When did you start your maternity leave?

[Kitana2010]

Ever since I found out I was expecting, I've told myself and my employers that I will work until I pop.

However, I'm 37+2 weeks today and am starting to wish I had kept my mouth closed lol. My job is very physical. I'm a cook at a mental hospital. I'm on my feet 8.5hrs a day in a very hot kitchen and doing a lot of heavy lifting. By the end of the day, I'm exhausted. I don't even want to cook for my husband!

Also, yesterday was exceptionally hot and I was having contractions every 10mins for hours. I thought I may have been in labor, so I asked my boss to go home. She made it extremely difficult, and played it off as if I was just looking for an excuse to go home. Just overall very rude and unfeeling. I ended up staying the rest of the day. I'm a first time mom, so I was very worried all day after that. Obviously, I WAS wrong and still no baby.. but this got me thinking.. when the big day does come, and I need to leave, will she treat me this way again?

I'm thinking about starting my leave next week, as I get 12 weeks off (only 4 weeks of which will be paid, but I can live with that) and was hoping to hear what others mamas did before I make my final decision

 

[undomestic]

I plan on working till the end of October.. so 37ish weeks.. But I work in an office..
If you're job is very physical and high stress at the moment, maybe you should consider going off a little earlier?

 

[tinker81]

omg hunny your boss got no right to make you stay hun. you take your leave and get out of there. please take care and no heavy lifting. xxx

 

[Athena]

I'm still working and officially overdue tmw, but I work from home where I am my own boss so I work the hours that suit me. I would not and could not have done a physical job where I was on my feet like you. I am at the point where even a trip around the supermarket is seriously hard work. Might be time to bite the bullet and get some rest hun. Good luck x

 

[MrsTurner2012]

I'd take it as soon as you can. I'm working until 36 weeks but have an office job but you shouldn't be doing all that hard work. Can't be good for you or the baby.

 

[Kiwi_Jen]

I'm working until I pop, but I have a desk job with flexible hours, so it's not a strain on me. Can you have a sit down with your boss and maybe cut back your hours / responsibilitites for the last couple of weeks?

I would only suggest that if starting leave early means that you'll have to go back when the baby is 10 weeks (or less if the baby is overdue) instead of 12, maybe you can come to some compromise with your employer?

 

[CastawayBride]

I can leave at 36 weeks but staying until 37....sounds to me like you need to get out and rest up a bit for when little one arrives!

 

[Jay91]

I work 45 hours a week with in a dementia unit. Which is pretty demanding physically and mentally. I wanted to go off at 38 weeks (26th Aug) but my Boss refused due to the nature of my job. So my Maternity Leave/Pay starts from 38 weeks but I have to take two weeks annual leave prior to this, so I will be going off at 36 weeks. For a whole year, woo!
Take care Hun, and if I was you I would be considering going off in the next week or so. X

 

[EYD]

Wow... a year! You Britts have no idea how lucky you are! I'm planning on going till I pop. I only get 12 weeks off as well and only one month paid whch will completely drain all of my sick and vacation time. Its possible I may have to go back sooner depending on how our finances go. I really hope I can go all the way so I can spend all of my time with baby girl.

 

[TeddyBearPug]

If your boss is going to be that way, you should take off soon. Is there someone higher up that you could have gone to about going home? I don't see how she can keep you there when you are feeling so poorly. I plan on working until I pop and I have a fairly demanding job, I work in a nursing home in the therapy dept and i'm already reconsidering taking off early. So do whats best for you and your LO.

 

[AnnetteCali]

I started my maternity leave at 35 weeks. The state starts paying at 36 weeks... unless there is a medical reason you should be off earlier. For me, carpal tunnel and a high risk pregnancy ( due to age) helped me get off a week earlier.

What state are you in? It seems like you should receive a bit more time from the state?

I'm in California... so things are probably a lot different here.


Good luck hun... and take some time off! xox

 

[Kitana2010]

I started my maternity leave at 35 weeks. The state starts paying at 36 weeks... unless there is a medical reason you should be off earlier. For me, carpal tunnel and a high risk pregnancy ( due to age) helped me get off a week earlier.

What state are you in? It seems like you should receive a bit more time from the state?

I'm in California... so things are probably a lot different here.


Good luck hun... and take some time off! xox

I'm in Nebraska. I went over the DHHS employee benefits page just now, and it looks as tho they do not offer disability pay at all (unless I'm injured on the job). But I'll be contacting my HR department tomorrow, as well as speaking to my DR at my apt about her writing a note to begin my leave. I wanted to save up all my time so I could bond with baby as long as possible, but the way things are going.. I should probably just take off early. With any luck, I'll pop in a week or 2. Fingers crossed! lol

Thanks for all the replies and well wishes guys