Work commute/maternity

[Excited85]

I know it's early to be worrying about this, but I'm trying to work out what to say to work when I tell them about my little bump. Tbh I think it will go down like a lead balloon, pregnancy usually does there and that's when people work in teams not stand alone like moi. But that's besides the point. I drive an hour to work at 7 every morn and an hour home later with long working days. Most people at work have stayed up until due date and then had maximum 3 months off after birth, but dh doesn't want me doing the commute when 8 months. I imagine work will want to know my intentions when I tell them and don't know if it is silly to leave at 36 weeks solely because of working so far away from home.
Just wondering if anyone else has similar situation and of you started maternity early because of the commute? Thanks :-)

I have a long commute, and work long hours. I'm finishing at 34 weeks using annual leave, but officially start mat leave at 37 weeks. You don't need to give them your finish date till you are 25 weeks so plenty if time to see how your are.
I am struggling now tbh so counting down the weeks till I finish, but I didn't want to finish too early as only get 6 weeks full pay and sooner i finish the sooner I have to go back! Is there any option to work from home, or work shorter hours?

"DH doesn't want me doing the commute when 8 months".]

How do you feel about it?

The maternity/paternity rules for my work are currently being rewritten to say that they will do their best to allow pregnant women to work from home in the last few weeks of pregnancy (if the job is one that can be done remotely) so that they can still get work done but don't have to commute. Is this a possibility for the kind of work that you do?

I have a 66 mile round trip to work and back daily ontop of shifts 7:30-10 at night, and never really found computing a problem apart from the time at night when finishing at 10 so my shift was amended to 12-8 to help, you will not know how your pregnancy will be for you until later so I'd leave it for now and see how you get on, I had a lovely pregnancy and never struggled you may be the same or end up with back pain that makes it impossible you just have to wait and see and doctors will sign you down for less hours etc if you need it, I stoped at 35wks ish due to so much leave I had to take but think its nice to finish at 37wks latest really as its nice to get prepared and not work till you drop, don't worry about other people, this is your pregnancy, finish when it suits you and if you want a year off have it, you will not get the opportunity again and it all gets forgotten when your back at work, most people find something to grumble about

Thank you, i didn't realise you have till 25 weeks to work it all out. I could do my job from home which would be preferable as don't get much annual leave - might have 10 days max I can use. I wasn't even thinking about the commute until dh said he wouldn't want me doing it. As he's pointed out, he wouldn't want me going into labour 50 miles away from home, family and friends which is a very good point. Hopefully they will allow me to be flexible. As for when I return that would be a whole other story!!! Thanks

I'm 26 weeks and have a car with a temp job that I'm doing. I am finding that the pain of sitting in the car for 45 minutes is nearly having me in tears - I had to stop for tea at my sister's to walk around. I don't seem to be able to find a position that relieves my back when it is bad. I won't be taking another job with driving , although it is nice not having to rely on trains. I am also finding the normal commuter train seats as bad, although the fold up ones by the bike space are ok.

I had a 40 min commute each way before DS1 was born. I worked past my due date up until the day before my induction at 41 weeks. Up until 36 weeks I worked a rotating shift schedule covering 8 hours from 6-2, 2-10, and 10-6. I think as long as there aren't any complications from the pregnancy, it's fine to work until close to the due date. I wasn't personally worried about it and to be honest, would have been better off had I gone into labor at work rather than at home since there was a fire station across the street with medical personnel available 24 hours a day. My goal was to save as much vacation for after the birth so I was really hesitant to take any days beforehand.

I think its probably a bit hard to know exactly how pregnancy will affect you personally - my second trimester has been a much better experience than the first trimester.
Since 24 weeks I've been making sure I have my notes with me in the car. I actually quite enjoy my car journey - can pat my bump and sing to it and its when I often get movements. That said my bump is now starting to grow so am not sure at what point the seating position may feel uncomfortable.
My contract finishes at 30 weeks so I've decided to stop then. A combination of the fact that its a very demanding job with lots of travel and the fact that I am so tired in the evening and weekends means I want the time to relax and prepare our home for the baby. I'd probably have gone longer if I was in FT work, but even so I think i would have aimed to stop at about 34 weeks at least - but I recognise that for some people finances might take away that option.
Try not to make too many definite plans and hold off decisions till as late as possible if you can

I commute 3 hours a day and taking leave at 34 weeks because of it. Main grip is how often I have to pee

I do total of 3.5 hrs of daily commute on public transport (bus-train-bus plus a bit of a walk), but work from home at least 2 days a week. I'm finishing at 37 wks. Currently 36 wks and very glad I'm finishing next week. In general I feel great, but at the end of three days in a row commuting I'm exhausted and my (usually relatively mild) spd/pgp is really acting up. If I'd had to go into work 5 days a week I prob would have had to have stopped a few weeks ago...

But, everyone is different. Some people are exhausted/ in agony from 2nd trimester, some people are full of beans up until the moment they drop. Hard to predict, but I'd err on side of caution. I was originally planning to work up until due date until a wise lady from HR and a friend talked me out of it.