When to start winding down at work?

[Newmummytobe79]

Hiya

When did you or when do you plan to?

And what do you consider as winding down? Less hours/less workload etc?

Thanks x

I went on until 2 weeks before due date, no wind down at all, except that I was no longer flying which reduced travel at 6 months. DD came 9 days early so I didn't get much time off before she arrived. I'm that type though, would have gone mad doing nothing at home and unlikely to have cleaned lots! Also lived in foreign country then and only got 4 months maternity leave so wanted to spend as much as possible with the new baby. I don't regret not winding down at all but pregnancy was easy (doesn't seem to be quite so easy second time around).

I was due at work the day DS2 was born because he was 10 days early. I worked until 7.00 that evening and just felt uncomfortable. However it was the start of labour.

With DS1 I fnished on a Friday because the building I was working in was closing down and he was born 8 days later excatly onhis due date.

I worked until 36 weeks the first two times (babies born at 41 and 39 weeks). This time I've worked until 38 weeks with no wind-down, and it has been difficult. Am now 38 +1 and on my first day of actual time off (so doing laundry and cleaning...). For me, 36 weeks was more realistic as I am big, heavy and very, very tired by 37/38 weeks.

i went off two weeks before due date and DS was 6 days early. I didn't want a lot of time off to mope about though - it was also the height of summer so more comfortable to be in air conditioned work than in my stifling flat of the time.
some women at my work since have started working from home in the lead up to going on maternity, though i was a soldier and worked crazy long hours until the end!

Hi NewMummytobe79,

I am about to sound like a wuss compared to most of the above posters, but my plan is to work less hours from 33 weeks, and to finish altogether at 36 weeks.

This is because I am the only person who does my job in my place of work, and unless I am physically away from the building and off the calendar for appointments they would have me working flat including evenings with a lot of driving right until the last minute.

Also, I have been getting anxious through the 2nd trimester and we still have a lot of sorting out to do at home to make space for the baby. We'd hoped to have moved house, but it hasn't happened.

I had planned on just finishing at 36 weeks, but after talking it through with my midwife we both concluded that in order to have the nice relaxed homebirth I would like, I need to properly wind down...

I am finishing in 2 weeks at 34 weeks which sounds mad! But I have 4 weeks annual leave to take so only actually "start" ML 2 weeks early. Currently commuting 2 hours each way though and have a busy job which coupled with SPD has made for a miserable few months. Leave home at 06.30 and get home around 20.00 most nights. Starting to feel exhausted now so can't wait for some proper time off before DC2 arrives (plus having our kitchen redone and spending some quality time with DD1). Plus it's summer so have to make the most of it!
But think only you know how you feel as everyone's circumstances are different. I've been working from home one day a week since I went back from last maternity leave and have considered upping to 2 days, but there's just not been the opportunity and now it's not worth it. But my cover starts tomorrow so starting to wind down now as I can hand most things over (I hope!).
Last time I finished a month early (again annual leave) and DD1 came 5 days early but spent most of the week before up and down to hospital for extra monitoring due to IUGR. Also lived closer to work then so was easier.

Gosh minicorrect if you leave at 6:30 every day and dont get home till gone 8pm when do you see DC1 ??

Well I'm 34 weeks and in still going lol. I have an hours communte there and back and until this morning I was handling it fine but I felt really sick and dizzy this morning and still do if I am honest. I didnt sleep very well though last night so am hoping an early night will put that right tonight.

I suppose I am lucky in that I am an NHS manager so mainly sit infront of a p.c all day and its not too bad physically. The work load is ridiculous though and I am looking forward to taking a break !

I am leaving at 37 weeks as to be honest I am only having nine months off so want most of that to be with my baby rather then just sitting about.

I'm 29+6 today, and I've just started my handover to my management team today, who'll be running my shop when I go on my mat leave in 6 weeks, at 36 weeks. Which means my deputy manager's doing my job, my floor managers are doing the deputy's job, and the senior staff have to step up and do more between them. I'm here for training and advice for the next 6 weeks (although there's no way my control freakery is going to allow me to do that!!)
I'm going to start leaving work a little bit earlier to miss rush hour in a couple of week's time as well, although I'm in work at 8am every morning and only contracted from 9am, so I'll actually just be doing the time I should and not the crazy 70 hour weeks that have been known in the past...

i am 36 weeks now and started working from home this week and next week. so i will stop work on the 14th of june and i am having my c-section on 27th of June. I had a 1 hour commute each way prior to working from home and my boss asked me to stop coming in as he didn't want me to break waters in train/tube etc. also, my work entailed me to be in the office by 7am, which meant i had to get up at 5.30 am everyday. by working from home, i can just log on by 645 am. it does make a difference.
this is no. 3. With the first 2, i stopped at about 37 weeks too.

I don't have the option of 'winding down' and have a very heavy workload, but am starting maternity leave at the end of this week. I'll be 36 weeks. I know the current trend is to keep working up to the very last minute, but I'm tired and uncomfortable and want some time doing nothing before the baby arrives. The way I look at it, I've worked flat out for 15 years and I deserve a little break before the chaos begins!

I went off at 36 weeks last time but saved my leave so I had a week off in both of my final two months at work.
This time I'm finishing at 34 weeks; my job isn't the nicest and I deal with a lot of aggressive and problematic clients with not much support tbh so I could do without the added stress of it all at the end of my pregnancy! Five weeks left, I can't wait!

I worked until 36+5, with a planned CS at 38+1. I was enormous with twins and had a two hour each way commute. Looking back, it seems daft, but to be honest I think I'd have just wallowed around at home.

It is so personal to your work, your character, your personal circumstances and how your pregnancy pans out.

I would advise planning to leave as late as possible. It is easy to leave earlier if you find it tough, but hard from an HR point of view to leave later than notified.

Hi, I'm stopping earlier than I'd originally planned - at 34 weeks but that's because DH is going away on a 2 wk business trip and just the thought of doing all the nursery drop offs and pick ups plus commuting plus work made me feel tired! I'm taking a year off plus I have lots of leave so I'm starting mat leave at nearly 38 wks. Think I stopped at 37 wks with DD who was born 2 days after her due date. I think the decision about when to stop has to be a personal one based on your job, commute and how much you need to get done before the baby's born. I'm looking forward to spending some time with DD, sorting out the house and garden and stocking the freezer but I know other people would find all that v dull and prefer to work longer.

I'm 28 weeks and have just cut my days to 3 per week - my commute is a 3 hour round trip which completely wears me out. Am just taking lots of annual leave and then officially finish at 34 weeks. Sounds early compared to lots of others but I'm totally shattered and not sleeping well which is making me very dizzy / nauseous on my work days.
Given my commute, i'll be well ready to give it up by 34 weeks!

Those of you who commute, do you drive or public transport? I'm asking because im concerned that ill have to give up driving early, and start working from home. There is only about 3 inches between my stomach and the steering wheel (im 15 weeks), and im thinking when there is a bump there, I wont fit in! I cant put the chair back because I am too petite! Does this really happen to people, or does it all work out?

Nell799 - does your steering wheel adjust up and down, I know mine on a Polo does and have seen it on other cars.

Stopping Friday, a shorter day than usual. Only do a day and a half per week so have gone on til 38 weeks and no wind down to speak of. Hoping to have a week or two to make use of no ds on Friday and no work either but you know how these things go!

My plan was work work work as much as possible as late as possible to get as much money as possible........

I have been working part time since 15 weeks (after the previous 9 were spent off ill with HG) and finishing 5 weeks before my due date.

In a way it has been good as like one of the other posters, I am the only person who knows how to do a lot of my job and so other people have had to learn and I have had to write lots down (even I am amazed at what I do!)

But then I am frustrated as there is so much more I wanted to do before I finish on 15th July and I just dont have the time because I am so wiped out! I want to work more, physically can't. Boo