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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

When are you / did you plan to stop work?

54 replies

TailFeathers · 22/02/2015 11:00

Hi,

I'm 20 weeks pregnant with my first baby and I've just started talking to work about when I'm planning to start maternity leave. When I said I was going to stop 2 weeks before my due date, and come back after six months, there were lots of comments from colleagues about "well you'll definitely have to stop sooner than that, at least a month, you just won't be able to work that late".

I wondered if anyone else has any thoughts on when they are stopping work before their due date? Am I being naive thinking I can work til two weeks before?

Any advice much appreciated.

TailFeathers

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mariomadmum · 22/02/2015 11:07

It depends what you do. lots of people work up to 2 weeks before due date. If you are in a physical role then you may not feel up to it.
I left at 34 weeks, used 2 weeks annual leave before starting official mat leave at 36 weeks.

boatrace30 · 22/02/2015 11:11

I'm a teacher and May is the busiest time of year (with exams etc to prepare for) I'm planning on working till the end of May when I am 38 weeks. Most people I know have done the same.
At the end of the day if you need to finish earlier you can, but if you submit an earlier date then you can't stay longer! So I'd stick with your plan and maximise your time with the baby.

Rustyzilla · 22/02/2015 11:12

Hello, agree with PP. I work in an office so not a strenuous job, but quite stressful and with a commute. I was originally working until 3 weeks before my due days but I was diagnosed with GD (so risk of early induction) so brought it forward to 5 weeks pre-due date. I now have 5 more days at work and I am so relieved, I am a lot more tired than I thought I'd be and mentally I am ready to be able to focus solely on my baby and becoming a mummy (first timer!).

I think 2 weeks is being kind of mean to yourself!

Original poster

TailFeathers · 22/02/2015 11:19

Ok, that's all really good to know. Thank you all! I thought this might be the place to come for advice :)

OP posts:

33goingon64 · 22/02/2015 11:24

First time round I was commuting into London and found I couldn't have carried on after 36 weeks. Was too exhausted. This time round I am freelancing from home whole DS is at nursery in afternoons and am stopping at 20 weeks to give me a bit of DS-free time to myself before baby arrives. Do you commute?

GloopyGhoul · 22/02/2015 11:26

I was working in a cafe, and whale-sized. I had to stop at 28 weeks because I couldn't physically reach around my own belly to do my job.

quesadillas · 22/02/2015 11:30

I stopped about 33 weeks, had annual leave until 36 weeks, then ML. It was Christmas though, and I couldn't face coming to work over New Year when it's just depressing.

Original poster

TailFeathers · 22/02/2015 11:33

33, I do commute - about 90 minutes either way, three changes, quite crowded. I might see if they can be flexible about me working from home more if it gets harder (it's not a barrel of laughs already!)

Gloopy, gosh, that sounds really hard!! I'm office based so I don't have to be on my feet, though getting there isn't going to be that much fun...

OP posts:

BumpOct2014 · 22/02/2015 11:54

I'm a teacher and worked until 38 and a bit weeks! It was hard but I was able to take the last week easy as my replacement had started so that we could do a transition for the class (year 1).
I'm starting back part time this next week when little one is 16 weeks old and back full time when she is 6 months (benefit of school holidays!).
Oh, and I drove 40mins each way to and from work.

I was much more tired than I thought I would be but just took things at my own pace and my colleagues were very supportive.

As previously said, plan a later date and if you have to leave earlier you have that option. Plus baby might arrive late - mine was two weeks late and I was sick of waiting lol

Good luck xx

BeforeIChangeMyMind · 22/02/2015 11:56

I stopped at 35 weeks first time around because I had a hunch, based on family history, that baby would come early. He did. Lots of people work until later tho.

This time around I am seriously considering using my hoarded annual leave to stop at 32 weeks, before official ml at 35 weeks. We'll just finish up our project at 32 weeks and I can't get my head around starting something new. Plus I'd like some time to myself and also with DC1 before no. 2 comes.

Nolim · 22/02/2015 11:58

I had planned to stop at 36 but my dc had other plans and was born at 35!
At least i wasnt at work when my water broke.

HeyMicky · 22/02/2015 11:59

My mat leave starts at 37 weeks - DD was early so makes sense to be off. But before that I have the two 4 day weeks either side of Easter and then will use 2 days leave to have a 3 day week, so stepping down

Trunkisareshite · 22/02/2015 12:00

3 days with the first and about 6 weeks with the second (first early but not prem and the second 10days over).

On number three now and section booked in and I'm finishing work 20 days before so assuming this one isn't early in the middle of the first two!

Time after with your baby is more important IMO unless of course you have SPD or something similar.

MissTwister · 22/02/2015 12:01

I am considering the same. I will be due on 30th July so obviously summer heat (maybe!) and also commute via tube to work an hour. Was thinking of stopping at 37 weeks but from your comments do you think this is enough? I already feel achy at 17 weeks so God knows what I will feel like then!

didireallysaythat · 22/02/2015 12:02

I had an office job and when pregnant work rejigged things so I spent more time at my desk. I worked until 1 week after my due date first time around (DS1 was 2-3 weeks late and I was so bored at home) and then 4 days before DS2 was born by ECS. I only took 3 months off both times because of maternity pay being not enough to cover out outgoings. It's obviously not for everyone (and I did sleep a lot when not at work, and in my car in lunch breaks) but don't feel you need to confirm to the 4 weeks off beforehand model that seems to be the norm. Everyone is different !

Stinkersmum · 22/02/2015 12:05

I work at a school and am due 11th oct so I'll be finishing at the end of summer term. However, DH has just been offered a job in another city, so if that goes ahead I'll leave school in April, relocate and probably not bother with another job for me. Maybe just some private tutoring instead.

greenlizard · 22/02/2015 12:06

I am going at 37 weeks (next week) and was a bit worried that i might get a bit bored being off for 3 weeks before my due date but it now looks like they might induce me at 38 weeks so I will be lucky if I get a week to myself beforehand (it is going to be a busy week as I had left pretty much everything to do until then )

I feel ok but am getting a little bit tired when I am running around all day. My commute is about 45 mins each way but in the car so not too bad.

arthurbaby · 22/02/2015 12:16

I finished at 36 weeks and was very glad. I was tired and my work involves long hours. I enjoyed reading a few books and sorting the house out before the baby arrived.

Dogsmom · 22/02/2015 12:19

I finished last Tuesday at 38+2, it wasn't too bad but I'm glad it's over, I work from home grooming dogs so I'm on my feet all day and with the lifting and bending it was awkward with my bump in the way, I found I was cramping all day and had a few sharp pains, all of which finished within 5 minutes of me sitting down.

It did pass the time though, I worked until 36 weeks first time around so used 4 weeks of my maternity allowance with no baby here, it's nice this time knowing I'll have an extra fortnight with her.

HazleNutt · 22/02/2015 12:20

worked until my due date without any issues. Planning to do the same with this one.

2015isgoingtobeBIG · 22/02/2015 12:26

Depends on your job and how physically demanding it is. I'm pregnant with twins and normally on my feet all day and I am stopping full time next week which is 28 weeks before using up annual leave in March meaning I'm on,y working two days a week for four weeks then starting ML at 32 weeks (which given term for me is 36-37 weeks is the equivalent to you stopping at 35-36 weeks). I couldn't have physically continued past this point and e last two weeks I've actually insisted I'm desk bound because I couldn't manage the physical demands without ending up in pain by Thursday. I do have SPD though so this may be different.
If your job is desk based then I don't see why you shouldn't work up until that late in your pregnancy. Even if you commute, if you get a seat and don't have much walking to/from the station then I've not found the travelling to be as much of a problem as I thought it would be as long as I then don't do too much on my feet in the day.

StoneBaby · 22/02/2015 12:27

I'm in an office job and will stop working at 37w, elcs at 38w and back to work 20 weeks later.
Did this with DS and it worked fine

callamia · 22/02/2015 13:09

I'm a university lecturer and I worked until two days before my due date. My son was two weeks late, so I also went to meetings after that time. I could get the bus to most meetings, so it wasn't a massive bother and I was bored stiff at home anyway.

avocadotoast · 22/02/2015 13:12

I work in an office. I'm finishing at 36 weeks (using a week's annual leave before starting official mat leave).

I could probably work longer, but... I don't really want to! I've no idea what I'll do with my time but I am glad I won't be at work.

PenguinTuxedo · 22/02/2015 13:14

MissTwister - I'm due the day after you, and I don't know when to take mine either! My original plan was to work until the end of term which would be about 2 weeks before, but as I'm struggling already at 17 weeks, I'm not sure I will last!

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