Questions & Answers

i started my maternity leave on my 32nd week, i want to rest more because my job is kinda stressful.

I plan to work until 7/15. My due date is 7/24. I really want the extra time to relax and focus on the upcoming task of labor and meeting our first child. I hope it will be relaxing for my mind as well as my body.

I likely won't be coming back to work after our baby boy arrives, so the leave term isn't as much of an issue for me, but I know my sister had a hard time working that last week before her delivery and suggested I do myself a favor. :)

I'm planning on finishing at 32 weeks. There is no way I could work any longer as I do 12hr shifts in my feet all day.. My boss isn't too thrilled but so be it.. I've worked my ass off for them for 6 years now and I wanna take some me time before bub is born. I have enough holidays to finish that early so work is gonna have to deal with it. This is about you and baby not about your work xx

I worked right up until the end for my first pregnancy so I could use my maternity leave for after my baby came. I intend to do the same this time if I am able to. My short-term disability didn't kick in until the date of my baby's birth and only covered 8 weeks. I had some sick leave saved up so I was able to use that too. I guess it depends on where you are from and your situation. GL!

This is about YOU and your baby. Your job only cares about themselves. So...you should only care about YOURself and the baby inside of you. If you want to be off July 3 then hand them a written notice letting them know that's the date you will be off and leave it at that. It's their choice not to replace you while you are off so they deal with the consequences of that. If they pressure you about staying longer, just stay strong and try to keep emotions out of it. I left 3 weeks before my baby was due (I had a one year mat leave) and I was happy I left early. I was able to get the final few things I needed to get done to be prepared for the day we went into labour. Who knows, you could go into labour early and not get time to do anything before the baby comes so take the time you need :)

I had my doctor write me a note putting me on leave because it was too hard being on my feet all day. Of course, I started my leave at 38 weeks, relaxed for a couple of days then went into labor. Because it was from a doctor, it started my maternity leave. Thinking back, I should have just taken sick days and waited it out, but I didn't know I would be going into labor!

Depending on how much leave you get, you may want to wait until closer to your due date to leave, that way you get more time with baby and to get a routine down and rest up. I was really glad I worked right up til the end, even though it wasn't easy. I reallllly did not want to go back to work when the time came, so it was nice having an extra week then, rather than earlier before baby came. It's all up to you though :) Maybe it would be easier for you to get the time off if you claimed maternity leave at 7/3 and took vaca time after leave is up.