Maternity Leave

legaleagles · October 2013

My OB is suggesting that I go out on maternity leave at 34 weeks and we'll induce or have a c/s depending on baby A's position at 37-38 weeks. Assuming no health problems or complications, the earliest I want to go on leave is April 1, which would be about 34 weeks, but ideally I'd like to work a bit longer, maybe even 36 weeks. Am I kidding myself and setting myself up for disappointment? I'd like to be realistic and plan for it as much as I can (and give my work as much notice, too).

PinkinProvence · October 2013

My advice is to expect the unexpected. I planne to work up to the day I went in labor. I felt great my entire pregnancy with zero complications. At a normal appointment at 28w3d, I had a positive fFN and immediately went on bedrest. I never returned to work and my desk was a mess. I had no indication that I would have to be out that early.

The funny part is that I still feel great and could totally work if my cervix wasn't shortening

legaleagles · October 2013

PinkinProvence said:

My advice is to expect the unexpected. I planne to work up to the day I went in labor. I felt great my entire pregnancy with zero complications. At a normal appointment at 28w3d, I had a positive fFN and immediately went on bedrest. I never returned to work and my desk was a mess. I had no indication that I would have to be out that early. The funny part is that I still feel great and could totally work if my cervix wasn't shortening

Thanks..>I told my bosses today so we can start preparing in the event something like that happens. I'm an attorney so hopefully I wont be taking on many new cases in the next few months so I can get my cases dealt with or passed on to other folks in my office and do more short term work. And trying to keep my desk as organized as possible so in the event I just don't return one day I don't leave a disaster for my coworkers.

Much dust to you that the babes stay put...hope bedrest is treating you well....

ballygirl · October 2013

I would say it depends a lot on the type of job you have as well as any unforeseen pregnancy complications. I had no real complications with my mo-di girls and delivered at 38.5 weeks but I developed really bad pubic symphysis dysfunction around 30 weeks which made it very painful to walk. Also by 34 weeks I was exhausted- I mean drop dead exhausted. Luckily I have a flexible job that allowed me to work from home and reduce hours as necessary so I worked part time from home those last 5 weeks or so. If I had a job that required me to stand for any length of time there's no way I could have done it.

jocie2581 · October 2013

I agree with pp - expect the unexpected. After a routine hospital scan at 27 weeks revealed a shortened cervix I was immediately put on bed rest.

legaleagles · October 2013

Thanks for the input ladies...my doctor said even if all is well, it's likely I'll be tired and wanting to be home by 34 weeks. I'm an attorney and will definitely have to change some stuff...like being in court and on my feet all day like I am now about 1-2 times/week - I just wont be able to do that...and doing some work from home might be an option for some doc review type work (which would be great to still get paid a bit but not have to drive into the office or get out of stretchy pants

.

Thanks ladies - it's so hard to predict what it'll feel like, but knowing that it'll be different than my singleton and that its likely I'll be really tired is good to know. And good for me to start preparing even now in terms of keeping my work organized in a way others would get it.

Stephanie2167 · October 2013

I'm 32 weeks and have been on MBR since 24 weeks. Luckily I can do my work from home so that is what I've been doing. But that still requires me to sit up in bed to work from my laptop, so I still don't get much "rest". I've been thinking lately about when I want to stop working and depending on when my MFM schedules my C-section, I'm thinking of taking two weeks off prior. I just don't want t lose any of the time after they are born for time prior to their birth.

PinkinProvence · October 2013

legaleagles said:

PinkinProvence said:

My advice is to expect the unexpected. I planne to work up to the day I went in labor. I felt great my entire pregnancy with zero complications. At a normal appointment at 28w3d, I had a positive fFN and immediately went on bedrest. I never returned to work and my desk was a mess. I had no indication that I would have to be out that early. The funny part is that I still feel great and could totally work if my cervix wasn't shortening

Thanks..>I told my bosses today so we can start preparing in the event something like that happens. I'm an attorney so hopefully I wont be taking on many new cases in the next few months so I can get my cases dealt with or passed on to other folks in my office and do more short term work. And trying to keep my desk as organized as possible so in the event I just don't return one day I don't leave a disaster for my coworkers.

Much dust to you that the babes stay put...hope bedrest is treating you well....

I am an attorney too! My doctor called while I was taking a deposition that my test was positive and I had to leave right away! Not ideal, but when given no choice, it's amazing how little I cared about work in that moment!

carrotcake06 · October 2013

I was determined to work until I went into labor - and well, my water broke at work! But I was only 34w, so it was unexpected. I had a complication free pregnancy until around 32w and that's when I really started to get organized. No one replaced me while on mat leave - my coworkers just picked up my slack so it was important to be organized. I was also WFH 2x a week at that point. It wasn't absolutely necessary but it was nice to not have to battle my commute and put on real clothes.

Jess63085 · October 2013

I planned on working until 36 weeks, then doing modified bed rest until they scheduled my c-section at 38 weeks. However, I only made it to 35 weeks, and went into labor that weekend. I agree with pp, expect the unexpected!

tootsscott · October 2013

In Canada when you have twins/multiples you can apply for 15 weeks sick leave. I absolutely did that at 26 weeks. We definitely took a pay cut (55% of my peanut-daycare salary) but it needed to be done. This pregnancy was a lot harder on me than I expected and there's no way I could've continued doing what I was doing. And I haven't even had any real complications!

See how you feel. There will always be work to do, but you need to do whats best for you and your children!!

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