At how many weeks did you start your maternity leave?

Question

I am a mail carrier. 23 weeks pregnant currently and of course my route/job is VERY physical. I do get a lot of packages being that i have 2 hours of business and 22 apartment buildings. Trust me i come home exhausted EVERYDAY. Its hard to avoid not being physical, Lifting packages, bending in the heat and etc.. 
Im trying to work until i cant anymore atleast until like 32 weeks but I honestly dont think im going to make it. And believe me i have already went to my manager about lite duty work but apparently she doesnt have anything else i can do. 
At how many weeks did u guys stop working? Especially for a very physical job.

Answer

Worked up until I gave birth both times. I worked in special education for both pregnancies and it was a physically demanding job due to the students I had. Some were low-key behavioral and elopers, others were wheel chair bound and we did a lot of lifting and positioning. It was exhausting some days. Plus my hip was getting knocked out of joint due to my son's position. But I was limited to the amount of time I was able to have off and was determined to use it for after he was born. My doctor offered to put me out early because of how much pain I was in. If I had more time available I would have considered going out early.

Answer

I worked until my due date, but not a job where I was lifting things. If you take your leave early, does that mean less time with baby once they are born?

Answer

It doesn’t matter when any other woman took maternity leave. Earlier. Later. Shmeh. You listen to your body. Carrying a baby… laboring a baby… and caring for a baby is all so much work. You do what is best for you!

Answer

My work is not really physical like yours, so I worked until 37-38 weeks. If I had a very physical job, such as yours, I could see myself starting my leave by 32 weeks. But also I feel it depends on how much maternity time is allowed OFF from work. With my career, I have unlimited PTO. So once my maternity is over at 6 months then I add on PTO to extend my maternity time. Being that I am able to do this and have so much time off, I work until as close to my due date as possible. You know your body best, so you will be able to decide when you think it will be best to stop working. I hope you have a healthy, beautiful and successful remainder of your pregnancy and delivery!

Answer

My husband and I own our own company and it’s a small office job type of situation, so I will not be taking any maternity leave. I take a lot of breaks now at 36 weeks to stretch, eat, get water, and time allotted for appointments away from my desk, but I make myself available for my clients as often as possible during business hours. It’s a very competitive field so I can’t take leave. However, if I were working somewhere, especially if it were physically straining, I would ask for a sit down position or accommodations if I felt like my body was being strained. Possibly discuss with your doctor what your physical limitations are and get a recommendation in writing from them what you should be doing medically if your employer is pushing back.

Answer

I’m a pastry chef, I worked until 38w.

Answer

I worked all the way until I went into labor. 
A good family friend of mine is also a mail carrier. She worked all the way up until she was induced at 37wks (due to medical disorder she has).

Answer

If this is your first baby I would stop working a few weeks prior to spend as much one on one time with your partner since this will be the last time for a while that it’s just the two of you. Take some time for some self care, relaxation,  and nesting too. With my first I stopped working around 36 weeks.

Answer

Until Christmas Eve (induced on 12/26) with my first. 40+4 (scheduled C-section for 40+5) with my second. I’m an accountant though.

Answer

worked all the way up until delivery all pregnancies. my leave started once I took decided to leave and that means less time with baby. but my doctor wouldn’t allow me to take a leave early anyway bc nothing was medically wrong..

At how many weeks did you start your maternity leave?

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