Pregnancy
I am 32 weeks and starting to get uncomfortable at my job. I am having alot of lower back and leg/hip pain. My doctor wrote me a letter for my employer saying that I was physically unable to keep working. I could give it to her and be able to start my maternity leave. But my original plan was to work until the day I had the baby so that we wouldn't lose the income until we had to.
I am a janitor. I only work Friday-Sunday and they do let me take breaks when I need them. I don't think it will cause any injury or harm for me to stay there, I am just uncomfortable and tired.
Would you start maternity leave or just hang in there until the baby arrives?
- Only group members can vote in this poll.
- 25% - Before the baby is born- taking the last few weeks of my pregnancy off.
- 48% - Only after the baby is born- only using maternity leave for recovery.
- 25% - Other
Replies
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I wasn't allowed to take off early with out a medical note or whatever for the doctor. I had to work until I went into labor. It was no big deal at the time though, cause I worked at a bank which is hardly strenuous.
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I live in NJ and we get temp state disability 4 weeks before and 6-8 weeks after depending on birth method. They pay 66% of your salary. Knowing this and we were going to try, I also have private disability that will cover the rest if my income so I plan on taking full advantage. -
My doctor put me on sort of bed rest Memorial Day weekend and I was about 36 weeks. Ds was born June 24th, due the 21st.
I wasn't drinking enough water or relaxing enough and was feeling completely miserable. I had planned on leaving work 1 week before baby was born in case baby came early and so i could get the house cleaned up and everything ready for baby. If you only work 3 days a week I would stick with it for a little longer and see how you feel. Take your breaks and drink lots of water and just relax as much as possible when you are home.
Having the note will be good if you decide in a few weeks that you just can't do it anymore.
If the doctor isn't worried about preterm labor or other complications then keep working.
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First, I took time off pre-baby, second worked untill I was past-due, and third they told me to go home in the last month! But in all cases I worked privately or was switching to a new position when I returned, so I never had a limit of weeks. I had to go back, just when I was ready. It was the money that I missed out on.
If I had limited time I would try to stay as long as I could, but never any guilt for going early...worrying about money shortage would really be up to the budget and my husband agreeing.
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I took a voluntarily time off 2 weeks before my due date and then my unpaid 6 weeks. I needed it. My midwife and OB told me I needed to control my swelling of my legs and gain some weight not lose more and keep hydrated and at the time JcPenney would not work with me.
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I probley wil go out before my due and go on temporay disablite and I will get paid 4 weeks before, 6 weeks after if I have a vaginal and 8 weeks for c section but I'm leaving it up to my ob to say when I can go out so I'm able to go on disablite.
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my job is shutting down and changing what they are doing with the building so I will have a couple months off anyways so I will have time to get ready for baby and heal before I go back to work -
With my daughter, I was not working (I was young and planning to go off to college, then just started looking for work when I became pregnant and never was hired anywhere). With this pregnancy, I will not have the option of leaving work early because I will be teaching full-time as an unpaid final intern. My only option if I need to leave early will be to fail and repeat my internship at a later date.
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As for you, if you will have to go back after 6-weeks, if you can wait, I would wait. You will need and want that precious time after baby is born.
I think it's a crime that our country only gives 6-weeks, unpaid, and not even guarenteed that at all employers. Most other countries give paid leave of between 6-months and two years, depending on the country.
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I took the last week of my pregnancy off b/c I was so freaking uncomfortable. I ended up quitting while on maternity leave, though, so it didn't really affect my FMLA time off.