When to stop working?

[ArtMom]

Hello ladies

I am currently 23 weeks pregnant with twins and getting more and more uncomfortable by the day. My OB recommended stopping work by 30-32 weeks. I work from home, with a desk job, but I am finding it harder and harder to work and be comfortable while doing so. I get tired very easy, and the longer I sit at my desk the more discomfort I have in my bump and back. Last night was a pay cut-off day, so I pushed harder than I should have to meet my contract and was in tears by the end of the night. I ended up sleeping horribly and was awake and up half the night with hip pain. My husband thinks that I should stop work now, saying that the babies and I are more important than the money I earn. I have tried working from my laptop in a comfy chair, but it didn't work as well as I had hoped it would, and I had to return to the desk. I do make sure to get up and move around frequently and stay hydrated, but it just seems to be getting progressively more difficult. What are your thoughts on when to call it quits?

Attaching a pic so you can see how big the bump already is at this stage...

 

[SarahP13]

Hi, I can't help too much as I've never worked at a desk! I was working as a nanny when I got pregnant with DD1 and stopped at 32 weeks, I looked after a 1yr old and a 3yr old but only had a three door car to drive them in and had to fit the car seats every time I took them anywhere. I could have kept going a little longer but I was struggling.

I was going to suggest a birthing ball though to help you sit at your desk. I find them very comfortable to rock on and it really eases my hips and my back. Might be worth a try!

Good luck! X

 

[Buffyx]

I just think stop when your body tells you to.

I fell pregnant when my little one was only a few months old. I'm 23 weeks now and she is 8.5 months old. I'll be stopping around 30 weeks just because I'm exhausted, and I only work once a week usually! Some weeks I do no days, and some I do more than one.

Your OB doesn't know how you are feeling. Only you do. So stop when you're ready

 

[Lollipopbop]

I'm also expecting twins and I feel soo much more pregnant this time for the stage I'm at. I work in a nursery with 2-3 year olds and it's draining to say the least, 10 hour days and constantly on my feet or knees! I'm planning to go at 32 weeks knowing they're going to come a few weeks before due so I should have a couple weeks to relax. But to be honest, if you can afford it and your body is telling you to, go when you want! If I could I would go now so I could spend time with DS before the babies come x

 

[Kiki1993]

I work with 1-2 year olds and have quite the bump already, first trimester I had no sickness at all. Now the heartburn makes me sick, I walk to work and back which takes an hour on top of walking an hour with buggies at work and being on my feet all day. When I get home my feet are completely swollen. because of this I'm going off at 33 weeks (3 weeks holiday, 4 weeks maternity before my due date)... But I think it all depends on the type of job you have, the stress it involves, how you get there, how your pregnancy is going etc. Two girls at my work worked till two weeks to their due dates but they only had a five min drive to get to work and were in older age group so had no nappies, lifting, pushing double/triple/quad buggies etc. There's a girl who left at 30 weeks because she was high risk and wanted to reduce the risk as much as she could. Totally depends on what you think is best. I was going to try work till 4 weeks before and use 3 weeks hol and 1 maternity but that was in first tri where I barely had any symptom. Now in second tri as my bump gets bigger I'm more tired (can't sleep even though I'm exhausted), swollen feet, heart burn and sickness etc so I decided I'll leave earlier

 

[Ashley1021]

I'm planning to work as long as possible. I work in a daycare with 12-18 month olds. Usually 8 of them every day. I do almost all the lifting, diaper changing etc.

 

[malia]

I'm a secondary school teacher in one of the most challenging schools in the country when it comes to behaviour. I have been struggling since 5 weeks. My current plan is to work until 36 weeks, but I really don't know if il be able to do that, realistically. I'm going to see how difficult it is, and try to tell myself that health must come first.

 

[MamaHix1409]

I'm really lucky, I work in a school for children with additional needs. We take in children between young offenders sentences and children that have been removed from mainstream schools. I will be 28 weeks when our 7 week holiday starts and when I go back I'll be 35 weeks. I'll be able to work for as long or as short as I want before I have had enough I'll try to do the 3 weeks though but I have SPD as it is so it really depends on that.

 

[MummaMoo]

I work at a boarding college, and am housekeeper to 31 girls aged 13 -16. It's a physical job, and i'm struggling from tiredness already, but hoping to last to 37weeks. Don't think i'm going to last that long though, unless I get some help. The company are very good and are just waiting for me to admit defeat and ask for help.

 

[Torz]

I had a desk job when I was pregnant with DS1 & it was awful to get comfy. You think great, I'm sat down all day but it really starts to hurt. I take my hat off to you sat down for long stretches with twins in there.

I also found a birthing ball comfy to sit on. That could be an idea to try.

I worked right up to 38 weeks & went into labour at 38+6 weeks. I really regret it because it felt like I didn't even have time to breath & just relax. I spent the majority of those 6 days after finishing work in & out of the hospital. I never had any down time before baby came.

Work as long as you feel physically comfortable. If it really is starting to impact on your physical wellbeing then it's time to stop.

 

[LoveCakes]

I suppose the question is would you feel better physically if you stopped, I.e. Is it worth working or the pregnancy that's particularly hard. For example if you stopped what would you do differently and could your employer help you make those changes as reasonable adjustments?

 

[caz_hills]

I work in HR and you should def ask your company's HR team for support. Assuming you want to stay on a bit longer! I know it's harder in small companies but most big companies (and some small ones) will be able to refer to a doctor / occupational health. They should try and make adjustments for you - maybe shorter working hours or different ways to make you more comfortable.

I left work at 36 weeks with my son, planning to stop at 34-35 with this pregnancy as my son breaks up from school then so it makes sense.

Hope work can help x

 

[bjl1981]

With DS1 and DS2 I finished around 34 weeks. As a secondary school teacher I stand all day, and even though I only work 3 days a week, by the final day I'm shattered. I'm very fortunate that I'm due the first week in Oct, so I'll be 28 weeks when I finish for the summer (although will be at home full time with my 4 and 7 year old, so not much rest there!) and am undecided if I will go back after summer, or just start my MAT leave as soon as school starts again at 35 weeks. I also have SPD which is making life much harder than previous 2 pregnancies.

 

[Blessedbaby]

with my DD I worked until 34 weeks and worked from home up until 38 weeks ... I had lots of back and hip pain with her that started in 3rd tri

Im already experiencing the same aches and pains now as I too have a desk job and want to try and push until 36 weeks otherwise I'll work until 34 weeks again and then work from home until 36 weeks and have some time to rest and spend with her before this LO comes at 38 weeks