Working mamas: when are you starting your leave?

Apsalartoll · September 2014

I have a desk job and work for a company that is pretty flexible about whether I'm at home or in the office. So I'm thinking I'll still be in the office 3-4 days/week until 12/19, with due date on 12/21, and then if LO decides to take her time, probably work from home after that. The holidays are always slow, with lots of people on vacation and nobody wanting to break anything (I work for a company with a very well-known website), so it shouldn't be too bad to work up until I'm in labor, assuming no complications.

Ktrego · September 2014

I'm also planning on working up until the last possible minute. Like the rest of you - I hope I don't regret that! :-)

I get 12 weeks paid maternity leave total.

vlevitt · September 2014

i'm in canada so will have 12 months of partially-paid leave. I'm due Dec 13, but will likely have my planned-C Dec 6ish. I'm planning on finishing Nov 6 or 13 so i'll have 3 or 4 weeks (two weeks of which will be vacation time) to get the house ready and spend time with DS before the big shift to a family of 4.

LSauer21 · September 2014

Not soon enough

J+J=A · September 2014

Being a teacher, I work up until baby is born.

AnonnAni · September 2014

With DS I started leave 2 weeks prior to going into labor (and he was 4 weeks early so the intent was to actually have 6 weeks off prior!)..
With DD I stopped working 16 weeks prior to my due date (she came exactly on her due date).
I don't really know with this LO since I was working at a different company that closed after 13 years so yikes I have to figure this out. I don't think I'll be allowed to take that many weeks off prior so maybe 2weeks prior to my due date, need SOME down time.

SeahorseMama · September 2014

I hope to give myself one day off before my RCS, if possible. If not, I will work until the day before. Last time I had a day off before my induction (at that point I was already overdue, though) and it was nice to have one day to clean/ relax/ mentally prepare, but I don't see the point in taking off way before your EDD, since you never know if you will go early. But that's just my preference to save as much time as possible to spend with baby. To each their own!

feeshah · September 2014

Pretty much up until I pop. My work hours will be reduced the closer I get though…12 hour day to 8 hour day and then 8 hour day to 4 hour day the closer I get.

londonmummy · September 2014

I live in London in the UK. Legally you can take maternity leave from the 29th week of pregnancy which was my plan originally; as I have some of my professional accounting exams in November. But now plan to work till the end of October.

klbyrnes · September 2014

I'm leaving work in just 3 days! Friday 9/19 is my final day. It is unrelated to the pregnancy though. I work in a federal government job that is capped at a four year maximum term. I have been here for four years and my time expires this week. My husband encouraged me to take the time off before the baby comes to have it to myself since we have the financial flexibility to do that for a short term. I can't believe it is finally almost here! I'm so ready to just take care of myself and prepare for my little man's arrival! (Because I have not one thing done or ready at home!)

Saintelizabeth · September 2014

Like most others, I plan on working until the last minute.

BLH2014 · September 2014

I plan to work right up until I go into labor and maybe even a little bit during early labor depending on timing (i.e. if it's just the last couple hours to complete a full day or something), since I work from home anyway.

I did schedule the very last week of the year off (December 29-Jan 2) because I can only carry over 1 week of PTO and since I have to "use it or lose it" with the rest anyway and I don't need it for a vacation, I might as well have from week 40 to week 41 off (due date is December 28). That isn't a part of my maternity leave, though.

irish2014 · September 2014

JUST discovered that my job only pays salary for half of my FMLA 12 weeks. Freaking A. I shouldn't complain because I know I'm lucky to get paid at all, but I was not counting on losing two paychecks. (I can make up some time with vacation days, but means my long weekend/thanksgiving plans before baby comes are all shot.)

Seriously, America, get your act together on this maternity leave thing. You suck.

Time to start budgeting... Heck no I am not coming back early.

(Sorry if this was only tangentially related. I am working til the bitter end - my office is 10 mins from the hospital anyway.)

amieeyoung · September 2014

Yeah, reading other posts makes ya sad to be a pregnant American....

bowlwoman · September 2014

I was hoarding all my floating holidays (we get three), but I can only use them on specific days. So, I'll probably take off Columbus Day (the kids are off school) and Halloween to get a few hours of me and kiddo time.

cynplus2 · September 2014

I am spoiled as well. I get a good chunk of my pay for 50 weeks and husband gets 2 weeks with the government. I'm a teacher but have been off since last week (70% until I deliver) because of diabetes, hypertension and a nasty varicose vein down there that hurts a lot.

Cryssteen · September 2014

RANT

Can I just reiterate that the US blows when it comes to maternity leave. This is totally ridiculous. Basically, here's the bare bones of what you get (excluding some exceptions like in Cali.):

- Short Term Disability is 6 to 8 weeks (vag vs CS). During that time you get 50% pay (up to $170 per week... Which is super if you're making less than $17,000 per year. So, this means that the max STD pay is based on a person who would likely be reliant on government aid for sustenance.

- All paid time off must be used during this time, before you are eligible for the STD pay. I've accumulated 20 days (about 4 weeks), which means, luckily I'll be paid full salary for the first 4 weeks of my leave.

- STD pay will be dished out for the remainder of the time (up to 6-8 weeks). In my case, I'll get my big old $170 for 2-4 weeks. Woo. Hoo.

- Then, by law (unless your company has it's own private policy), you can only stay out for 12 weeks without a medical reason. That time will be unpaid.

- You do not accrue paid time off until you return from leave. Meaning, when I go back in March, I don't have any sick days, personal days or vacation days available. Even though I get 5 weeks per year normally, because I'm not working the first 11 weeks or so of the year, I'll only get 4ish accrued through the year.

So, for those keeping score, I get paid full salary for weeks 1-4. Weeks 5-6 or 5-8 (if i have a CS), I make $170 per week. After that, up to 12 weeks, I get paid nada. When I return, I'm not allowed to take a day off at all. So, I'm taking 6-8 weeks unpaid. That is shitty. I'm lucky that we can survive for 2 months with just my husband's salary. But it's totally obscure.

All of this said, I'm working until the kid is peaking out of me. But, being due on x-mas day, I'm probably just taking off that week anyway, if I haven't gone into labor yet. If, by the week after xmas, I'm still not showing signs of baby... I guess I'll go back in and save the week.... ugh.

Cryssteen · September 2014

katehgee said:

RANT

Can I just reiterate that the US blows when it comes to maternity leave. This is totally ridiculous. Basically, here's the bare bones of what you get (excluding some exceptions like in Cali.):

- Short Term Disability is 6 to 8 weeks (vag vs CS). During that time you get 50% pay (up to $170 per week... Which is super if you're making less than $17,000 per year. So, this means that the max STD pay is based on a person who would likely be reliant on government aid for sustenance.

- All paid time off must be used during this time, before you are eligible for the STD pay. I've accumulated 20 days (about 4 weeks), which means, luckily I'll be paid full salary for the first 4 weeks of my leave.

- STD pay will be dished out for the remainder of the time (up to 6-8 weeks). In my case, I'll get my big old $170 for 2-4 weeks. Woo. Hoo.

- Then, by law (unless your company has it's own private policy), you can only stay out for 12 weeks without a medical reason. That time will be unpaid.

- You do not accrue paid time off until you return from leave. Meaning, when I go back in March, I don't have any sick days, personal days or vacation days available. Even though I get 5 weeks per year normally, because I'm not working the first 11 weeks or so of the year, I'll only get 4ish accrued through the year.

So, for those keeping score, I get paid full salary for weeks 1-4. Weeks 5-6 or 5-8 (if i have a CS), I make $170 per week. After that, up to 12 weeks, I get paid nada. When I return, I'm not allowed to take a day off at all. So, I'm taking 6-8 weeks unpaid. That is shitty. I'm lucky that we can survive for 2 months with just my husband's salary. But it's totally obscure.

All of this said, I'm working until the kid is peaking out of me. But, being due on x-mas day, I'm probably just taking off that week anyway, if I haven't gone into labor yet. If, by the week after xmas, I'm still not showing signs of baby... I guess I'll go back in and save the week.... ugh.
Yeah, it's pretty shitty. And I want to have a few of these little munchkins over the next several years (FTM here). Guess I better get used to unpaid time off every few years. At least FMLA guarantees your job will be there when you come back.

Yeah, but for 12 weeks.. It's like, "hey, we'll hold your job, but we're not paying you shit... and if you want to take off longer (up to six months), we hold A job, but it doesn't have to be anything close to what you're doing."

I'll have no time saved up if I want to have another kid soon. Which I do, since I'm already going to be 33 by the time I am back from maternity leave with this one. Oh, and if you change jobs, don't think you're getting any STD until you've been there for one year.

ambernjj · September 2014

My job is not physically demanding at all. That being said, I will work up until I go into labor. With my previous pregnancies I worked until the day before, but again my job is not physically demanding. So I think it depends on what kind of work you do. Trust me if I had to do more than sit infront of my computer and talk to Doctors on the phone about their claims. My maternity leave would start way before I was due. LOL

Sweetsix06 · September 2014

Well, I've got a doozy. I'm already working 12-15 hours a day, but I'm also going to pick up a second job for the weekends. All work stops for me in 2 months, but I want to bulk up the savings before I take my leave. We'll see how this plan goes...

goatlady12 · September 2014

I'm not coming back as I'm starting an in home daycare. I'm due Dec 2 I'm thinking about starting leave December 1st. I was going to work until I pop, but 12/1 is sounding better and better.

amieeyoung · September 2014

Cryssteen said:

RANT

Can I just reiterate that the US blows when it comes to maternity leave. This is totally ridiculous. Basically, here's the bare bones of what you get (excluding some exceptions like in Cali.):

- Short Term Disability is 6 to 8 weeks (vag vs CS). During that time you get 50% pay (up to $170 per week... Which is super if you're making less than $17,000 per year. So, this means that the max STD pay is based on a person who would likely be reliant on government aid for sustenance.

- All paid time off must be used during this time, before you are eligible for the STD pay. I've accumulated 20 days (about 4 weeks), which means, luckily I'll be paid full salary for the first 4 weeks of my leave.

- STD pay will be dished out for the remainder of the time (up to 6-8 weeks). In my case, I'll get my big old $170 for 2-4 weeks. Woo. Hoo.

- Then, by law (unless your company has it's own private policy), you can only stay out for 12 weeks without a medical reason. That time will be unpaid.

- You do not accrue paid time off until you return from leave. Meaning, when I go back in March, I don't have any sick days, personal days or vacation days available. Even though I get 5 weeks per year normally, because I'm not working the first 11 weeks or so of the year, I'll only get 4ish accrued through the year.

So, for those keeping score, I get paid full salary for weeks 1-4. Weeks 5-6 or 5-8 (if i have a CS), I make $170 per week. After that, up to 12 weeks, I get paid nada. When I return, I'm not allowed to take a day off at all. So, I'm taking 6-8 weeks unpaid. That is shitty. I'm lucky that we can survive for 2 months with just my husband's salary. But it's totally obscure.

All of this said, I'm working until the kid is peaking out of me. But, being due on x-mas day, I'm probably just taking off that week anyway, if I haven't gone into labor yet. If, by the week after xmas, I'm still not showing signs of baby... I guess I'll go back in and save the week.... ugh.

This is why I am only taking 8 weeks off- (unless I have any annual leave left in Dec. I have to use it or lose it). I have 8 wks in sick leave so if I just take that and am getting paid I still get Sick leave and vacation leave, if I take off and am not getting paid then that changes it all if that makes sense?

Annie&Raggy · September 2014

My job is crazy physically demanding! I saved as much fmla as i could. If i need to i can use 2 months. Im going to try to work as long as i can. I normally work 12 hours but my dr cut my hours down to 8 but we've been so busy that they keep forcing me in for over time and im measuring way big. (Im 29 weeks) she said next appointment if im still getting huge ill get an aultrasound. I had a feeling she'd be big. My mom had 5(myself included) we were all big and early so with that i've been getting more stressed. My older sister had 3 all big and early too. Im really scared that my plan doesnt go threw the way i want but i wish i could work up to my due date

(sorry for the rant)

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Working mamas: when are you starting your leave?

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D14 December siggy Free for all

DD born 12/07/04

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