how much maternity leave did you have pre baby?

[AnnieW625]

Just curious. With DD I was suppose to have 2 full weeks, but she was born 4 days later (I was already 4 cm dialated) so now for this one I am debating about how much time I should take off. If I do the full 4 weeks I am entitled to then the baby is early (no indication yet if that will be the case) I will have had at least 2 weeks off. If I do 3 weeks then I'll have at least a week. If I only do 2 then I am afraid I am not going to have anytime or should I just plan on that in case the baby is up to 2 weeks late. WWYD, and what did you do?

I have been working pretty much since four days after I graduated from college and part of the reason I only did 2 weeks last time was that my dr. said in most cases the working moms he took off work at 4 weeks (what can be given by a dr. for non bed rest patients in CA pre delivery and what I can qualify for wage wise pre delivery) would only last a few days before wanting to go back to work. I personally think that with 4 weeks I might get a little bored, but I'll get paid for 10 or so days at my full pay and then I'll get SDI until the dr. releases me back to work so I might as well take advantage of the benefit, kwim? I am also looking forward to a little me time, but just curious what I'll actually do with myself beside maybe a few trips to the mall or LA or maybe finally catch up with my cousin whose due a week after me.

I voted other for the 4 days I did have.

My entire maternity leave including pre baby ran for 16 weeks as I used 7 weeks of sick leave, and then a combo of 8 weeks of vacation and unpaid leave. This time it will be about the same amount of time I think, maybe a few weeks less.

[bubbaray]

52 weeks, 12 months, 1 year, however you want to count.... I was bored, but was bored after the first week.

[doberbrat]

assuming you mean before baby? None w/either child. worked the day before even though my dr wanted me out earlier b/c fmla only covers 12w and I didnt want to waste any of it.

[o_mom]

Are you talking before or after the baby?

One month before due date, then 6 weeks after the baby was born was the paid leave. If you were early, you lost some of the pre-leave, but you still got the full 6 wks after. If you were late you got extra on the front end and the full 6 wks after.

I was more than happy to be out a month ahead. The lack of sleep, sciatic nerve pain and weekly Dr. visits were not making me very productive anyway.

[bubbaray]

Oh, if OP wants pre-birth leave, with DD#1 I was off on bedrest for over 6w prior to the birth. With DD#2, I worked my last day on a Friday, had a scheduled c/s on Wednesday of the following week, so off work 2 days prior.

[arivecchi]

12 weeks both times - I worked from home as my due date approached as I did not want to take a single day before the DC arrived.

ETA: Misread your question so voted incorrectly. I was not allowed to take leave before the babies were born. I did work from home but used no vacation time or personal time pre-baby.

[caleymama]

I took no time before she was born. Worked through Friday, had contractions on and off all weekend and DD1 was born Monday night. I was then home with her for 9 weeks. I had scheduled 8 (2 of vacation + 6 of short term disability, I think) but ended up adding another because I was SO not ready to go back. I cried so often at the prospect of going back to work. I ended up quitting to stay home full time when she was 7 months old and therefore was not working when DD2 was born.

[vonfirmath]

Um. I've never heard of taking maternity leave before the baby was born unless it was for medical reasons.

Maternity leave is after the baby is born.

I went to the doctor for a doctor's appointment after work one day (Wednesday--was planning to get some stuff done that weekend in prep for me being gone a few weeks with the baby) and they told me "You are having this baby tomorrow"

I was induced on THursday adn the baby was born Friday morning just as everyone was arriving for work.

[pinkmomagain]

I assumed you meant before giving birth, so I voted zero. I worked when I was pregnant for my first two up until I gave birth.

[PearlsMom]

Before baby? My maternity leave starts the day I give birth; if I want any time off beforehand, I have to take vacation. Not sure if I'll take advantage; I guess it will depend on how I feel. Right about now working half days would be heaven (afternoons are so hard!) but not an option...

[MamaSnoo]

DD came at 37 weeks on a Sunday. I worked the Friday before, and had planned to be at work on Monday, but did not make it (obviously). DH had to go drop off some paperwork for me that I had taken home to work on over the weekend!

[gordo]

I didn't take anytime off before DD1 was born. She was 4 days late and I worked up until the day I had her. With DD2 I technically had time off, but only because she was a planned c-section on June 20 and I work in a school and was done on June 10.

[scrooks]

None before with DD. I was working full time and our state doesn't have the laws Cali seems to have. With DS I was working part time anyway and our daycare provider had to go on bedrest (she was due within days of me)so I stopped working 3 weeks early. I used vacation time. My true maternity leave didn't start until after DS was born. Then I had 8 weeks paid because of my csection (same with DD) and the remaining time I took using vacation (or I could have taken it unpaid).

I officially went back to work 12 weeks after DD and 14 weeks after DS. I am now working even fewer hours (16 a week) so any future children I won't get any paid leave.

[wellyes]

I'm not sure I understand the question. I voted none but I thought you mean before going into labor. If you meant after - 12 weeks, 6 paid & 6 unpaid, the max amt allowed by FMLA.


I personally think that with 4 weeks I might get a little bored, but I'll get paid for 10 or so days at my full pay and then I'll get SDI until the dr. releases me back to work so I might as well take advantage of the benefit, kwim?

How long is your SDI? For me it was 6 weeks - I think that's pretty standard. If you're only taking disability, not unpaid time, I'd MUCH rather have those 10 days at home after the baby is born if that's an option.

[LMPC]

I was supposed to have 3 weeks (my choosing, not a policy of my job)...but DD decided she was ready about 1 week after I stopped working.

[citymama]

I didn't plan on taking any time either time. DD1 was 12 days late, so I ended up taking the last week off before her birth since I could barely concentrate on work and everyone expected me to be gone already! With DD2, I am planning to work till early May (due date is May 7). It is nice to have a few days off before-hand but I don't want to start running down maternity leave. I'll definitely work all through April unless forces conspire otherwise!

[SnuggleBuggles]

Not a WOHM but since both of my boys came at 41+ weeks I would have hated to burn leave prior to the birth only to have sat around for so, so long waiting. I volunteered all the way up till the day ds2 came.

Beth

[WatchingThemGrow]

I took 4 days off, so I marked a week. It felt CRAZY to be off work for those days.

[ged]

I took the full 4 weeks before my due date and loved it!!! I wasn't bored. I was happy to not have to go to work every day and could have some down time before baby arrived.

[jgenie]

DS1 arrived at 35 weeks - my water broke at work and everyone was in a big meeting at work so I drove myself to the doctor and she sent me to the hospital which is attached to the building my OB's office is in. DS was born that evening. If you're entitled to the time and will lose it if you don't take it - I would use it to get simple things done at home... addressing birth announcement envelopes, organizing paperwork in the office, shredding old papers from the file cabinets, organizing pics and such. You can do most of that while watching TV and relaxing.

[MoJo]

I worked until my water broke, so I voted 0. I worked Monday, fully expected to work Tuesday, but my water broke overnight; DD wasn't born 'til Wednesday afternoon because I didn't actually go into labor on my own when the water broke. (DD was due that Thursday).

I would have liked a little time to clean house etc (we didn't actually have the nursery put together, because we planned for DD to sleep in our room at first), especially if I had known how long and hard my recovery was going to be, but work-wise and financially, it was better to save those vacation days for after she was born, and my job isn't too hard to do even in the final days of pregnancy.

I did take the full 12 weeks after she was born: part vacation and sick time, part short-term disability, part without pay, before returning to work, and I needed that. I tried to help out just a little in the meantime, but I wasn't up to it mentally or physically!

This time, I plan to work all the way up to the birth as well, if all goes well. I'm only part time now, so I don't get vacation, sick time or short-term disability. Therefore, I'm hoping to be ready to go back sooner than the 12 weeks (but just a few hours a day) this time, assuming I can work out childcare.

[KpbS]

I worked right up until DS1 was born. I left early that Friday afternoon and my water broke Sat. night. He was born right on time. You always hear that first time moms are going to go late and if I would have known he was coming on his due date, I probably would have taken 1-2 days vacation before.

[Gena]

None before the birth. I worked 8 days past my due date. On the 9th day I had tests done and it was determined that I needed to be induced that evening. DS was born 10 days overdue. I took 13 weeks off after he was born.

The really nice thing about working past my due date was that I didn't get invited to meetings anymore. My (all male) co-workers were terrified by the idea that I might go into labor in the conference room.

[noodle]

I was on bedrest after 28 weeks and worked from bed (thank you, internet) until DC1 was born at 35 weeks.
I went back to work part time (and took the baby with me) at 6 weeks pp. Looking back, I was insane.

[Andi98989]

I worked on Monday and had a doctor's appointment that afternoon; my doctor scheduled my induction for Tuesday night. I worked late Monday night and took Tuesday off as a vacation day to catch up on things around the house, get my hair cut, etc... DS was born on Wednesday. After he was born, I took 12 weeks of maternity leave - 8 weeks was under our short term disability policy (I had a c-section) and the next 4 was under FMLA and was unpaid.

[wendibird22]

[QUOTE=o_mom;2673821
One month before due date, then 6 weeks after the baby was born was the paid leave. If you were early, you lost some of the pre-leave, but you still got the full 6 wks after. If you were late you got extra on the front end and the full 6 wks after.
[/QUOTE]
This s what I was allowed. For DD1 I was already on summer break for 7wks before she was born. For DD2 I had planned on working until 1wk before my due date but had her 1 week early so I worked the day before I went into labor.

[AnnieW625]

Great thanks for all of the input. I guess I got lucky last time because I had oodles of sick leave (carried over around 500 hrs. that I had been banking in the 6 yrs. I had been receiving the benefit) This time I do have to use SDI (because I don't have 6 weeks of sick leave; due to DD's speech therapy, and my D&E sx., and leave from last spring) and just re read my manuals and decided that it won't make much sense for me to take more than a week or two because when I am receiving SDI benefits I won't get any type of retirement or service credit, so 6 weeks will be fine as far as SDI benefits go for me. So idealy it does make the most sense for me to work as long as possible because then I won't have to pay back additional money into my retirement plan and I won't lose any additional service months/vacation accural (except for those 6 weeks I am off and the retirement buy back won't cost much). I have a pretty laid back job too that doesn't require a lot of stress so I can see myself working up until at least two weeks before my due date.

Thanks to all for sharing because this really did help me out!

[ett]

I worked right up until DS1 was born. He was born early Tuesday morning. I worked until the previous Friday. On Monday, I was having contractions already so I called in to say that I would not be going in to work.

[Momof3Labs]

DS1: Planned 2 weeks, went into labor on my last day of work

DS2: Called in sick on a Wednesday because I felt like crap. He was born on Thursday.

DDs: My last day of work was a Thursday (my last scheduled day since I don't work Fridays) and they were born on Monday.

For me, any time taken before the birth reduces the amount of time that I would have at home after the birth. I'd much rather have the time at home with the baby/babies, so I pretty much worked up until the birth for my last two pregnancies.

[slworld]

In my company, you are eligible to take off 2 weeks before due date (covered under short term disability). You do need a doctor's note but I don't think any doctor would refuse. But DS was born at 41weeks so I almost have a month before. But I was not bored. My mom was here & I got to spend time with her & just relax.

[elektra]

No time with DD.
I did plan a week off before DS, but I had a feeling he would be a bit early so I only ended up getting 1 day off.

[jenfromnj]

I worked until the Friday before DS was born, and was getting ready for work on the following Monday morning but ended up at the hospital instead of the office. I wish I'd taken at least a few days, but my OB was not one to write patients out without a good reason, and since I was generally OK, it was a no go. She did offer to write me a note to limit my work hours, since I was working 8am til 9-10pm at 39 weeks PG (my office was a bit, ahem, unsupportive of my PG), but I turned her down since I know my office would have just laughed.

[catroddick]

None for me! Went into labor in the very chair I am sitting in now.....
Started labor at 11:30am on Wednesday, delivered her at 11:35am Thursday (13 months ago today!).

Oh, and there is just no way in heck I could have sat around waiting for her. Being at work was best, as it kept me busy. She was 6 days late, and I was impatient. I would have been climbing the walls. Since you already have your lovely DD, I could see where the down time would be nice. If I were to a have second, I would consider leaving early so I could spend some quality time with #1 before #2 arrived.

[GaPeach_in_Ca]

I'm also in CA. I work at a large company.

The way it works for us is that we have a seperate Pregnancy Leave and Bonding Leave.

For Pregnancy Leave, you are paid under short term disability, up to 13 weeks. The standard is that you are written out by your doctor 4 weeks before your due date. With a vaginal delivery, you get 6 weeks after the baby is born. Our STD is pretty high and it's tax-free, so it's equivalent to full pay.

This is completely seperate from Bonding Leave, which is where you use the 12 weeks of FMLA. This is unpaid for us, excpet for the CA-PFL for 6 weeks, which runs concurrent.

I took the full 4 weeks before the due date both times. I really can't understand why people at my company wouldn't as it really doesn't count against your time after the baby is born and it's basically full pay.

My first son was 1 week late, so I had 5 weeks before he was born + 6 weeks after + 12 weeks FMLA, so I was off for 23 weeks total, with 18 of those after he was born.

My second son was born ON his due date, so 4 weeks before + the 18 weeks after.

I wasn't bored at all either time. It was great! :D

[KathyN115]

Wow, you CA moms are lucky! If I had taken any time off before DD was born, it would be subtracted from my 12 weeks of FMLA. I had not planned on taking any time off so I could have as much as possible after. I worked on Friday as usual, and DD was born on Sunday night. She was 2 weeks early.

[AnnieW625]

I'm also in CA. I work at a large company.

The way it works for us is that we have a seperate Pregnancy Leave and Bonding Leave.

For Pregnancy Leave, you are paid under short term disability, up to 13 weeks. The standard is that you are written out by your doctor 4 weeks before your due date. With a vaginal delivery, you get 6 weeks after the baby is born. Our STD is pretty high and it's tax-free, so it's equivalent to full pay.

This is completely seperate from Bonding Leave, which is where you use the 12 weeks of FMLA. This is unpaid for us, excpet for the CA-PFL for 6 weeks, which runs concurrent.

I took the full 4 weeks before the due date both times. I really can't understand why people at my company wouldn't as it really doesn't count against your time after the baby is born and it's basically full pay.

My first son was 1 week late, so I had 5 weeks before he was born + 6 weeks after + 12 weeks FMLA, so I was off for 23 weeks total, with 18 of those after he was born.

My second son was born ON his due date, so 4 weeks before + the 18 weeks after.

I wasn't bored at all either time. It was great! :D

Yeah I totally wish that SDI didn't count against my retirement service credit (long story as why that is soo important so I'll spare you the details) and vacation/sick leave accural because then yeah I'd most likely take as much time as possible, and yeah for me pre birth leave doesn't count against the time off after the birth of the baby either. When I posted that I just thought it was standard that pre birth wouldn't effect the total amount of time off one could take off for FMLA, but it looks like that isn't standard in every state.

[wencit]

I worked in CA while I was pregnant with DS1 and also took 4 weeks off before his due date. It was nice not to have to go in to work every day that heavily pregnant, but since he was my first baby and I was soooooo super duper anxious to meet him and be done with my pregnancy, I have to admit I was a little bored. There wasn't much I could do in my physical state -- sitting, standing, doing anything whatsoever was uncomfortable, so I pretty much watched a ton of "The People's Court" while overanalyzing every twitch and move. :D

With DS2, I was a SAHM, so maternity leave was moot.

[GaPeach_in_Ca]

Yeah I totally wish that SDI didn't count against my retirement service credit (long story as why that is soo important so I'll spare you the details) and vacation/sick leave accural because then yeah I'd most likely take as much time as possible, and yeah for me pre birth leave doesn't count against the time off after the birth of the baby either. When I posted that I just thought it was standard that pre birth wouldn't effect the total amount of time off one could take off for FMLA, but it looks like that isn't standard in every state.

Our company does a somewhat non-standard thing where we don't accrue vacation or sick leave, so I didn't have to factor that in.

For retirement, we do have some sort of pension, but I figured that for me it wasn't a big deal to miss an extra 4 weeks x 2 kids. I can see how it would be different depending on the rules.

[smiles33]

I really can't understand why people at my company wouldn't as it really doesn't count against your time after the baby is born and it's basically full pay.

I'm also in CA working for a large employer. While I would have taken 4 weeks off before birth (since I, too, saw it as a free paid vacation that would NOT be added on after the birth if I didn't use it), I had SO much going on at work that I felt guilty taking 4 weeks off. Thus, I took 2 weeks. Even with 2 weeks off, both girls were late so I was bored silly. I had pretty easy pregnancies so the only real complaint was waking up a lot to go to the bathroom and not being comfortable on my long commute (45 minutes in the car is a long time if you have to pee!).

[ncat]

DS was 6 days late. I worked until he was born.

[citymama]

I'm also in CA working for a large employer. While I would have taken 4 weeks off before birth (since I, too, saw it as a free paid vacation that would NOT be added on after the birth if I didn't use it), I had SO much going on at work that I felt guilty taking 4 weeks off. Thus, I took 2 weeks. Even with 2 weeks off, both girls were late so I was bored silly. I had pretty easy pregnancies so the only real complaint was waking up a lot to go to the bathroom and not being comfortable on my long commute (45 minutes in the car is a long time if you have to pee!).

Wait, how do you take off up to 4 weeks PAID leave before the birth in CA? Please tell!

As I was telling GAPeachinCA, my employer is east-coast based and I'm basically supposed to figure out CA policies if I want to avail of any. As far as I can tell, since my employer doesn't provide short-term disability insurance, the only paid benefit I have (outside a few vacation days) would be the CA Paid Family Leave. And I'm not sure when that kicks in. Is this right?

And Annie, you don't know how lucky you are to be able to accrue sick and vacation leave and then use it for maternity! Our annual sick leave clocks starts at the beginning of each year, and I rarely take any sick leave but can't accrue it. We have a cap on vaca leave accrual, so I think I have about 10 vaca days I can use towards maternity.

[AnnieW625]

Wait, how do you take off up to 4 weeks PAID leave before the birth in CA? Please tell!

As I was telling GAPeachinCA, my employer is east-coast based and I'm basically supposed to figure out CA policies if I want to avail of any. As far as I can tell, since my employer doesn't provide short-term disability insurance, the only paid benefit I have (outside a few vacation days) would be the CA Paid Family Leave. And I'm not sure when that kicks in. Is this right?

I believe that is true, did you ever call EDD? I think you might qualify for NDI, but again check with EDD. State of CA just started provided SDI in 2006 prior to that we had to use NDI for any non work related injury absence. I never had to use the benefit, but a friend did and she said it was really really low and almost not worth it.


And Annie, you don't know how lucky you are to be able to accrue sick and vacation leave and then use it for maternity! Our annual sick leave clocks starts at the beginning of each year, and I rarely take any sick leave but can't accrue it. We have a cap on vaca leave accrual, so I think I have about 10 vaca days I can use towards maternity.

Yes that is part of the reason I am still working for the state. I have always said I wanted to do something way more exciting than what I do now, but when I look at benefits like being able to roll over vacation and sick leave I feel very blessed. I also have a pension and in this economy I am very happy to have that. I actually finally logged into my HR program (that never seems to work) and I should have 18 days of sick leave, and then 20 days of vacation time so if all goes right and baby is either born on it's due date of late then I will only lose about a weeks worth of pay in July. I'll definitely work two more weeks if at all possibly just for that. That takes a HUGE weight off my shoulders!

[GaPeach_in_Ca]

Wait, how do you take off up to 4 weeks PAID leave before the birth in CA? Please tell!


It's part of short term disability.

http://www.edd.ca.gov/Disability/


California State Disability Insurance (SDI) is a partial wage-replacement insurance plan for California workers. The SDI programs are State-mandated, and funded through employee payroll deductions. SDI provides affordable, short-term benefits to eligible workers. Workers covered by SDI are covered by two programs: Disability Insurance and Paid Family Leave Insurance.


If you don't have SDI or a different STD (short term disability), you won't be eligible for PFL.

You can also deduct the fees you pay for SDI/STD on federal taxes since it is a mandatory fee.

My employer offers an alternate plan to the state SDI and we are paid at a higher rate than the 55% the state plan pays. It works out to about full pay since it's tax free.

[momtoonegirl]

With DD I had one month off before she was born. It was advised by my OB at the time because I could no longer physically perform my job, and my colleagues were agreeable. I had unused sick time/vacation that I had to use for this purpose.

This time for #2 I have taken off 1 week before my due date, and a total of 12 weeks time. I have saved 2 or 3 weeks of vacation just in case I need them beforehand should the baby arrive early or I am on bed rest, etc.

[galvjen]

My vote was "other"
DS # 1 - 2 days
DS # 2- 3 weeks
DS # 3 - 2 days

My plan for DS1 was to work up until my due date and I did. Induction was a weekend and a couple days later.

DS2 - took time off for home renovations, organizing, and special time with DS1.

DS3 - I was expecting a full 3-4 weeks based on previous late births & estimated due date/induction date discussions. DS3 had other plans and arrived on his own way before anybody anticipated!

[3blackcats]

One day, lol. My husband made me take Friday off from work because I was exhausted. DD was born on Sat.

I wanted as much time as I could after with the baby. Now, I had a flexible job which made a huge difference. Stressful, but flexible. At work they told everyone I was on leave before I actually left. This was great because the system was in place, while I was still around to answer questions.

[vludmilla]

I was off about 7 weeks prior to the birth and seven months post birth

[LD92599]

None. Left work at 5pm, in the hospital at midnight and DS was born at 10 the next morning after being induced; back at work doing a few things 5 days later.

This time around i'm sure the same, work til the very end, as i'd rather use my time afterwards, means a slightly older baby when it enters daycare.

I'm due 7/4 so i'm planning on a really nice pedicure n 7/3 if i haven't already gone (and i do.not. to go early) in. I want to be home as much of Sept as i can to transition my DS to 2nd grade AND getting a new born out of the house.

[Momof3Labs]

When I posted that I just thought it was standard that pre birth wouldn't effect the total amount of time off one could take off for FMLA, but it looks like that isn't standard in every state.

FMLA is a federal law, and mandates the minimum amount of time an employer must allow you to take related to the birth of a child (and other events). FMLA does not distinguish between pre-birth and post-birth. If you get put on bedrest and cannot work, that can be counted as part of your 12 weeks of FMLA. You can use disability time and/or sick leave and/or vacation time, but your employer is not required to allow you to take off more than 12 weeks including all paid and unpaid leave. Employers are free to offer more than the federal minimum, but cannot offer less (assuming the conditions are met).

[mommyp]

My last final exam of the semester was three weeks before my due date, but what with grading and getting organized to take a semester off, I ended up with less than a week after submitting my final grades. DD was also a few days early! However those two weeks were over Christmas/New Year's so I was taking it pretty easy and mostly working at home.

[pb&j]

Two days for DD, one for DS. I didn't want to eat into my FMLA prior to the births, or my disability/vacation/other paid leave. It all came out of the same pot for me, so I was getting 12 weeks total, regardless of when I started it. So I elected not to start it until the last minute.

[deborah_r]

1 week before DS1's due date, then he as late another 4 days, but I was induced for complications on the 3rd day after his due date. So I was only bored for 9 days, LOL

DS2, I think I worked right up until the end. Having trouble remembering but I know it was really close, like worked Friday and he was born Monday.

[goldenpig]

For the first pregnancy, I worked up until one week before my due date and went into labor on my due date. I went back part time at 3 months and full time at 5 months. For the second, I stopped 3 weeks prior to my due date but he was 5 days late, so 4 weeks. I mainly did it because you get up to 4 weeks pre-birth with SDI (and 6-8 weeks after), but if you don't use the pre-birth leave you lose it. They don't pay the first eight days though so if you wanted to get paid the full 4 weeks I guess you'd have to take 5 weeks off.

I didn't think I'd really need that much time, but by the time it came I was so glad. I was fatigued, anemic, had gotten bronchiolitis from my daughter (went to urgent care because I was wheezing so bad and couldn't breathe), and had been taking extra weeks of hospital call to make up for what I would miss on my maternity leave. So I was pooped! It was great to have some time to rest & recuperate before the baby came. I'm planning to take about 12-14 weeks off (6 weeks SDI + 6 weeks paid FMLA), plus maybe a couple of weeks of saved vacation, then go back full-time. I don't get any paid maternity leave through my work, but at least I will get some money from SDI and FMLA so that will help. I'm going to be really busy when I go back to work, so I want to take as much time as I can before then with the baby.

[mom2binsd]

Wanted to work up until....the hemorrhoids as big as my head prevented me from working the last 3 weeks!

[kijip]

None. With T, I was healthy and had lots of energy. I worked up until my water broke in the office, 6 days before I was due. He was born late the following day.

With F, it was a hard pregnancy. He was due 1/20/09 and I planned to be done with work about the 10th. I worked literally all day and into the night the 24th of December, was on midwife advised rest only the 25th and then went directly to the hospital from a check-up the morning of the 26th. We opted to schedule a c-section for the next day. Pre-e sucks.

[Sweetum]

CA here as well, and I took the full 4 weeks before the due date, and baby came in almost a week late, so that made it almost 5. My parents arrived, a week after I started my leave, so I didn't have a chance to get bored. And no, I wouldn't have been bored if I'd been by myself. Not that kinda girl :) I've mostly been a working gal (although I did have a year off before I quit my job and started grad school, and I got bored and almost went crazy and drove DH up the wall!!). So, I figured it would be fun to have the house to myself, watch TV endlessly or not, go out, do some afternoon malling, do some afternoon napping, do some baking, cooking, get ready for baby, do some random browsing, meet friends who aren't working, just sack out (which I know I wouldn't be able to do once the baby is here)...man! I can think of a hundred things to do...and I had/have a stressful job and work atmosphere, so it was better for me that way. Yes, I do get paid less, but I'm not totally unpaid, and fortunately for us DH brings in a decent sum, so I could "afford" it although for our kinda families (middle class earning bracket), it's always nice to stash some away for the future, but DH and I try to keep things in perspective and try not to make everything about money, and try to do things sometimes that end up going against our financial goal....that's just me and him, in our lazy, non-ambitious moods (in reality we're both quite driven, and work hard)...make sense?? And no, I don't think it's "wrong" to do that - that benefit is there for a reason, and if I'd like to use it, why not! And my responisbilities at work allowed me to do that, and I made sure in the last 2 months that everything was handed off well, and that they could function temporarily without me...and no, I didn't feel an insecurity regarding my job because I was confident about my need there. I came back 8 weeks after DS was born. Took another 6 weeks (Cal family leave) off when DS turned 5 mo to take care of him and spend some time with him. Phew.....

[hez]

Policy at my co. is that you go out two weeks before your due date, and then have 6 weeks after paid w/disability. So, nominal amount is 2 weeks of pre-baby leave. I ended up with 3 pre-birth for DS, because he was a week late. That was too long for me.

Post-birth, disability pays for 6 weeks no matter how much time you got before. You can take up to a year leave-- how much is unpaid depends on how much vacation you have left to tack on to the end of the 6 weeks.