When are you starting your maternity leave?

yesthisiskim

I plan on working as long as I possibly I can. I'm ok with the fact my water might break at work, but I'm just crazy like that. (I also am trying to keep my paychecks coming in as long as I can) I do, however, plan on cutting down on my hours. Tomorrow is my high risk dr appt and I am going to ask for a note for my job to cut me down to like 5 or 6 hours. My body simply cannot do 9hr shifts anymore. DH thinks I'm crazy for wanting to work as long as I can, even with less hours, so I'm considering leaving the week before my EDD. What week in your pregnancy are you starting your maternity leave and why?

Gina418

I am going to work up until the end - as far as I can go. I was put on modified bedrest at the end with ds#1 (due to back problems) - I was home for 2 weeks before I delivered and it was miserable! There's only so much you can prepare and there's only so much crappy tv you can watch!

sbmp10

Starting maternity leave the week before my EDD.  The only reason is that I am a teacher and it is our spring break.  The day we would return from spring break is my EDD.  Otherwise I would have worked up to delivery.

ajlove27

For financial reasons I plan on working up until his due date. If he comes late, I am not sure what I will do.

sarahbeth827

My last day of work was this past Thursday, I am now a SAHW until the baby comes...So It's not really "Maternity leave" since I'm not going back.

weelass24

I am done at 38 weeks for right now, I might go out earlier if I continue to feel like crap.  I worked pretty my up until my due date last time and it was awful.  38 weeks will be my absolute latest.

ErinSea

Assuming nothing goes wrong between now and then, and assuming baby boy doesn't come early, I plan on making April 8th (a friday) my last day of work before my April 12th (a Tuesday) due date.

Why? I'm a teacher and I think bringing in a sub to start on Monday will be easier than mid week. I'd also like to take a little bit of a "free day" on my last day and have some fun with my kids since it's the last time I'll probably see them. Besides, I can't imagine how distracted I would be trying to teach on or even after my due date, waiting for something to happen any minute.

Also, I'm planning a home birth and I work 50 miles from my house. I don't want to go into labor at work then have to drive an hour home. This might happen anyway if he does come early, in which case I'll go to the midwife's birthing center which is in the same city. Hopefully I'll go into labor at home and she can do the driving instead.

lylahlove

I'm working right up til the end.

GL getting your hours adjusted

kje120

Hopefully I'll be starting maternity leave once this kid is born. I want to work right up until the end so I can spend as much time at home with him as possible afterward.  I have a desk job so it shouldn't be a problem.

lilylow

I'll be working until I deliver.  I don't want to waste any of my maternity leave before she's here.

LadyXaverian

I'm literally scheduled to work until my EDD. If I don't have the baby by my due date, I will not go back to work after that.

I don't have the kind of job where I can cut back hours, so we'll see what happens.  

Scout05

I'm very lucky in that I work from home. So I will be starting leave essentially when I go into labor.

jillian527

I'll be working up until delivery. I started a new job in November and won't be eligible for FMLA or short term disablity, and will have very little vacation time accrued at the time of birth. I am happy they are still letting me leave 12 weeks and I am able to keep my job. However, I won't be getting any income for that time so the longer I can stay working the better.

genaruthp

My original plan was to work up until I had DD. But with the work drama and stress I am dealing with from HR being a**h****s, I will be out on leave March 18th, perfect for me. It is the start of Spring Break and I will be 36 weeks.

ckolak:-)

My EDD is 4/28, my first day of leave is that Monday (4/25), unless she comes early.

mrs.conn23

My SS goes on spring break the week I'm due.  I took the week off as vacation.

If Baby C does not come that week, I'll go back to work until he's here. 

leighv333

today is my last day!

Mis+Shapes

For DD#1 I worked up until my due date.  Since I will most likely have a repeat c-section, I plan on working up until the end again.  I prefer having more time off AFTER LO arrives.

circe811

As long as my pregnancy continues to progress normally, I will work until I deliver!

bradyg927

I'm working up until my water breaks.  I have no problem with my water breaking while at work.  I'm lucky in that not only do I live near the hospital, but my work is also only a few minutes from the hospital.  Since everything is so close to each other, I figured I'll just keep working until I go into labor!

MrsL0908

I have a meeting next week to discuss this very topic with HR. I want to work right up until the end. If that means I go after my due date, so be it! I'm hopeful that I can work from home occasionally if I get too uncomfortable. But, I really don't want to take time off that could be used when the baby is here.

gwennythepooh

I'm working until delivery. I work about 5 blocks from the hospital I'll deliver at, so it would actually be convenient to be here if my water breaks:)

karakel

weelass24:

I am done at 38 weeks for right now, I might go out earlier if I continue to feel like crap. 

This!  I went out at 37 weeks with DS but it was during the summer and I went to the pool everyday so I wasn't bored.  He was a week late and I felt like it was a little too much time.  That being said, I can take up to 4 weeks before and it doesn't affect my time after.  If it affected my time after I would be having a different plan.

smit3807

My tentative plan is to work until 36 weeks.  I'm having twins and my Dr. won't let me go past 38 weeks (and it's very possible that I will have already had the babies by 36 weeks).  If I make it to 36 weeks, and I still feel like I can handle it, I will keep working.  I've already cut down on my hours (trying to keep it <40/week), but I'm a lawyer, so that can be difficult.  Although with all of the appointments I have scheduled, I'm going to be working less and less as my due date nears.

mrs.monica

I had planned on working till the end...but the more I think about it...since it's the end of the school year and it works out that I have under my allotted time needed for the remainder of the year...I might take off a week early if I'm still KU.  with DS I worked until 37 weeks and that was hard enough.  I am also deathly afraid of going into labor in front of my HS students.  EEK

SwissMs99

MrsL0908:

I have a meeting next week to discuss this very topic with HR. I want to work right up until the end. If that means I go after my due date, so be it! I'm hopeful that I can work from home occasionally if I get too uncomfortable. But, I really don't want to take time off that could be used when the baby is here.

 

I was hoping to do this as well and my HR is very supportive of it. It's my boss that doesn't support it. ::sigh::

 

I hope your outcome is much better than mine!

 

I will be working up until my due date - then hoping that I can just start leave then (and really hoping she's here by then!)

j1e2n3n4i

I'm hoping to teach until Spring Break (April 1st).  With a due date April 3, who knows if this is actually going to happen.  I'm not having any issues or swelling, but as we all know, that could change overnight.

Why--We have state testing the week after spring break, so I really want to get my kids as prepared as possible.  Also, selfishly, I'd like to be able to finish the Romeo and Juliet unit before I leave so that I'll only have to leave sub plans for test prep/testing and one major unit (mythology and Odyssey--which I HATE).

teresakay78

MrsL0908:

I have a meeting next week to discuss this very topic with HR. I want to work right up until the end. If that means I go after my due date, so be it! I'm hopeful that I can work from home occasionally if I get too uncomfortable. But, I really don't want to take time off that could be used when the baby is here.

This is me exactly.  I have too much work to do to ensure a peaceful 12 weeks maternity leave, that I must use the time to work.  My boss I am sure will be flexible if I need to leave a bit early because I get uncomfortable. 

vans or violets

If I have it my way, I'll work up to the very end.  The hospital is five minutes away from my job and my husband works in the same company as I do.  If anything should happen, I'm pretty much set.  I rather take the time off after the baby is here.

patientblueeyes1980

I am planning on working as long as I can.   I want to have time with him once he is born.

GHBEA

March 18th is my last day of work then I will be a SAHM.  If Drs put me on bed rest or Olivia comes early then what ever date that is would then be my last day.  Its 3 weeks before my EDD, so I have 7 weeks of work left.  For me it cant come fast enough.

Babydust08

I'm a teacher and I pretty much plan on working up until I go into labor. Sounds easy now right?!

Lisa7310

My las day will be April 1st. The week after the 1st is our spring break so we don't have to work that week anyway. I will not be returning on the 11th since I am due on the 17th. My work is about 1 1/2 - 2 hours away from the hospital and I don't want to chance anything happening while at work while I am so far from the hospital.

virginiagirl11

I have a desk job so I plan to work until I go into labor.  If I get too uncomfortable, my company may let me work from home in the end but hopefully it won't get that bad.