To work or not to work...what would you do?? Advice please!

So I posted earlier about waking up with cramping and back pain. I am 37 weeks 3 days. Went to doctor today...said it was early contractions and I am 1 cm dialated. She said I am OK to still work as long as I feel up to it. I am still in a lot of pain when I walk. I am a teacher and go from classroom to classroom all day..up and down stairs. We have an elevator but it's not the most reliable and I am paranoid my water will break and I will be stuck in there! I am taking off the rest of the year so I wanted to work as long as possible to save my days but it hurts more when I walk and I don't want to push anything. I am so stuck on what to do!

Would you keep working or woudl you just give in and stop now?? Thanks for any advice!!!

Re: To work or not to work...what would you do?? Advice please!

I would work.

I was 1-2 cm dilated and 25% effaced at 37 weeks and I didn't have my son until 39 weeks, 2 days.

At my 38 week appointment I was 2 cm dilated, 80-90% effaced.

I worked until 3 days before.

I also work in a school (not a teacher though, SLP)

Re: To work or not to work...what would you do?? Advice please!

As long as your dr said it's okay, I would work so you can save your days.

Re: To work or not to work...what would you do?? Advice please!

I would work --

For my first DS, I was put out of work two weeks before my EDD and he ended up being nearly two weeks late....it was torture to be home just waiting for him to come.

For second DS, I had two episodes of false labor -- after which my boss let me work from home. Stopped working on a Thursday, spent Friday food shopping, going to Costco, etc. --- DS was born on Sat AM -- I preferred the second way much better.

Re: To work or not to work...what would you do?? Advice please!

I would work

Re: To work or not to work...what would you do?? Advice please!

I would work until your body tells you you can't anymore. I work in a school too (special ed preschool- I'm a music therapist) and I travel room to room as well. With my last pregnancy, I worked right up until the day I went into labor. I loved it because I ended up with 3 and a half months at home with my baby boy before having to go back. I would have gone nuts at home, still pregnant, just waiting and wasting my maternity leave away! So, if I were you, I would keep working for now. Take it one day at a time. At the end of each day, assess how the day went and see if you can make it another day. I wouldn't worry about "pushing too much" because you are technically full term now and it would be totally fine if you went into labor any day. If you get to the point that it is unbearable to work, then you stop. But I wouldn't stop yet based on fear of what may or may not happen.

Re: To work or not to work...what would you do?? Advice please!

While I know that you don't want to push yourself too far, especially if you are in pain, I would work as long as you possibly could so you could have as much time as possible with your baby when the time comes.

Re: To work or not to work...what would you do?? Advice please!

Well, me personally, I wouldn't work. I commute 1.5hrs each way to and from work and am stopping at 36wks regardless of how I feel just bc I think the commute will be a lot. This will be unpaid and I just don't care, but that's me.

Re: To work or not to work...what would you do?? Advice please!

My Dr. insisted that I finish work at 36 weeks but I pushed it to 37w 1d. I work in Manhattan and walk quite a few blocks to my office and he just wasn't comfortable with me being so far from the hospital (almost 2 hrs). Now, I have been home for almost 2 weeks and while I am on disability at full pay I almost feel like a fraud and wish I had stayed at least another week. I'm doing some work from home but it can get very boring!

Re: To work or not to work...what would you do?? Advice please!

Your doctor said it was ok to work if you felt up to it. From what you are saying it sounds like you are very uncomfortable. I would stop working if it isn't going to affect your time home with the baby

Re: To work or not to work...what would you do?? Advice please!

I'd work! If you can physically handle it than go to work. Maybe go in tomorrow and see how the day goes. It is quite possible you aren't going to give birth for a few weeks. I know myself and I would go stir crazy at home "waiting" to go into labor. At least at work you are busy!

Re: To work or not to work...what would you do?? Advice please!

If you are in a lot of pain I say dont work. Maybe try to tough it out till the end of this week and then call it quits!!

Re: To work or not to work...what would you do?? Advice please!

Honestly, from what you are saying, you are not comfortable anymore. If that were me (and it didn't affect my time home w/ the baby) I would stop working. I was told to stop working w/ DD (last day was a Thur) and that Monday my water broke (1.5 wks early)...I was stopping working on that Friday anyway (Friday before she was born) b/c I was so uncomfortable. Sometimes your body signals are important to follow. Good Luck. Dont feel guilty or wrong to stop working either!!!!

Re: To work or not to work...what would you do?? Advice please!

I would work up until my Dr takes me out.

Re: To work or not to work...what would you do?? Advice please!

Being that you are already taking the rest of the year off, I would stop now if you are in that much pain. It's not like you are using days now that you will lose when the baby comes...you are going back in Sept no matter what.

Every pregnancy is different. With my 1st, the dr made me sign out at 34 weeks, with my second, I was signed out at 20 weeks. With my third, I signed out 5 days before I had him.

Re: To work or not to work...what would you do?? Advice please!

You go with how you feel... if you physically cannot walk up and down the stairs or from class to class without pain - which may or may not affect your ability to teach - I would stop working... like a PP stated you are already taking the rest of the year (I teach too and understand your plight)... but if you "think" you can make it, I'd do it... who knows, maybe it'll push you into labor. Who cares if your water breaks at work... it's not like you pee'd yourself, you're pregnant... it's what happens.

Re: To work or not to work...what would you do?? Advice please!

If your in alot of pain I wouldnt work, I wouldnt push myself.