Working mamas: when are you starting your leave?

angeladowns1 · September 2014

Self explanatory. Wondering when I should schedule mine to begin. I work in a pretty physically easy job, and leaning towards starting it a week or so before my due date assuming all goes well with no complications. Am I crazy? :P

When are you starting yours?

erynpdx · September 2014

I just told my boss that baring anything weird happening, I'll work up to the last minute. I might be crazy and change my mind, but I'd rather save my paid days for post baby!

jesscvr22 · September 2014

I'm hoping to start my leave two weeks before my due date... I live in California, so I have 4 weeks pre-baby that's Paid Family Leave. Feeling lucky we live in CA!

brookey79 · September 2014

I'm working until about 10 days before my due date (barring any complications). I teach grade 1, so I'm on my feet quite a bit...we'll see what happens.

agsgrrl · September 2014

I'm a hair stylist so I'll work up until I can't work on a client without the baby kicking them in the head. Wanna make it til at least the first week in December.

AlleyMM · September 2014

I'm planning on working until this little man decides to make an entrance. I hope I don't regret that decision later!

Meether · September 2014

jesscvr22 said:

I'm hoping to start my leave two weeks before my due date... I live in California, so I have 4 weeks pre-baby that's Paid Family Leave. Feeling lucky we live in CA!

Ahh I used to work for a European company where our us headquarters was in California. I miss their benefits because they followed some sort of California laws once that site became our headquarters. We went from 2 weeks pre delivery to 1 month pre delivery and 7 months post delivery. So with DD, I was out for over half a year with 100% pay. Now I work for an American company and they give 3 months post delivery. I saved up my vacation for pre delivery because it has to be used up by the end of the year.

argyledogs · September 2014

I'm trying my hardest to work right up until the last moment because my leaving signifies me no longer having a job. And health insurance. :-(

katykat03 · September 2014

My boss told me her plan is for me to work through our school's Christmas parties (Friday before Christmas). By that time, all of our Christmas activities will be finished with school. She also told me that I'm not allowed to go early, so we will see how that works (she was kidding!). I'm hoping to work at least that long for the $$.

Heidig14 · September 2014

I plan on working until she's here. I only get 6 weeks paid so I don't want to waste it before baby is here. Was joking with coworkers today about my water breaking at work and who is going to bring me to the hospital.

PacoCat33 · September 2014

I'm due Dec. 1. As I of now, my plan is to work until the Friday before Thanksgiving.

NELSMD · September 2014

Also working until I pop, if all goes well.

MeganK81410 · September 2014

I'm planning to work right up until baby is born! I have to take unpaid leave, so I'll probably only take 6 weeks. I want to have those 6 full weeks with LO so I'll work until I deliver.

hellopartyof5 · September 2014

I feel like such a slacker! At work we can actually get 6 weeks of full pay before baby. I intend on only using 4 weeks (because my Dr said he likes to take women out 4 weeks beforehand). I also have such a long commute and my back is already in a lot of pain from it. I don't see myself driving 100 miles round trip a day that late in the game.I work for a European company, so they have really nice benefits (that just changed for the better teheh).

Hazel622 · September 2014

I teach my last lab of the semester 12/4 and I'm due 12/12. As a FTM, I was really nervous about this and I have set up someone to cover me just in case. It's really comforting to see so many women on here planning to work up to their due date.

Fossegirl1228 · September 2014

My plan is to work up until the last minute. My boss told me the other day if I wanted to work from home the 2 weeks leading up to my due date that would be fine. My office is really accommodating and we can work from home whenever needed so if being in the office became too much, I can still work.

cassiem51 · September 2014

My job isn't very physically demanding either, so if all goes well I don't plan on starting my leave very early. My due date is Dec. 2nd. I told my boss that if I'm still there by Thanksgiving, my last day will most likely be the day before the holiday. We don't get the day after thanksgiving off so if I'm able to go spend it with my family (1.5 hours away), I want to enjoy it and not have to rush back for work.

jpagano113 · September 2014

I'm definitely spoiled. I get 50 weeks paid (25 weeks at 70% salary and the rest at 55%) starting from the moment I take my leave. I live in canada so it's standard. I will be leaving November 3 and I am due December 7. I work in a stressful job that is an hour commute from my home. I'll be retuning to work November 2015

kcorrigan4 · September 2014

I am due 12/20 and plan on working through the first week of December for sure, maybe longer if I feel up to it. I really like the idea of being able to have a couple of weeks before LO's arrival to get last minute things accomplished and maybe sneak in a little rest and Christmas baking

Cryssteen · September 2014

Well, since my leave is shitty, I'll be at work until they have to roll me out... Truthfully, I am due on Christmas Day, and I typically take off that week anyway. So, I'll probably work up until the Friday before. If I go earlier, then that will be a surprise to everyone and I'll start leave on baby day.

Unknown · September 2014

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Daneicy80 · September 2014

In NJ we get 4 weeks before as STD (2/3 pay) if we choose to take it. I will be taking it... I have a relatively easy desk job and am P/T but just the easiest tasks are tougher this pregnancy for some reason so I've already started my countdown. My last day of work will be November 14th (about 10 more weeks eee!); I'm due December 14th.

Unknown · September 2014

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JulieSC81 · September 2014

I worked until 10 days before i had DS. I was commuting 45 minutes as well. It was no biggie. This time, i work 5 minutes away. I plan to go out about 10 days before too. December 1st-March 1st. Due 12/11. I get 12 weeks and i want that time with LO. P.S: Im off 4 days before that for thanksgiving weekend so my last day will actually be nov 26th :P

nolanova85 · September 2014

What others have said - I'm planning to work until I pop so that my 6 weeks of paid leave is all after LO is born. I'm due the 10th. If I haven't popped by then, I'll work through that Friday the 12th. I have 6 sick days left, so if I don't pop by Monday the 15th I'll start using sick days / working from home until LO arrives.

I am an event planner and missing a BIG one that I'm responsible for Dec. 1-5th. I'm just hoping I don't go early - even though I can't travel to the event, I'll at least be able to be on call in the office. But I'm fine with going any day from Dec. 6th onward. I do have nightmares about my water breaking at work though - eeeek!

kaytastic25 · September 2014

Start my leave when baby comes but using PTO to take off 2 weeks before hes due.

SerenityAE · September 2014

I'm due 12/13 right now thinking I'll start my leave on 12/1 if I have enough leave for it. I will have around 6 weeks of medical and 12 weeks of FMLA (unpaid...using only if must) after he arrives, but I'm not sure how that works before the birth.

I need to make another appointment with HR and talk to them about it.

kapio2012 · September 2014

I am hoping to work pretty much up until my due date and/or the baby comes. I want to save my PTO for after baby.

nbateman5 · September 2014

Can't actually start mine until the day I go into labor but I still have to use up my vacation before then so I took off every Friday in November as well as the Wed before thanksgiving

krystrist2014 · September 2014

I plan to work up until I go into labor too... My office is pretty flexible and allows us to work from home when needed too, so if I am extremely uncomfortable I will do that for the week leading up to my due date.

Right now, my main concerns are if I will even have a job at that point. SO is currently hoping to move us to FL next month pending a job offer in which case I might quit my job early and start the job hunt after LO is born. Also I am beginning to feel like I am on a sinking ship working for this company! Not entirely sure that our entire business office wont get laid off before the end of December :-S For me, everything is up in the air right now...

kim1730 · September 2014

Also in NJ and will get 4 weeks before minimum so that will put me at sometime in early - mid november. But with my last 2 pregnancies, I started having problems around 33ish weeks. The first with pre-eclampsia and they had to force me out of work, and the 2nd time I was having other issues and went willingly. I'm kind of expecting the same this time around but planning on 36 weeks

BrainCellSup · September 2014

I'm planning to work up until my due date, but I still need to sit down with someone in hr, which I hope to do soon. Our agency recently went through a reorganization and it's tough to find information on hr-related processes as it is. Frustrating!

AllTheTeaInChina · September 2014

Like many others, I will work until the end. I'm due 12/31 so I will have a few days off with pay for the holidays near the end. My work is flexible so I will probably be working from home more at the end but I want as much time with my baby so won't be leaving early.

lovelovelove09 · September 2014

Since I'm in Canada, I get a year. I am due December 11th, my last day is November 28th. I can't wait.

xc1148 · September 2014

I get 2 weeks before due date, but that puts me right at Thanksgiving. I'll probably start the Wednesday before Thanksgiving....yay!

mckenneyfam · September 2014

I'm due on 12/23/14 and I'm working up until the last minute. I have a desk job so I really don't see the need to use up my sick leave/vacation days before she gets here.

I did this with my first child and it was just fine.

cwbh928 · September 2014

My expected due date is during the week of Christmas. I was planning on taking Christmas Eve to New Years Day off regardless. We are given Christmas Eve and New Years Eve off. But since there is more of a possibility I will go later - I will probably work from home that week, since I am getting 4 days just for the holidays, I am thinking why waste two days.

Beevol · September 2014

My first was 2 weeks late so the idea of leaving work prior to my due date would have been a joke for me. I worked up until I went into labor (left work at 5 on Friday with contractions and had my baby Wednesday morning after laboring all weekend/Monday/Tuesday - hopefully everyone else has faster labors than me!). I plan on doing the same with this baby.

I live in the US and though I have pretty generous PTO and a STD policy, I only get 12 weeks FMLA and I would hate to 'waste' that time pre-baby.

drpayne · September 2014

In the past I worked until my due date, which still left me 9 and 5 days off before baby, respectively. If I'd taken off sooner than that, I would have wasted a lot of my leave time. This time I'm due 12/31 and I plan to work until Christmas break because of the way the days off fall. It doesn't make much sense to come back for just 2 days the week of my due date. Plus I have 2 littles at home I won't mind spending some extra time with.

abcmom12 · September 2014

Working until I go into labor; only have so much paid leave saved and I'd rather use it after the baby is born. with DD, she came on Sunday so it worked out well. I used to tell everyone at the end of the week "Hope I don't see you on Monday!"

lionyloo32 · September 2014

I was originally planning on staying until D day, but with things being super awkward at work with my boss etc. I am thinking of leaving 4 weeks before my due date. I'm already having issues with my tailbone from sitting all day long too and I am allowed to take my parental leave as early as 8 weeks before my due date. Financially it's probably not the smartest idea, but I just don't want to be here anymore. If I could leave today I would. I get a total of 12 weeks paid.

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