When did you stop working?

My doctor told me that he is willing to write me out whenever I feel the need to stop working. I am 25 weeks and had originally thought I would work until 30 weeks (assuming I wasn't forced out on bed rest or whatever)...I figured at 30 weeks, I would have at least 6 weeks off before the girls came.

With DS, I stopped working on a Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. and my water broke on Thursday at 9:00 p.m. So, I basically got 27 hours of maternity leave before labor!!!

I feel fine other than being bone numbingly tired by 2:00 in the afternoon...my cervix is fine, no complications...

Yet, I am strangely worried that if I wait until 30 weeks, I will have these girls by 33 weeks and basically short change myself again (although 3 weeks is certainly better than 1 day!).

I guess I just want to really get the full 6+ weeks that other moms seem to get, you know? I pay into the system, I want to use it!

When did you stop working or do you plan on stopping? What would you do if you were me?

(oh, i work at an office job...)

 

I'd trust your gut on how you're feeling.
I had just gotten out of the military at 20 weeks. We were moving across country and my husband was taking a new job. I didnt get a job again until after I had the twins. I spent my time sleeping, relaxing with my feet up, taking care of myself!

If you're ready to stop working and can financially afford it- you should! Taking time off, sleeping, dooing things at a slow pace arent going to hurt anyone

 

My dr. gave me the choice this last appt if i wanted to keep working now or if i wanted her to pull me. I am on my feet my entire shift and with all the pain i've been in, i finally threw in the towel and let my dr write me out of work. I'm not one to give in so easily, but from my past pregnancies i have really learned to listen to my body and would rather have a couple less weeks of work, than to work to the point of putting myself in a bad spot. Good luck on your decision!

 

I started slowing down a LOT at 26 weeks.. I couldn't get much done besides working and things were really slow there anyway.. so I thought to heck with it, and just got outta there! No shame in leaving work early, you only get one chance to grow those little babies.

 

You should listen to your body. I was forced out on bed rest at 25 weeks and I am miserable because I know that I am eating up 6 weeks of FMLA before my babies are here. As long as you are prepared to stay at home I say go for it but it is killing me!

 

I was put on bed rest at 25 weeks but due to complications with a shortened cervix. I am now off at 35 weeks. But so huge I feel like I am still on bedrest. I am so tired. I could not imagine teaching kindergarten and coming home to a three year old and being pregnant with twins. YIKES!

 

I'm a teacher and taught until Christmas break, which put me at 33 weeks, I had my girls two weeks later, two days before I was supposed to go back to work...which I would have done. I am almost positive the lack of rest made me go into premature labor and if I had to do over I would have taken the extra time to rest up before the girls came. If you have it to take, rest before they come. I, unfortunately, didn't have that option since it was my first year of teaching.

 

I teach 4th grade and this is my first week off work (at 37.4 weeks although last week was spring break so technically I was off at 36 weeks). I haven't had any complications or anything. I don't get paid maternity leave - I have to use sick time which I don't have a whole lot of so I wanted to go as long as I could to save that time after the babies got here. I guess it all depends on how you feel and your financial situation. It would have been nice to leave work a little earlier just because I was so tired!

 

I'm a teacher, too. I teach high school so it's easier for me to sit in a chair if I need to. I worked until 34 weeks. I started contracting so much at work that it just wasn't a good thing. Also, the lack of sleep was making me very raw emotionally. Teenagers eat that up and take advantage of it. I'm 36w3d now and the girls are still "baking" away.

 

I got lucky and got laid off from my job about 7 weeks into my pregnancy (but they didnt actually take me off the payroll until week 12)! :blink: I'm an attorney and my firm axed hundreds of lawyers with six months severance plus full medical for six months (among other benefits). They then agreed to give me full maternity benefits which works out to 4.5 months full pay and 5.5 months half pay (gooooo EUROPE)! So basically, my timing could not have been any more perfect -- especially since I would have switched jobs and moved back to the States after this anyway (which they will pay for). Now I get to sit out the recession pregnant and then with my babies for the first year of their lives. Honestly, the time off is such an amazing blessing for me because I have been in the rat race for so long with no break and having this opportunity to relax before my first children are born is just awesome. I watch lots of pregnancy shows on tv, eat, sleep and I'm finally starting to learn my husband's native language (Italian).

So basically, I agree with everyone else. If you have the time and can afford it, enjoy this time to yourself and with your other child before the new babies come. It will be crazy after that.

 

I worked until 35 weeks at which point the commute (to over an hour away from our hospital) started to worry me. I was miserable the two weeks at home so it was the right time to stop working.

 

I'm 24 weeks and was told by my doc to stop working at 28 weeks. IF everything is ok at my 28 week ultrasound I'm going to continue to work until 32 weeks :spy:

 

I will be 26 weeks on Friday and starting next week I will go down to 4 days a week. At this point it is more about day care issues than needing to stop working but I'll take it! I plan to work the four day schedule until I get to 33 weeks. After that the kids and I (poor DH has to stay up here and work) are headed to stay with my parents. They live 45 mins from the hospital, I am currently 2.5 hours from it....

I have already decided however, if my body tells me otherwise, I will quit working before the 33 week mark. The most important thing is keeping these little ladies in here as long as possible.

 

I am 25 weeks and spoke with my boss yesterday and ask her to allow me to work form home full time. ( I had the letter from OB recomending that)
she will talk to her boss and hopefully I woudl be allowed to do so.
I am palning to work from home 2 weeks until delivery. but will see.

 

I worked until 37 weeks, 2 days. I work in an office and sit all day. But I basically just called and said "I can't get my feet into flip flops now and I'm staying home." Plus I was so uncomfortable anyway. I deliverd at 37 w 6 d. I think it all depends on the physical stress of your job and how your pregnancy is going. I sit all day and had no complications.

 

I worked full time in the office until about 29 weeks. Starting at 29 weeks, I worked from home full time. I stopped working at 34 weeks ... and had the twins at 36w3d.

This time around, I'll just listen to my body. I'm lucky that my work will allow me to work from home full time if need be, so I can lay in bed with the laptop and my feet up ...

 

I worked until 31 weeks. I work 12 hour shifts, 4 days a week. I did not have any complications, but I went into PTL. My Dr yanked me from work. I told him that I needed to have a medical reason not to work any more.

I have been off for 6 weeks and at first it was really nice to relax and catch up on the TV watching. Now, I could not even imagine working. I sleep for about two hours at a time and am exhausted most of the day.

The best thing is that everything that needed to get done is complete.

GL,
Jenn

 

17 weeks because I was put on bedrest then.

 

I teach 1st grade and I went off just before spring break 32 weeks and 4 days. I won't go back after spring break since I'll be almost 35 weeks and just too big to chase after my 6-7 year olds. Taking it easy at home. This is also my last week with my 2 yr old (will be 3 in June). She'll be going back to her babysitter next week when I'm 34 weeks. I want to take the final weeks to just relax but I still wanted at least 1 week with her alone before her siblings make their grand entrance.

 

Today is my last day and I'm being induced tonight. I travel for work/work from home so I stopped flying at 28 weeks and worked from home for the last 9.

 

I went on maternity leave at 28 weeks. My midwife wanted me to go then as with twins theres an increased risk of pre-term labour and to be honest it wasn't worth the risk to me to push it at work.
I work in an office as well and to be honest with the back ache and tiredness I was soooo ready to go then. I could have stayed a couple of extra weeks but to be honest I had so much stuff to sort out as well that it was great to be able to sleep in and then just do a little bit each day. I'm now ready for them to turn up!
If you can i'd say go on maternity leave between 28 - 30 weeks because you just do realise how tired you actually get... you think you can predict it but you really can't!

 

I am going to be 35 weeks tomorrow, and still working full time. I feel OK, just swollen ankles and tired at the end of the day, but I seem to be doing well. I hope I can keep them cooking for a few more weeks.

 

I quit working when I ended up in the ER for severe morning sickness. YUK!


Couldn't leave my bed for nearly two weeks until my doctor finally gave me medication.


Anyway... I'd work as long as you can and as long as it is healthy for you and the babies. You need to take care of yourself of course.
You do whatever you and your doctor feel is right.

Good luck!

 

I worked til 30 weeks and I was induced at 36 weeks.....I could have worked longer but I just didn't want to lol....so I had my Dr take me off work and I used my FMLA and my temp disability