When to go out on maternity leave

[JMarie]

I am debating whether or not to leave work early on my maternity leave. My company will let me go out 2 weeks before my due date, no questions asked, but that is still almost three weeks away. I'm getting to the point where it's painful to sit at my desk all day and even worse getting up to go to the bathroom every 45 minutes - and the bathroom isn't even that close! I won't even get into the lack of parking by the doors or the fact that there isn't even an entrance nearby my work area. My doctors have told me that whenever I'm ready, they will approve the leave, and my bosses have also been extremely supportive and working with me to keep things up-to-date so there's not a pile left behind for someone else to work. When did most of you decide to stop working? Should I work up until the due date or just give in and take the time to relax before Aidan arrives? I think my biggest fear is that I will be bored out of my mind - I really like my job and it is extremely challenging. I am so confused! TIA...

JMarie
EDD 2/23/03
Aidan Christopher

[gour0]

That's a difficult decision! If you start your leave now, will that shorten the amount of time you have after the birth? How does Dh feel about this? I quit my job, but it wasn't wonderful. I get bored sometimes, but not too bad. Have you finished all your baby prep? :) That could keep you busy. Here's a link that discussed this.


http://www.windsorpeak.com/dcforum/DCForumID30/205.html

[C99]

Do you have something to do? Friends with babies? Friends or family who stay at home? Someone to hang out with during the day?

Only you can answer whether the inconveniences of work are no longer worth it and if you want to sit it out a few weeks early.

I didn't work during the easiest part of my pregnancy -- the second trimester -- and I was bored out of my gourd for the most part. Since I wasn't so close to my due date, I wasn't doing nursery stuff so much and my movements certainly weren't as limited as they are now. I went shopping and out to lunch a lot, which my husband wasn't so happy about because I spent so much money. But even so, I was bored.

My office has all of the inconveniences you mention, but it's not that horrible for me to walk an extra 20 feet at this point. I take lots of little breaks. I'm looking forward to the time when my contract ends (= my EDD) and I can hang out with my friends w/ babies, etc., again, but for now, I'm glad that I have some structure in my days and weeks.

HTH
Caroline

[Rachels]

I really wish I had stopped work early. I don't think I got the rest I needed in the weeks leading up to the birth. My hunch would be to listen to your body if it's telling you that working is too much of a strain. Definitely check out what it means for your return, though. You won't want to leave that baby before you absolutly have to.

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

[JMarie]

My leave will coincide with FMLA, so if I'm gone 12 weeks, I won't have the option of FMLA for another year if I need it. My leave is paid at 100% since I've been there over a year, so I'm not concerned about losing money with the transition. I also have to use 5 days of personal/sick/vacation time for the first five days, but I accumulated that last year, so I won't be losing any of that time either. I receive 6 weeks fully paid after a vaginal delivery, 8 weeks after a C-section, regardless of when I deliver. The nursery is completely ready - all the laundry is done, the crib is made, closet organized - and all I really need to do is clean the rest of the condo, which I never seem to have enough energy to finish. I don't want to be bored, but I also don't want to push myself to the point of complete exhaustion - our childbirth instructor kept saying over and over "Fatigue is your biggest enemy!" By the end of the day, all I want is sleep! I guess I'll have a nice long talk with my boss and OB's this next week...

JMarie
EDD 2/23/03
Aidan Christopher

[Karenn]

I said it before in the thread that gourO found for you, but I really liked working half days in the end. It kept me from getting bored, but let me stay rested. I agree with Rachel: you want to be as rested as you can before you give birth! At least as rested as you can without going crazy from boredom. :)

Karen
Colin 6/18/02

[egoldber]

Think about hiring someone to come in and clean the condo. That would also make a great gift if there's soemone you could hint to for that :) .

[Momof3Labs]

Well, I planned to take the last two weeks of my pregnancy as leave (so I could catch up on my sleep and assorted household projects), and Colin decided that he would have none of that. I spent my last (planned) day of work in labor...

That said, I'm glad that I didn't end up taking two weeks before he came. The time is much more precious once baby has arrived, and they start to do sooo much fun stuff around 12 weeks!

Lori & Colin 9/28/02

[bnme]

I went out 2 weeks early and DS was born almost 2 weeks late. That means technically, according to my company’s policy which coincides with FLMA, that I only have 8 weeks left. I plan on asking my somewhat-unreasonable boss for 4 additional weeks of personal leave (unpaid) next week, which according to HR is available to me "at her discretion". In all fairness to her, she most likely will allow it and I am flexible enough to be willing to bargain )help out from home, come in one or two days a week).

I agonized over this decision because of the way the policy was and because I knew I wanted the maximum time home afterward. For some reason I thought I was going to be early and that it would work out in my favor (HAH).

That being said, I really needed to go out at 38 weeks anyway. My 2 hour train/subway/walking commute was too much and I really needed the extra rest (not getting up at 4:30 am). My last week there I even arranged to leave a little early so I could get some more rest. Maybe I should consider myself lucky for getting two extra weeks to rest since I am not getting any sleep now!! (My boss says it is a shame I "wasted those 2 extra weeks --she has a way with words, doesn't she)

Try and negotiate what you can before hand so you don't have to stress about it later.

Good luck!!