[Christi]

For those of you who already have kids or who have already left their jobs (whether it be for good or for maternity leave) when did you stop working? I had told work that my last day is the 10th, but I have been so tired and achey for the past few days that I just don't know if I can even handle working the next 5 days. Would it be completely wrong of me to just call in tomorrow and tell them that I can't do it anymore and explain how much pain I'm in? Jacob has dropped some and I have constant sharp pains to the groin, my back hurts so bad I can barely walk (I had deteriorating spine prior to pregnancy so it's done nothing but get worse), and I just all around feel like poop. I just feel like I'd much rather stay home and clean my house/pack rather than go to work the next few days. Any opinion? They already know I'm quitting on the 10th so I'm not sure if they'll care or not, I just...I don't think I can do it anymore.

Do you have an opinion on when is a good time to leave your job (let's consider if I didn't plan on quitting right now)? Another thing is that most people I've spoken to are like "Wow you're still working?!" but Alex's dad asked why I was quitting so early. Is there a time that is "too early"? I mean I don't see why leaving a month before the baby is due would be too early...that's a lot longer than some pregnant women work.

 

[jamiet]

I quit my job at about 8 mos pregnant. I like you, was in pain and could no longer handle it.
Nobody but you can decide when is the right time to quit. Don't let anyone's comments affect your decision (especially a man, when talking about pregnancy).
I would say that if you need to stop immediately, do so. I know EXACTLY what you are going through. I felt that the office could not function w/o me, but I found out that they can.
Enjoy your last weeks as a pregnant woman and pamper yourself!
Jamie

 

[YankeeMom]

I worked up until the day I went into labor. Waitressing at that.
But I HAD to work. There was no other choice.

My opinion, if you can afford to do it and you feel like you need the rest...go for it!!!! It's your body, your finances, only you know what your body can handle

 

[miss_thrifty]

I had to quit, i almost miscarraiged 4 times before i was 4 months pregant with oldest, and havent looked back. Some people have to work, no other choice, some want to work, and some dont. Its your choice dear when u want to quit, and if your going back, and if u can handle it finacially after.

 

[Laurie in Bradenton]

Worked right up til my water broke on both my kids. BUT I didn't have any problems or pain. Had I had anything like that I would have stayed home and taken care of both of us.

Laurie in BRadenton

 

[AmyBoz]

I worked right up until the end...water broke with Matthew a few hours after I left school on my last day of work. But, I felt great with all three pregnancies and was healthy and strong. If things had been different, I'd have left earlier to do what was best for myself and the baby. Do what feels right.

 

[kabin63]

I quit at five months because I got a good case of food poisoning and just couldn't go back. I was on paid leave until after she was born. I never went back. I have worked off and on since that time, but currently I am a SAHM and I don't want to ever go back to work while she is still growing up if I can help it.

 

[sixfreds]

You have to do what feels right for you.
The 1st one I went down to just an as needed basics (about once a week) when I was just 12 weeks along, I was so sick (morning sickness ha I was sick if I was awake)
With the triplets I was planning on working until they found and I trained a replacement BUT all of a sudden I was so tired and the Dr said you need rest so I was suppose to be at work and I called and said I need to do what feels right and I can't work any more so I didn't go back (I now work when needed as a fill in and on the Saturdays they work)

BUT YOU need to do what feels right for YOU and YOUR family.
Eileen

 

[baronmom]

My first one, I worked until about 2 weeks before I was due. The second one, I think it was a little more than a month because I had a lot of swelling on my legs and I was on my feet all the time. The last one, I was not working when I had him.

 

[pita1213]

with my son i stopped working 1 week before his due date. little stinker came 2 weeks after his due date. with my daughter i worked until the night before she decided to pop out. started having contractions at work but they were far enough appart i wasn't worried.girl i was working with was freaking out my water was going to break while i was there lol.
with my son i had no complications with the pregnacy. with my daughter i had some issues in teh beginning, but turned out i was dehydrated and just had to make sure i was drinking enough water. they did let me keep a stool at the counter and let me eat oranges. my blood sugar would drop a little so the oranges helped.

but like the others said, do what is right for you and your baby. i know you were planning on today being your last day so it's prolly a mute point now. but for the rest of teh pregnacy and after the baby is born, do what you feel is right for you and the baby. the doc's and nurses are very helpful if you have questions. and you are certainly more than welcome to come here and ask questions or vent concerns. but even with our suggestions, try the ones that YOU think are right for you and your baby. you will gets lots of unsolicited advice after teh baby is born. again only use advice that you feel is right. the rest you can just nod your head and say thanks for your concern or thanks i'll think about that.

hope the pain subsides with you not working.
:teddy2: just think this guy is cute

 

[telephus]

I'm glad that everyone had such different answers. I've been toying with this idea myself. I'm due on a Friday (10.13) and have mostly been planning to work up until the last possible day, but lately I've been feeling so uncomfortable I've been considering just calling 10/6 my last day. I want to make my 12 week leave cover through the holidays (so I'm not working Christmas week or anything) so I really don't want to go out sooner. I've been kind of taking it one day at a time for this month and probably won't decide until the end of Sept. how I actually want to deal with it.

 

[i.m.cheap]

I worked up to two weeks before Molly's birth. I wish I could have quit sooner, but we really needed the money. I went back to work full-time when she was six months old.

 

[Droppedonmyhead]

I worked until the end of the week at 5 oclock. Went into labor a couple hours after. Pregnancy's are all so different and unpredictable. If you feel you can't work any longer, then call and tell them that maternity leave is starting earlier than you thought. You are protected under the Family Medical Leave Act, so don't worry about it.

 

[Daisygirl]

With my first pregnancy I felt so terrible that I couldn't have worked at all. With my second, it was totally different. I felt great the entire time -- I worked until 1 hour before my water broke.

In my opinion, you just have to listen to your body -- your body knows when it has had enough and you need to focus all your energy on delivering a healthy baby.

Best of luck!

 

[Kimberlina]

I think if you don't feel like you can work anymore, you shouldn't. As everyone has mentioned, all pregnancies are different.

I worked until the day I went into labor. Got up at 5 and went to work, worked 10 hours, came home, and went into labor a few hours later. But I felt good and never really had any pains other than sciatica (due to a prior injury.)

Of course, I had also been taken out of work for a couple weeks earlier in my last trimester (till I hit 36 weeks- started having productive contractions around 18 weeks) and knew I couldn't take anymore just sitting around the house waiting for DD to be born.

I say do what feels right to you.

 

[qponfanatic]

With my first I worked up until 4 weeks before my due date and she ended up being a week late so I got 5 weeks off before. I did go back to work but only stayed until just before she turned 2 and then became a SAHM.