When will you stop working?

onaed · March 2017

For all working moms - how far before your due date do you plan to stop working?

For my first pregnancy I worked up until the day of labor, and it kind of felt like it only added stress to the whole situation. I wanted to maximize my maternity leave time, so that 100% was with the baby, but I'm considering stopping a week early to prepare, relax and fully disconnect from work (I'm bad at that) this time. I want to begin teeing this up with my manager (maybe they will let me pull from my Paid Time Off instead). I'm also trying to figure out a working remotely option towards the end given that I commute from NJ to NYC (and am afraid of getting stuck in traffic in labor), but that's a whole separate convo.

What are the rest of you planning to do?

(edited for clarity)

zseirecarg · March 2017

Planning on working up until I go into labor. If I go past my due date, depending on how I feel I may ask if I could work from home until this little lady comes. We'll see! I would really like to save all my paid time for maternity leave.

tmrussell · March 2017

My due date is June 3rd. As long as things go well most likely to June 2nd. Last time I worked up until the day before I was induced. I wouldn't mind a couple days off before I deliver but not too much time.

When do you start filling out your FMLA paperwork? Does it just depend on your job?

@onaed being stuck in traffic would be horrible! I hope you get to work remotely!

zseirecarg · March 2017

@tmrussell I already filled my FMLA paperwork out and got it approved. Apparently you can adjust dates once you are closer or after you have the baby.

WorkingOnMyNightCheese · March 2017

I get 12 weeks unpaid, and get to use my accumulated sick and vacation time to pay for as much as I want. I'll start working from home one week before my due date, then officially go on leave when I go into labor.

awillis13 · March 2017

I'm due July 1 (but went early with DS, so that's why I'm hanging out here). Our last day of school is June 13, and then I'm allowed to work an additional 5 days at the per diem rate. So I will most likely do that as long as I don't go early. I'm more trying to figure out what I'm doing on the other end of the summer in terms of taking time off.

KasioDisco · March 2017

I do contract-based work and sometimes only get things last minute so I wasn't planning to accept anything that's scheduled for any closer than 2 weeks before my due date, in case baby comes early (or in case schedules run late which is often).

Edit: wtf? This is CapricaAndrea, "my account" shows me logged in correctly but when I come to the community I'm the wrong account?

BellaO21 · March 2017

As of right now I plan to take off 1-2 weeks before my due date (or until I'm uncomfortable actually performing a massage session), and another 6 after she's born. I don't know if that will end up being what happens or not (being an IC, LMT we don't get paid maternity leave) but it's the plan for now!

Elyse1384 · March 2017

Until my water breaks? JK... Kind of.

With DS I was sitting on a yoga ball at work having irregular contractions. I had my EDD appointment that afternoon (had a sweep) and went home early with horrible cramping that progressed to full on labor that night. With DD, I worked up until my OB sent me directly to L&D from my post due date appointment due to low amniotic fluid.

So for me... I just work until the end. Contractions and all. I personally prefer to maximize my time at home with my baby and kids. As a working mom, I crave that time since my job can get pretty busy and stressful.

NarrowHouses · March 2017

I will be 36 weeks. I have non-FMLA work leave starting the beginning of June (I'm due 6/29). I have to take it during the current fiscal year otherwise I'd save it for after baby arrives.

I'm hoping I'll appreciate the weeks to prepare and relax especially with the heat.

ETA: I will have off about 5 months with all but two weeks paid. I'm less than 3 miles from work and 20-30 minutes from the hospital.

Stankonia2014 · March 2017

I'll be telecommuting here in the next few weeks, so barring any complications, I'll work until my induction or I go into labor.

My maternity leave is unpaid and I have to exhaust PTO/Sick leave, so I don't want to waste it.

@tmrussell, I just turned in my FMLA paperwork this week.

huskermom14 · March 2017

I'm planning on working til I go into labor/get induced. We don't get much for paid mat leave and I don't have much PTO because DS is sick so much, so I don't want to start using it until baby is here if I don't have to.

Plus if I go into labor at work it's really no big deal since L&D is right downstairs.

Wino0920 · March 2017

I worked up until my due date. I would've gone until labor, but I worked an hour and a half away, in a horrible neighborhood, so no one felt comfortable with me being down there. I was a week late with both. I was bored that whole week and just felt antsy. I think it made time slow down.

email2ash · March 2017

I plan to work until the end again. With DS I remember being petrified that my water would break at work but it actually happened at home in the middle of the night. Just to be safe I will pack a change of clothes in my car along with some old towels and a couple of trash bags. Never can be too prepared

Knottie42089123 · March 2017

I'm planning to work until I go into labor. I work near my hospital so I can just jump into an uber if necessary

silliegirlie143 · March 2017

Last time time I worked until 2 weeks ahead of my guess date. This was stretching my work to go even that long since I was traveling 100% and my oB said he wanted me to stay within 2 hrs of the hospital.
I was induced at 42w so I was home for a total of 4 weeks before i had LO. It was pure torture! I was bored out of my mind and super uncomfortable.

This time I plan on working up until 41 weeks. I can always go on leave earlier, but this is our current plan.

delujm0 · March 2017

I'll work until the baby comes out of me...I'm allowed to work from home whenever I want so if I make it past my due date I'll prob do that...i do it at least once a week basically all the time anyway. DD was born on a Sunday, the day before she was due, and I was in the office the friday before. The office is closer to the hospital than my house is anyway.

ETA: my employer's new maternity leave policy is written to specify that your leave starts at the birth (or adoption) of the child. It's fully paid for 16 weeks. If you want to take paid time before that, you either use PTO or if you are on qualified bed rest, you can use short term disability. I have no desire to burn PTO if I don't need to.

onaed · March 2017

@Elyse1384 I hear you on that! Last time I was still sending work emails after my water broke and after labor (unhealthy and stupid I know), so I'm trying to cut everything off in advance. We get 3 months paid, and our PTO restarts in July. I'm going to speak to HR and manager to see if they will allow me to apply PTO from this fiscal year prior to the medical leave clock starts, even if it is just a couple days it would be helpful for me. Generally this pregnancy has been tougher on me, so I'm probably just a little overly anxious about it all.

teacher mom-2 · March 2017

The baby is due after my school year is over so up until the last day of school (13 days before due date). Last time, I worked until 3 days passed my due date and went for my induction the next morning

glitterfish-2 · March 2017

My office is 90 minutes from home, so I told my boss I'm not going in 1 month prior. I can do everything from home though - I already work from home 2 days a week, and sometimes more because of appointments or not feeling well.

mombod · March 2017

Last time I worked until my water broke. The plan is the same this time. I work 5 mins from home so its not too big of a deal. I plan to take off until Sept, a combination of paid and unpaid time.

LAMCH1980 · March 2017

I don't have PTO or benefits because I'm an independent contractor, so I'll try to work until the end. Last time I was on bed rest for a long time, so I'm hoping to avoid that this time. It's crazy how you can have a set plan and then everything gets turned upside down and changes anyway. I'm trying to just go with the flow of what baby needs. We've already cut back in anticipation of the things we can't control and I'm going to put the tax return away to help too.

sevenn · March 2017

Work until the day labor happens here too! Although with the way my schedule is it's possible I may wind up with a few days. I am finishing my job when this kiddo is born and won't start my new one until 8-10 weeks after- but that whole time will be unpaid wah

neludelu · March 2017

KasioDisco said:

I do contract-based work and sometimes only get things last minute so I wasn't planning to accept anything that's scheduled for any closer than 2 weeks before my due date, in case baby comes early (or in case schedules run late which is often).

Edit: wtf? This is CapricaAndrea, "my account" shows me logged in correctly but when I come to the community I'm the wrong account?

In regards to the account issue: The same thing is happening to me.

berg · March 2017

The plan is to work until the baby is on it's way. I have an hour commute and the hospital is also an hour from work. We'll see how well I can manage being in a car towards the end. But I'd rather work until baby is here and use all my time for after.

JAGinMI · March 2017

I will plan to work through the Friday after my due date (2 days after my EDD).

The first time around, I went into labor the evening of my EDD and I had worked up until that day and it was fine.

The second time, I stopped on the Friday in the week of my EDD, and then I didn't have him until like 6 days later. I was a little frustrated with just hanging out and waiting because I was feeling good and didn't necessarily feel like I needed to be resting a lot.

So my hope is that I don't go that long after my leave starts this time. I am hoping it happens the week of my EDD or by the end of that weekend so all of my leave is with baby!

krex-2 · March 2017

I'm honestly not really sure. If EM needs a C-section, I'll leave our home state and head to her a day or so before the procedure. If no C-section, I'll probably try to work from Louisiana for a week or so before her due date (or hop a flight whenever she calls as is like, "GET HERE!"). Very up in the air, honestly...but we'll figure it out.

DH and I are eligible for FMLA, but nothing is paid out of short term disability. We'll use our vacation PTO to help cover the lost wages, but I'm trying not to use any of it prior to the baby being here.

LMMama · March 2017

My last pregnancy I worked up until the day I delivered. I really think it helped with my impatience about actually going into labor. Commuting every day and having something to occupy my time was busy but also welcome. This time is different because I'm interning. I finish my internship 5/15, a month before my due date and obvs can't get a job in that time. So I will be home for my last month which will certainly be a different experience.

Heliumgirl717 · March 2017

Last time I worked until the day before, but that was because I was induced. I plan to go as far this time, but I still have to figure out how to file for short term disability and fmla. Last time I was a contractor so it didn't matter.

meg2704 · March 2017

I hadn't even thought about taking time off work before the baby is here! Obviously I am a FTM, I imagine I will work until I can't work anymore but I have no idea.

c1tym0m22 · March 2017

I'm struggling with this one - with DD, our leave policy had you start 2 weeks before your EDD (and if you were late, it didn't count against your mat leave). That has changed, so any time before your baby comes either is subtracted from your mat leave, goes as PTO, or can be short term disability if your doctor says you can't work (similar to @delujm0). DD was 5 days early, so I think I'm going to start leave the Friday before my EDD (which would be the same time) and will have probably worked from home a majority of the time for the few weeks before that (I usually walk about a mile each way to work - and the hospital is right across the street from home). I'm also at risk for going early overall, so this may all become a totally moot point.

TL; DR: Still debating!

EmeraldNC · March 2017

Last time I worked until my appointment at midday.... Then at my appointment they put me on bed rest and out of work (3 weeks early... so no lesson plans were made, I was obviously freaking out) because it looked like I was developing pre-eclamsia. Later that day, they called back (after getting some of my test results back) and said to go to the hospital for immediate induction. Everything was out of sorts, and I was so freaked out.

This time... even if I have to have an emergency c-section early, I will likely be out of school for summer already. I do worry about being put on bed rest again, because of high blood pressure or pre-eclamsia risks. My plan is to work as long as I can.

wifeinraleigh28 · March 2017

I work for myself so I don't get "maternity leave" but I will take about 3 months off and then maybe go back part time for a little bit until I work my way up to full time again (though full time for me is about 20 hrs a week in my line of work). I plan to stop working 2 weeks prior to my induction date. I want to rest up as much as possible as I've heard this tends to result in easier labors/deliveries, and also just so I can be rested before the hectic-ness of labor and having a newborn!

alm52386 · March 2017

I have 3 part time jobs, so no paid leave. But I can stop working whenever I feel like I can't or my Dr tells me I can't lift babies anymore. So we will see what happens! I'm hoping to be able to work until at least the end of May, which would be around 36.5 weeks. I will probably stop working at my friend's in-home daycare earlier just because if I go into labor while I'm there I technically can't leave since that would put us out of ratio. At the gym daycare I would just leave and they would have to deal with 1 less person and while babysitting I can always call them to come home and they normally aren't more than about 20 minutes away. So I guess I have a semi-plan!

n0soup4u · March 2017

With my first pregnancy I intended on working up until my water broke. Needless to say, I was put on bedrest at 36 weeks and had her at 40+1.

This time I am having a csection and I just plan to take the day before off.

LAMCH1980 · March 2017

Like @EmeraldNC said, Bed rest can catch you off-guard. My advice for everyone is to just have a back-up plan just in case! I'm getting my subs in line now and my house in order early in case it happens again. I thought it was going to be a nice break, but honestly it was extremely frustrating to have to be out of work and unable to do simple things like go grocery shopping, drive my kids to activities or clean my house.

mkrel · March 2017

I work from home and have very limited paid leave, so I'll be working up until the last minute hopefully.
The whole leave situation is starting to stress me out. We moved to TX from CA, where there are state funded leave options and I would have been able to take 4 to 6 months off. Here I am looking at 6 or 8 weeks at 80% plus the two weels of PTO that I can use. I wish there was a way to work at home with an infant, but I know it wouldn't be possible. So I'd like to have as much time off after she's here as I can.

CapricaAndrea · March 2017

@neludelu I seem to have gotten it sorted out now, but I had to log out of my account completely and then back in again.

Seeing all these answers and how little time off some of you have makes me really appreciate being in Canada. Even though I'm self-employed (at least for the purposes of not having a company policy for paid maternity time off), I'll be able to get 35 weeks of employment insurance from the government. Granted it will be approx 50% of my regular earnings, but we're already accounting for the change in income starting in June.

ashleyl31 · March 2017

I'm due June 11, and our last day of school is June 2. I'm looking forward to having a little time before he gets here (I hope). With my first, I worked until 3:30pm on Friday, and he was born at 2:13pm on Saturday, one day before my due date.

LAMCH1980 · March 2017

@CapricaAndrea, 35 weeks sounds dreamy!

danij0 · March 2017

I plan to work until I go in to labor. I get no paid leave and only have 8 days of PTO left.
I'm due on a Monday the 19th and if it was up to me (which it definitely isn't) I would go in to labor Saturday night on the 17th after my friend's wedding while all my college friends are in town and have him on June 18th (also Father's Day which would be extra special for DH) then not go back to work. It would be great.

When will you stop working?

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