Tips on how to get through the last 7 weeks at work before maternity leave starts

[Emberlina76]

Hey
Title says it all really.
I'm working full time with a long commute which includes a half hr walk every day. I'm 26+2 and have brought my mat leave forward to 34 weeks from 37 as I've now realised that London working, commuting and the pressure of the job I have along with low BP and SPD and being 37 isn't going to work. I've taken this week off work to be with DS for half term and it's probably the worst thing I could have done as I just do not want to go back now. I don't hate my job, I've worked full time for 20 years except for the 15 months that I took off to have DS and my mum dying at the same time (that was a lovely time as you can imagine ) - I don't dread going but now I am. I can't get my head round Monday at all. I know its only 7 weeks and that isn't long in the scheme of things but it feels like a lifetime. I'm exhausted. Truly done in. Following them calling me virtually every day this week even though I've been on leave about one crisis or another and now I have a pile of crap to go back to Monday, I've also had to agree to give up my desk for someone else and now have to hot desk for the next 7 weeks and drag my stuff around with me. I'm just over it.
I've taken this week off to be with DS for half term and its or

Ignore the last part of this message. Stupid phone. Also meant to say that I just need to grow a pair and get on with it, I know that, just have a total mental block over it.

Hiya, i felt the same the last weeks are the worst (well for me anyway) they dragged. I only had half hr drive each way but it was extremely tiring i also have suffered spd and that alone is hard.
I left at 37 weeks but was signed off for two weeks before my last week and going in for that last week was awful, luckily i had an understanding boss who allowed me to go in late and leave early. Could you consider doing that? Alternatively if your health is at risk ask your gp to sign you off for a while??
I dnt think u need to grow a pair pregnancy can be hard and i was saying the other day i didnt know how i wld cope if i had to commute to london!
Sorry i cant help but hopefully you can get through these next few weeks quickly

it depends how bad your spd gets, most of the women with spd who are in my group, we're all due in march, would not be able to walk that far let alone deal with the commute.

Can u arrange home working from say 30weeks?

I'm struggling with my pregnancy too and have been in and out of hospital. My dr pursuaded me to take two weeks off work (at 28 weeks) now I'm on a phased return so work less hours (work have to abide by fit note) it has really helped to ease the pressure (apart from the hundreds of emails to wade through!) I'm a bit if a workaholic and hate being off sick but just remember there are two of you to look after!

If you do get signed off for a pregnancy related reason this must be recorded separately and not part of normal sickness

Take care.

I still have one week to go (to get to 38 weeks) and it has been DRAGGING since Christmas.

Any way you can negotiate slightly shorter hours a few days or work from home?

I'm a city commuter too. Nearly 35 weeks and my last week is next week. It's been long ! Maybe when you get back Monday you will get back in to the swing of things and it won't seem quite as bad ?

Agree with clutching - is there anyway you could work from home? If you're hot desking and answering queries by phone anyway, it sounds possible?

Yep, I'm with the others, can you do 1-2 days from home?
Or, have you got any annual leave left to take some days off? I kept going longer as I took weds off from about 30 weeks, do effectively worked a 4 day week.

Is there any way to remove the walk? Could you taxi it one way some days?

You also need to stop with the dealing with stuff when your off. In 7 weeks, they are going to have to deal with whatever comes up - please don't be dealing with stuff for them when you start ML.

Good luck over the next couple of months. and

Thanks all . I do one day a week at home anyway and have been trying to so two when I can but even at home it's completely non stop and mentally it's exhausting. I just feel like I can't get my head around being interested enough to do it! Weird for me. They have a car park at work under the building it they just will not let me use it. This is so frustrating as its a massive company and there's this one woman who controls the building who thinks she is the law. That would help so much parking there. Oh well. No real answer except to just count the days down and get in with it I suppose. What's the deadline date where if yo have sickness past a certain date before EWC they make you start mat leave? I think there is one isn't there? X

Sickness after 36 weeks automatically triggers ML I think.

Hmmm. Has parkingzilla given a reasonable explanation for her refusal eg no available space? It's a reasonable request that I'm surprised they wouldn't accommodate if it means hanging on to you for a few weeks longer.

Could you approach your line manager & explain how the short term parking would help & could they back you up? Or HR if she's a different dept?

I'm starting to get really tired of the commute into work everyday. I work in London so it's a walk, two tubes and another walk to get to the office. The lift is constantly out of order so it's a walk up four short flights of stairs every time I need to get to my desk, or get lunch, or get the post etc.
Also, I'm feeling like I'm being treated like I've already left by my boss! Does anyone else know what I mean? It's like people are getting used to me not being here before I've actually left!