Also team work until labor over here. My office is tiny/understaffed, and not covered by FMLA, so I only 6 weeks. I'm fighting that but probably not going to get very far. My plan is to work physically in the office until due date and then work from home until labor. I of course realize babies do what babies do and so this could change in the week(s) before birth, but for now that's the plan. Very jealous of those that get more time off. Feels like I will hardly have any time to physically recover let alone bond with baby but that's life.

I planned to go to birth but then I got in a minor car accident on the Monday after my due date, and I realized I was done. I was induced three days later.

I worked until labor. I only had 6 weeks of leave. No way was I using any of it before. If I had 8 months, sure—I’d totally put an end date on it. I think it would be easier for all involved.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would have been bored out of my mind just waiting for baby to come. Worked until labor for all three kids.

Yes this is kind of a weird post. I can understand wanting to be distracted but being bored out of your mind for 1-2 weeks at home? Pp must be a very boring person.

NP. I understand both these points. I quit work 6 weeks bf my due date and it was so awesome. I was never bored. I napped, exercised, got the house in order, and made freezer meals. But THEN my due date came and went and I was like crawling out of my skin and had to get out of the house just to distract myself from my impatience.

Haha! PP here. I don’t find napping and cleaning to be all that interesting. I enjoy my work and coworkers and had no interest in spending a week making freezer meals.

OP back again. I guess I'm not alone (although we're clearly not all in agreement) in my considerations. Leave time isn't an issue (as I said in my OP, I'll be out for the rest of the year on leave), money is something we have to consider but a week or two of additional income isn't going to make or break us. And, more to the point of my post, I'm realizing that I feel better "planning" my last day and officially closing up shop on a set day - assuming the baby doesn't come early which of course could happen - rather than saying goodbye to my staff etc each day as if it's my last for 2019. We don't have a formal work from home option but I can make myself available if I'm waiting around at home for the baby to be born, and also during my extended leave, within reason. I also have a toddler DD and find myself wanting to savor some extra one on one time if I have the opportunity.

I know I'm incredibly lucky to be in this position at all and feel so grateful to have this flexibility. Thank you, too, to one of the earliest posters for encouraging me to not feel guilty about it.

Worked till I was induced 10 days as free my due date. I wanted to save every last drop of leave. I would have liked a day or two off but its hard to predict.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would have been bored out of my mind just waiting for baby to come. Worked until labor for all three kids.

Yes this is kind of a weird post. I can understand wanting to be distracted but being bored out of your mind for 1-2 weeks at home? Pp must be a very boring person.

NP. I understand both these points. I quit work 6 weeks bf my due date and it was so awesome. I was never bored. I napped, exercised, got the house in order, and made freezer meals. But THEN my due date came and went and I was like crawling out of my skin and had to get out of the house just to distract myself from my impatience.

Unfortunately the norm in America is you work until labor, but it sucks.

I took 1.5 days off before I had my 2nd. I regret it but my work was just awful and wouldn’t let me step away. The only way I stopped the avalanche of work was to lie and say I was in the hospital.

I would have loved a week or two to get the house organized, get a pedicure, take naps, spend one on one time with my older child. If I could do it over again, this is what I would do.

Anonymous wrote:I would have been bored out of my mind just waiting for baby to come. Worked until labor for all three kids.

Yes this is kind of a weird post. I can understand wanting to be distracted but being bored out of your mind for 1-2 weeks at home? Pp must be a very boring person.

Anonymous wrote:I worked up until labor. Got off work at 4pm. Went into labor around 8. Got to hospital around 10. Baby born at 1am.

But I had a VERY easy pregnancy. Was not uncomfortable and had no issues walking 2 miles to work that day.

I am so jealous! I was in lots of pain by 4 months with my first.

I worked until labor. I didn't have that much leave so I wanted to save every day possible. My first was 10 days late so that would have been a waste of 2 weeks of leave had I stopped on my due date.