When did you take off for maternity leave

SmilingBluEyes · Aug 30, 2005

I stopped a week before my planned csection w/my daughter.

I am glad I took off (6 mo) afterward for as long as I did.

I have only worked perdiem since. No regrets.

You may have to wait it out and see how you do---but IF you can afford to take off sooner and enjoy the last weeks of pregnancy at home, those last few weeks w/o baby and enjoying your kids, I would DO IT!

WORK will ALWAYS BE THERE.

Congratulations to you and your family.

RNnL&D · Aug 31, 2005

I always take off as late as possible. With FMLA, my job is only guaranteed for 12 weeks. I want all that time with my baby.

With my last baby, my last scheduled day was Friday, 39 weeks exactly. I delivered the Tuesday before.

babies_r_us, RN · Sep 1, 2005

I like to work up to the due date as much as possible. I think the activity is good for you and baby, as long as you are having a healthy pregnancy. However, with you being due around the holidays, it would be nice to be home during that time also. I never had enough paid time off to take that many weeks before and 12 weeks after.

Actually, with my last child, I worked 3-11 in OB and then contracted off and on thru the night and delivered at 7 AM. Boy, was my labor patient surprised the next morning when she saw me in a patient gown in the halls!!! I felt better when I kept active, but all pregnancies are different. Good luck!

guest27716 · Sep 1, 2005

Well, I am not in the nursing field but I took off 2 months before I am due. I am due in 3 weeks. Can't wait. I am not going back to work. I will be a stay at home mom while attending gradaute school. I just want to be home with my daughter b/c this time is so special esp. when I was told I could never have children.

I do wish I lived in Canada where my other half of my family is. They get a year off paid.

Jenn

RNmommy · Sep 2, 2005

Myself and most of the RNs I work with took maternity leave at 36 weeks. I delivered my last @ 38 weeks and was so bored for the two weeks prior to delivery. With my next baby, I will try to work up to my due date.

uk_nurse · Sep 3, 2005

i left 3 weeks before my due date with my first 3 children, with my second son i left on the fri and he was born on the sun!!! was 3wks early. with my daughter i was on sick leave for most of my pregnancy. i had my full 26 wks paid mat leave.

midwifemama · Sep 3, 2005

my last night of work was my due date. working that late was hideous. but in part because i could't handle all the "you haven't had the baby yet" and "look at your ankles" and "you're huge". i only went back to work per diem, so it didn't make a difference. but if leaving early meant cutting into the time i had at home with my baby, i would definitely work as long as possible again.

Spacklehead, MSN, NP · Sep 3, 2005

I worked up until the very end with both of my babies. With my daughter, I went into labor about 4 hours before my scheduled shift and with my son, my water broke while I was working my last shift. I never had any problems working up until the end - the only thing was that I was very tired after my shifts. With my son, I worked all 12's and would be exhausted afterwards (I work in a moderately busy ER).

I did this so I could save up all of my time for after my babies were born.

Zhlake · Sep 4, 2005

I clocked out 20 min before I was a patient (clocked out for an appt and had to go straigt back due to bad NST) and 7 hours before I delivered. I was 6 cm dilated when I was first checked. Couldn't believe I was walking around like that all day!

I had decided to not stop at all before I delivered. I delievered at exactly 41 weeks, so I was really happy I hadn't taken off early. I wanted to spend all my FMLA time with my babe!!