When is it OK to stop working?

[Piper84]

I'm a freelancer and told myself that I would stop work a month before the baby is due, which is in a couple of weeks. I work from home but from 8.30-5.00 normally, and sometimes later, so I'm looking forward to having the time to tidy things up and get things sorted.

Anyway, I have really bad SPD, am knackered and just feel like crap. If I was working as a salaried employee I would have a set time when I could stop or get signed off by the doctor, but at the moment I am the only one to judge when it's right!

I've earned the amount I intended to before stopping working so it would be possible in theory. Currently I'm doing contracts which I will just invoice in the next fiscal year.

I'm wondering what you ladies think: is it laziness to just stop now?

 

[RaspberryK]

Nope not lazy at all I will officially start my mat leave next Monday (11 weeks before my expected week of childbirth which is the earliest you possibly can leave) but I have had 2 weeks holiday tagged on before hand so my last day was when I was 26 weeks.
And I felt well, I didn't need to leave for any reason other than not wanting to be there.
I am not going back though so it's not like I need to save the max time for after the baby is born.
x

 

[natalie85]

when u feel ready is what i suggest, i finished work with 2 months to go before baby best thing i did!!!

 

[Essie]

When you feel ready is the time to stop. I finished at 32 weeks due to SPD, and i definitely felt ready to finish then. I don't think it's laziness.

 

[leahsbabybump]

you should stop work as soon as it is making you uncomfy hun you are not being lazy at all and dont let anyone tell you otherwise your body i going through a lot of changes at the min and could do without any extra stresses etc from work xx

 

[Palestrina]

Your post doesn't let us know how far along you are so who knows. If you're around 30wks I'd say keep going. I'm a freelancer as well and my last job is at 38wks. However I've had a wonderful pregnancy, I haven't even gained weight, the only problems I have encountered have been a little bit of heartburn, some minor ankle swelling, and waddling. I can still tie my shoes and I feel comfortable walking and exercising everyday. I thought I would stop sooner but considering how well things are going I see no reason to stop working until all my jobs run out.

It's all about how you feel. Some women work until they go into labour without any problems.

 

[Lil-woowoo]

I stopped at 35 weeks, i am a nurse so on my feet all day and also working 12 hour shifts, defo couldnt have went on any longer x

 

[leahsbabybump]

i stopped work when i was 28 week but i had 4 weeks annual leave to take so my maternity officially started 32 weeks

 

[Piper84]

Your post doesn't let us know how far along you are so who knows. If you're around 30wks I'd say keep going. I'm a freelancer as well and my last job is at 38wks. However I've had a wonderful pregnancy, I haven't even gained weight, the only problems I have encountered have been a little bit of heartburn, some minor ankle swelling, and waddling. I can still tie my shoes and I feel comfortable walking and exercising everyday. I thought I would stop sooner but considering how well things are going I see no reason to stop working until all my jobs run out.

It's all about how you feel. Some women work until they go into labour without any problems.

I'm at 34 weeks, two weeks before I'd planned to stop.

It's interesting to hear the various times people go on maternity leave - I just have to sort out my latest invoice and then I'll see how I feel. It's very tempting to stop now

 

[lm81]

Im stopping on Friday as Ive about 17 days to take Holidays aswell. Ill be 36 1/2 weeks. I would happily have stopped earlier had it not been important for me to try and get as much Full pay as possible before LO is due. :0)

 

[londonangel]

It's not lazy. You should stop when you feel you need to. I had a pretty awful pregnancy, full of horrible aches, pains, etc. I went on annual leave at 33 weeks for two weeks and then took maternity leave from 35 weeks. I have found it a bit frustrating being off work for seven weeks and still no baby, BUT I have felt so much better since I stopped going to work. I'm not spending three hours a day commuting (total of four bus journeys, two train journeys and two tube journeys) or stuck in a chair all day so that I can hardly move once I'm able to get out of it. You should stop working when you feel you need to.

 

[emily86]

I would say whenever you feel the need to stop, every preg is different and if your struggling its better to listen to your body and stop sooner rather than later.
I stopped at 36 weeks with my first son x

 

[sw121]

I finished at 34 weeks and I've no regrets. I have painful hips when in bed, so my sleeping has been terrible. It just means I'm tired all the time, but in the past 3.5 weeks it's been a relief to know if I'm laid awake at night I don't have to get up and go to work in the morning and I can just go back to bed at any time.

 

[SiBelle]

My last day will be June 30th (37 weeks). I was going to keep going until 38 weeks, but my performance at work is suffering and I don't want to damage my reputation

 

[ready2b81]

i agree with the others...stop working when YOU feel it is necessary. i'm due on the 19th and fri will be my last day. work is becoming very stressful for me, especially since i am so uncomfortable. so if you feel like it's time for a break, take it!

 

[Mrs_Random]

Work until you feel the need to stop.

I feel fine and have had an easy pregnancy and plan to keep working until I am 37 weeks as I work in an office, have a short drive to work and it's not really a stressful job so will stay as long as I can.

Plus for me I want to be earning a full wage as long as I can and keep as much time to be with baby once born, so my mat leave actually starts on my due date and the 3 weeks I have before are all AL that I have left to take.

I think if I had suffered or wasn't well I would finish earlier.

 

[SnapDragon]

Hi,
I'm in the same position. I'm also a freelancer. I was originally going to stop at 37 weeks (so in 4 weeks) but I have so much work to do and I keep thinking that the more I can invoice for now the more I will have to live on durning Mat leave, so I keep getting tempted to keep going, I suspect I'll keep working till 38 weeks. But I think ultimately it's wise to give yourself some down time before baby arrives, and it all depends on how you feel. For me, how I feel about finishing varies from day to day..

 

[Lysal]

I'm 34 weeks and am stopping at the end of this week. I was planning to do another week but am getting really bad heartburn and so not sleeping so I'm exauhsted all the time and have quite an active job (I'm a primary school teacher). I think your body will tell you when it needs you to get more rest. Some people go longer and I've known others that have needed to stop earlier. It's not being lazy it's looking after yourself and the little one inside you.

 

[Ruby x]

im 31 weeks and I'm leaving work at 39 weeks. Thats the plan anyway.

 

[Piper84]

Thanks for the input ladies I decided to stop this week and have let my clients know.

The thing is, I am only allowed to earn a certain amount so that I won't be in the next tax bracket up, which wouldn't be beneficial in my situation. I can invoice the stuff that goes over that next year, when I've finished my leave. Anyway, I've reached that limit so I suppose it's fine now. There's so much to do around the house as well as we moved in a few months ago!