Am I being silly (Maternity leave)

[Fossey]

I work from home, on a PC 9-5 and my job isn't stressful. I have just booked my maternity leave to be on my due date.
I am just taking 6 weeks as we cannot afford anymore than that and plus I am at home so I will be with her anyway.
Reasons -

If she is early, then I will start it early my work are good like that.
If she is late I won't miss too much time with her.

I was going to go for a week before the due date, but then thought what if she is 2 weeks late, I will then only have 3 weeks with her while not working. So I figured I may as well risk it and work up until I pop. Then if she is late by 2 weeks (hopefully she isn't) I will still have a full month with here. Am I being silly working so late?

 

[nessajane]

wont you want anytime to rest up before your LO is here?

 

[spoo]

No, I think it all makes sense. You should be able to change your maternity dates at any time if you begin to feel too tired, as long as you provide your employer with enough notice.

Make sure you listen to your body though and don't push yourself too hard xx

 

[polo_princess]

I dont think so much as in working up until your DD if you work from home BUT ... 6 weeks isnt very long if she she comes 2 weeks late, sometimes they can leave you later than that? Are you happy with having possibly only 4 weeks to spend with LO and recover from the birth?

 

[Fossey]

wont you want anytime to rest up before your LO is here?

Hmmm you see the thing is... My job as I said really isn't stressful and its not physical I am at home, I can do it in bed on my laptop IF i NEED too so i figure the time is best used when she arrives rather than before.

I dont think so much as in working up until your DD if you work from home BUT ... 6 weeks isnt very long if she she comes 2 weeks late, sometimes they can leave you later than that? Are you happy with having possibly only 4 weeks to spend with LO and recover from the birth?

The thing is I will still be at home with her when I go back to work, and I am not glued to the PC a full 7 hours, I can get off and do what I need/want to.
I can only take 6 weeks off you see as we simply cannot afford anymore than that. So I figure the time is best used being with her rather than taking time before the birth.

 

[lauriech]

It all depends on how you're feeling I think.

I understand your predicament (sp?) but maybe a week to rest before your LO arrives might be an idea?

Sorry that's not very helpful but make sure you look after yourself as well x

 

[jobee2222]

I wouldnt consider it silly, possibly a lil naive but it is totally upto you, but since you are working from home it makes your life a lot easier, i remember when i was working i think the most stressful part of the day was the travelling. If you feel you can continue working when you are heavily pregnant then that is great and hats off to you. It is afterwards when the baby is around that i think you may have to cut back on some work... mayb just working part-time for 4 months?

 

[spoo]

Do you have any holiday you can take up to the birth? Thats what I intend to do, so I have maximum time after.

Don't forget SMP is 6 weeks at 90% salary followed by 33 weeks at lower rate, £117.18 a week. You'll also get child benefit so things may not seem so bad?

 

[Fossey]

Do you have any holiday you can take up to the birth? Thats what I intend to do, so I have maximum time after.

Don't forget SMP is 6 weeks at 90% salary followed by 33 weeks at lower rate, £117.18 a week. You'll also get child benefit so things may not seem so bad?

Yer even with the child benefit and tax credits (which isn't much on our salary) we still cannot afford it. You see my wage is the main wage OH works two jobs one full time one part time (his own business) which is slow in the winter. So even on £117 and the benefits we wouldn't be able to afford our out goings even with cutting back so part time or anymore than 6 weeks really isn't an option.

Im not concerned about just the 6 weeks, like I say I am at home and I have plenty of family support, its the time off before I was wondering about. Im not being naive though lol I know what I'm in for I was just wondering if working right up was being sensible. Is it more important for me to have the time off after to recover and be with LO or the time off before to lie around and wait. tick tock

 

[Jus]

I'm totally with you on working as long as poss before the birth. Yes, it would be great to have some time off just to relax, put your feet up, and enjoy the last days of freedom, but it just doesn't work out that way for everyone.

I'm working on a contract at the moment which ends on 27 Feb; my due date is 3 March. The company I work for are really good so, hopefully, if things get difficult I'll be able to work from home towards the end, plus I have two weeks of hols which I'm saving to take as the last two weeks of my contract.

 

[Neecee]

Firstly, i think you're really lucky to be able to work from home. If I could do that, I'd work later and go back earlier, but unfortunately my company won't allow that and I have to do a loooong commute, so that's just not practical.

As long as you feel you can cope with your job and looking after a new baby at home, then I say go for it. New babies spend most of their time asleep anyway, so it's not like you'll have a toddler that needs constant entertainment.

 

[mrscookie]

*hugs*
honey, you do this how you want to do it
Like you said, your job is not stressful, and your at home anyway. My job is stressful and not at home so I intend on leaving at 32 weeks and relaxing, but its easy for me to say since I have no idea how were going to cope afterwards finacially, all I know is we will cope, we will have to.
You know whats best for you
*kiss*

 

[spoo]

With my first, the first 3 months were horrendous. Its baby baby baby 24/7. This time round I'm more prepared and know what I'm getting myself into.

I hope that whatever you decide to do will work for you and wish you the best of luck!

 

[Lu28]

You just have to do what feels right for you hon. I was hoping to work right up to the birth if at all possible just to have more time after but bearing in mind my commute. If I was working from home, I'd definitely stick at it longer - I've heard so many stories of women being so bored at home waiting for baby to come that you might as well make some money while you're waiting! Try not to stress too much over it and if it all gets too much nearer the time, sure talk to your company then

 

[codex]

Do you have any holiday you can take up to the birth? Thats what I intend to do, so I have maximum time after.

Don't forget SMP is 6 weeks at 90% salary followed by 33 weeks at lower rate, £117.18 a week. You'll also get child benefit so things may not seem so bad?

I was going to ask the same thing. I am starting my mat leave a week before I am due but using three weeks vacation before that. Money will be tight when I am off because I will go from well over 6 figures to something like 12,000 if I stayed off a year (which I will only be off 9 mths or so)
It is just my personal opinion but from talking to a girl who worked from home it was just so much for her much more then she thought so I think it may be something more to think about IMO but you have to do what is right for you

 

[moo2]

Hi Fossey, I think its great if you can work right up until your DD as long as you are happy with that and feel well enough.
My concern would be the time afterwards, 6 weeks isn't long before starting full time childcare alongside full time work. Perhaps as you have good support you could arrange to have people at home to 'babysit' while you are working? Sadly, not all new born babies sleep all day. Regular feeds, winding, nappy changes, clothing changes, crying etc... Its surprising how the day fly's by when you don't even have work to fit in! You could really stress yourself out trying to keep all the balls in the air

 

[Fossey]

Hi Fossey, I think its great if you can work right up until your DD as long as you are happy with that and feel well enough.
My concern would be the time afterwards, 6 weeks isn't long before starting full time childcare alongside full time work. Perhaps as you have good support you could arrange to have people at home to 'babysit' while you are working? Sadly, not all new born babies sleep all day. Regular feeds, winding, nappy changes, clothing changes, crying etc... Its surprising how the day fly's by when you don't even have work to fit in! You could really stress yourself out trying to keep all the balls in the air

Oh its OK as its not all day. My hubby is home by lunch time so its only a few hours in the morning im home alone. First few days I will have plenty of help when I go back to work so that all cool

 

[Emsi76]

Foss, it's all down to personal preferance. For me, i think taking 6 weeks out would be ridiculous, but i am out of the house 11 hours a day, so it's totally different for me, than you!

It sounds like you have thought it all through, so if you are comfy with it, then do it! As you say, your work are good, so if it is all too much then you only need say and have an extra bit of time off!!!!
Hope you are well, don't speak much now that i am over in 3rd tri, looking forward to you being over there!

 

[Shifter]

It's up to you hun. You seem to have given all the options a lot of thought. I wish I could work from home, it's something to consider a way of doing while I'm on maternity leave so I can avoid going back

 

[trishk]

i did the same on my last pregnancy and Evan came 9 days late so it was perfect!