when do you plan on starting maternity leave?

LnR70707 · January 2011

If you've started thinking about this yet, have you decided (whether taking leave or becoming a SAHM) when your last day before baby is? I know some people try to work right up until the birth, but I'm thinking I'll want at least a few weeks.

ohashlet · January 2011

If I can I'll work up until the birth. If I can't, I'd like to make it as close as possible. I really enjoy my job and enjoy full paychecks too.

jdm7 · January 2011

I'll work right up until the birth. My maternity leave won't officially start until I have the baby... I could take PTO prior to the due date, but I'd hate to assume I'll go earlier than July 9th (or right on time) and then not have the baby for another 2 weeks after.

Plus, my work (managers) are pretty flexible where I could be WFH the last month of my pregnancy anyhow.

momtojake · January 2011

I am working up until the end, I couldn't with DH (Bedrest) and it was horrible. I also don't know if I'll be returning to work. I would like to work 1 day per week away from home and the rest of what I need to do from home but I don't think that is going to work out. I currently work 3 days at the office, 1 being saturday when DH is home with our DS.

morgs8384 · January 2011

As of now, I am planning on leaving at the end of May ( maybe like have the 27th be my last day). I haven't made up my mind entirely yet.

angee23 · January 2011

I plan on working all the way up to the last minute if possible. When I had my son I went into labor at work.

Kristen61607 · January 2011

Well I'm not taking a "leave" because I'm quitting to be a SAHM, but I plan on leaving around 30 weeks - so in May some time. I read in the twin "bible" that you really shouldn't plan on working past 30 weeks with twins and to just stay home and take it easy to help avoid PTL.

soontobemrsdavis · January 2011

I plan on using 2 weeks vacation before my actual due date..hopefully baby will come on or close to schedule then I will let the maternity leave kick in the day I give birth. If I give birth on July 24 then I will use the max leave that I am eligible for and stay out until Dec 2nd and only miss about 3 checks.

Epiphany27 · January 2011

My coworkers are betting that my water breaks at work. I'd love to stay as long as possible, because I get too bored too easily.

Jay_Cee · January 2011

I plan to work up to the birth. Since I work from home, it will be a bit easier for me to do this than others that might work in an office or a more physical job.

MarshaBrady · January 2011

I want to work right up to the birth so I can get the maximum (12 wks) time off with the baby.

Mrs.Leah.Maria · January 2011

I'll work up until the day I have LO. I'm happy to have 12 weeks this time, but my time is better spent with the baby than at home waiting.

FWIW, I've heard that taking time off before baby can really, really keep time dragging.

FyshWyfe · January 2011

I'm on a school schedule, so baby will be coming during summer vacation. But with DD I worked until my due date, then kind of had a mental collapse. Not in the medical sense of the word, but I was so flippin exhausted and working with small children made me cry, so I just couldn't keep going in. This time I'll get some vacation before the baby comes. I expect to be really bored.

Stormy101 · January 2011

MarshaBrady:
I want to work right up to the birth so I can get the maximum (12 wks) time off with the baby.

Ditto this. Plus, my office is closer to the hospital than my house is!

maiken1027 · January 2011

I'm on a contract that expires June 30th. When hired on I was told there was a chance it'd be extended. I haven't told my boss yet, but I'm planning on having that be my last day. That will give me two weeks before my EDD.

I also tutor after school. That will end mid-may when school lets out. I'll be quitting that job and not doing the summer program since LO will come sometime in the middle of the program. I don't plan on going back in the fall because it's only an hour of work each afternoon, but I'd had to pay for at least 1 1/2 hours of childcare. It just wouldn't make financial sense.

mjellison81 · January 2011

I plan on leaving my job around the end of June. DH and I will be moving to Louisiana in Sept to start his new assignment, so we will move back home with our families for August & July, and obviously the birth. At this point, I can't wait to be done, and I'm hoping DH's raise/promotion kicks in a little earlier so I could leave at closer to the beginning of June!

boogerbearoriginal · January 2011

I plan on returning to work after leave, but I plan to stay at work as close to the birth as possible. I only get the 12 weeks so I'd like most of the time to be with the baby.

dmw531 · January 2011

I will try my hardest to work right up to the birth. That's the only way I'll get the maximum time with baby. We only get 3 weeks full pay, 3 weeks 1/2 pay, and then whatever PTO we have (which you only earn 7 hrs per pay period). Of course there is FMLA but I cannot go without being paid as I make more money than DH and my job is what pays all our bills! So I'm trying to save every hour of PTO from now until baby is born so that I can hopefully take a full 12 weeks off.

damabo80 · January 2011

If I end up having an induction date, then I'll probably take off the week before.

If I go naturally, then I plan on working up until my water breaks at my desk.

greenbean79 · January 2011

I'd like to try to work as long as possible before the baby is born (i get bored easily at home); I plan to go back to work after my mat leave is finished.

txaggie2002 · January 2011

I plan on working up until I have the baby (praying I don't get pre-eclampsia and be put on bed rest like my mom did both times). Also working on getting a private practice set up for after baby arrives so I can work part-time and not come back to my 40-hr a week job.

JessandIgli · January 2011

The end of June..I work in a school and that's when we get out for the summer. Sometime around the 25th. I'll be bored till July 19th haha, but hopefully the rest will be good.

ring_pop · January 2011

I'd like to give myself at least a week off before my EDD. We're mostly likely going to move to a new house sometime in the spring, so with the rush I anticipate there will still be lots to get done in the house by that time.

reesie4 · January 2011

I work part time from home, so work is really not too rough on me. I will probably work until the day I have the baby. I did last time, even though I was full time and in the office. I just didn't see a reason to not work.

Shelleybell · January 2011

I will work right up until my water breaks lol

KatelovesScott · January 2011

I have 5 weeks of vacation time, and I think I'll use most of it before the baby comes, so I will probably leave early/mid June when the busy part of work is done. And be on vacation until my due date, waiting for the babe to show up.

redhead2466 · January 2011

I plan to take the last two weeks off before my due date. With DD, I begged my doctor to write me a note to let me leave work 3 weeks early....and then ended up having DD 2 weeks early. I can't even remember that week off at all.

Let me tell you, there will be lots of things you could do in a week or two before baby comes. Namely sleep, but if you can't do that, or get bored easily, then cook! Make freezer meals, stock the house with groceries, clean, get stuff ready etc. I guess people who don't have kids don't realize, this is your last chance at freedom. EVER.

I understand if money is a consideration. But those two weeks will be paid for me (more if my doctor writes a note), so why wouldn't I stay home...and still send DD to daycare? Life will never be the same after.

FunNSunAZ · January 2011

MarshaBrady:
I want to work right up to the birth so I can get the maximum (12 wks) time off with the baby.

This. But because we're slow in the summer if I have to take time off here and there, it's not a big deal. I wish I didn't have to return to work at all but since I am not holding one of the winning Mega Millions tickets, I have no choice. Crying

mbritto4 · January 2011

I worked from home starting at 2 weeks before my EDD due to my bp starting to creep up. I worked in software support so sitting at home with a laptop & cellphone vs my desk at work wasn't too different. Then my water broke a week before my EDD, about 2 hours after I was done working for the day. I was ready. I don't think I'd have wanted to take time off before she was here because I didn't get FMLA so I was only getting 6 weeks off (2 weeks vacation & 4 weeks unpaid). Even friends of mine who got the FMLA time said it goes way too fast. I'd save the bulk of it for when LO is here unless your doctor asks you to stop working. If you took off a week early you could end up going late and wasting leave time.

Steven&Jamie · January 2011

I'm a teacher so my leave will start in May and I think I have enough sick leave built up that I can come back late September instead of early August. I'll be talking to HR this week to get it all figured out though.

SoCaliAli · January 2011

With DS I had planned on leaving work at 38 weeks but my doctor wrote me off at 35 weeks due to severe swelling in my legs. Now I'm a SAHM.

GracieLou Freebush · January 2011

I WAH. It can be stressful but it's not strenuous in the least so I'm hoping to work right up until I go into labor.

Brady77 · January 2011

I want to work up until my water breaks but I am betting H is not going to be okay with that. He is the consummate planner in the family. July/August are slow months for my firm, so I am betting I can just work remotely for a week as long as I keep billing then my mat. leave one kick in.

melissagoeke · January 2011

I plan on working right up until the baby is ready to come! Unfortunately I get no paid time off for maternity leave unless I use my vacation/sick/personal time. I will have 4.5 weeks of it so I'll get paid for that. I will take 1.5 weeks unpaid and return to work after 6 weeks off. I do not think this is long enough but I am the breadwinner and don't have much of a choice. I keep trying to drill it in FI's head to be a stay at home dad, but he just thinks I'm kidding. I'm totally serious!!

BookishMomma · January 2011

I'll work right up until I go in for labor/delivery so that I have the most leave time possible after baby arrives. Unless something comes up and my doctors suggests I stop working earlier.

Lindsay&Eric · January 2011

I'm a nurse...and I work 12 hour days...not much of a chance to sit down, so I'll work until I cant physically do it anymore...I'm betting sometime around June...The Dr. already wants me to cut back to 8 hr. days but I cant in my line of work so I'm cutting back days instead...Hopefully everything will work itself out in the end...I'm also going to go back...and work 1 day a week...probably in september!

heather_09_15_07 · January 2011

I'm working right up to the end.

katie4253 · January 2011

Well. we are supposed to have a mid-summer break starting on June 27th. So I guess then. LOL!

I doubt I'll go back to work on the 12th of July (since my due date is the 10th). However, if I haven't delivered I will.

I won't get paid for maternity leave, so I need to work as much as possible.

AsOctoberFalls · January 2011

I'll work until delivery. My benefits are terrible and I only get 4 weeks somewhat paid (and that is only due to the AFLAC short term disability policy that I pay out of pocket for). There is a 2 week "exclusion" period, then they'll pay 4 weeks for a vag birth and 6 weeks for a c-section.

I'm laughing at those people who are saying they "only" get XXX benefit. All of those benefits are WAY better than mine! I'd KILL to get 7 hours of sick time per pay period... try 4 hours per month! And I'm a professional (engineer). Then again, I know my benefits are way better than many other people. Guess I should be thankful for what I have. Big Smile

littleprettyx · January 2011

Stormy101:
MarshaBrady:
I want to work right up to the birth so I can get the maximum (12 wks) time off with the baby.
Ditto this. Plus, my office is closer to the hospital than my house is!

i have the opposite issue! my office is so far from home. and hospital.

magkenz · January 2011

With DS#1 I worked until I went into labor, which thankfully started on a Sunday. I had a desk job so it wasnt too hard for me to work while carrying around a watermelon belly. I also had a pretty easy pregnancy and didnt need bed rest or such. My leave started whenever I took off and I wanted to maximize my time with my baby. I had only 12 weeks, so if I took off 2 weeks before he was born, then I only had 10 wks with him. So that was my motivation. This time with my second baby, I am thankfully having a planned c-section which kinda makes it easier to pinpoint a "birth" day and plan accordingly. I plan to take off a day or two before the event. As for the SAHM part, with baby #2 daycare is going to be so pricey. I am considering taking a year off. I understand Ill lose my project to someone else but hope my company will hire me for other work later. I wonder how people take leave of absence and how that works. I know it can depend on how long you've been with the company and what field you're in, etc. But was wondering how it works in general.

Want a personalized experience?

when do you plan on starting maternity leave?

Re: when do you plan on starting maternity leave?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards