Working Mums:What is your EDD and when are you starting ML?

[leenziepops]

I'm so impressed by ladies working up until the end.

[tinavonsparkle]

Leenzipops - I'm in the same boat as you. So lucky that we get a whole year off and then I'm only going back to work part time. FTM so many other new mums have been giving me their pearls of wisdom and they have all said take time off prior to birth (seriously considering a month or more) because you will not have that alone/'me' time for a looooooong time. I'm planning on spa days, lunches, long lie ins, yoga classes - the works! I'm due June 16th so I'm going to use my annual leave and probs finish in early May. As a theatre nurse my jobs very physical and it's a lot of standing/not peeing for long periods of time too - that's my excuse anyway and I'm sticking to it! It's going to be summer too - literally could not have timed this baby any better!

[tulips114]

My EDD is June 12 and I plan to work until I go into labor, unless of course something unexpected happens and I have to go on bed rest or something sooner.

I worked the day I went into labor with DD1 (water broke in the evening) and with DD2 I wasn't working at the time.

ETA: if I was getting 12 months I would totally start 2 weeks before EDD.

[Deleted]

My EDD is June 8 and I'm planning to work up until the last possible minute. I only get 6-8 weeks of maternity leave and I don't want to waste any of that time sitting around at home waiting for my LO to make her arrival. I'm jealous of the ladies in other countries that get a year off! If that were the case for me, I would probably stop working a few weeks before my EDD.

[leenziepops]

Now i feel so bad starting this thread. I completely forgot about different ML laws. Sorry ladies!

[santoki77]

My EDD is 6.13 but was already advised I'll be scheduled for induction 1 week before bc I'm high risk. Bc of hospital scheduling I'm planning for 6.7 which is a Sunday. I'm planning on working up until 6.5 but will probably work a lighter load. I've extended as many court deadlines and am trying not to schedule any deps, conferences, etc after 5.20. It's usually pretty quiet around Memorial Day which should help. Technically with my firm's ML and my short term disability, I'm only getting 8 weeks paid leave but we're saving to plan for me to take 12 weeks. Hopefully the boy will cooperate

[carolyngrace]

I'm in the "work until I pop" camp! I don't have paid leave, but can take as much as I want. I think we'll be able to afford 10 - 12 weeks, and I want every second of that with DB. It's perfect timing because MOST of my work is in a school, which lets out June 10th or so. I'm due June 1st, so even if I go overdue I should be able to work right up towards the end of the school year.

[nicolec78]

Feb 20, 2015 7:38:31 GMT -5 leenziepops said:

Now i feel so bad starting this thread. I completely forgot about different ML laws. Sorry ladies!

I am a little jealous but happy for you and the time you get. I think you will find most of the ladies in the US plan to try to work until birth so we can get our full 12 weeks. My previous job, when I had dd, wanted me back after 4 weeks. They actual sent me a letter telling me I had to go back. When I called them they had the nerve to berate me for wanting more time. I quit that job.

[apollo11235]

I just mentioned this in the baby shower thread, but I teach and the semester ends May 8, so my ML is sort of built-in (EDD 6/9). I may actually have to work from home starting June 13, though, and just take some sick days if I deliver on the later side or otherwise can't work. That's a bit up in the air still.

[headisbest]

My EDD is June 22 and holding firm it seems. I have told my work I will work up until June 12 (ish) however - if needed for a few hours here and there will be willing to come in as hopefully I will be living close enough to work at that point I can just walk. I really love keeping myself busy and nesting is not my idea of busy.

[wink568]

EDD is June 9th. I planned to work until the end but my doctor wanted me to stop commuting about 3 weeks before so I'm not 2 hours from the hospital she delivers at if something happens while I'm at work. My boss is going to let me work from home for the last three weeks, which is rather unusual since the very nature of my job (Property Management) requires me to be on site. Luckily, we have enough paperwork related tasks that I can take on pretty much all of that for the office from home and still be productive.

Had that not been an option, I would have compromised with my OB, driving instead of public transportation for one week, and starting my ML two weeks before my EDD.

[mrsmonogrammed]

Due June 23rd and the plan is to work right up to delivery...I want as long as possible with baby girl after she gets here! Also, if I'm off before delivery I know I'll be bored and spending $$!! Definitely need to keep that in check with only 6/12 weeks paid ML:(

[sgarmand]

Another one here for working until delivery. I would give anything to have time off before she gets here, especially since it's tax season and I won't get anything done for awhile. We get 6 weeks of unpaid ML. I'll probably use all of my vacation and personal time to bring in some money, but other than that, my small business's policy sucks.

[littlegrapey]

I'll be working til delivery. I'll only be able to get 6-8 weeks off and I want to spend that whole time with the baby, not at home alone bored out of my mind.

[elrumbee]

my EDD is june 13, I'm planning to work until may 28th, unless i can/want to keep going

[ktbear]

leenziepops it's definitely a cultural thing! If I got a full year off, I would definitely take some time before my EDD. I get 12 weeks, which is a lot by US standards, but I still don't want to waste a day I don't have to.

[alayne926]

With DS, I worked until the day before my induction.

With this LO, I will be working until the day of my c-section (June 29th) EDD June 30th.  

[belle0720]

I was told at a disability/maternity leave info session last year that we get 2-4 weeks before our due date (but generally 4, I guess unless we want to work longer, and I don't ). It's fully paid and does not affect our maternity leave which goes into effect the day after baby is born. So technically if I went past my due date then I would get more than the 4 weeks.

So I think with my due date at June 20th, my last day of work will be May 21st (I already have the 22nd off due to my 9/80 work schedule). I still need to confirm with HR though.

[trixi282]

Feb 19, 2015 19:57:14 GMT -5 leenziepops said:

Hi ladies, my boss's boss called asking me if I could narrow down my date for the start of my maternity leave. Until this point, I had just been saying late May. So I told him today May 22nd and my EDD is June 10th giving me 2.5 weeks should things go according to plan. I advised that this is tentative with possibilities of that date shifting earlier. 
I am curious now, what is your ML start date and your EDD? 
ST+M that worked during pregnancy, please weigh in with opinions/advice. 

Dang, honestly that's a LONG time to be off prior to delivery if you go on time, or late!

I plan on working right up to the bitter end - but I am likely going to have a scheduled repeat C/S with all the nugget drama going on.

That said - with my first, I was due July 6th... The Friday after Independence Day!    I planned on working until the end, and I got close.  Our office was closed for the holiday, and we had a big deadline that week.  So I finished my work, and all the team had to do was print and send to the client after the holiday.

So I worked Tuesday, (3rd) and said "Ladies, I think I'm calling it quits... I'm donzo.  It's Fucking hot, I'm tired, and I just want to lay down for a day or two before baby comes"  And they were 100% cool with that.... well the universe laughed at me, and I went a full week overdue.

We were basically 99.9% prepared for baby to come at any minute, and so all I did for a week was lay on the couch watching bad TV and eating. It was glorious for the first couple days. Then I got bored.

Then I got mad that I was wasting precious PTO that I could be using for my REAL maternity leave of 12 weeks after baby was born!  My ML didn't kick in until the day baby was born, so although it was nice technically taking 13 weeks off, I was mad because it took away that paid time with baby and I ended up having more unpaid time at the end because I really wanted to take my full 12 weeks with baby.

That said, if you end up having baby early (less likely, but totally possible) then no worries.  But 2.5 weeks is a lot to me...

[blasto!]

Add me to the work until I pop group. Luckily, I can work from home though, so if I get too uncomfortable, I may exercise that option. Also I work for my dad and he already told me to just do whatever I need to.

[laurenlou83]

I'm another one for working up until this LO makes his arrival!! I only get 8 weeks leave through Short-term disability, and then can use any vacation/PTO time I have saved up. Anything over that will be unpaid. I would love to have a couple of weeks off prior to delivery, but in the end I'd rather have that time off at home with the baby. I hate how America basically shits on pregnant women who work.

[schnurette]

With DD I was due May 3 and started ML April 23 (essentially taking one full week and then some before baby was due to arrive). I ended up in the hospital April 26 and had DD by c-section April 29 so I'm glad I managed to get a couple days of freedom in before things hit the fan.

This time I am due June 3 (or June 9...or June 10...depending on how my doctor is feeling at any given moment) but I am going to do a scheduled c-section so I will likely be having baby the first week of June. I have not thought about it too much yet because I still don't know the date of the c-section but I would imagine I will just start my mat leave at the beginning of the week the c-section is scheduled for. (So if it's scheduled for June 3 I'll be off as of June 1).

[brennaz]

I was planning to start ML at 36 weeks, because I'm not really convinced I'll make it near 40 weeks and here disability starts at 36 weeks.

But then I was thinking last night, and it would be kind of nice to have at least one more normal paycheck before I start ML, especially if I am going to take off 12 weeks instead of just 6. So now I don't know. A lot of it will depend on if/how they modify my current restrictions...if I continue working in office part time and from home part time, I won't mind working closer to my due date.

I'm typing this out as I'm having contractions/BH. I feel like my daughter is trying to tell me something.

Anyway, my boss tried to peg me for a leave date and return date, I just don't know yet. I know I want 12 weeks after baby. But until I know when she will make her appearance, I can't give him a return date, and my leave date really depends on what the perinatal people tell me. My OB said they won't modify my current restrictions, and if it stays this way, like I said, I will keep working until maybe 38 weeks? Maybe until I deliver. I dunno.

[noeliav]

I'll read the rest of the replies in a bit, but I'm working up until baby decides to make his appearance. I only get FMLA coverage, and I want every available minute to be with baby.

Same strategy as with DD. I do start a project document about a month out and keep it updated daily for my boss and coworkers.

[erbear]

My due date is June 24th and I don't get maternity leave as a substitute (teachers in my district have to use sick days for ML, too). I'm planning on finishing out the year through the beginning of June!

I will have to start the year August 19th if I have a job.

[courtyowl27]

I will also work up until delivery. I work at the hospital I will be delivering at and joke with my staff that I may go into labor at work. We have determined I will have a bag packed here, ready to go. One staff will help me up to the unit and the someone else will be responsible for calling DH. Obviously, it would be more comfotable if I started the process at home, but hey, what better place to be then here!

[mrskblack11]

Due 6/9 and I will work until he arrives. I work from home so it's no big deal.

Hopefully I can take 12 weeks off. I need to discuss with my boss, but if not, I am still at home so if I need to work some hours, I can.

[trixi282]

Feb 20, 2015 14:28:37 GMT -5 @demanda88 said:

Question...can you use up your vacation and then start FMLA leave? I'll have two weeks of vacation by the end of June, so I would love to be able to take 14 weeks but I have no idea if vacation & FMLA are required to run concurrently?

Talk to your HR rep because every companies ML policy is different.  FMLA isn't a paid leave, it simply is a guarantee that you can take medical related leave for up to 12 weeks and still come back to your job or one similar.  Basically stating that your job can't fire you while you're out on leave.

Example:  My company qualifies/honors FMLA, but for our time off we have to use 2 weeks PTO until our STD kicks in.  Then we get 4 or 6 weeks (depending on vag/csec birth) after that at 66.6% pay (basically getting 6 or 8 weeks "disability").  If you choose to, and have enough saved up, you can infill the other 1/3 of your pay for those weeks, and after that the remaining 6 or 4 weeks of your FMLA is either your PTO or it's unpaid.

So hence, when my 1st was born, I used a full week of PTO, then she was finally born, I had to use another 2 weeks PTO until disability kicked in.  Then I got 6 wks (csec) of STD and infilled PTO so I would get full paychecks, and had about 2 weeks more of PTO left to use... my last 2 weeks of FMLA (weeks 12 and 13 technically at home) were unpaid.

So I only lost out on 1 paycheck.  BUT, I had to pay out of pocket for my medical benefits for that one paycheck.

[sugarbean17]

EDD is June 10 I'm going to see if I can be put on the schedule for a few days after that. I don't want to use any of my maternity leave until I have to. With my last two kiddos I was induced on my due date this time I don't want to be induced so I will likely go past my due date.

[Ana0927]

I had a scheduled c-section with both of my pregnancies and this one as well. With my first I was scheduled on Nov 12th but had to go in on Nov 7th because of very low amniotic fluids. So I started my leave a week earlier than expected. My second I was scheduled for May 10 and started my ML on the 8th. With #3 I am scheduled for June 5th and will work until the 3rd.