When did you go back to work after baby??

busy.be · October 2009

I know you get 6 to 8 weeks off work but I have only been at my job for 5months so I don't get paid for that time and we really can't afford to take all 6 weeks off. I work on commission so the busiest time is Dec. that only gives me 2 weeks to get back to work. DH would be taking his 6 weeks and I was thinking of take time off in Jan once he has to go back to work and once my job slows down ( i wouldn't be miss much). Am I nuts?? Would I be able to go back to work after 2 weeks?? That's if it all goes well.

I know I'm not going to want to leave the baby but I really want her to stay home with me or DH till she's 3months and that's the only way I think it might work??

Thanks!

EastCoastBride · October 2009

People do it, so it is possible. However, I would NEVER have been able to go back after only 2 weeks. I was SO sleep deprived and we were in no way on any kind of schedule yet.

Even after 6 weeks, was NOT ready to go back. I took the full 12 that FMLA allows. Some of which was unpaid, but I decided to suck it up. I only have this chance once - I decided to just deal w/ the $$ aspect of it and suck it up.

luciagdelopez · October 2009

It can be done but it will be hard. Remember you are running on very little sleep as the baby wakes up every 2-3 hours and then may not always let you sleep.

Is there a way you can go back part time...or part time office and part time home so that you are still working on your sales?

gypsywitch · October 2009

I went back after 8 weeks. I think you should plan on being home longer than 2 weeks and make arrangements. What if you need a C-sec? You sure as hell aren't going backto work after 2 weeks, I couldn't even stand up straight 2wks later. What if (god forbid) you deliver very ealry and DC needs to be in NICU? Personally, I would scrimp and save and plan to have to stay home longer than 2weeks, then when you get close to that point, re evaluate.

DEBBIE33CASEY · October 2009

I was still not comfy sitting for 5-6 weeks PP. I took 12 weeks and loved it but was ready to go back at that point just to get out of the house and needed time away

kaitlyn65 · October 2009

I'm sure people do it, and at the end of the day you have to do what ever is necessary/best for your family. Having said that, I think two weeks would be really tough. Not sure what kind of work you do, but that might be pushing your own body after having baby (assuming she comes around your due date - what if she is late/early/you need a c-section?) Are you planning to BF? I also agree with PP that sleep deprivation at that point would have made it difficult for me to function at work. Is there anyway you could go back to work PT for December? Will you work allow you to take two weeks off, return in December, and take January off?

jenn_darrin1515 · October 2009

Usually your doctor will not clear you to return to work until 6 weeks pp with a vaginal delivery and 8 weeks with a c-section. Honestly that is the minimum amount of time I would plan to take off. The first month for me was a complete blur - there is no way I could have been back to work. By 6 weeks the girls were sleeping in longer stretcher (4-5 hours at night) so I *could* have gone back to work at that point but I still would have been a walking zombie...I took 16 weeks of FMLA and MMLA and 10 weeks of that was unpaid but it was well worth it. Goos luck!

DallasHorn · October 2009

Honestly...no I don't think you can go back after 2 weeks. Sorry to be so honest.

Did you check into the special maternity coverage CA has? Are you sure you are not eligible?

EmarketerMom · October 2009

I'm going against the grain on this one. My SIL had a natural, home birth for both of her kids and went back after two weeks with each (her husband stayed home and and they rotated weeks going in to take full advantage of the allowable time). I think it really depends on how your l&d goes and each woman is very different.

Feb3 · October 2009

There's a chance you could feel ready but I wouldn't want to commit to it. You just don't know what kind of L&D you'll have, or for that matter what kind of baby you'll have. I mean, if you have to do it you'll find a way but if there's any way to avoid it I would.

I went back after 10 weeks. Six weeks probably would have been fine for me. I collected CA disability and then family leave. Can you do that?

yellowcar · October 2009

I had two c-sections; I wasn't even cleared to drive two weeks after my kids were born. You are assuming that you will have a vaginal birth, which may very well mean you will be up and around no sweat 2 weeks after baby. I don't know anyone IRL who did this. Plus if you are nursing, you won't even be in a good routine at that point. I would think it would be very hard on baby.

Of course it can be done, but that is asking a heck of a lot out of your body. There is a reason you are considered "disabled" for up to 6 weeks (8 weeks with a c-section).

dale05 · October 2009

I cannot imagine going back to work two weeks after having my baby. It's a huge adjustment. Everything went fairly well for me and I still would have wanted at least 6 weeks. But I'm Cdn. so I had a year off and am really used to most people doing that so even thinking about going back that early seems crazy to me.

RichInLove · October 2009

In CA you can use STD and Family Bonding time to get up to 12 weeks. You are eligible for this regardless of how long you have been at your job. It doesn't protect your job though, but it pays out at 55% so long as you have been paying in to it.

Honestly, there is no way you will want to or could go back to work at 2 weeks. I didn't know my left from right or up from down at that point.

I would have been okay around 8-10 weeks, but my 14 weeks was great (took 2 more than the 12 I got from the state).

californiaclaire · October 2009

jenn_darrin1515:
Usually your doctor will not clear you to return to work until 6 weeks pp with a vaginal delivery and 8 weeks with a c-section. Honestly that is the minimum amount of time I would plan to take off.

Before I left for my maternity leave my HR rep told me that she honestly could not physically let me into the building to come to work until I could give her a doctor's note clearing me to come back to work. I was planning to take 6 weeks because it was all un-paid - -but I ended up taking the full 12 weeks under FMLA and wouldn't have come back a day sooner. We got by using money from our savings account -- it was hard, but SO worth it. At 2 weeks PP, I think I was still a mess of a weepy, emotional, overwhelmed zombie! I would talk to your OB & your HR dept to find out what your options are.

erinms · October 2009

I don't think you should plan to be back at work at 2 weeks postpartum. ? Ditto pp that you have no idea what kind of delivery scenario you will have. ?I delivered vaginally but still ended up with a 4th degree tear and my DS ended up getting an infection at 1 week pp. ?I was in NO shape to be at work at 2 weeks pp. ?I think 6 weeks would have been a stretch, but possible. ?With DH at home with baby, maybe you can go back at 4 weeks. ?If this is your first baby, he/she could come early or could come 2 weeks late so it is hard to plan with exact dates. ?

Can you borrow money from your parents or figure something out like that? ?Please check into state disability and state paid family leave. Honestly, the baby will be just fine, but you might still be a mess at 2 weeks pp. ?I certainly was. ?Good luck. ?I am so sorry you are having to worry about this and figure this out. ?We should have better maternity coverage in this country!

katlizabeth · October 2009

I'm sure it's possible, but like others have said...very difficult. DH was barely ready to go back to work after two weeks and he didn't deliver a baby! I was dead exhausted and just beginning to feel almost like myself at 6 weeks. At 8 weeks I felt like I could have gone back to work, and at 10 weeks, I was feeling like I was on a vacation

I went back at 10. Some of mine was unpaid as well. You do what you need to do for yourself and your family, whether that's stay home or go back.

kissingthetip · October 2009

I work at a small family company where I don't have FMLA and another one of the women was 5 weeks behind me in pregnancy, so I didn't have a choice but to start working early. I started working part time at home at 2 weeks. I think the worst part wasn't the lack of sleep but the pressure of feeling like I had to get things done and possibly miss some of the joys of bonding with her. I was back in the office right before 6 weeks fulltime. I know the next one I will have to find a nanny as I will definitely be going back before 6 weeks and my daycare doesn't take babies until at least 8 weeks, if not 10.

tlc7068 · October 2009

i went back after 8 weeks. i was orginally going to go back after 6 weeks but was not ready. so i took 2 weeks of fmla unpaid after 6 weeks of maternity. i think it would be really difficult to go back after 2 weeks. i actually wish i would have taken longer off but we needed the money. i make more money than my dh and we didn't want to drain our savings since we work in an industry that has been hard hit by the economy and our jobs are not safe.

irisheyes2005 · October 2009

Your little one is going to need mommy home for more than two weeks if at all possible. That is such a time of bonding and just loving your baby. You will change your mind when you see your little one. If you have to that is one thing, but if there is any way around it you probably should reconsider. Sorry to be so blunt. Even if it means not Christmas shopping for family...whatever it takes!! Hugs to you as you try to figure it all out. I know it's tough.

katypresson · October 2009

I didn't get paid any maternity leave either since my company is so small. But I was allowed to take 12 weeks. I took 8. We couldn't afford anymore than that. I think it is possible (depending on your job)...but to be honest, you're not gonna want to go back that soon. Your body needs more time to heal from birth (vaginal or c/s). I had a c/s and healed very quickly. I could have gone back to work at 6 weeks, but choose to take the extra 2 to stay home with baby (wasn't ready to leave him yet). I would have loved to take the full 12...but since hospital bills were starting to roll in, we needed the $$$

2-Step · October 2009

I had a c-section and there is no way I could've gone back after two weeks. I was on serious pain meds for 10+ days and after that I could barely drive my car anywhere and my stamina was very limited for at least another 3 weeks beyond that. It wasn't until 6 weeks pp that I actually think I maybe could've gone back. If it is at all possible you should plan to take at least 4-6 weeks, you never know what will happen during delivery.

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