Let's get to know each other a little better!!

[whitlack]

Well most of us have been in this forum for a while now and getting to know each other...but I was wandering what everyone did for a living???  What do you do and where do you work??  Do you plan on working after the baby comes or will you be a full time working mom??  I am a nurse on a medical surgical unit and I went part time 24hours a week after I had my son and I plan on working 24hours or less after this one comes.  I feel sorry for everyone who has to work esp. while being pregnant b/c it is hard to be on your feet all day carrying around all of that extra wt.  Just thought this might help us to get to know each other a little better!! :)  Not trying to be nosey or anything!!

[ChrisHealy]

I'm a teacher, so am off for the summer.  In Sept. I'll work at the high school and get out at 1:10pm, so almost like a half day.  My husband is working from home and will be taking care of the baby while I go back to school.  I'm taking my 6 wks and then going back to work, but the hours are great and I need the benefits.  Should be okay, although I'm worried about how breastfeeding will work out.  Maybe I'll take in a dorm fridge for storage.  I just read an Ann Landers type article where a coworker wrote in, disgusted at at this woman's breast milk being in the fridge.  How backwards is that?

[jeanbeanie]

As of right now, Im not working. I usually work in a call center for Petro Oil. I live in CANADA so I get 2 years perental leave!!! WOOT!!WOOT!! Thats nice. I hate to think of someone else raising my baby. I worked through the infant stage with both my girls. This is my last baby so I want to enjoy every minute. I dont want to miss a second!!! While on perental leave, you only get 55% of your wages but I worked ALOT of overtime to boost my hrs so my PL will be based on a higher wage. Right now, Im on sick leave. I have 15 weeks of that then it turns into PL automatically once I call and let them know the baby has come. We were also thinking of me taking a year and the father taking a year. As much as I DONT want him using it, I guess its only fair. Ive got another 13.5 weeks to talk him out of it. HEHE I wouldnt mind him taking a couple months but an entire year.  What does everyone think of the dad taking 1/2 the perental leave at the same time?????

[tazdevil1]

I live in alabama and work at a personnel service as a staffing consultant and work comp administrator - basically, i find people jobs, then i'm the one who handles things when they get hurt on the job.  We staff for mostly industrial, manufacturing, and warehousing type jobs, but also do a little in office, general admin, etc.  I'm at a desk most of the day, of course we have a fairly small office (9 women) so we're always running around to different offices and we interview applicants twice a day, so i'm up and down doing that.

I'm due oct 22nd and have already planned on being out of work until the first of 2009.  I have about 6 weeks of paid time between vacation and sick time that i will take, then the rest will be unpaid - i think technically i can stay out 12 weeks without worrying about my job, but i also have a really great boss, so i'm not worried.  Even if i do go earlier, i'll stay out until january.  I definitely have to go back to work - I think i would go crazy anyway, if i wasnt working.  But I plan on finishing college after the baby and moving on to something else - probably HR, since that's basically what i do now.

[mj_mommy_manda]

Yeah the hospital that I work at is awesome as far as employee treatment and benefits and all that good stuff.. I was afraid to tell my boss I was pregnant because of all the horror stories of bosses finding reasons to fire pregnant employees and I have only been here 3 months now.. but when I told her she actually took it really really well and let me know about all my options.. My designated hours are 24 hours a week.. 48 a pay period and I also have medical and dental insurance so like I said benefits are awesome.. pay is good.. and Its just an overall nice place to work.. I will be working up until the day I deliver as long as my body will let me.. And then probably coming back 4 weeks after he is born, which is going to be REALLY hard I can already tell but my boyfriend will also be taking time off and after that baby will get to spend all day with my grandma who is starting an at home daycare after she retires.. We will be her first customers!! lol and of course she will be paid to watch him.. Im so glad that she is deciding to do that after retirement because now i fell 100% better about my baby being safe while Im at work.

[eimperati]

right now i don't work, but my boyfriend does..i plan on going back to college in jan.  full time..im studying to become a teacher...i will work while im going to classes...we have a work study program where i go

[brandy26]

I work in an oncology department as a certified medical assistant for Sutter Health. I work 40 hours a week and will go back full time when the baby is 12 weeks. I get Extended sick leave which I have 450 hours of (i have been there 9 years and never used any) I will use that 4 weeks before the baby comes then 8 weeks after since I am having a c-section,then I will take 4 of the 6 weeks off for Baby bonding which I have to use my PTO for so I am trying to save it up. If I have enough I will take the whole 6 weeks. I am very lucky to work for my company since they have extended sick leave.

[betty12]

oh yeah that is true since you carrying twins most of the time you dont make it full term right? so we both might just be sept mommies.hehe are you exited? are delivering naturaly or c-section? just curious.

[HeathJo]

I worked in Marketing and PR for 13 years, but stopped in 2003 due to a neck injury (I eventually had neck fusion surgery, but I actually got hurt in 1999 and it wasn't diagnosed until 2005). I got married in July 2006, continued to recover and do physical therapy for a year, and then got pregnant with these twins. I started working at age 15 and did everything from scooping ice cream to bartending all through college before becoming an "executive."

My dh has a family business: his Dad is a well-renown interior designer, and they have a high-end antique store in a wealthy part of Dallas. I am so VERY fortunate to be able to stay home during this pregnancy and after the babies come, and my dh has a lot of flexibility. I can truly say I am spoiled, and have so much empathy and respect for everyone here who still works. Yes, I do get bored sometimes and a bit lonely, but I honestly could not work without being fired right now! I used to work 10-14 hour days 6-7 days a week, so I am no natural-born diva, I promise you!

Betty--I will also most likely deliver in September, but am staying put here because I have established a presence. I may post on Sept. every once in a while, but I will probably stick with Oct. Whatever ends up happenning, I hope we hear from you still :-)

[kazwel]

Hi,  I live in MA.  I work for an Alarm Company,  my "official" title is Customer Retention Specialist  LOL  yeah, i know it sounds like a bowel movment.  I really do like what i do but it is Extremely stressfull, i deal with people yelling at me all day.
I really dont know if i will be able to work in that capacity when the baby is born,  I've been having trouble with my boss (see my post)  It's been pretty awefull the last few weeks and i was just suspended for a day without pay!!

They dont offer paid maternity leave so i am taking my 12 weeks unpaid.  My DF works full time and things will be tight but we will manage.  

I dont know if i will be able to leave my little Sarah after 12 weeks so I may just stay home and look for a part time job -

:)
Kazwel

[popeyesgirl06]

I live in Ohio and I work full time in the automotive industry. The factory I work in produces "bumpers" for many of the GM vehicals out there. We also have a little bit of business from Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, and just recently took over a very large bit of business from a competitor that went bankrupt recently. The automotive business is a hard one to stay competitive in if you are not very resourceful.
Because of too many hours on my feet and being run down severely I am on leave from work. I am supposed to receive 66 2/3 percent of my wages but I am not sure how that is being figured.
Unfortunately or fortunately I am returning to work 6 weeks after the baby is born. I am not married to the father and the relationship just doesn't seem to be going in the right direction for it to become permanent. Even if it did I would not give up my job which helped me build a sense of self worth and independance from my first husband. Leaving the baby will be the hardest thing to do everyday.

[Marcus's Mommy]

Well I live in Ontario Canada and I will be taking the entire year off with pay, we get 55% of our wage paid by unemployment.  First you must qualify and I'm just going to be able to do that since I came back to work 13 weeks pregnant from my last leave.

I'm the office administrator for a Roman Catholic church. I do all the bookkeeping, and everything else that needs to be done in an office or church.  Phones, front desk, answer questions, count money, process tax receipts, charity reports, year end reports, etc.

I will not be returning b/c day care for three kids is crazy and I only make $11 a week after I pay for daycare for two kids and gas. But I have to do it so that I get maternaty leave.  Boss doesn't know yet and I won't tell him until October 2009. I hope to start my own bookkeeping company from home so that I can stay home for the next 5 years.  My husband is a product control manager and is taking his marketing degree right now at night.

[whitlack]

Sorry to hear you may be leaving the forum but good news is you will be delivering sooner that you thought.  I think it would be fine for you to stay in the forum since you have been in it this long!!  You at least got to check in frequently to let us know how you are doing!!
And to aabarnett: it sounds like ya'll hava a great business!!  Good luck with bringing another baby to work!!  It is truely a blessing you get to do that!!

[betty12]

well sadley i might be leaving the october forum and joining the september i dont really want to i might not. but my baby is measuring bigger than should be i should be 26wks but today at my dr apt he did an ultrasound and says my baby is measuring 29wks 2days which would mean i would be due sept 25.... he didint change my due date yet but i dont think ill make it to sept.i've so far gained 28lbs which is alot to only be 26wks so yeah. anyway

about me i work at the Hilton Customer Care in Ca its a call center we take incoming calls all day long and make room/hotel reservation all day long world wide for all hilton properties including the family brands. its fun getting to know people and being able to pick up diff accents. im taking maternity leave with pay. the hilton has really good benefits so its cool.then afterwards im going back. my husband works at Stater Bros market and hes a checker there its a huge company but only in ca. so were doing good so far.

[aabarnett]

I agree, good idea.  Well we have a family owned business.  We buy, fix, fabricate, and sell industrial metalworking machinery like you would find in a factory, plant, refinery, etc.  I am the fourth generation to grow up working in and now running the business.  So basically I've lived in the same area for my whole life (except for when I was in the AF).  The bad part about a family business is that you can't leave it at work like most employees can, it is a big part of your life.  But the good things are that you always have family and we can take our kids to work with us if we want to.  When I had Nevada (my 3 yr old), I turned half of my office into a nursery with everything in it (getting ready to drag that stuff all back out again).  Now, we have converted another office into the "kids" office but they have full access to run around.  It's like a day care only with family.  Everyone pitches in and helps with whatever kids are there and it's not uncommon for us to have to get off the phone because "someone just popped into my office".  It can get frustrating because you are constantly being interupted in the mornings but most afternoons one of the adults (on a rotating schedule) takes all the kids out to do something fun.  I know it's a strange way to run a business and not very professional but it is either that or I'd be a stay at home mom.  My husband is a boss on nights in the prep plant at the local coal mine and he luckily makes enough to support us so I don't have to work. So when we decided to have kids we made the decision that I'd me a stay at home mom but when we sat down with my family to explain what we were going to do, they came up with the "kids at work" solution and we agreed to it for as long as it worked for everyone.  So far it's actually been a HUGE asset to the business.  Not only do we know our kids are ok but if we have to work late it's no biggie and our customers for the most part really like that we are so family oriented.  As for those that don't like it... well they can take their business elsewhere.

[whitlack]

You are blessed to have pto.  I am gonna take 8 weeks unpaid!!  I dont have benefits through my hospital b/c I am part time.  As a nurse they pay me more an hour since they need nurses so bad and since I am part time but the down fall is no pto or benefits.  Luckily my husband is a branch manager for Bank of America so he has great benefits which me and my son are on and he gets to take 8 weeks of paternity leave and gets 100% pay which is a blessing.  I am working some extra too so we can save up since I will be taken 8 weeks with no pay!! :(

[mj_mommy_manda]

Good Idea whitlack.. You have good ideas to keep us communicating.. but anyway about me.. I work at a hospital and I register patients.. Right now Im working as much as possible to aquire PTO time for my maternity leave because I wont be able to take my full 6 weeks unpaid.. (cant afford it).. After I have baby I will come back to work part time 24 hours a week.. Thats what my normal hours are but I have been working full time or more for the past 2 months to get ready for baby so I can #1 save money and #2 build up my PTO.