If you started ML early

[linz]

If you started ML before your baby was due, were you happy you did?

I'm due with twins in November. My Dr said he won't have me go past 38 weeks which is Nov 14. I haven't talked to him more about it since I plan to wait until I get closer. I know that there's a good chance I could go early, but there is the chance that I'd make it all the way.

I'm debating about work and if I want to start ML early....like around 36 weeks which would make Oct 31 my last day. I plan to take 12 weeks off.

The one downside is if I make it to 38 weeks that's 2 weeks I'm home with no baby. But at the same time I know I would be way more comfortable, could clean or relax, and it would be nice having a set day that I'm done working.

[chickens987]

Yes, I took a week off. I had a scheduled C-section, so no chance I would go over and go crazy. It gave me time to wrap everything up at work, relax and just chill for a bit. I'd do it again, even without the scheduled c-section I think.

[ECB]

I was ordered to stop work on a Friday (but I was over 40 weeks). I was scheduled for an induction the following Wed. DS decided Tuesday was the day to come. So - I ended up w/ just a 3 day weekend.

Not twins, though, so there's that. But honestly - I wanted as much time once DS was here as I could get. I wouldn't never, ever have wanted TWO weeks at home. Maybe a couple more days than I got, but... that would have been about it.

[catsarecute]

I planned to start ML a week before my due date. My last day was going to be a Friday (I was due the next Thursday). By Wednesday, I was done. My feet were swelling SO BAD after being at work just 2 hours. I had finished up preparing for my leave and really had nothing to do. My blood pressure was increasing at each doctor appointment.

So I started my ML on Wednesday, at my dr. appt on Friday, I was instructed to do a 24 hour urine collection due to protein in my urine. My water broke Saturday night and my DD was born Sunday morning. When the results of my urine collection came back on Monday, my levels were far above normal.

No one can predict when you will give birth but I wouldn't change a thing about how it all worked out. I went with my gut instinct and I'm glad I did. Being at work for 2 more days would not have been ideal for me at all.

[purplecow0206]

I stopped working about a week before I was due (my last day was a Friday, I was due the following Thursday) with the plan that I'd do some stuff around the house, make some freezer meals, etc. before I had the baby...

My water broke the following Monday night (first night of my week "off"), after my OB appointment that morning that was followed by a non-stress test at the hospital.

[bowies]

I scheduled my ML to start July 1 (EDD was July 9). My doctor induced me June 30. Dangit. I would have loved a few days of downtime.

[gibbinator]

36 weeks would be pretty late for twins anyway, so I think that's a decent plan.

Personally I stopped at 36 weeks both times and it was great to be able to rest my weary joints and nap frequently. however, big caveat, I have a year's mat leave.

[narockshard]

I started my leave one week before my due date, and J ended up being 2 days late. That amount of time was fine but I would not have wanted longer than a week. I was starting to go a little crazy in anticipation.

[Deleted]

My doctor wrote me out 3 weeks before my due date due to high blood pressure and put me on home bed rest. I personally LOVED having those three weeks off before DD came, but it didn't effect the time I was able to take off after I delivered, so it worked out well for me.

[hocus2]

My plan was always to take a week of sick leave if I made it to 40 weeks because I knew I'd be induced at 41 weeks. I didn't want to cut my FMLA short so I wouldn't have wanted the FMLA clock to start ticking early.

The first time around I also had a fairly strict doctor who won't just write me out for leave because being 39 weeks pregnant sucks. At my company you can't just start leave any time you want -- your dr. had to approve it and some doctors are far more relaxed about this than others.

[Blue Moon]

I've been off since 36 weeks, but I'm a teacher and it's just the way things worked out with summer break. It's been really nice having all this time to myself. I've been getting lots of appointments of the way (haircut, car maintenance, dentist etc) and trying to do one organizing project a day. I have plenty of time to nap and still keep up with the normal household chores like cleaning, cooking, and laundry.

[chickadee77]

I took two weeks before my due date. Very glad, as I went into labor on the first day of ML - my water broke right when I would normally have been getting to the office, lol.

[Brie]

I worked until my EDD but C was 9 days late.

It was really nice. I enjoyed having the time to get everything organized and cleaned and really relax. I wish I could do it this time but I don't have as much PTO saved.

[lulu21]

I stopped working 2 days before my due date. I had him 5 days late. Honestly it felt like forever. I didn't enjoy it because all I could think about was if the baby was coming, and I needed to stay busy. My mom had to come down on my due date because only 2 days into my leave I was going batty (that could also be because it was my first time not working in years )

[cricketwife]

Two weeks is a long time to sit around waiting for a baby/babies Imho. I would not personally have wanted to cut my time home with the baby just to have two mote weeks to rest. I, however,did not carry twins I did sit at hone for two weeks before my due date though.

[UnderProtest]

I didn't take my maternity leave, but I used up my vacation that I would have lost otherwise. I think I was home 1.5-2 weeks before my scheduled c-section. While I enjoyed the first part of it, the second part I was so miserable with the PUPPS rash that I might as well have been at work. It might have given me something to distract me from the itching. With twins, you really don't know what is going to happen from week to week so don't get totally set on something. I was INCREDIBLY lucky to have made it to 38 weeks. I have a family member who just had hers at 34 weeks.

[robinsbff]

i had about two weeks off before DS was born. it wasn't by choice though since i'm a teacher and the school year ended at 36 weeks and i was induced at 38w3days. i actually spent part of the first week in workshops and then had to go in and finish up paperwork/clearing up my classroom. so i had about one week at home. that's when i finished up the nursery, froze a bunch of meals, did big target/costco/grocery store trips for postpartum supplies and stocking up the pantry, etc. it was nice to have that dedicated time to prepare. being that my 12 weeks FMLA don't start until next week when the school year starts it didn't affect the total amount of time i have off.

[linz]

Thanx ladies. I can't work from home unfortunately so I will pry tell my boss I plan to be done at 37 weeks. Two weeks seems long so one would hopefully work. I know theres a huge chance I wont make it to 38, but I do know women that had twins and made it. I'm hoping to get to at least 36.

[LaceyV]

My due date was a Monday and my last day was the Friday before. She didnt come til Wednesday but I enjoyed by 2 days off, I got lots of cleaning done the one day and just relaxed the day before she got here. I don't think I could have handled 2 weeks though, a week at most would have been ok.

[cosmos]

I took 3 weeks off. Best thing I did.

[vtdiamond]

My plan is very similar to yours! I'm planning to work from home for most of October and have the 31st as my last day. So, would go out starting at 37 weeks. I'm not sure if I'll take a vacation week first and then start FMLA or will start my FMLA then, I need to talk to our Leave Administrator a bit more about it.

[linz]

Aug 20, 2014 19:27:57 GMT -5 vtdiamond said:

My plan is very similar to yours! I'm planning to work from home for most of October and have the 31st as my last day. So, would go out starting at 37 weeks. I'm not sure if I'll take a vacation week first and then start FMLA or will start my FMLA then, I need to talk to our Leave Administrator a bit more about it.

HR told me FMLA would start then. I asked early on if it would start if I was put on bed rest for the last couple weeks and they said yes. So I'm really hoping no bed rest and that I can make the choice when to stop working.

[kershnic]

I took 13 weeks of leave (the max my employer will allow) after the babies were born. I would not have wanted to give up even a day of time after they were born. I had a rough time going back to work at 13 weeks.

My plan all along was to work as long as I possibly could. My blood pressure started rising at around 31 weeks, at just past 32 weeks it was high enough that I was hospitalized. When I was released my doctor told me to stop commuting, but okayed to work at home. My boss and I agreed that I had about two weeks worth of work I could do at home to tie up loose ends, and if I hadn't given birth by then I would have started maternity leave early. I was dreading wasting maternity leave time, but also honestly close to unable to commute. I worked from home a week and a half then my water broke and I gave birth at 34w3d. Of course plenty of twins make it farther than that, but I've read that average twin gestation is 35 weeks.

I've also seen several polls of twin moms and moms who manage to work as late as 37/38 weeks seem to be extremely rare (not impossible, but remember even the relatively small odds of staying pregnant that long don't include moms who stop working before giving birth that late). Of course you can try to plan, but just be aware.

[ringstrue]

No and I'm glad I didn't because dd came 10 days late. I was going nuts enough with work to keep me somewhat busy. Forget being home alone and waiting around.

This time all I did was say "if I'm a week late, I'm not coming back after that" lol. Not much of a plan but it was nice to give my boss some sort of date.

[D2M]

My DD just turned 10 weeks and things are finally starting to feel "normal" -- and my H was home (and super helpful) for the first 8 weeks. I'm really, really enjoying her and could not imagine going back to work yet. Personally, I'd try to work as long as you are physically/emotionally able. Do you have to tell your boss now or can you wing it?

[nomad]

If I learned anything having my twins and being around other multiples moms you can't plan. I worked until the day I had my girls, that was 31w6d, I had high risk twins so I knew I'd go early and luckily my company let me take 16 weeks. All of that to say if I were you I'd work as long as I can.

[sillygoosegirl]

A coworker was telling me the other day that if you make firm plans to work until you deliver and have STD, but then you have a medical reason you can't stick to that, your STD will pay out for the time you have to be off work before the birth, in addition to the standard 6-8 weeks postpardem.

At least, that's how it worked out for her. She planned to work until the end, but ended up needing to take off an entire month early.

Just something to consider...

[Deleted]

I worked until I gave birth both times. With the twins I was on bed rest and working from home. I definitely get wanting some down time but if I only got 12 weeks off I would not use 2 of them before they arrive. I would want that time with my babies.

[Deleted]

Aug 20, 2014 19:02:02 GMT -5 linz said:

Thanx ladies. I can't work from home unfortunately so I will pry tell my boss I plan to be done at 37 weeks. Two weeks seems long so one would hopefully work. I know theres a huge chance I wont make it to 38, but I do know women that had twins and made it. I'm hoping to get to at least 36.

You can get there. I was determined to make it to 37 weeks the entire pregnancy with my twins. Then I had pre term labor at 32w6d. I made it to 36w4d. Hopefully you can make it full term!