https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 21 Jun 2026 03:52:30 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/are-you-happy-with-your-maternity-leave-start-date#post-644822 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 12:48:50 +0000 Charm54 644822@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm a teacher so I'm pretty happy about it - end of June for our September baby. I'm off for the following year and will go back to work the next September. Thanks baby for the good timing! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/are-you-happy-with-your-maternity-leave-start-date#post-644733 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 12:27:17 +0000 Foodnerd81 644733@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>At my company people go out 2 weeks before their due date-- first 5 to kick off short term disability, then your STM starts, but you still get the 6 or 8 weeks after the birth paid. Then you can take unpaid FMLA, so basically those two weeks before don't come out of time at the end. So, I'm happy to leave 2 weeks before the due date-- I think by the time I'm 9 months pregnant in July, I'll be ready to stop working. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/are-you-happy-with-your-maternity-leave-start-date#post-644641 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 11:55:15 +0000 pui 644641@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Luckily I work at my own company, so maternity leave will be very flexible! I'll probably just work as long as I deem I can. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/are-you-happy-with-your-maternity-leave-start-date#post-644635 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 11:54:19 +0000 teamjse 644635@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>On my last day of work my water broke. I was so bummed I didn't get anytime off before LO arrived. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/are-you-happy-with-your-maternity-leave-start-date#post-644631 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 11:53:30 +0000 KT326 644631@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I planned on leaving 2 weeks before my due date, but my blood pressure was starting to go up so the Dr pulled me out 3 weeks before my due date. It was a good thing too, DS came 2 weeks early! I wouldn't have had any time off to relax and get things settled before he got here! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/are-you-happy-with-your-maternity-leave-start-date#post-644620 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 11:50:35 +0000 Lindsay05 644620@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was due June 3 and didn't give birth until the 14th. I took the week off before my due date so I was at home for almost 3 weeks. I loved not working before that. I was able to relax and unwind. I wish DH and I could have enjoyed the 'alone' time a bit more though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/are-you-happy-with-your-maternity-leave-start-date#post-644535 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 11:37:55 +0000 prettylizy 644535@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>ha! I had planned to have 2.5 weeks off before my due date in accumulated vacation time, then on my last day of work after I got home my water broke. No relax time for me!! I wish I would have had time for all the appointments I booked (hair, pedicure, dentist etc!) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/are-you-happy-with-your-maternity-leave-start-date#post-644524 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 11:35:21 +0000 ALV91711 644524@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm supposed to have one week of work left, my due date is April 3. I figured 1.5 weeks before my due date would be good. Today I didn't go to work though and when I see my OB today I'm going to discuss not going back. I'm just exhausted, swollen and my body is aching. As much as I may get bored in two weeks, I think I need the rest. It doesn't help that I drive 40 min each way and we are in the middle of getting a big dump of snow so it is more like and hour each way. </p> <p>I think if you can work up until labour that is awesome! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/are-you-happy-with-your-maternity-leave-start-date#post-644444 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 11:11:29 +0000 purrpletulips 644444@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes - I worked from home the 3 days before my induction with DD. I did drive into the office the day before to sign a couple things and the 45min one way commute was so hard. I was induced with DS on a Sunday so I worked through the Friday before. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/are-you-happy-with-your-maternity-leave-start-date#post-644411 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 11:03:12 +0000 wheres_c 644411@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I took a week off before my due date. LO came early so I only had 1 day of maternity leave before he arrived.</p> <p>I wish I'd taken more. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/are-you-happy-with-your-maternity-leave-start-date#post-644207 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 10:17:03 +0000 Alivoo01 644207@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I plan on working up until the day i give birth so that I can spend the most time with DS once he's here since maternity leave is so short (12 weeks). I plan on working from home the last week or two though because the hospital is 45 minutes away from work WITHOUT traffic. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/are-you-happy-with-your-maternity-leave-start-date#post-643748 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 08:21:05 +0000 Bookish 643748@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'll be working until I go into labor because every bit of my leave time has to be saved for maternity leave. If I end up having a scheduled c section or something planned, I'll probably take off the day before. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/are-you-happy-with-your-maternity-leave-start-date#post-643686 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 07:55:46 +0000 evenstar982 643686@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>like @Cherrybee I will have annual leave to use up before I start my maternity leave... so at this rate I'll have probably 5 weeks off before my due date - not convinced this is a great idea since I think I'll go stir-crazy while I wait, BUT it'll be the height of summer and if I don't take the annual leave I'll lose it since I'm taking a years maternity (yay for being in the UK!).<br /> Best thing though is definitely the fact that I officially have less than 4 months left at work! That's one heck of a motivator on a bad day, lol. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/are-you-happy-with-your-maternity-leave-start-date#post-643672 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 07:52:52 +0000 mrsjyw 643672@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was... i worked from home the last month before maternity leave. and then my boss told me to take the week before my due date off with no hindrance on pay for the rest of the 12 weeks i took after LO. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/are-you-happy-with-your-maternity-leave-start-date#post-643669 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 07:51:56 +0000 su9su9 643669@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For both of my pregnancies, I worked until I went into labor. Luckily I didn't go into labor at work, though. My pregnancies weren't too difficult so I was happy I waited so I could spend more time at home after the births. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/are-you-happy-with-your-maternity-leave-start-date#post-643622 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 07:37:26 +0000 yerpie110 643622@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I took off 1.5 weeks before my maternity leave officially began - I simply couldn't do my 1+hr commute into Manhattan from NJ anymore! Those 2 weeks coincided with Christmas and New Years though, so I had plenty of friends, family, and festivities to keep me occupied because I would have been bored otherwise! Plus, I didn't have to use all vaca time due to the holidays so that was a nice perk as well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/are-you-happy-with-your-maternity-leave-start-date#post-643608 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 07:31:52 +0000 MarieJ 643608@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I started my maternity leave officially one day before LO was born. My water broke on a Sunday and Monday was a working holiday, so it didn't start officially until Tuesday :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/are-you-happy-with-your-maternity-leave-start-date#post-643586 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 07:16:54 +0000 LemonLong 643586@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I worked up to birth, it was uncomfortable but more time to spend with my LO! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/are-you-happy-with-your-maternity-leave-start-date#post-643584 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 07:15:43 +0000 buffalove 643584@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I took two days off before my scheduled c/s and it was perfect. I was actually kind of bored! It was summer but I was so swollen and hot that I spent the time inside despite my parents pool being 2 miles away. I was really happy to have the full 12 weeks after instead. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/are-you-happy-with-your-maternity-leave-start-date#post-643581 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 07:12:46 +0000 Beehive 643581@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My plan (actually this was suggested by HR) was to work from home starting the week before my due date, which was perfect for me. It's a good thing I did that, because after one day of working from home, the baby came! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/are-you-happy-with-your-maternity-leave-start-date#post-643569 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 07:06:59 +0000 heartonastring 643569@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The plan (barring an early baby arrival) is for me to work until the day before Good Friday. I will be 38w2d. At this point it seems like both an eternity, and also not nearly enough time to get my replacement up to speed before I go on leave. </p> <p>I'm in Canada, so I get a long leave, but I'd still rather use as much of it as possible for after the baby's here, as I know I will cherish those moment :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/are-you-happy-with-your-maternity-leave-start-date#post-643566 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 07:05:44 +0000 blackbird 643566@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>A week? I'd go freaking bananas. In fact, all my friends are like, "work up until your due date" because they regretted having so much time at home to sit around and twiddle their thumbs. I will want probably 2 days at home but that's it! Just a long weekend :) </p> <p>It wouldn't cut into my maternity leave when the baby is here (I can take 18 weeks but will be taking about 14), otherwise, no dice. </p> <p>If i'm not on a beach, I get bored "relaxing" at home in front of the tv. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/are-you-happy-with-your-maternity-leave-start-date#post-643555 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 06:59:34 +0000 T.H.O.U. 643555@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it depends. If you only have 8 weeks paid, but a week off prior cuts into that then no its not worth it. If you can still take the week off plus 8 after birth then yes, go for it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/are-you-happy-with-your-maternity-leave-start-date#post-643401 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 03:13:15 +0000 Cherrybee 643401@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've got some holiday to use so Im having a month off before my due date - two weeks hol and two mat leave. Im nervous that the baby will come late because every day I have off before baby is here is a day I don't get to spend with her afterwards..... but Im still really happy with my choice and I can't wait to leave now!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/are-you-happy-with-your-maternity-leave-start-date#post-643189 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 23:26:41 +0000 Giraffe 643189@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I started my maternity leave the day I gave birth to LO - I wanted to spend as much time as possible at home with him. He was a few days late, but fortunately my work was flexible about the dates. I'm glad I did it that way, because it took him almost all of my 12 weeks to stop being so fussy and start seeming to enjoy life a little bit. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/are-you-happy-with-your-maternity-leave-start-date#post-639597 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 00:30:00 +0000 autumnlove 639597@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I want to work up to my scheduled C-section but DH and my Dr. think maybe taking at least week off to relax will be a good idea.</p> <p>When did you start your maternity leave? </p>