Am I the only one taking off work when I hit the third trimester

[MrsSlocombe]

I'm editing most of my posts that contain personal information;  thanks for the responses to this one!

Edited by MrsSlocombe - 3/25/12 at 9:41am

[birdhappy85]

I took an early leave of absence and stopped working 3-1/2 months before my due date. (I'm due very shortly here!) I never would've been able to handle the stress of working while pregnant these past few months so it was a necessity and not really a luxury. While my pregnancy has been low risk and textbook healthy the entire time, I - myself - have not felt well at all. I wasn't able to take good care of myself while trying to work. I've had prenatal depression, anxiety, panic attacks, etc from the hormones and whatever bodily changes I've been undergoing. I work in accounting, which requires a great deal of focus and concentration. Yeah, those two things were nowhere to be found when I started going downhill. I'm currently extending my leave of absence until mid-January. If my baby comes on time, I'll have about 8 weeks at home with her before going back to work. But then I'm not sure what work I'm going back to since my position was given to someone else and it's at the company's discretion whether or not they have other work they'd like me to do for them come January.

Honestly, I could care less at this point what happens with my job! I will need to work in some capacity for financial reasons, but I see all of this as a blessing in disguise. The most important thing to me is family, and I need to be a happy healthy mother and wife first and foremost. I think if any woman wants to take time off early during pregnancy and has the means to do so, she should go for it! Some women like to work right up until their due date, while others - like me - really struggle. Our country places way too much responsibility on pregnant women to "do it all" but I think the most important thing is for women to take care of themselves and their babies growing inside, whatever that entails for each individual's needs.

Enjoy your time off! Good for you for doing what is best for you!

[jeninejessica]

My plan when I optomistically started this pregnancy was to work as long as I possibly could-- and I expected that to be around 38 weeks. Of course you never know how your body is going to handle things, and so next week will be my last week, at 37 weeks. That said-- I'm only working 12 hours next week, and the previous month has been a lot of modified duties, and average about 30 hours per week. 

If money was not an issue, I feel my best decision would have been to stop around 32-33 weeks. I work at the front desk of a hotel, and while stress/concentration etc is still fine- physically my body is letting me know that it is DONE, and is not handling the standing well anymore. Unfortunately, DH is currently off work, and I don't have the option of stopping earlier, not really anyways. 

I nannied for several years and looking back.... no I don't think I could have lasted this long with most of those families. Only one of them I think I could have, and it's because the kids were super lazy, and only wanted to watch tv/ play wii/ play on the computer-- and the parents were totally fine with that. I basically did dishes, cooked their meals (and again, they always had things like KD, or noodle soup, or grilled cheese, by choice), and cleaned up the small amount of mess they made when they actually played with non-screen toys. But with any of my charges whom I actually, you know... did stuff with- I know I wouldn't have made it past the third trimester. 

[Psmythe]

I worked at a restaurant, on my feet, on my knees cleaning, step-ladders, moving boxes, bending to unload things--right up until the week before my due date.  I thought I was being luxurious taking a week off!  (I did go back in to work for some meetings etc... and to get my staff situated in the tasked I'd delegated to them for my leave.)  I credit staying physically active that way with my comfort in pregnancy and labor.  This time I'm home with a toddler, but had a broken arm for the summer, and I've been a lot more sedentary.  I'm not feeling nearly as sturdy and well as I did with the first.  I'm actually pretty concerned that I'll have a rougher labor and delivery this time around.  If I were to take off a big chunk of time I'd make sure to add a walking routine or water aerobics class to my day!

[MrsSlocombe]

I'm editing most of my posts that contain personal information;  thanks for the responses to this one!

Edited by MrsSlocombe - 3/25/12 at 9:42am

[Psmythe]

We were watching another baby in our home this past year (with my husband around for the most part!) and decided it was not something we could handle while pregnant.  We were trying to come up with a timeline to sort of wean her into regular daycare, and then I broke my arm, so that finished that!  She's flourishing, I'm doing much better.  I can't imagine having to take care of extra kids at the end of a pregnancy!  It can be so draining!  Rocket wears me out by himself some days!  I think if I was working a different kind of job even a demanding one I would stick it out for a while, but a job that uses your body, brain, AND emotional stamina is just too much!