Community› The Bump Month Clubs› December 2022 Moms
December 2022 Moms
New Discussion

How early are you starting maternity leave?

brennybirdbrennybird member
in December 2022 Moms
I am currently applying to start my leave 2 weeks before my due date, which feels great in case baby comes early, but I’m also so worried she’ll decide to come late and I’ll be kicking myself for using up too much PTO and leave time before she arrives.

What’s your plan?
Report Reply to Post

Re: How early are you starting maternity leave?

  • ellief_0926ellief_0926 member
    I have this same question!  I’m already mentally checking out of work…can’t imagine I’ll be very productive in a few more weeks.  I was thinking of taking off after thanksgiving break (due right at the beginning of dec), but I’m worried the baby will be a week late and I’ll have wasted that time!  I only get 12 weeks unpaid, but I’m going to see if my employer will work with me taking a combination of paid and unpaid time to stretch it to about 13 weeks.  
    Report Reply
  • Loading the player...
  • bustabucketbustabucket member
    We’re scheduled to induce at 39+0. Assuming she doesn’t arrive early, I’ll start leave at 37+3 (12/3)!
    Report Reply
  • 00kim0000kim00 member
    I'm due 12/31, I'm a teacher and our Christmas break starts 12/23, so my hope is to work right up until then, so I would be 38+6. I also only get 12 weeks before my employer stops paying their part of the insurance (and anything after I use up my sick days is unpaid), so I don't want to take off more than that, unless baby comes early of course. If he comes late... well, our break goes until 1/3, so there's already some leeway for lateness, and by that point I'm guessing I'll be uncomfortable enough to not be able to work, so I'm good with the potential for my leave starting a little early. It's convenient that my due date falls where it is, though. My employer seems somewhat flexible, so if I didn't have the break where it is, I might have just planned to work until my due date and started leave either when baby came or I was too uncomfortable to work anymore.
    Report Reply
  • AmberG34AmberG34 member
    This is my 4th pregnancy and I’ve always worked up until I gave birth. Not because I had to but because I wanted too. Yes it was miserable but most employers understood I was just there to be there towards the end. Lol. I will more than likely be doing the same this pregnancy as well. I’d much rather spend all of my leave with baby instead of preparing. We only get so much time off. I hate to play the what if game but I’d want as much paid time as possible with baby in case things don’t go 100% in our favor with delivery/with baby. Everyone’s situation is different though, money, type of job other stressors. 
    Report Reply
  • knottiec1bd6c5399b4642aknottiec1bd6c5399b4642a member
    I'm a professor and need to prepare for my substitutes anyways (I'm due the first week of December), so I'd rather keep teaching until i go into labor. I did this with my first without issue. I'm taking the whole next semester off, so I'm trying to make it through as much of this one as I can. Anyways, staying busy makes the time pass quickly, and being active and walking around the classroom seems to be good for me :). 
    Report Reply
  • hspghspg member
    Another teacher here. Originally I planned to work until my due date but now I'm considering tapping out at 38 weeks. For me that means I won't come back after Thanksgiving. I have 2 reasons, 1) flu season. I feel like after Thanksgiving everyone will be sick and I don't want to risk that with delivery so near. 2) I've been having carpal tunnel symptoms since 24 weeks and they keep getting worse. I used to be good at "keeping work at work" but my hands go numb while grading now which slows me down and leads to bringing work home. Bringing work home then leads to not focusing on preparing for baby and its just a giant snowball effect. The extra two weeks will be good for me in many ways and since I screwed up my original maternity leave count it actually will work out that I still go back on my original date and get paid the whole time!
    Report Reply
  • janinegbjaninegb member
    I’m starting the second week of December cause I am traveling. 
    Report Reply
  • rachelrd1992rachelrd1992 member
    Another teacher here also planning to work up until my due date (12/22) so I can spend more time with the baby! I'll see how I'm feeling around 38-39 weeks though. I don't want to burn through my sick time either. 
    Report Reply
  • sprout1234sprout1234 member
    edited October 2022
    I was planning to work up until baby comes or maybe the week before. But I’ll be 34 weeks tomorrow and likely starting steroids soon due to low platelets…. which I’ve heard make you feel awful.  So it’s looking like I might be off at 36 weeks instead and I’ll just use up all my sick time.

    I’m very fortunate to live in Canada so I can still take a whole year off once baby comes. 
    Report Reply
  • knottie_knottie1knottie_knottie1 member
    Is anyone planning to get a doctor's note to work from home the last few weeks of pregnancy instead of taking prenatal leave?
    Report Reply
  • saraheifertsaraheifert member
    I ended up being hospitalized overnight at 30 weeks with high blood pressure and dehydration which was attributed to work stress (even though I already work from home). My doctor ordered me to stop working at that point. Thankfully my maternity leave plan was ready and handoff went well. As an executive responsible for a very large team and client relationships I’m still taking a few calls here and there, but my employer has been very understanding and flexible and is even paying my full salary for as long as I need to be out. I feel very lucky for that since my baby has a chromosomal issue, a heart and a lung defect so not having to worry about my job and salary is a major weight off me. Just trying to take it easy and keep baby in for as long as possible!
    Report Reply
  • julbaybayjulbaybay member
    My due date is 12/29. I am planning to take the remainder of my PTO 12/15 - 12/23 and then take my 12 week maternity leave 12/27-3/21. 😊 
    Report Reply
  • jateim7jateim7 member
    My midwife told me pregnant women are legally “disabled” at 36 weeks pregnant (California). So I will be off work and on disability starting then. Disability continues until 6 weeks after vaginal birth or 8 weeks after cesarean. Then you start you Paid Family Leave after disability ends. 
    Report Reply
  • jateim7jateim7 member
    edited November 2022
    @knottie_knottie1 Yes my doctor wrote me to be off at 36 weeks - pregnancy disability 
    Report Reply
Sign In or Register to comment.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"