Working while pregnant

[mariatortillas]

For those of you who had a job during pregnancy, at what point did you finally take maternity leave? I'm currently 36w 4d and still working my full 40 hours every week. My job isn't exactly strenuous (i sit at a desk all day since I'm a data entry technician at a pharmacy) but as I'm approaching my due date, I find that just sitting there is more daunting. I HATE calling in... and I hate that I'm so paranoid about forcing myself to go to work anyways... ughhhh what should I dooooo?

[mariatortillas]

I'm lucky that I do have a little bit of help and I haven't really had any issues working up until this point. For my entire first trimester (that I literally spent barfing all day every day) I worked 2 jobs without missing a beat. I halfass refuse to accept what my body is telling me and find myself spending my lunch hour napping in my car lol. Having your baby at work would suck though

[Amanda4388]

I work for a very busy greggs shop and I do 16-25 hours by the end of my shift im knackered im only 16 weeks pregnant finding it very hard at the moment want to pack the job up but I cant x

[drakenoboe]

To me, taking less hours would be more beneficial financially than having to stop work completely due to exhaustion. Keep your health as your #1 priority. And when you need a break, remember that it's ok to take one.

[KoriAnn]

I left at almost 34 weeks.  But I was working 10-12 hour shifts,  and was constantly on my feet and had no one to help me out. I was very stressed,  I was a manager of Domino's.

So I left a little early..  I couldn't take it anymore.

[Knucks10]

Just don't overwork yourself. Try to reduce your hours if you feel you need to. And yes pregnancy is a different ball park in 37 weeks and sometimes I don't wanna get out of bed. I pray I don't go into labor at work!

[mariatortillas]

I get SOME paid maternity leave but not a lot since I just started this job a little over 3 months ago. I wanted to work until I popped too but it's proving to be easier said than done. I want to reduce my hours but at the same time I don't. I need all the money I can scrape up right now due to the baby, moving AND needing a new car. Usually I'm pretty good about working no matter how I feel but pregnancy is a whole different ballpark. I literally feel like I have no control over my body

[mfayb]

With my first I planned to stop at 38 weeks but I never made it. She was born at 37 weeks 6 days :) "plans" lol

[Knucks10]

I'm working up until I pop since I don't get maternity pay

[drakenoboe]

I've been taking at least one sick day a week since 34 weeks or so. And that's helped me a lot. Would knocking back your hours help you?

[kayla834]

i work 40 hours a week im planning to work for as long as possible only i work in a busy gp surgery seeing lots of patients so im hoping to work for as long as my body lets me hopefully until birth fingers crossed

[mariatortillas]

I want to spend as much time with my little one as well but I also don't want to push myself so hard. When it comes to health, I've always had the worst of luck and my body really hasn't been receptive to this whole process. I'm constantly in pain, feel so incredibly tired yet restless at the same time... and I'm always so hot and sweaty to the point where I can't even concentrate. Last week I also found out that my iron is very, very low despite having been fine the rest of my pregnancy.... which is weird because I've had issues with that all my life but now all of a sudden it's really bad. I just don't know if I should continue putting myself under more stress and forcing my body to cooperate even though it isn't

[MoniBxx]

I stopped my job as an education assistant at 33 weeks then my job as a waitress at 35 weeks and my nanny job at 36 weeks :) I'm 37 weeks tomorrow I thought it would be best to cut down then stop seeing as I worked 3 jobs

[drakenoboe]

I'm sitting at work....10 days before my due date. I'm a designer where all I do is sit in front of a computer and occasionally walk up and down stairs to visit people.

My plan is to work up until I go into labor or I have to be induced. It's becoming hell trying to drag myself out of bed in the mornings though. But I've been doing alright so far. My motivation to keep working is that I only get 6 weeks of paid leave. I would rather spend that time with my baby boy than laying on the couch watching netflix.

It's completely up to you, but I thought hearing my plan might help you decide.