37 + 4 and still at work

[PerfectlyPosed]

I have 3.5 days left at work. I am tired, I ache, I'm getting a cold and I've had enough. I work in an office with three men who are completely unsympathetic and have no understanding of how I am feeling. Every time I go to the toilet, I burst into tears and then have to take 10 minutes or so to pull myself together as I don't want them to see that I've been crying. I've also been referred for Gestational Diabetes testing so I have to take bloods 4 times a day which is just another thing I have to think about and could do without!

Friends and family say I should just finish today, it's only 3 days what difference would it make. But my feeling is it is only 3 days so why not just stay until the end and finish on Friday guilt-free. I just don't know what to do. I really wish I had finished last Friday which would have given me three weeks until my due date. I took three weeks off with my DD and that was just right.

I am just so fed up and needed to vent!

What do you feel guilty about?

If your best friend was in the same situation what would you advise her to do?

Oh you poor thing. Is it fairly flexible at your place of work? Could you turn around and say that you wanted to start your maternity leave as of tomorrow if you want to? If you can I think you should, don't struggle just go home and rest

I don't know really, just finishing before my confirmed end date. Potentially leaving things unfinished (which I wouldn't be but the extra days would give me time to check). If I knew how low my friend was feeling, I would be telling her to finish now.

How do I approach my boss? We get on well but he is a young, single man with no experience of pregnant women!

I think it is fairly flexible and technically it would be annual leave from tomorrow as I was taking 10 days leave then officially starting maternity leave on 5th November. I just need to rest and have visions of finishing on Friday and giving birth on Monday!

You could just go off sick and then your maternity leave would kick in anyway? I'm 36+3 and finish on Friday and have similar regrets that I should have finished last Friday!

Yep, just finish!

I was due to finish at 37+2 but took the last two days as leave (Monday/Tuesday) so I actually finished at 36+4. Right decision I NEEDED those two days.

Well I cried down the phone at DP and he has insisted I tell my boss to start my leave early. So I'm going to try and chat to him this afternoon. I just hate crying in front of people! I've done it so much lately, I just feel so uncomfortable!

I did this last week. I was due to finish this Friday 19th but on Monday 8th (at 35 weeks) I realised I wasn't going to be able to do 2 more weeks - too uncomfortable, distracted and tired. So I made my last day Friday 12th instead. Definitely make today your last.

I’m 36+2 with my second baby, not due to finish until next Friday and I’m bitterly regretting it! I’ve cried twice at work today already and this week is just shit. If you can go early then I would go!

Ok, I'm going to ask if I can finish after tomorrow. That way I have one more day with the girl I am handing over to to tie up all the loose ends. That way, I won't feel guilty or worry that anything has been left incomplete. And it still gives me two days extra to rest.

I planned to work right up to 38 weeks, only managed to 36 as I was knackered and sore. I'll tell you what my mother told me, "No one is going to give you a medal for it,"

You need your rest and to be comfortable- don't feel guilty your work hasn't prepared for the possibility of you leaving early; for all they knew you could have easily have gone into labour at any point from 36 weeks.

Take care of you and babba.