[_betsy_]

Have we discussed this yet?

When are you due? When are you planning on going on maternity leave? Will you work right up until you're in labor, or try to guess when you'll have baby and take a few days ahead of time?

Are you planning to go back to work? How long will you be off? What is your benefit package/maternity leave pay and all that like?

 

[_betsy_]

Due Jan 2/4 ish. Or Dec. 27. Somewhere around there.

We haven't figured maternity leave plans out yet. It behoves me to take a few days off before the birth, but there's no way to know when that'll be, of course. I will be going back to work full time and pumping like I did with DD. Haven't figured out how long I'll be home for yet, either. I want to stay home as long as possible, but financially that's tough. Plus, after 12 weeks, we lose health insurance coverage and have to go to crazy-expensive out-of-pocket Cobra. I think I get paid 80% for 6 weeks (Short Term Disability), then no pay but we have to pay out of pocket for insurance premiums for up to another 6 weeks (FMLA).

I have to use the first 5 days off (whether it's before or after the birth) as sick days, but if it's AFTER the birth, then that week runs concurrent with FMLA. So it makes sense to take a few days before the baby is born. I have no idea what happens if I take those 5 days, but baby is late. And there's a new year to deal with as well.

I see a trip to HR in my immediate future!

 

[ommom]

i work several PT jobs freelance so there's no maternity package.

my due date is 1/7 and i'm having a sub teach my yoga classes 1/5-2/18 (7 weeks). if i go into labor earlier, i'll of course have someone sub; and in mid-feb. if i want to stay home longer, i'll deal w/that then.

i'm scaling back but not entirely cutting out the freelance computer stuff i do as i think i'll be able to squeeze out an hour or two here & there and that stuff i do from home.

 

[Phoenix~Mama]

Due 1/5ish... MW thinks I will go sooner.

I am really lucky that my company shuts down for the holidays. I will be working right up til December 23, then the company is closed right up to January 5th. If I don't go into labor before then I will return on the 5th and work til I go. But I am thankful for that nice long holiday timed at exactly the right time. hehe

My maternity benefit falls under short term disability that I am elgible to get paid at 100% for 3 months... but the insurance company has it's own time allowances for procedures and only gives 6 weeks for a vag. delivery. But I have spoken with them and my MW and they said if she documents everything for my fibromyalgia I could get approved for the full 12 weeks due to a secondary illness... there is no way to know for sure until I go out and the claim is fully processes.... so I'm praying I get approved for the full 12 weeks because we really can't afford to lose my pay for 6 weeks, but I have no intention of going back til the 12 weeks are over and will take 6 weeks no pay through FMLA if absolutely neccessary... but really really fincancially can't go that way. so yeah praying...

Which reminds me that HR has instructed me to call today to set up my claim with our short term disability company.

 

[MrsSoup]

I will be working up until I go into labor or am told by the doc that I can't work anymore. But all my numbers and whatnot are healthy, so I should be fine. I'm due 1/11. I will be taking the last week of December off (we have Christmas and the day after and New Years Day off). But in order to get my medical benefits I have to work 1/2. We'll see how that works.

Once baby is born, I'll be off for a month, making some calls (about 20 hours total that month) that no one else can do. Then a month where I'll be in the office on Monday, working from home Tuesday and Wednesday and PTO Thursday, off Friday. After that, it's back to pretty much full time.

 

[sbsurfer]

I'm due 1/3, and in theory starting on maternity leave this week--I'm a freelancer and started trimming my work down about a month ago, although I still anticipate having things come back from editors for the next few weeks. The holidays is actually kind of a nice cut off.

I'm thinking three months off, maybe, and then building back up? But I have a feeling if some great project arrives during that time, I'll take it. The benefits of having your own schedule are wonderful, but I feel like I'm never really off work, either. And I'm my own benefits package. . .

 

[kalirush]

I'm a grad student. At my university, funded GA's get 6 weeks paid maternity leave! The policy was instituted right when my daughter was born, so this is my second go round with it. Because we're on quarters (which are only about 10 weeks long) this means that I have 6 weeks leave, and 4 weeks doing-whatever-the-dept-wants-me-to, mostly from home. Technically, my leave begins at the beginning of the quarter (1/5 or so) but my due date isn't until the 15th. We've agreed that if I haven't had the baby by start of quarter, I'll work from home until I do, and then go on my leave.

 

[Bloomingstar]

I get 8 weeks 100% paid, 4 more unpaid. I definitely feel like that's not enough, but my boss and I have to have a real conversation about what can work. There are only 4 of us at my job, so it's tricky. I'm due 12/29 and we usually close the week in between christmas and new ears but can work if we want and use the time later. So far I am feeling ok with still working so I'll probably go until I either have the baby or just can't stand it anymore. i don't want to use up my time before the baby is actually here, but i can probably also negotiate to work from home for a week or two before baby arrives if I just can't take it anymore.

 

[box_of_rain]

I work 2 part-time jobs - so no maternity benefit package for me. I'll be working until I go into labor. I'll go back to work with my slingbaby after around 2-3 weeks at one job but I'll take probably 4-5 weeks before returning to the other one. Luckily I can bring the babe to both jobs with me.

 

[mclisa]

I'm planning on working up until I'm in labor or induced. I've done that for the first 3 pregnancies. I didn't with #4 because C was in the hospital right around my due date. Since I had already taken 5 vacation days to be with her it made more sense to take 2 more and start my short term disability rather than go back to work for a few days and then have to burn up 7 days of vacation.

I will take 8 weeks off and then work part time for 4 weeks before returning to full time.

 

[caiesmommy]

EDD is Jan 9th but midwives say any day now.

Right now im on "pregnancy leave" which is an unpaid leave, until I can get the paper work from my employers thenI will be on official mat leave for up to one year, the government pays 60% of your wages for up to one year of maternity/parental leave which you can share w dp but since dp is laid off at the moment and on unemployment which again is 60% of your wages paid by the government, bt he is working part-time as well, we'll both be off with the babe for atleast the first little while

 

[rockportmidwife]

I teach childbirth classes and my last one is Dec. 20th. I will not resume them until Feb. I have two of my own clients right now for midwifery services and have told them that we will kind of schedule their January appt around when the baby comes. I may have to reschedule their appt depending on how I feel etc. I am officially no longer on call for the births that I assist another midwife with (the last two were born this morning). I will still be doing backup for her as needed though. We are just hoping she doesn't need me to close to when I have my baby. And obviously I get no maternity benefits.

 

[Phoenix~Mama]

Quote:

Originally Posted by caiesmommy EDD is Jan 9th but midwives say any day now. Right now im on "pregnancy leave" which is an unpaid leave, until I can get the paper work from my employers thenI will be on official mat leave for up to one year, the government pays 60% of your wages for up to one year of maternity/parental leave which you can share w dp but since dp is laid off at the moment and on unemployment which again is 60% of your wages paid by the government, bt he is working part-time as well, we'll both be off with the babe for atleast the first little while

I wish I lived in Canada....

 

[mamajody]

I will get the 24-48 hours I am in the hospital off from my life. Then my parents will be giving my children back to me.

Sorry I couldn't resist. This is the first time I know I am not going back to any kind of work after the birth. Even after the twins I knew I was returning to my part time weekend retail job. Now I don't have a teaching job or the retail job, but I home school 3 kiddos, so I guess that still counts, right?

 

[papschmitty]

I'm due 01/05/09.

The other nurse I work with is already out on maternity leave so there's no one available to cover me. Right now I'm seeing double the number of patients I usually do in addition to my responsibilities as lead nurse for our program. It's been really, really hard.

I also work one day a week doing all the financial stuff for my dad's optometry practice. I'm working at both jobs right up until I pop.

I'll probably only take a week off from my job at my dad's. No one else there can really do my job and I'll be needed to start getting the year end tax stuff together for the accountant. Oh joy! That job is very laid back though and I can bring the baby with me. I did the same thing with DD.

From my "real" job as a nurse, I'm taking 12 weeks off in full and then going back part time. If I have another super high needs baby, I'll go back 20 hrs/wk for the first month and then 30 hrs/wk thereafter. If this baby is easier (please let that be true!) then I'll probably go back at 30 hrs/wk right off the bat.

None of my maternity leave is paid by my employer. I have about 7 wks of vacation and sick time saved up and have enough in savings to cover the rest of the 3 month leave. After that, we just can't afford it. DH is making way less money at his job since the economy tanked so things are going to be very tight for us financially.

 

[jr'smom]

When are you due?
January 14th

When are you planning on going on maternity leave? Will you work right up until you're in labor, or try to guess when you'll have baby and take a few days ahead of time?
Last day will be January 9th or possibly earlier if at all feasible. I want to work as long as possible so that I don't feel as guilty taking time off after the baby is born. However, my job is very physical and it's already taking it's toll on me. I'm guessing I'd have a better birthing time if I stop work earlier. I've never had an "early" baby so I don't think I'll have to worry about that.

Are you planning to go back to work?
Yes. I own my own chiropractic practice and my DH is a SAHD. I can make 4 times as much money working three days a week as he did working 5 days a week as a computer programmer. So it just makes sense for our family. Plus my "job" is very rewarding. I get to help people be healthier, comfortable, and guide them to make make more natural choices for diet and healthcare. My patients are like an extension of my family.

How long will you be off?
I plan to be off twelve weeks after the birth of my baby. (I've planned this before and only made it as long as 8 before things were falling apart at the office though.) I hope to have a smoother mat. leave this time!

What is your benefit package/maternity leave pay and all that like?
Self-employed so no "package." I am fortuanate though that my office should still generate significant profit while I'm gone. I'm hoping it will be at least 2/3 of the usual.

 

[_betsy_]

I forgot I sstarted this thread! Oops!

jr'smom - DH is a chiro! I can't imagine being 8 months PG and still adjusting/manipulating!

 

[MicheleVet]

I'm due Jan 5th....no idea when I'm going to "pop" as I'm a first time "laborer." I'm planning on working until Jan 2nd. If for some reason I feel amazing and want to keep working past that, I might since our clinic will be short staffed doctors and I'm not getting any paid maternity time. I'm planning on taking 12 weeks/3 months of unpaid time off...going back the first part of April. I'm a part-timer now but when I go back I'll go back to just mornings M-F which is a schedule I really love!

 

[Hallielynn01]

When are you due? Jan12th ish

When are you planning on going on maternity leave? the plan is to work through the end of the year, dog grooming is beating the hell out of me right now, I don't see being able to do much past then anyhow

Will you work right up until you're in labor, or try to guess when you'll have baby and take a few days ahead of time? hoping to have a week or two off before, gonna use this time to get some things in order

Are you planning to go back to work?I will have to, but unlike last time, i'm not going back FT, probably the 2 days a week I'm doing now

How long will you be off? 6 weeks if all goes smoothly? last time I went back FT then, I wasn't emotionally ready, but at 2 days a week, it might be easier

What is your benefit package/maternity leave pay and all that like? I'm in small business, so benefits, all unpaid time off, I technically don't even have FMLA job protection, but my boss loves me

 

[squishymama]

I am due January 21st. I am a midwife and work in a MW group practice. I am on the schedule until the 14th and then I am going to be putting myself in until I deliver. I get the usual FMLA and I get 6 weeks of disability after the baby is born. I am going to see how I feel as we get closer though and maybe use a little more of my vacation and sick time before the baby comes. I am definitely going back 12 weeks after delivery, but I might go back at .75 instead of full time. One of my coworkers is interested in splitting my position with me. DH and I are trying to figure out if we can afford for me to cut back though. I just keep hoping for relatively quiet calls. Last 24 hour shift is January 3rd... keep quiet uterus thoughts that day