I own my own business, so I don't really get "leave." Any time I take off is no money!
I'm definitely working up until I can't...Photographing a wedding today at 38+4, and I've got another one (my last) next week at 39+4. Crossing my fingers that I can at least make it until then!! If I last even longer, I'll be editing like crazy in the hopes I can turn the pics around for my couples before I deliver.
Hope I don't have to call in my back-up to take over (which would cost me more $$)!
I had a scheduled c section on May 2nd. I worked up until the Friday before. And actually went into the office on the Sunday before to finish some things. I had some flexibility to where I could leave an hour early here and there and get DD#1 from school since I normally don't. But I worked right up until the last moment.
EDD May 27th and last scheduled day is the 24th. I am a floor nurse that does three 12hr shifts a week. Just had a c.n.a get done and there's no one to replace her. Our c.n.as do the cleaning as well at the hospital...I guess the nurses were suppose to pick u p slack for the missing c.n.a. I am sorry but I can't do my job as well as the work of a c.n.a and house keeping!! The beggining if this week my body said I don't think so. Got a drs note to scale back to 8hr shifts. Feels like a breeze. And my prego manager found me enough back up so that I don't have to start my FMLA early♡♡
I had always planned on working at my desk job up until labor since I only have so much sick and vacation time for my leave. I worked on my due date (may 5)... until 3pm when contractions started getting stronger. I went home and took a nap, then we were off to the hospital by 6:30pm that evening!
I own my own business, so I don't really get "leave." Any time I take off is no money!
I'm definitely working up until I can't...Photographing a wedding today at 38+4, and I've got another one (my last) next week at 39+4. Crossing my fingers that I can at least make it until then!! If I last even longer, I'll be editing like crazy in the hopes I can turn the pics around for my couples before I deliver.
Hope I don't have to call in my back-up to take over (which would cost me more $$)!
Good luck! Hopefully baby stays in so you can get that second wedding photographed and begin the editing!
I own my own business, so I don't really get "leave." Any time I take off is no money!
I'm definitely working up until I can't...Photographing a wedding today at 38+4, and I've got another one (my last) next week at 39+4. Crossing my fingers that I can at least make it until then!! If I last even longer, I'll be editing like crazy in the hopes I can turn the pics around for my couples before I deliver.
Hope I don't have to call in my back-up to take over (which would cost me more $$)!
Good luck! Hopefully baby stays in so you can get that second wedding photographed and begin the editing!
Thanks!! Got through yesterday and feeling kind of like a bad-a$$ today for making it through, lol. Along with all the crazy old-lady like aches and pains. One more week, one more week....
April lurker- I went into labor at work!! Had to call hubby to drive me home from work (1hr away) contractions in a car are no fun!! Don't try to drive with those!
Trying to work through until the bitter end. Last day with students is the 25th, teacher work day is the 26th which is also my due date.
I tried to work through last time too and threw in the towel at about 28.5 weeks. Felt bad about it, then DS came early...the next day!
I'm at a different school now and don't have to run around as much so I'm hoping that will help. But when I do my school "errands" (strategically working my way through the building to get some things done) it hurts, not gonna lie about that.
Working til I pop! I teach high school and the snow days this year really messed us up. If I go a certain amount of time on leave without pay, even including FMLA, I risk not getting my pay spread throughout the summer and will get a lump sum at the beginning of the summer at 'some' point according to payroll. I have to get through this week and I should be in the safe zone where that won't happen. Lots of activity at my job though, never a dull moment, so we'll see how long little man hangs on!
Finished the rough draft for my last assignment today, so while I'm still not totally 100% done (there are edits to be done and some formatting before the briefs are ready to be submitted), all the heavy lifting is out of the way. My co-workers should be able to take it from here if I get sidelined.
I'm so relieved the tiny alien held off making an appearance until now. We made it!
I planned on working till my due date however the Dr advised against it last week due to how quickly I was progessing and my long traffic jammed commute. He basically stated I could have the baby anyway day this week... Monday morning still no baby I have a Dr appt this afternoon so we will see
I'm working up until this Friday 5/13, I will be induced on either Monday or Tuesday. I'm teacher and am doing nothing this week! They have a mandated district test to take today, and then I'm showing the film "War Horse" for the rest of the week.
I'm tempted to use my last 3 sick days, but I would rather they roll over to next school year so that when the kids are sick and can't go to daycare I have extra time to use.
I'm also working up until I have this LO. I'm not due until the 27th - which seems like forever right now. I wish I could take off a few days before my DD but with me being off work for 2 and a half weeks due to my girl having heart issues, I really don't want to waste any of the 9 and a half weeks of FMLA I have left. Which I'm bummed about but it's all for her. And if she has an extended NICU stay, I'd rather be there for that than sitting on my butt at home. But every day, I drag myself to work and I'm pretty sure I look like this:
Hi all! Rant here, so skip if you're over it 38 weeks today. At my last exam, I'd gone from 0% effaced to 70% in one week and am 1cm dialated. Since then, I've been having lightening crotch all the time and can feel things progressing big time. I think it'll happen soon... And I am terrified of going into labor at the office. I don't know about all of you, but I feel like a walking source of entertainment for my co-workers and it's become a huge drag. I can't make it down the hall without comments about it happening any minute, etc. I feel like they'd be thrilled if my water broke or if I started having bad contractions here and to me it would be a nightmare! There's a pool about when I'll go into labor. Aside from being the center of attention and amusement (no fun for an introvert), there's the commute to and from my apartment to my office - draining, even now that I've been using ride share apps every day (nothing like climbing into a packed suv!). I'd love to work at home from now until labor (EDD May 23), but my boss (a guy - shocking!) is resistant. He can't concentrate at home so thinks no one can. I just hope that my OB tells at our appt tomorrow that I should stay home from now on - I swear, these powerpoints would be much better if I didn't have to put on clothes to get them done! I'd be much happier and more productive in my comfy chair with my wee wee pad. Any of you stuck in the role of office sport against your will?
I am planning to work up until the time I deliver. My EDD is May 23rd, so I still have 2 weeks. I have the option to work from home whenever I get to the point where I don't feel up to coming into the office. I would rather come into the office because I don't have a great place to work at home. I got rid of my old desk when my home office was converted into the nursery, and I haven't replaced it yet (we're converting the corner of our guest room into an "office," so I need to buy a small desk to fit there), so I have to sit at the kitchen table (not comfortable) or on the couch (and try not to fall asleep) when I work from home. I was really uncomfortable last week, and I was thinking about starting to work from home this week, but I was feeling better this weekend and today, so I think I'll just take my laptop home at night and take it a day at a time. If I wake up tomorrow and decide I don't feel like getting dressed, I'll probably work from home. Fortunately, my boss is on board with whatever I want to do at this point.
@mrstmoose ahhh you literally just described me all last week!! we are so so close to holding our babies though and then it will , as they say, ALL BE WORTH IT!
@jageller Haha ahh i haven't been worried about going into labor here, because i know and love all ... wait... MOST... of my co-workers and we work just 10 min from the hospital. But now, reading your post you have me a little worried! AH! for some reason i always imagine myself saying " oh im ready" and walking out the door happily while my closest co-workers wisk me off into the car...hopefully there wont be any water breakage here! then again, i wont be the one cleaning it up and it might make a good story later??! Everyday my co-workers tell me they cant believe I'm still walking! I'm down to one pair of old navy flip flops and usually take them off once im at my desk! right now, no-one is making bets on me! for your sake i hope no-one gets the satisfaction of guessing correctly!
@swflJD You're so lucky! even though working from home isn't the most convenient for you - having the option of staying home would be glorious! Getting dressed in the morning is literally something i have started to put off until the last min! the putting pants on one leg at a time thing just gets to me! hopefully you can figure out something comfortable at home! resting and putting your feet up will be good to end pregnancy with!
oh coworkers from the ones that say every morning "wow you are still here!" to the ones that are trying to whisper about how pregnant people are probably always cranky towards the end. Today I was told to go run laps in the parking lot (not due until Thursday).
People at work keep asking me when my planned last day is...to which I respond "when my water breaks". Honestly even then...the last two times they shipped me to L&D I was answering client emails from my phone in triage because I was so bored.
I manage an IT Project Management Office - so although it's high stress it's not physically taxing besides the 20 min drive and walking from my office to the bathroom 200x a day. I'm really screwed in the PTO department - we don't have paid parental leave, just whatever Sick/Vacation you can scrimp together, and I'm not eligible for short term disability (long story). Like many, I refuse to use a single hour of PTO before she arrives because I want to maximize my time with her.
I am REALLY lucky in the boss department though - I've started working from home increasingly per his urging to keep me out of the car and as comfortable as possible - he's also already ok'd me working from home for a while after she comes if I want/need. Working from home is better than driving into the office - but I think I've finally gotten to the "I don't care anymore" point at work - I would be 40 weeks this week if they didn't adjust for U/S at 12 weeks. My boss just keeps saying to harness the hormone rage and go kick some customer butt.
I don't get paid leave, and after reading all of the "what are you doing to stay busy while you wait to go into labor" comments, I feel like continuing to work until I go into labor is the way to go. I would DEFINITELY be making myself crazy if I was off work just waiting for things to happen, at least this way I'll have a distraction if I go late!
Of course I also have a desk job, and can easily work from home for the last 1-2 weeks if it feels necessary. And when I say "desk" job, it's also a "recliner/couch/standing up" job, our office is well-equipped for comfiness, so way easier than those with a desk job that's actually sitting at one desk in the same chair all day.
I am planning on delivering late, but realize I need to prep the office for the opposite in case I'm wrong. Today I had to ask my bosses when they were going to introduce the new lead on a project to our client... so far it sounds like their plan was to just wait until I was gone and be like, "oh btw, your lead point-of-contact was 9 months pregnant and just had a baby, surprise!"
I work from home, and I am planning to work until I go into labor OR until I hit week 41 - although I may just keep working bc why not...
I only get 8 weeks off, and I can only extend that either before/after I give birth by using up to half of my available PTO, which means about 5-7 days max... so I could take max like 9 weeks. In any case... I'm due Thursday and still working now. Really hoping I don't actually get to week 41, and I don't think that I will just bc my body is showing definite signs of moving things forward, but you never know.
Even working from home, I'm struggling just because I'm so uncomfortable, not sleeping well, and very distracted. But it's certainly a LOT easier than going into an office!
My boss keeps referencing stuff she wants me to do in June and July (I work at a school and summer is when principals assume they're going to get so much done). She mentioned one meeting she wanted me in on June 7... and something she wants me to do July 1. Um... I'm due May 26 and then byeeeee, see you people mid-August. I feel like I shouldn't have to say "please don't call me in June or July." But it's as if she keeps forgetting or something. And I'm technically not using FMLA because I've been at this school less than one year so I'm just off over the summer like a regular teacher and then I'm back when school starts. Ugh.
I think I'm going to sit down with her and get a list of her expectations of me through May 25 "so I can make sure everything is finalized on my end until I return mid-August." Something like that?
I must say it is refreshing to read about other people working until delivery. In Canada employees usually take a full year off but as someone who is self-employed and therefore gets nothing, I am not going to sit at home not making money waiting for my baby to arrive. And when people find out I am only taking 6-8 weeks they all feel the need to tell me, that's not enough, you really need more, etc. And I want to reply, are you going to be making my mortgage payments while I am off?? Of course if I was paid to stay home for a year I would do it too!
I had previously stated that I plan to work through start of labor, but with all the discomfort and lack of sleep, I don't know if I will be able to make it through. Today is EDD and I will be induced next Tuesday if LO doesn't arrive by then.
At this point, I'm thinking about throwing in the towel at the end of this week. Come on, baby, hurry up!
@Pascal86 my customer would kill me if I did that with one of my staff. We've had 2 cases in the last 3 months where a PM quit without notice and project had to be reassigned, and customers got snotty about it like we did it on purpose. They wanted more hand holding and notice - one even went so far to compare the project to a baby and wanting to feel comfortable with who was caring for his child. I might push the subject with your boss so it doesn't effect your client relationship in the future.
@gingerbride26 Haha I totally should - my bosses are in contact with the client and the other woman on the project has been helping out, but I would definitely feel like I had a curveball thrown at me if my vendor just switched things up on me suddenly like that, even if we know from our end that everyone's up to speed. But yeah, I will be dropping increasingly loud hints that this needs to happen soon!
I made it until the bitter end... finishing up my workday and heading to the hospital to be induced tonight! If I never have to hear another person say "you're still here??" again it will be too soon.
Well I was going to work until Monday but I was so uncomfortable and I was in a good place at work to throw in the towel. Supposed to be induced monday so I did pretty good I think. I'm 40w3d. I was doing great but each day this week I can tell how much more uncomfortable I get.
June lurker here! My EDD is June 2 so I may end up being a May-mommy!
With my EDD being 6/2 I told my boss that my tentative last day is May 28 since we're closed for memorial day anyway. But if I'm feeling good and doctor thinks it'll be a while, I'll go in.
I have an active job as a martial arts (kickboxing/Krav Maga) instructor teaching 5-50+ year olds, 4-5 classes a day. My boss has been wonderful though...and very luckily! I only get 5 partially-paid (half my usual salary) weeks but can take up to 12 weeks. I'm thinking 6 weeks off with baby then going back 3 days a week instead of 6 days. Again, my boss has been great about wanting what's best for me so he's willing to be flexible.
I was supposed to work through Friday (my due date is Saturday the 14th) but I started having pretty bad contractions at my desk this evening. Just Braxton-Hicks, I think, but between that and this dumb annoying cold and the mile-plus walk to work each way... eh, I'm tapping out two days early.
I stayed late tonight wrapping up the last of my cases, but it's done, so my workload is cleared and there's no real reason for me to drag my two-days-from-due ass in anymore.
Officially calling tomorrow my last day prior to starting FMLA! I think making it three full days past my due date is pretty good. Hoping I can manage to get more than 4-6 hours of sleep per day/night over the weekend so I'm ready to be induced early next week (starting to doubt LO will make his appearance without a little nudge).
Late to this thread but still working. I'm due 5/26. I work for a small company (about 8 of us total) so there is no FMLA or STD in place. They don't have a policy on maternity leave because they've never had this before, and the CEO keeps putting it off. Last week he said "I don't have that policy ironed out quite yet, but I promise we'll take care of you" ... Whatever that's supposed to mean. And this week he's in NY on business. My doctor has said he'll write me a note as early as 38 weeks (which would be today) but I'm thinking about asking to work from home next week instead of just being off do it doesn't have the potential of cutting into whatever I might or might not get. It's really frustrating not knowing, we would be pretty hard hit financially if I don't get any pay so I wish I had a way to predict what he's going to do...
You're so lucky and strong! I'm 38 weeks now and I've already decided to take my FMLA starting on Monday May 16. I'm just so fatigued. I don't suffer other symptoms but i'm too tired to keep teaching.
You're so lucky and strong! I'm 38 weeks now and I've already decided to take my FMLA starting on Monday May 16. I'm just so fatigued. I don't suffer other symptoms but i'm too tired to keep teaching.
After this week, all my personal teaching responsibilities will be done (i.e., after this week a monkey could come in to do my job and it would be fine - review packets and final exams is all that's left!). So I'm going to start trying some ways to encourage labor since I don't want to take any days off if nothing's happening. But as far as being too tired...I literally sit at my desk 95% of each class period. I'm done yo.
I'm 38+3, and I decided yesterday that my last day of working in the office will be tomorrow. After that, I'm working from home until I go into labor. My boss has been hinting about it for a few weeks now. I think he's terrified that I'm going to go into labor at the office!
I'm 38+3, and I decided yesterday that my last day of working in the office will be tomorrow. After that, I'm working from home until I go into labor. My boss has been hinting about it for a few weeks now. I think he's terrified that I'm going to go into labor at the office!
38+4 here and my last day in the office was Tuesday. A few people in the office said "it's about time!" I honestly feel fine, but I do not want my water breaking or anything else happening at work
Re: Working mamas! who is working until delivery?
I'm definitely working up until I can't...Photographing a wedding today at 38+4, and I've got another one (my last) next week at 39+4. Crossing my fingers that I can at least make it until then!! If I last even longer, I'll be editing like crazy in the hopes I can turn the pics around for my couples before I deliver.
Hope I don't have to call in my back-up to take over (which would cost me more $$)!
The beggining if this week my body said I don't think so. Got a drs note to scale back to 8hr shifts. Feels like a breeze. And my prego manager found me enough back up so that I don't have to start my FMLA early♡♡
I went into labor at work!! Had to call hubby to drive me home from work (1hr away) contractions in a car are no fun!! Don't try to drive with those!
I tried to work through last time too and threw in the towel at about 28.5 weeks. Felt bad about it, then DS came early...the next day!
I'm at a different school now and don't have to run around as much so I'm hoping that will help. But when I do my school "errands" (strategically working my way through the building to get some things done) it hurts, not gonna lie about that.
I'm so relieved the tiny alien held off making an appearance until now. We made it!
I'm tempted to use my last 3 sick days, but I would rather they roll over to next school year so that when the kids are sick and can't go to daycare I have extra time to use.
My swollen feet are brutal now though :-(
and this...
@jageller Haha ahh i haven't been worried about going into labor here, because i know and love all ... wait... MOST... of my co-workers and we work just 10 min from the hospital. But now, reading your post you have me a little worried! AH! for some reason i always imagine myself saying " oh im ready" and walking out the door happily while my closest co-workers wisk me off into the car...hopefully there wont be any water breakage here! then again, i wont be the one cleaning it up and it might make a good story later??! Everyday my co-workers tell me they cant believe I'm still walking! I'm down to one pair of old navy flip flops and usually take them off once im at my desk! right now, no-one is making bets on me! for your sake i hope no-one gets the satisfaction of guessing correctly!
@swflJD You're so lucky! even though working from home isn't the most convenient for you - having the option of staying home would be glorious! Getting dressed in the morning is literally something i have started to put off until the last min! the putting pants on one leg at a time thing just gets to me!
oh coworkers
from the ones that say every morning "wow you are still here!" to the ones that are trying to whisper about how pregnant people are probably always cranky towards the end. Today I was told to go run laps in the parking lot (not due until Thursday).
I manage an IT Project Management Office - so although it's high stress it's not physically taxing besides the 20 min drive and walking from my office to the bathroom 200x a day. I'm really screwed in the PTO department - we don't have paid parental leave, just whatever Sick/Vacation you can scrimp together, and I'm not eligible for short term disability (long story). Like many, I refuse to use a single hour of PTO before she arrives because I want to maximize my time with her.
I am REALLY lucky in the boss department though - I've started working from home increasingly per his urging to keep me out of the car and as comfortable as possible - he's also already ok'd me working from home for a while after she comes if I want/need. Working from home is better than driving into the office - but I think I've finally gotten to the "I don't care anymore" point at work - I would be 40 weeks this week if they didn't adjust for U/S at 12 weeks. My boss just keeps saying to harness the hormone rage and go kick some customer butt.
Of course I also have a desk job, and can easily work from home for the last 1-2 weeks if it feels necessary. And when I say "desk" job, it's also a "recliner/couch/standing up" job, our office is well-equipped for comfiness, so way easier than those with a desk job that's actually sitting at one desk in the same chair all day.
I am planning on delivering late, but realize I need to prep the office for the opposite in case I'm wrong. Today I had to ask my bosses when they were going to introduce the new lead on a project to our client... so far it sounds like their plan was to just wait until I was gone and be like, "oh btw, your lead point-of-contact was 9 months pregnant and just had a baby, surprise!"
I only get 8 weeks off, and I can only extend that either before/after I give birth by using up to half of my available PTO, which means about 5-7 days max... so I could take max like 9 weeks. In any case... I'm due Thursday and still working now. Really hoping I don't actually get to week 41, and I don't think that I will just bc my body is showing definite signs of moving things forward, but you never know.
Even working from home, I'm struggling just because I'm so uncomfortable, not sleeping well, and very distracted. But it's certainly a LOT easier than going into an office!
Married: Oct 20, 2013
BFP 1: Aug 31, 2015
EDD 1: May 12, 2016
DD1 Emma born May 12, 2016
An Honest Account of New Motherhood (with Postpartum Anxiety, Depression, and OCD)
BFP 2: October 07, 2019
EDD 2: June 20, 2020
I think I'm going to sit down with her and get a list of her expectations of me through May 25 "so I can make sure everything is finalized on my end until I return mid-August." Something like that?
At this point, I'm thinking about throwing in the towel at the end of this week. Come on, baby, hurry up!
Ummmmm, yeah. I just thought I would keep working because I love working so much and am independently wealthy.
Idiots.
With my EDD being 6/2 I told my boss that my tentative last day is May 28 since we're closed for memorial day anyway. But if I'm feeling good and doctor thinks it'll be a while, I'll go in.
I have an active job as a martial arts (kickboxing/Krav Maga) instructor teaching 5-50+ year olds, 4-5 classes a day. My boss has been wonderful though...and very luckily! I only get 5 partially-paid (half my usual salary) weeks but can take up to 12 weeks. I'm thinking 6 weeks off with baby then going back 3 days a week instead of 6 days. Again, my boss has been great about wanting what's best for me so he's willing to be flexible.
I stayed late tonight wrapping up the last of my cases, but it's done, so my workload is cleared and there's no real reason for me to drag my two-days-from-due ass in anymore.
BFP 1: 9/15/2013 | DD 5/23/2014
BFP 2: 9/15/2015 | EDD 5/26/2016