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@whenoceansrise: Make sure you understand your company policy surrounding STD. My company requires me to exhaust my accrued time (sick and vacation) before I become eligible for STD. I have nearly 6 weeks of accrued time. I will have an 8 week disability (C-section) so I will only be able to collect my STD for the last two weeks.

Also be aware since you just signed up in the past year, that STD policies often have a 12 month exclusion for maternity unless you enroll at hire rather than open enrollment.

@MamaG: Yes, I have to exhaust all of my accrued time before I can use the STD. I only have 6 weeks saved up so if I take 8 weeks then I can use 2 weeks STD. I would definitely have to re-enroll though since it'll start over in January. Open enrollment is coming up.

@whenoceansrise: I would double-check your STD policy. You might want to meet with HR or something to go over this all with you (that's what I did). At my company, we have both sick time and vacation time. We have to use up our sick time before being paid STD, but they run concurrently. So if I'm approved for 6 weeks of STD and I have 6 weeks of sick time, I can't use my sick time and THEN get 6 weeks of STD. It's 6 weeks total, regardless of how I'm being paid.

Not sure if yours is any different though because you have PTO!

@whenoceansrise: You only get STD to the extent you are "disabled", once your doctor releases you back to work (typically 6 weeks for a normal delivery and 8 weeks for a C-section) you are no longer STD eligible. You can still be FMLA eligible, but that's a different animal.

@winniebee: I'm 35w2d, so feeling pretty good about the likelihood of a baby who's at least pretty close to full term!

Wow, this thread goes so fast, I am so tired and cranky these days after work.....I think I am reaching my limit with work, patience and not sleeping well.......I think these next 6 weeks are going to be the hardest, I am so ready to be done with work and meet my baby!!!!!!

@cheert16: I am so sorry your midwife came off so mean, she had no right to say those things the way she did....... please DONT feel bad and DONT diet..... eat healthy and screw her.....lol

@winniebee: I pray all continues to go well at your exams and that baby is leans and tiny like you suspect! Keep resting it seems to be doing you good!!!!

@mrslilac: yay to moving, book to DH working!

Banddmommy: Last apt my m/w said that baby's head was down, but she still could move, and said that not until 35-36 weeks will she really pay attention

@mamag: Yes, I pre registered with the hospital they called me and I have a $400 co pay with our insurance...it is paid monthly and our last payment is Nov 30th

@mrsf: Glad that OB apt was good, get rest... praying all continues to be well for you and LO

@whenoceanrise: STD for me is 11 weeks but is only used after my sock leave with FMLA runs out......I get 12 weeks with FMLA which is 60 work days solo...... I have 35 sick days banked ... that would mean 35\60 are paid at 100% and 25/60 is with STD at 60%

Baby shower is this Saturday I am so excited, I am in FL and we are getting a cold front......... high 75 low 50 such a great break and will make for perfect weather, as some tables are on our porch

DH is nesting and getting alot done, but I feel like it is not the way I would do it....lol I am picking and choosing when to say something or let it go.....I don't want to nag, but if your going to do it do it 100%......I went behind him tonight and re cleaned the sliders that he says he did..... well there was still dog nose prints on the outside...... dude you have to clean both sides.......hahahahha

@MamaG: Sigh, yes. Don't get me started all over again about maternity "benefits" lol. I still feel like I'm being punished for having a child!

@FaithFertility: Oh man I nag DH every week to hurry up and finish assembling stuff! He just has a floor lamp, 1 shelve & the rolling cart thing from Ikea... I just want anything that can be done, done! I hope you have a wonderful shower!!

@Adira: awwee thanks! Nope I sleep awful I might have a night here or there where I sleep good, but I am also getting up to pee 1-2 times a night......lately I also feel like I have to go and nothing happens...lol I think she is right on my bladder!

DH is sweet, but like I said I feel like he is half a $$ everything....lol

@josina: that's total crap! I'm glad he is honoring his original agreement.

Some nights I sleep terribly - toss and turn and pee 5-6x a night. Other nights I sleep ok - and by ok I mean sleep but get up 2x a night to pee. And I take 1/2 unisom 30 mins before bed every night.

I'm going to meet with someone in HR and have them go over my STD with me- I'm going to do all that I can to be able to take at least 8 weeks. There seriously should be better benefits for maternity leave!

@FaithFertility: your DH sounds like mine- I usually have to go back an reclean whatever DH cleans because he doesn't do it right. I blame his parents because they never made him clean or gave him chores.

@Adira: Sleep.... feels like a dream to me. I had a couple nights free of charlie horses but was awoken by another one last night. Going to have to try my doctor's recommendation and try some tylenol pm

@josina: Ugh, what a mess. I just hope whatever ends up being the official policy works for you! And I think it's ridiculous that they didn't put it in writing just so guys wouldn't complain about not receiving something similar. My company has rooms for pumping and men don't have anything similar - and why would they want one??? In some things, we're just not equal and there's no reason to dance around that fact! Men also don't get to use STD for their paternity leave because, guess what, they didn't physically have the baby themselves! Ugh.

@whenoceansrise: Definitely a good idea to meet with HR! Our policies are so confusing here at work, so I found it really helpful. We figured out exactly what my leave balance was and what I would be earning while I was out and how my boss needs to use my time in order to cover me while I'm out. It was nice to figure it out all out ahead of time.

@BandDmommy: haha, I'm scared of the newborn phase!! I can barely function when I get an hour less of sleep a night, I am NOT looking forward to having to get up every 2-3 hours to nurse!! Plus at least now, when I'm up, I just run to the bathroom and then back to bed - 10 minutes awake time tops. With the newborn, I know I'll be up 30 minutes to an hour each interruption!

Ugh so I got rejected for my flu/Tdap since I've been sick. Primary care told me to call my OB again to try to take some form of meds to help get rid of this. So I begged my OB and was cleared to take claritin & robutissin. As much as I am reluctant to take meds, I feel like maybe it's better than violently coughing & not sleeping...

At least my boss sent me home and I'm working from home for the rest of the week!

@whenoceansrise: I get no STD or FMLA. I work for a small company (I am the ONLY Full time employee) so I don't get offered anything. I took off 4 weeks with B and went back part time for a month after that. This time I am taking 8 weeks off. It is going to suck financially and we aren't going to have any money at all- but I want to be home with my new baby!! (and this is our last so I want to milk it!)

@cheert16: Ahh, that stinks! Glad you are still going to take more time off though! Spending more time with your baby is definitely worth it!

@Mrs.Lilac: Oh yikes! I hope it's nothing too serious and you don't have to induce early! That's scary! Definitely ask about the contractions though - they sound a bit intense.

It's really crazy just how BAD the US is when it comes to maternity/paternity leave. We're ahead in so many areas, but in this one, we're seriously behind! So jealous you can take a year off if you want!!

Just had my weekly appointment today. Baby is estimated to currently be 6 lb 3 oz. My OB feels like that's a low estimate and we are probably closer to 6 lb 10 oz. So, I'm expecting a nearly 8 lb baby. Not at all surprised, C was just shy of 8 lbs. The tech also saw a full head of hair. Yeah!

I also got my Group B test and a cervical check. She said I'm a "very tight 1". I'm hoping it stays that way as I can't really imagine an early delivery. And on the delivery note, my C-section just got pushed to 11/18. I know it's one day, but it's sort of tilting my planned world at the moment.

@Mrs.Lilac: I had liver problems when my pre-e was progressing that were basically why I was induced early. What brought me to the hospital in the end was horrible abdominal pain that went down my left arm and through to my back. I don't remember any tightening though, and I didn't have the itching although I know that can happen. I'm glad you're seeing your OB and I hope the liver tests are all fine!