to think it's perfectly OK to work until 39+3?

[MickeyTheShortOne]

I am due November the 8th. I am working until November 4th- would have worked until my due date but my company ask that you start your maternity leave on a Sunday..

If I'm being honest, work weren't fantastically supportive about the fact that I want to work for so long. This, I expected, as it means they have to look after me for longer, etc.
What I didn't expect was the reaction from the general public/my family/my friends. I constantly get comments like "Are you being stupid?", "Do you know how tired you will be?!", and "Oh how ridiculous, why on earth are you doing that? You should take it easy."

Am I being completely unreasonable to think that actually, its really OK to work for this long? And to be really, really pissed off that people feel the need to constantly remind me how ridiculous they think I am being?
I have a very low-risk pregnancy, (Although have been suffering with SPD, but its manageable), I have a fairly non-challenging job, and i'm not putting the baby at risk for being there so long. I understand that some people are keen to go on maternity leave as early as possible, and obviously some people's jobs might put their health/baby at risk, and some people don't have a choice. My reasoning behind it is that I would just like to remain as active as possible. Because I know if I stop work, I'll sit down at home and not do anything.

Sorry, mini-rant, its like all the bump comments I get too. If I hear one more person comment on how huge I am, I may just sit on them!

I was 39+2 with PFB DS, and 40+2 with DD. Both days I was fully intending to go to work. It depends on you, your health, your commute to work, just you, basically! I took things much more easily in the last few weeks of work, and may have napped a few times at my desk.

Taking a few weeks before your due date gives you a chance to tune into your baby's movements. If your job is hectic, and noboby here can judge that you may miss vital signs such as reduced fetal movement. Also if it is your first baby you will look back in wonder at a period of enforced rest.

I worked until 40+3 with my first. Then spent 2 weeks at home bored stiff. The only fun was the look of panic when I turned up at swimming pool each morning.

With my second I had an elective at 39+3 so I worked until 39 weeks and had 2 days off to wash baby clothes and pack that bag.

6 weeks on 90% pay ? I added on 2 weeks holiday and 6 weeks on statutory to make a decent maternity leave before going back.

Do what you want to do ! You're very organised to have worked out when your last day is already.

With my first, I worked until 38 weeks and then DS didn't come around until 43 (was induced around 42+4). I felt fine until I went into hospital. I have friends who haven't had comfortable pregnancies though and taken off months before baby was due. Just do what you are comfortable with, and (correct me if I'm wrong) but presumably you are able to change your mind closer to the date (or use holiday then?)

I worked until a week after my due date. Sitting down, office job, not much pressure. I wanted all my maternity leave for when the baby came. Do what feels rights for you.

I worked up to 39 weeks with both of mine. With my first I was induced in the afternoon after I finished work when I went for a check up. It was a very long labour and the next day they let me out to go for a walk to try and speed things up. I went to see my friend at work as she had some cd's for me, she worked in an office and a few of her colleagues were quite worried that I was going to give birth on the office floor.

"feels right" I mean. Bad typing.

I worked until two days before I went into labour (39+4?) but I was working from home for the last 3 - 4 weeks which possibly made it easier.

I think it's fine to work for as long as you want to - as long as you are able to do your job properly. I don't think it's appropriate to take it easy at work. If you really need to take it easy (or are napping at your desk) then perhaps you should be on maternity leave.

Fine to plan it. I intended to work to 39 but baby arrived earlier. Looking back I wish I had taken a bit of time off to do baby shopping. He ended up with 2nd hand baby-gros which made me cry. I went back when he was 6 weeks old poor mite. For my second I worked till 36 weeks and we planned for me to take time off into my half pay maternity leave so I took longer off both sides and it was much much nicer and better for me and for the babies. It was also better for DH to realise we needed supporting and I couldn't do it all.

yes its perfectly fine - if you feel good then thats brilliant! I personally couldnt wait to leave work and start my mat leave. I had a whole month of annual leave to use up and so I was able to get plenty of rest before my DS arrived.

Good on you I say!

Yes, I worked until the end. My dd came on her due date and I remember calling in to work saying I wasn't coming in that day as I had food poisoning because i had an upset tummy and cramps - they laughed at me! It was so obvious I was in labour, I think i was in denial

If you feel good and your employer is happy, why not?

I worked until 40 + 4 with no. 1 and had one day off before my planned section with no. 2 - I live in a place with minimal maternity leave, and have an office job.

The job did get a little quieter towards the end as I wasnKt taking on new preojects - but with no. 1 I had very fierce 'nesting' urges, even in the office where the baby wasn't going to be, and so spent every spare minute clambering around organisng files, dusting shelves etc :)

But everyone is different.

Just use the next four weeks to spoil yourself in anyway possible. You will literally never have this time again, just you and little one to consider. To keep myself busy I tried to book something in for as many days as possible. Lunch with various friends (even if it meant meeting in their lunch break), hair dressers and even the dentist . Be rested and be prepared. Enjoy yourself.

YANBU. I finished work at 34 weeks and was bored out of my brain, wishing I was back in the office, until I gave birth.

Which incidentally, was at 39+3, so tbh I'm glad I wasn't actually working up until then (even though I did give birth on a Sunday so wouldn't have actually been at the office that day).

I should add that I'm a measly shop supervisor- so I don't have alot of responsibilities as such... employer is quite happy for me to do sitting down jobs although it means they can't sit on their arses and do nothing basically its not really going to affect them when I finally do leave. Don't know wether I should be upset by this, lol!

Well, I think there would be two things I'd say, based on my experience.

DD dranatically reduced her movement in the last couple of weeks, to the extent that I was sent for an emergency scan as they were worried.
First of all, you just need to be aware of the bump and not distracted by work.
The second part, following on from that, is that can you changeplans last minute ifyou have to? I ended up in hospital every second morning having the baby monitored because of the movement issues (turned out the placenta was failing so they wanted to keep a reallyclose eye on her!). Would you be able to alter things last-minute if need be?

Other than that, do what feels right, I guess. I loved those last couple of weeks of time to myself without having to work - it has been nearly three years before having any more time to myself, just to hang around the house, read, watch a film when i want, or even just have a peaceful wee, etc etc without being interrupted. Bliss!

Hey Mickey, your due date is the same as mine

I gave up childminding at 30 weeks because lifting the little ones was exhausting me, and I because have loads of DIY jobs I want to do around the house before baby is born. Now I'm feeling great (mostly), and spending my time painting shelves and skirting boards. Everyone is different, but I know that I could be at work if I needed to be.

Work if you want to - I am jealous that you have the kind of job where you can! But take your hospital bag with you, and make sure you get plenty of rest. I know from previous experience that during the last few weeks you get much more knackered quite quickly.

Good luck for November

YANBU. I started my maternity leave at 40+3 weeks because, like you OP, my employer wanted to start it on a Sunday. Basically I wanted as much time after the baby was born as possible as I could only afford to take 5 months off. As it happened DS wasn't born until 42+3 so I ended up with two weeks at home drinking vast amounts of raspberry tea and rearranging my hospital bag every hour just for something to do!

Do what you feel is right for you, after all only you can tell how you are feeling. Best of luck

YANBU

i worked until 38 weeks then ds was 2 weeks late so 4 very boring long weeks

but i was getting very tired i travelled 2ish hours a day and that is what tired me out i woudl have happily worked at home which i could have done for much of my work but they had already replaced me had a temp covering for me

I went on maternity at 38 weeks, she was born 2 days later. My theory was that I didn't want to finish too early as I could go over by 2 weeks. 38 weeks seemed a good time to stop. I do wish I'd finished earlier though!

Yanbu if that's what you want to do though.

I saved some holiday and two weeks from 36+2, DS1 turned up at 38+1 so they had to give me one days holiday back. I made it 2 days into ML with DS2 (38+3) but again had used holiday before.

By around 36 weeks my pelvis was very sore (sacro-iliac joint problems) and the commute was a nightmare. I was glad to stop and spent some of my time filling up the freezer with meals which came in very handy afterwards.