When is everyone going off work?

[Ellivort]

When are you going off work?

With DD I went off at 34 weeks. I just couldn't handle the stress and strain anymore. As it turned out just a couple weeks later she was born.

This time around I have planned to cut back to 4 days a week in Jan and then 3 days a week in Feb and go off in March.

I'm finding things stressful and exhausting already so now i'm wondering if I've overshot it!

When I talked to my boss I had all was prefaced with "my plans are...but can change" and my replacement is good to go whenever needed.


I was just curious when the rest of you were planning to take off work.

I am in Canada and we get 16 wks mat leave, followed by 34 wks parental leave and can qualify for sick or stress leave prior to both mat and parental if needed. Financially I want to work as long as possible, since my income is reduced by 1/2 on leave, but mentally and emotionally not sure i'll make it!

 

[Rymel12]

With the way I feel today, my answer is "not soon enough!" Lol. But my actual answer is I will work until my due date. Last time, I was induced so I knew when she was coming and I gave myself one day off before induction day. Unless my feelings change the plan right now is to go until my due date. My job is having a hard time getting coverage for me so I can see them needing me to stay as long as possible.

 

[2have4kids]

Hi ladies, I worked right up to my due date with DD#1 and delivered her 5 days early happily calling into work that I wouldn't be in the next day (actually my sister did that for me since we work at the same company). But with these twins as long as everything goes OK I'd like to do the same thing. I don't have a physically demanding job being a designer, and I don't want to be waiting around at home for babies to come. I think taking care of my 1 year old is much more difficult with my twin belly than coming to work and DH works from home and cares for her so I'm good to stay at work.

But saying that, my worst nightmare would be to have water break at work. My water didn't break until the last minute with DD right before she came so I think I'll be fine. I'm in Canada too and they put your EDD right at 40 weeks for twins, same as a singleton so I think for sure I'll be early with these two as well. They kept the designer that we hired to fill in for me in my maternity leave last year knowing that I'd be off again soon anyway. And in Canada coverage should never be a problem seeing that women have entitlement to a year off anyway, employers know to gear up and fill the spot so a month early or later shouldn't really make a big difference anyway.

I'm not looking forward to the 50% pay although my company tops up for the first 16 weeks, I'm very appreciative that we get anything AND an entire year at 50% (maxing out at $2100) especially when we see across the border they're much like African women who simply get to keep their jobs after a month leave Hopefully HC will change that! But I do wish our government was a little more European in supporting families and would top up EI just a wee bit more. When you have to go back and pay for childcare, and all the expenses that come with building a family (we had to get a 7 seater SUV to accommodate 3 child seats as we'll have 3 kids under 2 next year) it starts to get expensive!

 

[skris4]

With my first I took off at 37 weeks. Right about the time my belly got in the way of everything. That said I was energetic and walking atleast a few hours a day until the day I delivered. With this one I can take off at 36 weeks. I wish I could take off today (23 weeks) though. Seriously cannot wait to be 36 weeks.

 

[SonnyH]

At the moment, I plan to go fairly close to due date. That said, as I'm planning a year's maternity leave (I'm UK based), I'll have to use all my annual leave up for the year before I go off. I get 28 days a year, so I'll probs end up having at least 20 left to take, so I'll tack it onto the start of my maternity. I can then start the leave classed as maternity as close to due date as possible so I get as close to a full year off with baby as possible!

That's the plan, we'll see it how it goes! I know to expected the unexpected!

 

[IchigoMewMew]

I have some outstanding holiday so I'll be 35+2 on my last day, i'll be 37+5 when maternity leave starts. Managing ok at the moment will have to see how it goes nearer the time!

 

[button05]

I'll be going off at 33 weeks like I did with DD, as I have 7 weeks annual leave to take.

 

[cupcake23]

I will exactly be 34 weeks on my last day at work, another 7 weeks to go! I'm taking 2 weeks annual leave then starting maternity and hoping to take a year off plus any accrued annual leave.

I'm on my feet all day, running around and coordinating other people so it's physically and mentally draining, I wish today was my last day.

 

[pompeyvix]

I will be finishing at 35+1 and can't wait! Am taking annual leave until the day before my due date when my maternity leave will start. I will then take a year maternity leave & I will then add on all accrued holiday. I should be off around 14 months in total.

I commute 2 hours each way to work, so am really struggling with tiredness. Finishing can't come soon enough right now!

 

[LulaBug]

Between 29-32 weeks

 

[Thegoodtwin]

With DD I worked up until 39 weeks. I went to my 39 week appt and ended up scheduling my induction for 5 day later and didn't go back to work so it wasn't really planned. This time I plan to work until 36 weeks if I get approved for short term disability. If not I'll work until my due date. I'm in the US and only get 12 weeks unpaid. Short term disability through my job would give me up to 6 months at 60% pay.

 

[PhoenixCT]

I haven't even told work yet to avoid having them reduce my bonus for all the work I've done this year. I'm in the US though so I will likely work right up until my due date to save as much of my 6 weeks for when the baby is here.

 

[mrs unicorn]

I'll be finishing around 34-35 weeks. This is my first baby and I really want to take advantage of some time to myself before they arrive. I am self employed and work from home so I have it easy compared to most! I have a short term contract that hopefully I will have completed by 34/35 weeks so long as I don't need time off sick (obviously don't get paid for that) I cannot wait to finish!!! Roll on March!

 

[broodymrs]

32 weeks. I'm taking annual leave before so finishing at Christmas and not going back. I hate my job so I'm taking 9 months maternity plus annual leave (as at least I'll get some pay) then handing in my notice. Absolutely cannot wait. That place has drained me dry.

Last time I worked til 36 weeks. Intended to work to due date but had a rough pregnancy then ended up in hospital so called it a day. He was nearly two weeks late though so I did feel I'd wasted my leave a bit.

At least this time with a toddler, full time study and a planned section so I know when he'll arrive my leave won't be wasted!

 

[ProudArmyWife]

I plan to work up until he is born. I'm also in the US. I have 12 weeks unpaid that I can get (which keeps my job secure) but I will only be able to take 8-9weeks for financial reasons. My short term disability I have will pay for 6 weeks of that at a reduced rate and i will have 2+ weeks of paid time off saved by the time he gets here. Some days at work are harder than others but thankfully I work with a great team and they are very understanding.

 

[glong88]

Annual leave from 36 plus 6 days maternity leave then starts 4 days before due date. So leaving 3 weeks 1 data before due date. Little man was early by 8 days first time around

 

[Jojojojo76]

My last day at work will be two weeks before my due date. I'm taking 2 weeks annual leave til my due date and then my maternity leave starts. Am mainly planning to rest up/sleep as much as possible in those two weeks while my LO is at nursery and before the baby arrives.

 

[arturia]

I'm planning the week of my birthday being my last week. That's mid-April. In part it's because while my job is stressful, it's not overly so, and I can definitely ask my boss to give me lower-key projects during my 3rd trimester. I don't want to be scared of deadlines around then.

As I am in Canada, there is decent leave coverage, so I will be attempting to do the whole year, but it will depend a lot on how finances play out. I make a lot, I lose more being off than I do to daycare. But obviously I want to be there for baby's first year anyhow!

EDIT: Also around week 37-38.

 

[GoldenRatio]

Im also in Canada and i will be leaving week 32! I absolutely hate my job and cant wait to take my mat leave.

Will be taking of Jan 1st and not going back to work since we are moving to Europe when the baby is 3 months old.

 

[broodymrs]

Im also in Canada and i will be leaving week 32! I absolutely hate my job and cant wait to take my mat leave.

Will be taking of Jan 1st and not going back to work since we are moving to Europe when the baby is 3 months old.

That's exciting! Sounds like how I feel but I'm just not going back rather than leaving the country, lol! Where are you moving to?