Working and pregnancy

[jellybean86]

Hi everyone,

Well I am a soon to be first time mum. 8 and a half weeks along. Just wondering on peoples opinions as to when to stop full time work? I know this is not a concern for a long time but I am hoping to work as close to my due date as possible and wanted to get other peoples opinions about when to start maternity leave. Thanks for your advice!

[kar]

As early as you can afford it. I had an easy pregnancy but by 30 wks I was over it. And my babe came early so was very glad I finished 6 wks out.

[Me]

With #1 I stopped ft at 26ish weeks, but continued to work Pt up until and including my edd(felt fine), but it was just casual bookwork.

With #2 I wasn't working ft, but it was Pt(so set days and hours) and I worked til 6hrs before I went into labour.

Now I am preg with #3 and working ft at 30 weeks and REALLY struggling, but its our own business and we lost a staff member so I have no choice until that position is filled. I am taking it as easy as i can - no lifting, delegating as much as I can, avoiding going up and down the stairs too much etc, but really, for me ft is too much at this stage.

Is there any chance for you to cut down to Pt in perhaps the early stages of the 3rd trimester before you actually start maternity leave so that you can save as much maternity leave to spend with bub but can still have the pressure off in regards to ft work?

[BabelFish]

I worked until 38 weeks with my first and wish I hadn't. I think 32 weeks is a great time to stop, if you can.

[lealea79]

I worked full time up til 37 weeks.. I don't know how I did it to be honest.. I would not recommend it.. Maybe 34 weeks would be a good time or before.

[Lateralus]

I was working 32 hours a week shift work (nursing) & stopped at 34 weeks due to severe sciatica. Not much use as a nurse if you can't walk :D

[MoreKisses]

I worked f/t up until 36 weeks and had my DD at 38 weeks.
I know lots of first time mums who want to work to 38 weeks but its just crazy... you never know when they will arrive so make sure you give yourself enough time.
I'm working p/t now and will probably work to 36 weeks again.

[1plus2]

With DD1 i had a super easy pregnancy while also working a super busy job, i was also very pregnant over summer and worked outside.

I worked until 36 weeks, i was planning on working right up til i was due but issues with bub forced me to stop working at 36 weeks as i had to have daily check ups and she was induced 2 weeks later. Other then those problems i felt physically well enough to keep doing my job.

With DD2, i wasnt working but i was so tired and sore all the time that i doubt i would have lasted very long at all if i had been working.

This time around i feel awesome again and have no dramas at all.

So you pregnancy could be good or bad, you'll just have to wait and see what works for you.

[kar]

Also keep in mind that the time between finishing work and having your first child is the only time you will have to yourself for oh, say, the next 20 years.

[jellybean86]

Thanks so much for all your advice so far! I am a primary school teacher so I have the luxury of not having to be on my feet all day if I can't. Dropping down to part time is not an option for me as then I would loose my full time maternity pay. I just really don't want to waste my maternity leave on being at home pre-baby.
Fingers crossed I will have a nice easy pregnancy!
Thanks again for your advice ladies!

[pinktasha]

I'm 39 weeks and still working.. I work for a charity and love it lol..

[jsma10]

always good to check if there is a policy with your employer as to when you need to stop work too...

I had planned to work as close as possible, but my work has a policy of 6 weeks before you are due (unless you get a note from your doctor - a note to stay at work??:laughing:)

I ended up stopping the 6 weeks before, and to be honest the first 2 weeks were boring but by the 3rd week I was so happy to be home as I was uncomfortable & exhausted. Bubs came only 2 days before EDD.

Teachers get a pretty sweet deal from the Education Dept, don't they?

[Cluky79]

Hey jellybean,
I'm currently 20w +4 and I have decided to work till 34 weeks, I'm hoping to have some time at home before bubs comes to do that little bit of cleaning etc. Although I work in the office I still care for people with a disability and push wheel chairs and assist when needed, I'm hoping I won't have to go down to part time before then but I'll have to wait and see :). I found I was very tired the first 12 weeks and now over the last week it have returned, I usually am asleep by now (I was a night owl before pg) but I had a nap just after work.
All people are different my boss worked until 38w and she ended up going into labour the day after she finished.
Good luck with what ever you decide, also I would check your entitlements because I think you might find you won't loose your full time mat leave if you drop to part time after so many weeks :)

[MummaBear03]

I had every intention of working up to 38 weeks, and had been told so many times that first babies are ALWAYS late so was expecting to be pregnant for 41 weeks, if not 42 weeks which would have given enough time to get things ready in the room to fit in me and a baby in one small room which was in a different town to where I was at the time. But nope, I got to 36 weeks, left work at 6pm and had her the next morning a bit before 11am :rolleyes:

So in short, I'd say 34 weeks is the latest I'd work to in future should there be the chance of any more babies.

[jellybean86]

Well we get the same as everyone else will at the start of next year. We get 12 maternity at full pay or have the option to stretch it out to 24 weeks at half pay. The government will then match what other working mothers will get and give us an extra 6 weeks on top of that at minimum wage. Any maternity pay is excellent though!

[kar]

Aah, most women do not get any **eta paid** maternity leave except the new payment at minimum wage. Govt employees get a great deal.
The vast majority of women had no entitlement to paid mat leave from their emoyer.
So your 12 weeks at full pay is much much more than most - who will get 18 wks at $570/week.
Sorry, off topic

[jellybean86]

Clucky79 - Thanks for the advice on entitlements I will look into it. It would be great to drop to part time when I am further along!

[MummaBear03]

always good to check if there is a policy with your employer as to when you need to stop work too...

I had planned to work as close as possible, but my work has a policy of 6 weeks before you are due (unless you get a note from your doctor - a note to stay at work??:laughing:)

I ended up stopping the 6 weeks before, and to be honest the first 2 weeks were boring but by the 3rd week I was so happy to be home as I was uncomfortable & exhausted. Bubs came only 2 days before EDD.

Teachers get a pretty sweet deal from the Education Dept, don't they?

SIL is a teacher and will work all of Term 1 then stop work. She'll then stay home for the rest of next year with the baby who will be about 9 months old when school goes back in 2012, and my brother is taking a year off after that to be with the baby and he can take the baby to the school for breastfeeds in breaks. She works for Ed Qld, he works for Catholic Education.

[ManekiNeko]

I left work at 38 weeks with DD and less than a week later gave birth. I had a pretty easy pregnancy though and those last few days not working before her birth killed me I was so bored and I was practically cleaning house top to bottom couldn't handle sitting still.

Second time around i had a hellish pregnancy with constant pain and contractions from an irritable uterus. I made it to 36 before actually leaving. I asked if I could drop a couple of days and they said if i can't come my full time hours because I wasn't feeling well they would prefer I didn't come for my own safety in case I over worked myself. They said that if I dropped to part time on paper I would loose my full time maternity pay for the 12 weeks so staying an extra two weeks wasn't worth it. Thankfully I left then at 36 as I had him at 38 weeks exactly.

[The C Team]

I worked up until 36 weeks but did part time for the last month or so. My job was an on-your-feet-all-day gig and was killing me! I also went to trade school up until 39 weeks- in hindsight pretty dumb as I was exhausted before bubs had even arrived!
DD didn't end up coming until 40+11 o I did get a bit of a break- but I was very bored.


apologies if it's all over the place. I'm major tired yet can't sleep.

[Bellini]

I left at 34 weeks - it was the earliest I could leave while still being entitled to maternity pay, and I really wanted to ensure I had a few weeks to myself before my baby was born.

It was a perfect time to leave, in the end. I had three weeks of blissful relaxation at a time when I needed it the most (I was very big and uncomfortable at that point), and then I went into labour at 37 weeks.

[ManaB]

I'm a first time mum too, 30 weeks now and at the moment am scheduled to work up to Christmas Eve, which will be between 36-37 weeks. I'll leave earlier if there are any complications or if I really find I'm struggling to manage.

Pushing it out that late is largely a financial decision, to try and maximise the leave and income I'll have after the baby arrives. We have to provide a medical certificate to work past 34 weeks (public service).

I've had a (comparatively) very easy pregnancy with no complications, but I am getting tired now, and the last week or so have been getting very achey sitting at a computer, can't find a comfortable position that feels okay for my back but still enables me to breathe! But the main issue has been that my focus is elsewhere, and I'm not sure if that's the pregnancy or the work I'm involved in at the moment. :o

I'd say if you're considering working close to your due date, try and keep as much flexibility in that as possible - flag with your employers that you're aiming to work till x date if all goes smoothly, but of course things may change at short notice. I'm sure most doctors would be supportive of and provide documentation for a pregney lady finishing up a few weeks earlier than planned, if they were struggling. :)

I'm just desperately hoping bub doesn't come early - otherwise it's going to be straight from work to the chaos of Christmas/NY and then into motherhood! :eek: (and likely not being eligible for the Gov PPL scheme!)

[E&bump]

I am working two PT jobs, but one is cruisy book-keeping from home and the other is waitressing, so full on and running around on your feet for hours. That job has cut my hours back as I'm pregnant and told me yesterday I'd be finishing up at the start of Dec. I'll be 29 weeks, I had hoped to get to 32 weeks with them so not too worried about finishing a few weeks earlier. I've been getting really tired and sore from the running around so looking forward to the break!

As for the book-keeping, it's a family company and done from home so will keep that going, it's only a few hours each week and if I miss a few weeks no drama to catch up (as long as the BAS is ready in time!).

[ChristinaM]

I'll have my son in 10 days and I am still working full time and commuting 2.5 hours a day.

[ChristinaM]

My Ob worked until 2 hours before her C-section and went back to work only 3-weeks after her C-section.

I've seen people who worked until, literally, labour started..

But of course, everybody is different, every pregnancy is different and people have different jobs and some jobs are too physically demanding...

[crazily quick]

I too am going to be a first time mum in may next year and am a teacher as well so I will finish at the end of term one, when I'll be 37wks. This is pretty much the only option. I teach PE but my kids are pretty good so hopefully I'll be alright 'til then.


Aah, most women do not get any **eta paid** maternity leave except the new payment at minimum wage. Govt employees get a great deal.
The vast majority of women had no entitlement to paid mat leave from their emoyer.
So your 12 weeks at full pay is much much more than most - who will get 18 wks at $570/week.
Sorry, off topic

Gosh kar, you make me feel rather guilty for choosing a career where we happen to get paid maternity leave. You know, people who work for the gov aren't the only ones who get paid mat leave. Quite a few of my friends who work for smaller companies have received paid mat leave too. I know there are a lot who don't but most of us don't choose our career based on whether or not we get paid maternity leave.

[kar]

Sorry, that wasn't my intent. The OP stated she will get the same mat leave as everyone else - 12 wks at full pay and then an additional 6 at the govt paid rate.
Unfortunately most women prior to the intro of the new system got a big fat nothing. Particularly low income earners.
I just think we all need to be aware that the vast majority of women face institutionalised
discrimination because of their life circumstances. Most women dont choose to work in low paid jobs where they are treated as an expendable commodity with no rights.
Those of us who are not in that situation should keep in mind how fortunate we are. Or perhaps that what we have every woman should have.

[xkwzit]

I worked until 38 weeks with both pg, no worries (desk type work). Both babies came just a couple of days early, so I had a nice little break with both. I was balancing the risk of boredom from having too long off vs the risk of no break at all before baby came.

Cheers

[Hollywood]

With DS I worked until 36 weeks, and was totally over it by the end. I had an office job sitting down all day but it is really uncomfortable, I just wanted to lie down a lot but couldn't.

[HeyMissA]

it may be worth working out your due date and leave entitlements and working backwards as to when you'd like to leave and how long you'd get. If working an extra week takes you up to a school holiday or fitting in better with school terms it may help you you work out when you'd like to finish up.

I worked out that I wanted to start back at work in january and then worked backwards with my leave (maternity and annual). Ended up that if I worked until 37 weeks it would take me up to Christmas and i'd get paid for all the public holidays & could stretch my leave out a little further.

It was a great incentive to keep working and keep my mind busy. If i'd given myself an earlier option to leave work I probably would have but really wanted the time with baby at the end rather than by myself just waiting for her.

Anyway, she turned up at 38 weeks so I only had a week off. Lucky, as a week at home and I was already stir crazy.:dizzy:

[NanG]

With my first baby I worked until about 34 weeks. With this baby I am still working at 37 weeks. I will finish up this week though (almost 38 weeks), its getting so hard to sleep and get around, and the pressure I am feeling down there its just terrible! I am exhausted now, I am very much looking forward to spending the next two weeks in my PJs getting organised at home before the baby arrives!

[greengables]

I worked until 38 weeks with both pg, no worries (desk type work). Both babies came just a couple of days early, so I had a nice little break with both. I was balancing the risk of boredom from having too long off vs the risk of no break at all before baby came.

Cheers

Same here:iagree:

[missie_mack]

I worked til about 34 weeks with DS and hope to do the same again this time. However I will play it by ear. Your only required to give your employer 4 weeks notice of when you are finishing. Having said that I imagine with teaching there is a level of courtesy to finish up at the end of a term if you can. I've known a few teachers who then did other work at the school for the couple of weeks left after term end.

TBH I am a bit suprised that DET is only paying 12 weeks themselves and the the remaining 6 of the federal one. I get 14 weeks paid by my employer and then the government system of 18 weeks ontop of it. Sounds like a bit of a loss from what you were getting before :confused: