Stopping working

[BooBoosMumma]

Hi all

A question for all the mums and preggers ladies out there: when did you / are you planning to stop working???

Would you do the same again or finish earlier / work until later?

I'm sure there must already be a thread on here about this, but I have hunted high and low and found nothing!

Thanks ladies : )

I'm finishing at 37 weeks, got 2 weeks AL and then ML starts at 39wks. I have a 15 min car commute and a desk job, so think that should be ok.

Best laid plans of mice and men etc etc.....! I planned to work until 38 weeks with DS1 however he had other ideas and decided to enter the world at 33 weeks so I was still at work! Took a year off for him in the end even though my initial thoughts was to return to work after 6 months. I'm now 18 weeks with no.2 DC and have taken the plunge in being a SAHM/domestic goddess! So my advise is to go with the flow and take life as it comes, you will never know where your emotions will take you once Ds/d is born! Good luck!

I worked until 36 weeks with first, and everyone in my NCT group except me was finishing work at 34 weeks.

Second time I finished work at 34 weeks as it was much harder being PG and working fulltime with a toddler.
This time round (all being well) I will finish at about 34 weeks again.

Speaking to other mums there seems to be a trend now among first time mums to try and work up until 38 weeks or even later. I would be a bit worried about doing this as it is just exhausting heaving a bump around at that stage.

well i stand up all day so im going to say 30 weeks. afer 3 hours i want to saw my own legs off because of the weight on my feet (only 25 weeks so far and people keep telling me how huge i am already)

wow! thank you so much for all your stories and experiences, it's been really interesting and useful!

my work is really stressful and I have to do lots of events and evening meetings so i've decided to stop working at 32 weeks, at the start of August. i'm huge already - people can't believe i'm not having twins, so even if I wanted to work longer i'm not convinced i could get behind my desk anyway!

i also really like the idea of having some 'me time' before the madness begins, plus it's good to know i'll be able to get the nursery ready, do all the washing etc and just generally prepare mentally as well as physically.

telling my boss tomorrow, wish me luck!

I stopped work (v physically demanding) at 31 weeks, and DD was nearly 2 weeks late. Had a lot of holiday to take tho, so think mat pay started at 35 weeks. I don't regret a minute of it, and will always look back fondly on that time - went swimming, read books, long walks with the dog, caught up with family & friends, washed and ironed baby clothes - lovely! Next time I will aim to save holiday again and go off early again, to spend time with DD.

Good luck!

First time round I finished at 39 weeks.

I'm 35 weeks today and tomorrow is my last day at work.

I've had a bit of a crap pregnancy and struggled to deal with work and looking after DD plus now a lot of back pain so I am more than ready to go.

Would have been bored senseless going that early first time round though.

I'm having a section 4 weeks today so def won't have more than 4 weeks before baby arrives.

I stopped at about 34 weeks - I've got a desk job and had terrible pelvic pain that made sitting at my desk deeply unpleasant. I also had loooooads to do around the house, having just moved and then had a structural catastrophe, and really needed a good 6 weeks to get it all straight. DS had other ideas and turned up three weeks early, but all the things that had to be done well in advance - perfect little blue bedroom etc. - turned out to be completely pointless because he only actually needed a boob and the rest could have been left until much later.

remember, whatever you decide to do, that your employer can "make you" start maternity leave up to 4 weeks early if you are off sick for preg-related reasons. SO, my advice is, tell your work you'll be working up to, say, 38 weeks, but when the time comes, you can start your mat leave early. So, if you've said 36 weeks to them, but you're off sick at 32 weeks, they can (and usually will) make you start your mat leave at that point, which may be too early for you. Esp if the baby is 2 weeks late.

HOWEVER, once youve told them a date for leaving, I'm fairly sure you're not meant to change your mind to a later date.

VMDC28 - is this not that they can make you take it 4 weeks before due date?

my employer specifies sickness after week 36 will mean that mat leave commences.

i may be wrong

The employer can not enforce maternity leave unitl 36wks now..used to be 29wks but changed some time ago.

I know when I had ds, which granted was 5 years ago now, it was defo 4 weeks earlier than you had stated you would take mat leave. I know this cos I had to start mine early, at around 34 weeks. I felt cheated!
I was sure my compamy's mat leave info still says the same thing

With my first I started maternity leave at 35 weeks, DS was almost 2 weeks late, so had almosts 7 weeks at home. THe only thing I remember doing was constantly eating muffins and become from huge to giant! :/
Now the 2nd time I plan to leave at 38.5 weeks and hope that the baby will arrive on thime... don't want another muffin story!

I think I'll be working till 38 wks, I'm 32 wks at the mo and knackered though! Am a trainee teacher and not being assessed until end of next week, so got to keep mind on the job until then. My only worry is I do find the classroom quite hard work though, my back and legs are agony by the end of the day.

This is my first and I think I'll work until I'm 35 weeks (early september). I'm using up my holiday time before that though, to spread it out over the hot summer months. I only work part time any way, but have quite a long commute. I am worried it may be too early and that I will regret taking it so soon, but on balance I decided I would rather DH and I are as relaxed as we can be before the baby is born. We both have a very busy summer as DH's work schedule is hectic and he will need me to help him out at times. My other reason is that the baby needs looking after even before it is born, so deciding to take it easy in the final weeks is not just about having 'me' time.

That said, I will probably go back to work, albeit very part time (10 hours/ week), when my paid maternity leave runs out, and whilst DH will hopefully do part of the child care, I am worried I will regret starting my maternity leave early when it comes to leaving the baby for the first time to go to work.

Does anyone else think that there's quite a bit of pressure these days to keep working as long as possible? I'm thinking of the ladies on this thread, for examples, who aren't actually starting mat leave until their due date! Are we ashamed of actually having to give in to the demands of our heavily pregnant selves, like it makes us less hard working or less committed, or something?

I only ask because I myself have definitely felt that pressure. I feel like it is expected by society that as a working pregnant woman (and mother) I will be able to keep going as normal right up to the end. My mother can't understand how I can still be working at 37 weeks.

Not for me, it's because we wouldn't be able to pay the mortgage if I took time off any sooner. Fingers crossed I'm overdue

I sympathise Floopy. I have to admit that's part of the pressure for me as well. I think knowing a second baby can come that bit earlier has made me a bit more sensible, but if I hadn't had the high blood pressure issue I've no doubt I'd have been working right up to the end of next week as planned.

It's funny, because on the flip side that same "everyone" seems to be taking 9 months or more off, and there is no way on the earth, as the sole breadwinner, that we can afford me to take more than 6 months.

No, I don't feel any pressure from anyone. I chose 37 weeks because it's more important to me to have time off after than before, and also am currently feeling very well and am hoping that will continue, so I don't feel any reason to finish earlier.

I'm currently 24 weeks. I do 2 part time jobs, one is daytime standing up constantly, the other is evening work in a bar standing up. I've had so much back and belly pain I've almost given up working in the bar as I can't manage working a 9 hour shift finishing at midnight even once a week! In my other job, I work for my fiance and he has ideas of me working till 41 weeks I think! We'll see...

I'm currently 32+3. I'm due on a Monday and planning to work until the Friday before.

I've had a very easy pregnancy, have an easy drive into work, and lovely relaxed atmosphere and love my job, plus I'm only taking 3 months mat leave, so want as much of that as possible once LO arrives.

You need to think about things like commute, how physically hard your job is, how stressful your job is, and how much time you want/need to relax before your arrival. And also how you're feeling. And remember - there's nothing stopping you starting your maternity leave earlier if you're having a tough time of it.

Due in Spetember and working in a nursery couldnt have been better timing if I'd tried (no planning whatso ever mind as had a few probs conceiving) Am actually stopping work at 31 + 6 because of when term ends in july but mat leave doesnt start until september. i keep hearing about people getting bored stopping 3 or 4 weeks before EDD but i think i'll be able to cope with the long period beforehand!

Well, I was planning on working up untill week 39. But after reading the posts on here, and family advising me to finish earlier - I have decided that tommorow is my last day !! (37 weeks) Yippee!!
I've taken two weeks leave, and plan to spend it with my 18 month old!
He was on time, so thinking about my rest etc aswell, incase I am early or on time again

Its been really interesting to read all your comments, I feel the pressure to work till my due date because of financial reasons and so I can hopefully enjoy a full 9 months mat leave.
I'm due 1st Jan, so going to start my mat leave from this date, so far only booked off from the 22nd Dec, but still have some holiday left incase want to leave a week earlier.

gaelicsheep I totally agree. I am working until my due date (and ignoring the fact DS was a week early ). Saying that I am an academic and its the summer so at least I can work from home most days if I have to. I am 30 weeks now and on my knees though (DC3).

I feel that I have to keep going, that a little thing like pregnancy shouldnt stop me. I would also feel very odd on mat leave not doing anything (childcare paid for so they are going whether Im home or not lol).

I feel exhausted already and really quite ill by the end of the day but feel like I am not pregnant 'enough' for me to feel bad.

However I do not feel this way towards other pregnant women and think they are all being very sensible taking time off before baby is due