Ladies in medical profession or similar fields?

[rosegarden620]

Hi ladies! Looking for some experiences for my following question. I am a registered nurse working an average of 70 hours a week. I am iv nurse full time and pediatric emergency nurse in the evenings. Anyone in similar fields I'm sure can relate that I am on my feet about 90% of the time in physically demanding work. Most of the time I don't even remember I'm pregnant until dd gives me a good kick or takes a nice roll on the bladder which makes me drop everything I am doing to go pee at record speed. I stay pretty hydrated drinking 60-100oz of water a day and most (MOST) of the time I eat in a timely fashion- though most people in my field can relate that this isn't always possible.

Aside from swollen ankles and feet at the end of the day I actually am doing very well! Cervical check last week showed I'm exactly where I need to be and while dd has been extremely low from the beginning I am truly happy to report there are no issues! Just me being tired after a long week of 12-18 hour shifts and cranky sometimes lol. But all in all I'm doing so good people have to remind me to calm down.

Bc of my history I chose to take maternity leave at 36 weeks. Dd1 was born at 35+5 after induction and dd2 was born naturally at 37 weeks. My history with dd1 has me on mandated 17p (progesterone) shots and my last one is week 36. With dd2- when I stopped them she was born 4 days later. So I thought that was good time to call it quits at work just based on my past.

Most would call me a workaholic but it's what I do. After baby is born I will no longer be working fulltime as an iv nurse and will stick with my PEDS partime until I feel ready to go back full time.

Now, I'm just wondering what labor experiences were for women in similar work environments. I'm worried I'll go longer because I'm more active? Wasn't a nurse with my other two. Or will I go earlier bc of how much I am on my feet?

How did you cope with the leave? And how long did you work until? I've got coworkers working until their first contractions! Is this best? I mean I'm a medical professional and I know what I would tell a patient of mine...but what about women in my position? What would you say?

Thoughts?
Sorry
For the novel....

 

[rosegarden620]

Anyone?

 

[DrMum]

I'm with you! I'll PM you now

 

[rosegarden620]

Thank you so much!!! I have to wait until I get to my personal computer to read it, but I certainly will!

 

[Missnurse]

Hi

I'm an auxiliary nurse in a community cottage hospital, it may only be a 15 bedded unit but I never seem to stop! Luckily I'm only part time, i have a sit down as frequently as possible between buzzers going off! The sister is very understanding, I finish at the beginning of March due 16th April but only because I had holidays to take I had originally planned to work up until end March, really it all depends on how you feel, I feel well physically and have no reason to want to go on leave any earlier as I really enjoy my job but if I felt it was too much id take leave earlier.

As for labours I was a home carer for when I had DD she was a dat early and 5 hour labour start to finish. DS on the other hand I was in the middle of my training so not as full on as my current job and I was 12 hours with him and he was 10 days early, I don't think it has any bearing on the kind of labour you'll have

 

[SAmummy]

With my first I was working 12hr shifts in a hospital and I stopped work at 36 weeks. He was born a week later on Christmas day at 37weeks ! I do think standing on my feet so much had something to do with him being a little early, but it had no negative side effects ! I would rather have more time with my baby then more time to rest before

 

[chelsealynnb]

With my first, I wasn't working at all and had to be induced at 41 weeks, was in labor for 17 hours. Second I was working in a pediatric office, normal 9-5 hours 4 days a week. Went into labor with him at 40+3 weeks, labor was 6-8 hours or so. With this one, I've been working crazy hours and financially cannot really go on maternity leave until the last second. Tuesday and Wednesday I work 32 hours in 2 days!! I'm 36 weeks and lost my mucus plug last night and have been having Braxton Hicks contractions for awhile now, but yesterday they have turned from just the painless tightening to mensural cramp tightening. I have a dr appt on the 5th so hopefully I'll be dilated a little bit at least! I want an excuse to justify to myself that I can stop working!

 

[DrMum]

Chelsea that sounds super exciting! Keep us posted! Sounds like you won't be long at all!!