausting to be here and have to use my brain ( im also training two people for when i'm gone ...yikes) Anyways, I started contemplating the idea of taking the week off before my EDD ... which got me wondering what YOU all are doing????!!!!

Happy Friday! 

AdorkablePixie

My plan was to work up until the day I go into labor. I work an hour from home though and REALLY don't want to go into labor at work. I talked to DH about it and we decided I'd work up to a week AFTER my due date (May 23). After that, unless I have enough work to keep me busy until I go into labor then I will be on leave. So, I'll be going on leave technically 4 days early because that Monday is a holiday. If that makes sense. The MW will induce if I don't have him by 6/6.

VS2016

Unfortunately I will be working until the baby comes. I did tell my students the baby will be here on the 10th no matter what.. Even though I really have no idea. Lol 

Pregghers

I had every intention of working up until I delivered, but my body said "nope!" After having to leave work twice to go straight to the hospital for monitoring, my doctor told me I was done with working. That was two weeks ago and I haven't had to go back to the hospital since.  
So all I can say is listen to your body.  I like my job and was not looking for extra time out, but for my baby's sake I just had to stop.

Knottie13257900

I'm working until I go into labor, but I may work from home starting a week before my due date.

girlaskew

My plan is to go until the end. Unless I ma medically pulled off for some reason. But yeah, I only get 6 weeks paid and any other time I take off is vacation, so I'm trying to save as much of that as I can for when critter gets here. 

clw617

I'm due the 26th too and working up until then! But maybe I shouldn't, y'all..

I agreed to judge high school senior graduation projects where they all have to give a presentation. And this morning I got all emotional about a boy who did his on the police department and then talked about how after graduation, he's joining the army. The presentation was in no way emotional, but then I started thinking about my own son and what if one day he wanted to join the army and I legitimately got teary and I think I freaked the kid out. LOL Oh jeez... I'm ready to goooooo...

jumpy57

I'm in the working club. My job is also heavily computer based. I am definitely not as speedy as I used to be and the days were the office gets too warm are a bit miserable, but I keep telling myself the longer I stay at work the longer I get to hang out with baby

I do have a ridiculous spreadsheet that I update almost daily with when my leave will start and how I will use my vacation/sick time/disability leave so I funnel all of my crazy into that.

MsIan

That was my plan until I've been having contractions for a week. I decided yesterday, I'm done. I'm 39 weeks today. 

bookelf221

I'm working until the 12th unless she comes early- and my due date is the 13th. If she's late- then I get some days off before she comes but that's it! My back to work date though doesn't change at all though- but since I'm taking 3.5 months I'm ok with that. 

proudparent2b

I'm planning on working until LO arrives. EDD is 5/10, OB says we'll induce at 41 weeks if LO hasn't arrived. I work from home, which helps, but am seriously frustrated by the daily questions/ comments from co workers. They're more anxious for this kid to be born than I am!

If I were to head out early, the reason would be due to being at the end of my rope with my co workers.

As a note, I tried telling my manager yesterday, but she was just as bad, so I figured it was a waste of time and effort.

Dantzscher32

With all three pregnancies, I did not plan time off before the delivery. I have limited time off, so I want all time off that I have to be spent with the baby. I am fortunate I did not have complications that forced me to take time off prior. With this pregnancy, my water broke while I was at work. 

LadySamLady

I worked until I went into labor, which happened to be on my due date. I was getting really uncomfortable by that time though and so I'm not sure what I would have done if I'd gone late. 

slfezz

I stopped working at 38 weeks. The big reason is my company makes it really easy to start short term disability then and it doesn't impact how much time I have off after since I already had permission to extend beyond the 12 weeks FMLA leave or my pay. I would have tried to tough it out longer if it did impact my time/pay by I probably would have still stopped before baby came just to try and recover some before labor. 

Kennedy0830

Today is my last day at work!!! EDD is May 10 and that is when my induction is scheduled. Making it to 39w3d at work wasn't awful, but mentally I am checked out. I'd love for her to make her appearance on her own this weekend, but baby is weighing on the large side so doc wanted to schedule the induction for her due date to give me a better chance of a vaginal delivery. I commend you all who will work up until labor and potentially past 40weeks... My crazy mind couldn't do it!

Merinmac

I planned to work right up until the end so I wouldn't "waste" any of my leave when there wasn't an external baby yet, but I changed my mind. My last day is today (39+2, due 5/11). I don't have a physically demanding job, but it is a technical job where I'm repairing things. Since I could go into labor at any time, I don't dare start anything major, lest I leave a bunch of jobs half-done. I've pretty much finished everything, my interim replacement is ready to go, and LO is killing my back and hips. So what the heck.

I just hope she doesn't stay in too far past her DD. A few days at home to get things ready would be perfect. I just don't want to be still sitting around waiting 2 weeks from now! It's a gamble either way, I guess.

clbness

Unless my doctor says otherwise, I will be working up until it's go time.  We already hired a trained HR professional to cover what little HR work I was doing and one of my girlfriends started in November to cover AR/AP.  I will only have to delegate a couple very easy tasks to my CSR's while I am gone.  So, my job has been VERY easy this past month and I am just bored out of my gourd during the week days!  When I return, my boss intends on training me to be his right hand in handling the operations side of the business, so it will be fun to learn something new!  But, as of now, I just sit here at my desk and obsess about when I will go into labor and, well, all things baby!

Charla1224

I planned to work up until my due date but my body had other plans. At 39 weeks things got really difficult so I decided to take off a week before my EDD. Now that it's looking like I'll go a week past my EDD I'm getting bored. I wish I had something to do to keep my mind off LO's arrival.

KKnight1154

I'm planning on working up to my due date which is the 20th. My replacement is pretty much up to speed on what it is I do. My goal which looks like it will be completed is to have all of my projects completed by the end of the day today! The absolute last thing I want is for this LO to come early and not have everything wrapped up. 

Sienna516

Today is my due date and my induction is scheduled for Monday. I slept horribly last night waking up in pain and random contractions, so I called in for today, but I feel like I basically made it to the end! I'm hoping he comes on his own yet today or this weekend..

KKnight1154

@Sienna516 Good luck on Monday if he doesn't come this weekend!

Merciel

I'm still planning to work up until the 13th (due date is the 14th). I could take off earlier, but my cases aren't finished yet and I don't want to dump them on my co-workers, especially since the last one left is the most important one.

Actually working isn't so bad. It's a desk job and my chair is reasonably comfortable. Walking a mile and a half each way to and from the office is getting to be tiresome, though. It wasn't so bad until recently, but midway through Week 38, things suddenly got much harder out of nowhere. The past couple of days, I've been pretty beat by the time I get home, and I don't know if I'd still be doing this if my cases were done.

They're not, though, so every day I gotta haul my ass back in there until that changes.

PYLWhammy

I'm planning to go as long as I can (my due date is the 22nd). Though next week I'm going to start working from home every day, just because I don't want to chance going into labor at work. Working hasn't been bad, it's a desk job, but I'm already mentally on leave lol. My productiveness has gone kaput.

Par13

Yep - I'm working up until labor or induction date as well. With DS, I was a week late and was so glad that I kept working so I had as much time as possible with him.

js8812

EErin86 said:

I'm in the working club. My job is also heavily computer based. I am definitely not as speedy as I used to be and the days were the office gets too warm are a bit miserable, but I keep telling myself the longer I stay at work the longer I get to hang out with baby

I do have a ridiculous spreadsheet that I update almost daily with when my leave will start and how I will use my vacation/sick time/disability leave so I funnel all of my crazy into that.

I do this too!

saltedcaramel518

I plan on working until baby comes. I work at a desk job, so it hasn't been too bad (yet). After my maternity leave, I will be working form home 1 day/week, so if I just get super miserable before the baby is born, I'm hoping my boss will let me work from home. 

Also, I really would not like to go into labor at work, but the hospital is about a 7-8 minute drive from my office versus a 30 minute drive from my house.. 

js8812

Working until the bitter freaking end.  Due date is the 19th and induction scheduled for the 26th if I don't go before then.

valerie4786

I'm working until this baby comes, even if she's overdue.  My job is about 30 minutes from home but can take me up to an hour away from home depending on what I have going on with clients.  I'm currently training my person who's covering for me when I go on ML, but we'll see how that goes since she's still only training with me about 5-7 hours a week..  In the weeks getting closer to my due date I'm trying not to schedule things that are too far away if I can help it, and I'm lucky to have some flexibility with my schedule that I can reschedule or work from home if necessary. 

gracesmama

proudparent2b said:

I'm planning on working until LO arrives. EDD is 5/10, OB says we'll induce at 41 weeks if LO hasn't arrived. I work from home, which helps, but am seriously frustrated by the daily questions/ comments from co workers. They're more anxious for this kid to be born than I am!

If I were to head out early, the reason would be due to being at the end of my rope with my co workers.

As a note, I tried telling my manager yesterday, but she was just as bad, so I figured it was a waste of time and effort.

Ahh you got me there - i think half the issue, other than my soreness and just wanting to be 'done' is my co-workers. Lately, I've been wearing headphones wit no music playing, just so they leave me alone. sorry about your manager! 

gracesmama

@Merinmac Ahhh congrats on it being your last day! And a Friday at that!! that's what I'm worried about too!!! in the case that my LO comes late I don't wanna determine a "last day" and be waiting for her! Especially when I have a limited 12 weeks off and just 6 of it is paid.

However, the closer I get - the more I realize and come to terms with being so far along and really needing to rest up while I can. I keep saying " yes" to different things and am getting overwhelmed - this weekend I am helping coordinate a garage sale fundraiser (all the items are in my garage and need to be priced .. Ah why do I do this to myself), having my shower tomorrow, and I have 3 seperate Mother's Day celebrations between sat/sun.

@Merciel I hope you get your cases done!! Reading that you walk to work makes my legs hurt, and also my vag - becuse EVERYTIME I walk up the stairs to work I feel like mine might fall out:( 

I'm glad we have so many working mamas on here! It seems as though many of you are making it to the final weeks or even past - That's literally amazing and gives me hope! Sounds like many of you are scheduled to be induced next week! Can't wait to see you ladies on the birth announcements!! 

Merciel

Walking to work gives me a lot of time and opportunity to practice my Kegels, that's for sure.

We live in a third-floor walkup so I get lots of practice on the stairs too. Whee!

Well, silver lining: postpartum weight loss should be hardly any effort at all.

lizChesnut

My due date is Sunday and I've been off work for 2 weeks now. I work on my feet and am very busy.  It just got to be too much. I was miserable, plus I have my stepdaughter to take care of. Work  and school pickups and cleaning/cooking. It was running me ragged. So I took the time and am enjoying this pregnancy. Been so thankful that money hasn't been so tight that I had to work till labor hit. Making a few financial changes to account for it but I'd rather budget better than miss this time. 
I honestly don't know if a desk job would be easier tho....sitting at a desk isn't exactly comfortable these days! You ladies are amazing!

That1didntcount

I'm working until the end. My due date is Sunday the 15th. I have court Friday the 13th so after that I wash my hands of place for 6-8 weeks. My job is 30 miles away, so I did go into labor at work, well that would be interesting...
my bladder and the commute are not getting along as of the last week!

gardenandread

I'm going to be induced on Monday, so my last day was today.  I'm a teacher so it worked out well to end on a Friday.

baby-2-due

I worked up until the day I went into labor. I was planning on working until my EDD of the 19th but baby had other plans. I was actually dressed and ready to go into work but my SO and mother convinced me to call the dr to get checked since I woke up soaked. I was having contractions but not consistently and had been for over a week so wasn't really sure what to think. Next pregnancy I will probably work up until my EDD as well. Everyone is different, I would go by what your body tells you

Victoria52516

I wanted to work till my dd the 25th so I have more paid time when she comes to spend with her but I went to the docs 2 Wednesdays ago and told her I have been having headaches and as of last week constantly(zero high bp at all and still) so she sent me for bw. She called me sun and said some levels were off and wanted a 24hr (just when i thought i snuck outta all that fun stuff some of you have been doing lol) saw her this Wednesday and it wasnt too high but over the limit so they had me try migraine meds(not working even a little by the way) and no work for me till at least monday when i go back to see another doc and check everything again.  I hope I can go back because I get unlimited paid sick time if Im not permanently out but if they dont let me go back to work for atleast the week my leave starts! Boooo!! But bottom line if they think its best for her im done. Im just glad im 37 weeks and have had just the normal issues untill now when she is almost the 40 to make an appearance if necessary. I give props to the ladies who have been dealing with this since early on in the high risk weeks with way more risk than I currently have its a crazy worry roller coaster! We will see Monday!

bkjade

Was planning on the 13th (due on the 20th) being my last day but I am BEAT today. Going to chat with the team and see if I can take off sooner. I'm on my feet for 8 hours+, bending down, running up and down stairs, and very active at work. I've felt great up until the past few days and my body is finally telling me enough already. I was hoping to work another week just to keep myself busy, but since I'm not returning to work, maternity leave isn't an issue so I figure I should do what feels best. I still have a bunch of admin stuff to wrap up so I can hopefully use the next week to do all of that. 

Also, I'm really tired of talking to people about being pregnant. Anything I can do to avoid that. 

Bellodomani

With my first I worked right up to my due date, and then he was 2 weeks late and I got SO BORED sitting at home thinking, am I in labor now? How about now? So this time I was all prepared to work until I literally went into labor (although that probably would have traumatized my students if it happened at work). But then at 36 weeks I got diagnosed with the polyhydramnios and between having NST/ BPP appts 3x/ week and just being sooo big in a job that has you kneeling, squatting, lifting, or standing all day, I just couldn't do it anymore. I finished out my parent teacher conferences at 38 weeks, I'll be induced at 39 weeks, and I took the week off between them. And at the urging of my very sweet husband, I left my son in (half-day) daycare this whole week so I could sit around and read/ nap every morning, and I do not regret my decision! It has been wonderful. 

gampster

I'm due Tuesday and planning on workin until the baby comes. But I work from home on the computer so it's not too hard. 

My question is for the STM working moms when did you feel able to work again? I want to give my employer a timeframe when I will be back at the computer. I am an independent contractor and work on an hourly wage so am anxious to get started again but don't want to over do it. It will only be for 4-6 hours a day and DH will be around to help.

i realize everyone recovers differently but any advice from you ladies who've been there before is much appreciated!

jenl1681

I was scheduled to be induced at 39 weeks due to polyhydramnios-it was a Sunday and I planned to work until the Friday right before. I was so uncomfortable and had 2 ultrasounds and NST's that final week to check on things. I was just so tired and uncomfortable that I needed up just working a half day on Monday and that was it. It was SO nice and looking back I am so glad I did it. 

josie12367

I work 12 hour shifts as an X-ray tech/LVN at a very busy clinic. They have me on schedule till the 18th with a EDD of 22 May. I'm beat though. I'm on my feet all day and even jogging around the clinic at times still. I worked 101 hours this pay period which is awesome financially but...tiresome. I plan to finish out my shifts as scheduled but I wish I would've asked to be taken off this coming week, but we just don't have the staff for it. 


Im also in the "sick of pregnancy questions" club. I know I'm big and bulky but just leave me alone already!!