how many moms out there worked until your due date?

[Anonymous]

This is my plan. (i am due in 3 weeks) I am finding that I want out now and I have fleeting moments of focus at work. I am a teacher so I feel that the walking around all day will be good for my labor, but I just don't want to be there! I have heard advice on both sides of this issue. Some say stay home a week or two before , while other say work until the due date...and advice?

[Anonymous]

I had a scheduled C-section during 39 week, and I took off 2 days before it. The only risk with your plan of taking 2-3 weeks before due date, is that unless you have a scheduled c-section, you don't really know when the baby will come. It could be on due date, a few days before or a couple of weeks after. The reason I worked almost till my delivery, is that I wanted to take as many days as possible using my leave to maximise my days with the baby.

[Anonymous]

I worked up until almost my due date (in one case, was in on Friday, went into labor Sunday night, due date was Tuesday, other one worked Thursday, went into labor Saturday, due date was Tuesday). But I have an office job, so the only issue was the long commute on Metro, which never bothered me.

If you're uncomfortable and unfocused, I would probably take a few weeks off before your due date, if you can. I don't see any point in pushing it, and if you feel well enough to walk around, you can take walks outside or go to the mall or something.

[Anonymous]

I was a teacher and worked right up until my due date. It occupied my time better and I was grateful for the distraction.

[Anonymous]

I worked until going into labor (at 39 weeks) and did surgery the day before. . .

[Anonymous]

I thought I would work up to my due date, but felt the same as you. I ended up taking off 2 weeks before my due date.

[Anonymous]

I worked until two days before my due date, but that was because I wanted to conserve as many days off as possible for maternity leave after the baby came.

[Anonymous]

My scheduled c-section is tomorrow. I worked a compressed work schedule (Fridays off), with my last day being last Thursday. I didn't have any problems focusing though so I can't relate. My biggest issue was staying awake. Like a previous poster stated, I wanted to save all of my leave to use when the baby was here.

[Anonymous]

My due date was Friday and I'm still working but working from home. I can't take being in the office anymore - partly b/c I'm just not comfortable but partly because I can't take the 'soooo you're still pregnant?' questions. If I couldn't work from home, I would have stopped working last week.

[Anonymous]

It MAY not have to be all or nothing. Could you find a substitute for an afternoon/morning or two per week and take a little vacation/sick leave instead of taking a chunk of leave?

I want to save my leave as much as possible, but I'm considering taking off early one afternoon a week as I get closer. I'm 4 wks away now and it is becoming hard to concentrate by Friday afternoon when all I want is a nap.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Had a c scheduled for Tuesday and worked until the Friday before. Like the PPs, I wanted to save all my time for after the birth. also, I think I would have been bored at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Had a c scheduled for Tuesday and worked until the Friday before. Like the PPs, I wanted to save all my time for after the birth. also, I think I would have been bored at home.

Exact same schedule for me last time around. And believe me, my employer at the time took advantage of every last minute they had me. There was very little slowing down.

[Anonymous]

I found out on Monday (the day after my due date) that I was going to be induced Tuesday night. Worked from 8-3pm on Tuesday, went to the hospital for an induction at 9pm that night.

[Anonymous]

Worked on my due date both kids.

[Anonymous]

I worked until I went into labor as well. I went home on Friday, my water broke Monday morning before work, had the baby that day. My due date was two days later, on Wednesday.

I'm not sure what I would have done had I gone past my due date. I was feeling pretty good up to the end, so I planned on working the rest of the week (2 days past due date) and hopefully that following Monday, I would have gotten permission to work from home for a couple of days. I wanted to use all my time off for the baby.

I think it really depends on how you feel, stress at your job, etc. My husband really wanted me to stop working once I hit 38 or 39 weeks, but the midwife at our practice (we mainly saw OBs but saw the midwife when they were not available) explained to both of us that if I was feeling okay, working until the end could encourage labor (being up and about, dressed, etc., whether then laying around in pjs which I would have done at home).