Girls who are working until their due dates

I am working until the friday before my c-section which is on a monday. I work mostly from home, but went in to the office yesterday. EVERYONE says to me.. OMG YOU ARE STILL HERE??? How are you doing it? OMG!!

Isn't it NORMAL for someone to work until the end? I mean, if maternity leave was better and I had a choice I would take time off before, but I want as much time home after the baby gets here. It is just odd that people are completely shocked that I am still working AND staying until the very end.

Anyone else get this reaction?

Re: Girls who are working until their due dates

I am a teacher, and I get a lot of those responses when I say I am starting the school year in September. I am technically not due until the end of September. I figured I would try to get as many pay checks as I can before baby comes. However, I know baby may show up early.
I just feel like if I can work, I want to. I guess I will see how I feel in a month when it is time to start.

Re: Girls who are working until their due dates

Well since one of the girls here actually broke her water on her lunch break a few months ago...

Me staying until the end doesn't phase them much.

Re: Girls who are working until their due dates

A lot of people take off b4 their due date. I have a friend who stopped working a month before hand!


I am planning on commuting until the end of september and then working from home starting Oct 1 until the baby comes.

Re: Girls who are working until their due dates

My plan is for my water to break in school . I really want to work until the end, I just don't want to sit around here waiting for the baby to come.

Re: Girls who are working until their due dates

I am also a school teacher. I have been off all summer, but will be returning in September. I am due at the end of September. I will not be teaching in the classroom. My principal is understanding. He will probably just have me do something small. In New York City public schools if you get a doctor's note saying you are sick the day does not come out of your accumulated sick days. If I am not feeling well in September and want to take some days off my doctor said she would give me doctor's notes for the days.

It seems crazy that I have been off most of the summer and now will return to work for the last month of my pregnancy.

Re: Girls who are working until their due dates

I am not due until December and yet a lot of people are surprised that I will be going back in September (I am also a teacher) - What else would I be doing with myself I would love to go to the end and so long as I feel good, I will.

Message edited 8/3/2007 9:14:53 AM.

Re: Girls who are working until their due dates

I am still early in my pg but at my old office there were women who worked past their due dates. I think it is normal. If you feel healthly enough to do it then do it.

Re: Girls who are working until their due dates

I worked up until 39 weeks and 4 days and I got that comment all the time. I planned on working even longer but my blood pressure was high when I went for my 39 week visit that they told me I needed to stop working. I wish I could still work b/c now I'm just hanging around waiting for this little one to make her arrival and I've only been out of work two days!

Re: Girls who are working until their due dates

Same thing with me. I have been working mostly from home and yesterday went into the office. Many people said to me "when are you going out" and I always have the same answer... "when the baby comes". I agree with you.. I want as much time with the baby, not before the baby!

Re: Girls who are working until their due dates

I plan to work until the end. I rather have the time off after the baby is here and spend time with him. And I agree, if maternity leave was better, maybe I would take a few weeks off prior just to get more organized and have some time to myself.

Re: Girls who are working until their due dates

I planed on working until my due date but the commute to Manhattan and the heat has gotten to be too much. I'm stopping a week from today, I'll be almost 38 weeks when I stop.

There have been people, mainly that see me at the train station every morning, that tell me to stop going t NYC.

My coworkers just started asking me last week how much longer I was going to work for. They can see it's taking a toll on me.

Re: Girls who are working until their due dates

My boss who I have a good relationship with, asked me when I would stop working.

Being that I am due the Sunday after Thanksgiving, I said I would stop working starting the week of Thanksgiving.

He asked if I could take an extra week beforehand because he couldn't handle the possibility of me going into labor at work!!!!!

Re: Girls who are working until their due dates

I get the same comments. I am planning to work until next Friday the 10th, and my c-section is scheduled for the following Thursday the 16th...

I have people all the time saying "I can't believe you're still here" and "you're a trooper!"

What am I going to do? Waste maternity leave time to sit at home??

It seems normal to me to still be working...if I was not having a c-section, I'd work up until my water broke or the doctor told me to stay home!

Re: Girls who are working until their due dates

I was planning on working til my due date. I hate my boss and really wished I could coordinate breaking my water on his desk. But some mild complications were found in week 34 and doctors told me to stop work immediately. Oh well, I tried.

Re: Girls who are working until their due dates

I assumed most people work up until the end. Everyone seems surprised I am still working. I plan on leaving in Sept. when I will be 37 weeks but now I'm thinking maybe sooner. I would hate to not have any me time beforehand, especially with a toddler around too.

Re: Girls who are working until their due dates

I'm a teacher too. I'm planning on working till the end as well..that being said, I hope he comes early like 11/1 so i can get more time in before vacation with him - it will come out to 8 wks if he comes early. of course i want him to be healthy rather than early - but if his lungs are developed and he wants to show his face at 38 or 39 wks, i'd be thrilled!

i think it's easier to go back to work in jan when the kids come back so we can reestablish rituals and routines.

Re: Girls who are working until their due dates

I worked up until the end - although the last week I was able to work in the LI office which was a huge help. I had such a great pregnancy (and in May the weather was still pretty good) so it didn't bother me but I got reactions like what you described all the time. People couldn't understand how I was able to stand let alone commute to work. But I needed every single day for when DS was actually here so I worked until the end with no complaint.

Re: Girls who are working until their due dates

I am planning to work until a week before my due date...like the above posters said...I'm trying to put in as much time as I can so that I can take off without a problem later on.

If you can swing it and work until the end, thats great, some girls work different jobs, nights etc...it becomes very difficult towards the end...I pretty much sit on my tushy all day with my feet elevated so I think I'll manage until a week before.

Message edited 8/3/2007 12:28:10 PM.

Re: Girls who are working until their due dates

Re: Girls who are working until their due dates

I am early on but I am hoping to work to as close to my due date as I can possibly handle. I am hoping as we get closer I can work more from home. I want to try and use all my time for after the baby is here. I guess we will see how it goes as time draws near.

Re: Girls who are working until their due dates

Unless something goes wrong, I plan to work until my due date. I did put in for a week off before just in case my LI-Brooklyn commute is impossible, but if I'm still okay, I'll work till the end. If I do leave early, it probably will be the commute that does it. My job isn't that strenuous, but I can see the commute getting to me in the not too distant future.

I'm only 23 weeks, so I"m not hearing this yet. My MIL was surprised though--she thought I would leave work at least a month before, but that's not happening.

Re: Girls who are working until their due dates

I work from home and plan to work till the day I am in labor.

Re: Girls who are working until their due dates

I am working up until my due date- and its very common!

It was exactly 1 month yesterday to my due date. I got my first "omg, you're still here?!?!?!" today.

I'm like "yep, please dont remind me that I still have a month to go!"

Re: Girls who are working until their due dates