Work outta home mommas, how ya doin'?

[Teenytoona]

Does anyone else have the "I don't wanna" bug like I do? I don't mind work, actually I work for a really decent company, good people, etc, I just don't want to put my mind to it. I'd rather think about baby stuff and blah blah blah... It was ok, because the past month was slowish and I could flit around in my head, but this week we're getting pretty busy, and now I have to really get down to it. But I just really have a hard time getting into gear, and worse yet I'm slower than normal, and worse yet, I have a hard time communicating with people due to placenta brain. I spend alot of time saying "uhhh, uhh" and "thing" when I can't remember what I'm talking about.

Wish I could swing not working right now, but I'm still here. And actually I wanted to work up until labor starts, to keep busy. So I should be happy I've got loads to do because that will make the time go by faster, right?? Heh, instead, I'm just feeling pouty pouty wah wah about having to do anything.

Sheesh what I crybaby I am! I have not much to complain about otherwise, pregnancy is still going well...

So what are you other work out of home mommas doin'? What are your maternity leave plans?

[Jujubie]

Oh, getting out of bed sometimes to come to work is just so hard. I at first had in mind to work up until the last day but I have since changed my mind. My last day of work will be Feb 8, two weeks before my due date.

I'm tired so much more now, have a ton of stuff to do at home and no energy to do it, and now that my feet are starting to swell i'm now wearing my fleece-lined Croc's to work (in a bright pink color no less). I can't wait until I don't have to waddle into work!

I'm hoping babe will give me at least a week at home to rest and get things organized before she decides to make her grand entrance into this world.

So, for leave i'm taking two weeks before my due date, and 12 weeks after. Most will be paid due to short term disability and my saved up sick/vacation/personal time. I think i'll probably end up with a week or two unpaid, but i'll probably save that much being at home for 3 months!

[StrawberryFields]

I'm here and still working! I work inside my home though--and I'm working today, actually. I provide daycare for 3 children other than my own 2 year old ds: a 2.5 year old girl, a 1 year old girl, and a 4 month old girl. Everyone is sleeping right now so I am using this time to put my feet up and have a cup of tea!!

I am doing OK. I plan on working until I am in definite baby-is-on-her-way labor. Even though I am having contractions right now I don't have any plans of calling the parents or canceling tomorrow unless it escalates. I have a backup in place to take the kids to if I need to clear the house during the day. If it's the middle of the night the plan is to send out an email requesting that the kids not be dropped off that day--all the parents have their backup care arranged and ready for spur of the moment drop off.

I am glad to have the distraction during the day for both myself and ds--keeps me active and busy and stops me from loafing around on the sofa too much, and keeps ds entertained so he isn't glued to my leg all day. The only thing that gets to me is having to drag myself out of bed at 6 AM if ds is still sleeping and I have had a tough night. Those mornings I wish I was quitting early so I could get in a few more ZZZZs.

With ds I worked outside the home and I also worked until I went into labor with him. Felt sick one day, terrible backache; went home at noon and had a baby!

I'm still unsure about maternity leave; I am thinking just one or two weeks for the oldest girl (2.5 years) then another one or two weeks for the middle child (age 1) and finally an additional one or two weeks for the youngest (4 months).

[birthmommom]

i work out of home and I don't know if I can make it until Feb. 4th.

I know that sounds so whiney, but OMG it is so hard. I work at Stride Rite so i am on my feet all day, but that is not the part I cannot do it is the getting on the floor to measure feet and try on shoes. And no this cannot be done any other way than me kneeling on the floor.

I have only been working 4 or so hour shift but today was awful. Some parents are so appologetic about me getting on the floor but most are not, like they forgot what it is like to be pregnant. and it is not like I am small, I am very big and out there, and the baby had dropped, a lot so it is not something you can over look. When I got off work today it took me 10 mins to walk to my car, and i barely made it b/c my spd was hurting and I have contractions like crazy.

It is so interesting though, I worked at the same store with dd and worked until the day I went into labor and do not remember it being this hard. I could however be blocking it out. but I need to work so that I do not go crazy.

ugh...

[slgt]

I'm planning to work up until the last possible moment, and am at this point expecting that to be at least a few days after my EDD. Keeps me from going bonkers sitting around the house waiting for Baby. That said, I'm aiming to have everything critical finished or in a position where i could easily hand it off by the end of this week - I'll be 37 weeks next Sunday.

My employer and job are wonderfully flexible enough that I can work from home when needed, which is a huge help. Especially this last week, when I've been healing from an injury, and going in was just too painful. I expect that, as BabyTime gets closer and if I become more tired/less mobile, I can work from home as needed.

[Teenytoona]

Sorry all, to start a thread and abandon it!

Glad to see you all are hangin' in there. Slgt you're on the same track as I do, if I took leave early I'd be afraid to be sitting around at home for a month going stir crazy. Nice that your employer's so flexible. I guess Strawberry Field's doesn't post exactly apply any more, does it, now that her babe's here! Jujubie, sounds like you're doing pretty well, bright pink crocs and all! I was just not sure whether to take leave starting early, but it sounds like your arrangement will work out well (baby providing!). Birthmommom, you so do not sound whiney! Sheesh! What with the SPD and getting down on the floor and well, customer service work can be really taxing anyways, without all that crouching down and up... Poor gal, you need a virtual (or probably real) massage! Really I should stop my griping, I sit at a desk all day.

I'm not feeling too gripy today, thankfully. I really have no reason to, except that I'm just thinking baby baby all the time, and not thinking about measurements and cubic yards and lineal feet and all that boring junk. peh.

[birthmommom]

Teenytoona, my sister sat at a desk all day with her dd, and she was miserable with swelling. Heck if I sit here at the computer for to long my legs and feet look huge. So I am sure it is not all easy.

Actually my job is ok if I only have to fit 2 kids during my shift. I can totally handle the wall moves, giving info to customers, and just getting shoes from the stockroom I have told my boss that I will not be Asst. Manager at Stride Rite again b/c each time I get pregnant. :
Must be in the air

[GreenRose]

Originally Posted by Teenytoona

Birthmommom, you so do not sound whiney! Sheesh! What with the SPD and getting down on the floor and well, customer service work can be really taxing anyways, without all that crouching down and up... Poor gal, you need a virtual (or probably real) massage! Really I should stop my griping, I sit at a desk all day.

NO, you don't! I can't imagine being on my feet all day or dealing with people... hmm.. not sure which would be worse
I whine about having to just commute and not get a seat.
My last day is Friday.. 10ish days before my due date. Last Friday I didn't think I could bear another week, but so far, it's not so bad. And it's probably good to be here and distracted, and not wondering about every little twinge, like i did over the weekend!
But, I am thrilled to only have three more days left :
I'm taking 6 months off. I feel so lucky I can do that.

[rliszkowski]

I really respect woman who can work until they deliver, it seems so difficult to me. My last day was Friday. It is a mixed blessing really. It was exhausting to drag myself into work and try to be productive. I am a teacher and was spending way too much time sitting at my desk.

I am already bored at home yet overwhelmed by everything that needs to be done around the house. We are in the middle of a construction project so that isn't helping.

[Jujubie]

Teeny, I sit at a desk all day as well. I can't imagine how you girls do it being in retail and being on your feet all day. I don't think I could! Just a few hours of shopping or walking around a store and I'm so sore at the end of the day!

At first I thought I'd be to bored to stay at home for a bit before the babe arrives, but now, I know that won't necessarily be the case. I have so much I can do at home to organize things and maybe cook and freeze things, sleep as much as possible, lay in the la-z-boy and watch tv -- all the things I won't be able to do after she arrives. Get to enjoy my last few days for just me, before I become a "Mommy". (OMG i'm going to be a Mom, really!) :

[lilyblossom]

Originally Posted by Jujubie

At first I thought I'd be to bored to stay at home for a bit before the babe arrives, but now, I know that won't necessarily be the case. I have so much I can do at home to organize things and maybe cook and freeze things, sleep as much as possible, lay in the la-z-boy and watch tv -- all the things I won't be able to do after she arrives. Get to enjoy my last few days for just me, before I become a "Mommy". (OMG i'm going to be a Mom, really!) :

GOOD POINT! I've been really debating what to do about my maternity leave. I figure I'll work until I no longer feel comfortable doing so. I'm getting pretty tired at night now that I'm in the final stretch (36w 4d) but still okay to sit during the day at the computer at work. I wish I had the option to work from home! Although, honestly, I enjoy the interaction of my co-workers.

I like your idea of taking time to rest, relax and set up as you see fit. It does seem like so much needs to be done still. My situation is that I have 12 weeks off total. I can take up to 2 weeks prior to my due date and I get paid for the time before the birth and then 6 weeks after the day the baby is born. The rest of the time is unpaid. I may or may not be returning to work though, I'm waiting to see how I feel after the baby is born.

So many unknowns, but it's still such an exciting time!

[Selesai]

Sometimes I really feel sorry for myself for having to work up until the baby is born (which is my plan). I feel like I should get this time (I'm 37 w tomorrow) to just relax, reflect, read, etc. It is just hard to get up and out of the house some days, and my maternity work clothes feel too small. Everything feels so heavy, ugh!

I thought about leaving a little early, but it would either cost me pay or cut into my maternity leave. Also, DH is a SAHD and despite all of his "you need your rest" talk, I fear that were I to stay at home, I wouldn't end up getting much time to myself.

Thanks for starting this thread; I just need a pity party today!
((And on the other hand I am kind of mad. What kind of society doesn't take care of their pregnant women / new mothers???))

[Teenytoona]

Amen Selesai!! I so agree!!

I'm working up to the last possible day too, and I'm glad that I am, but I also have self pity-parties about it, as in boohoohoo I don't wanna get up. Honestly though, financially its better for us, and also I would go crazy at home everyday waiting for who knows how long til this LO shows up when I knew I could be working and earning something. And it's not like I'd sleep in because I keep waking up anyways.

Plus, while I'm at work, the bathroom is only a few steps away, whereas at home, I gotta go upstairs everytime. (Talk about lazy, here I am!!) My only concern is the hour long commute and a potential snowstorm, but I think we've mostly prepared for that now. But still, I have to keep reminding myself of the upsides every morning. Sometimes Mr Toona feels badly, but really he shouldn't. My job isn't stressful, the people here are really awesome (some random person brushes off my car when it snows and some random person/s keep giving me presents from "the baby fairy," and the 4 women I've told here about the hb think it's "so cool" so that's a definite), and I enjoy it once I get here, except some days drag, but that's life at a job. Sheesh, I need to be grateful one of these days rather than crabby.