Was anyone out on short-term disability before the baby?

Hi Ladies -

Just trying to plan ahead and since my little one is due in February - this question has crossed my mind several times...

Did your doctor grant you short-term disability before your due date?
I've heard that many doctors won't grant their patients short-term disability because they are in "healthy form" and the pregnancy is fine.
So far, my pregnancy has been fine - just some back pain but baby is okay and so am I.

I thought it was kind of the norm to get 2 weeks disability before the due-date - but i've heard woman have had to take their own vacation time/personal time so that they didn't have to go to work weeks before the baby is due.....

What were your experiences? How much time did you take off and was it STD or vacation time? I was really hoping my doctor would give me STD a few weeks before - but I don't know if thats common
Pls share your experience.

Thanks

Re: Was anyone out on short-term disability before the baby?

I was out at 34 weeks due to high blood pressure that was making me sick to the point that I couldn't get through a day at work (I am a pharmacist so I was on my feet all day).

I had to apply for disability through my job and the 6 weeks I was out prior to my birth counted toward my FMLA leave. I have both short term and long term disability so I was paid at full pay for 6 weeks and then at 1/2 pay until I was released to go back to work which was 6 weeks post partum. Not everyone has both short and long term so if you don't I beleive that if you go out early that counts against your paid time before you deliver. At the end of my 6 weeks post partum I had to apply for unpaid personal leave because my FMLA time was up. My job is very lenient in giving personal leave so this is not a problem. This will not hold true for every job. Most jobs only have to give you the 12 weeks FMLA paid or unpaid per year and any disability time taken counts toward that.

You can file for your STD 2 weeks before your due date but remember that does count toward your maternity leave. I am pretty sure you do not need a doctor's note for that. Most doctor's will not take you out of work early unless it is medically necessary. I know mine wouldn't

Hope that helps.

Re: Was anyone out on short-term disability before the baby?

I didn't take time off before the baby. I had planned to work to my due date but had some late complications and with the my commute that my doctor said she would write me a letter should I want one because I did have enough reason to put me out of work. One dr and my nutritionalist (I had GD) said I should go out as early as I could but my other OB and the high risk OB said it was up to me. I decided on taking 2 weeks off rather than work up to me date but wound up baby came three weeks early - so I got no time off. Went to work one day and came home and about an hour later my water broke and I was having a baby!

I am not sure how your company works but at mine you do have to prove medical need to the provider of the disability. Besides the letter, my doctor would have had to provide my medical records to get the disability paid for. This is what happened after the baby. After my 6 weeks check up I did still have some bleeding and stuff so my dr had written me a letter to keep my out and the disabilty company talked to my doctor and got my records and still denied my disabilty beyond the standard 6 weeks. I know my doctor was not writing notes to get people out of work unless there is a need - she says she can get in trouble for doing so if there is not a need.

Message edited 11/29/2005 10:49:20 AM.

Re: Was anyone out on short-term disability before the baby?

Thanks Ladies - unfortunately i was dreading to hear what you wrote - but it makes sense for the doctors and disability companies to take a woman out of work on disability who are in much need because of complications, high blood pressure, etc... I just hope this little one doesn't show up too early!

I was hoping to use some disability time before the baby - but boy am i wrong to even be thinking that.

I work in the city and the commute is getting rough - plus im moving into our new home in January - so was really hoping I didn't have to use any of my own personal time - but looks like I may have to use 2 weeks vacation time of my own - its stressful sometimes..

My job does have 6 week disability for those that apply, and 12 wks FMLA (6wks which are paid for maternity leave) - I guess ill just have to wait and see what happens as the time approaches......

Thanks again for your responses

Re: Was anyone out on short-term disability before the baby?

Posted by AnnBrunoXO

My job does have 6 week disability for those that apply, and 12 wks FMLA (6wks which are paid for maternity leave) - I guess ill just have to wait and see what happens as the time approaches......

Thanks again for your responses

Re: Was anyone out on short-term disability before the baby?

Posted by MrsJ

Posted by AnnBrunoXO

My job does have 6 week disability for those that apply, and 12 wks FMLA (6wks which are paid for maternity leave) - I guess ill just have to wait and see what happens as the time approaches......

Thanks again for your responses

This is exactly what I have.
I'm commuting too and its already getting hard. I know I can do it for a couple more months - albeit, slowly...but when I'm about 7 - 71/2 months I'm thiking I'm going to be DONE with commuting. I have to start feeling my dr out now. I also might start seeing the male dr. at my office, he is more sympathetic!

Re: Was anyone out on short-term disability before the baby?

I went out at 34 weeks due to multiple pregnancy, I had to use my own sick time, thankfully I had enough saved to get me through - I had the babies at 37 weeks and then went on half pay disability through my job.

Re: Was anyone out on short-term disability before the baby?

I did the commute with 2 pregnancies & didn't take STD before my deliveries.

Joseph I was 6 weeks early - so no STD beforehand - just the regular 6 weeks of disability followed by 6 weeks unpaid FMLA.

For Maddie, my doctor indicated that i had a 15% chance of going early again so to be prepared. I didn't want to use up my leave before I had the baby, so my boss worked with me, allowing me to work from home at 36 weeks.

Suggestion: if it's getting difficult to walk, you can get paperwork to fill out to get a handicapped spot. Explain that parking is hard to find & you have to park really far away. If your dr is sympathetic, he'll help you out.

Message edited 11/29/2005 12:35:11 PM.

Re: Was anyone out on short-term disability before the baby?

Posted by MrsJ

Posted by AnnBrunoXO

My job does have 6 week disability for those that apply, and 12 wks FMLA (6wks which are paid for maternity leave) - I guess ill just have to wait and see what happens as the time approaches......

Thanks again for your responses

This is exactly what I have.