It's my first post on mumsnet, just registered today though I have been "lurking" for a few weeks :)
I'm currently 29 weeks (29+2) pregnant with my first (v. excited), I am planning on working until the day before my due date (due on a Saturday, want to work till the Friday) so I'll be 39+6 on my last day - I want to do this because:
- Although I'm not planning on returning to work after the having baby the maternity pay is still important to help ease us into budgeting for being on one wage only. Also I get 6 weeks on 90% pay so if I'm off for say two weeks before my due date and babe is 2 weeks late then I will only have 2 weeks pay left! (*I know I'll continue to get the statutory payment for a few months after this)
- I'm a worrier. Big time. Always have been. If I have a couple of weeks off before the birth I don't think I'll be able to relax, I'll just be stressing about the birth and worrying if everything is ok - I can imagine myself doing kick-counts every half hour, that sort of thing.
- It's the end of August, so much as I'd love two weeks off in the sunshine it will probably rain, so why bother? :)
- I've had a pretty easy pregnancy so far - touch wood. Fairly nasty morning sickness for the first 20 weeks which did make work hard but haven't yet had to take any time off. Morning sickness gone now and the last couple of months have really enjoyed being pregnant - but I know it's going to start getting harder!
So tell me - am I crazy? How much time did you have off?