Questions & Answers

That would be so awesome to have a whole year off with my baby too!! It is not fair, lol!! Makes me want to pack up and move to another country..

Thanks for all your answers girls!

Calvingirl: SERIOUSLY? Where do you live? I don't feel like I should be complaining anymore, bless your heart!

I agree that it depends on where you live and what kind of work you are doing!

For me, I'm working until 38w4d (9 more working days!). I've already started to transfer my files and document my projects though just in case something happens and I need to go off earlier. I will be taking paid leave (vacation + sick + personal days) until my little girl arrives, at which point I'll switch over to maternity leave. I'm in Canada and so will have 1 year off with her.

I also plan on working up until labor. It is a bit easier for me since I work from home and sit behind a computer screen all day. I am in the US but I am lucky to have a job which allows me to have 70% of my salary when I am out on leave which will probably be about 6 weeks or whenever the doctor releases me back to work.

I live in Virginia for a defense contractor. It's a male dominated career, so I guess they felt they didn't need to provide any female oriented benefits. Believe me, I complain about it all the time. We have a short term disability benefit but we have to pay for it and it gives us half pay for six weeks but needs a doctor to sign off on it. I'm just saving up and I have great bosses that know it's a sucky policy. They are letting me work from home part time after 4 wks so I can minimize the financial deficit. I'm taking 8 wks off - it's all I can afford. Don't feel bad for complaining - the US has a horrible view on maternity leave and we ALL shoudl be complaining. Even my husband gets two weeks paternity leave and I get nothing. It's a travesty that too many working moms have to deal with.

:-( I guess the usa is just so big. It can't fund such a big thing for so many millions of woman. Shame. I can't bear you poor ladies having to place your NB babies into child care so young. Your right, it's not fair. I'm so blessed with my hubby job and salary. I will be with our 2nd daughter until 2 & a half. Then she will start day care at the beautiful private school my hubby works at and where my 7yr old attends also.
Some counties and ladies have it tough :-(

Bumpin- I worked until labor with my first two and planned to do the same this time around but bed rest forced me out 2 weeks prior- it does suck because the time is better spent with the baby once here, not alone before hand, unless something makes you be at home before. I would say work it till you can't and save your time for baby!! Its all we get so maximize it as you're able. I'm sure your boss understands, this is part of running any business in our country.

Ugh! I have a desk job but my company has NO maternity leave and NO sick leave. We only get 2 wks of personal leave a year.

I think it depends on what kind of work you're doing and how big a part of the team you are. In my situation I wasn't really super important and anyone else there could fill my spot so I worked until my doctor told me to stop at 37 weeks and I had my baby at 38w6d =)

I think it depends what country u are from also. I hear the USA is shocking from a couple of friends with maternity leave compared to other countries.
We get paid maternity leave of approx $500 per week in Australia and have up to a year off where our job remains open and held for us by law so we are very lucky. It allows us to have nice time off before the baby is born and to be a stay at home Mum for a year.
I'm not sure where your from, it's always nice to have some time off prior to the baby if you can to get organised and a little rest. GL :-)