When did you start maternity leave?

CaedieBean

If you'd had a child, did you start your leave before the baby was born?

MissLMS

I started my leave the day DD was born. I actually went to work the day before knowing I was having contractions and was in labor, but ended up going home at lunch to labor at home the rest of the day.

The reason I didn't start maternity leave before she arrived is because I wanted to use all my maternity leave once she got here. If I had taken some before she arrived, it would have meant less time with her after she was born. I had 13 weeks of maternity leave.

MrsAO

I started it the day before my "scheduled" c-section.  I had always planned to work up until delivery so that I could have as much post partum time off as possible.  My doctor told me the date we wouldn't go past if I didn't go into labor on my own. I was a week overdue, and since that date was a Tuesday, I made my last day of work the Friday before.

amandabrooke81

MissLMS:

The reason I didn't start maternity leave before she arrived is because I wanted to use all my maternity leave once she got here. If I had taken some before she arrived, it would have meant less time with her after she was born.

Ditto this    Although, I ended up taking a couple of additional PTO days due to bedrest before the induction.

sdkrlm

Our short term disability runs separate from fmla leave. I took a week off with both of my Pregnancies. After baby comes I will have 8 weeks paid STD and then up to 12 weeks bonding leave that fmla covers.

SeasideBride06

MissLMS:

The reason I didn't start maternity leave before she arrived is because I wanted to use all my maternity leave once she got here. If I had taken some before she arrived, it would have meant less time with her after she was born.

Same here.  I worked through Friday and had a scheduled induction on Monday.

mrssamuels2b

MissLMS:

I started my leave the day DD was born.

The reason I didn't start maternity leave before she arrived is because I wanted to use all my maternity leave once she got here. If I had taken some before she arrived, it would have meant less time with her after she was born. I had 13 weeks of maternity leave.

This. My contractions started overnight and progressed...I was working on Tuesday and had my baby on Wednesday. 

ameliaandmatt

I worked until the bitter end!  I knew I was being induced Wednesday night so I took that day off to relax, but that's it.