https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 24 Apr 2026 20:04:02 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/going-on-maternity-leave-when-busy-at-work#post-2816978 Wed, 18 Apr 2018 02:31:53 +0000 ElbieKay 2816978@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>By the way, between that work transition plan and all the adjustments we are making at home (including a construction project to convert our L-shaped living room to a third bedroom, assessing if we need to pull the trigger on a bigger car, determining how much help I might need during a twin maternity leave, etc.) second tri is flying by because I am spending every spare minute on planning. I just assume that twins are going to render me totally useless postpartum and that I have to get EVERYTHING organized now. These babies better be really adorable!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/going-on-maternity-leave-when-busy-at-work#post-2816977 Wed, 18 Apr 2018 02:25:48 +0000 ElbieKay 2816977@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't remember the last time my job felt slow.</p> <p>I run a large team. At the beginning of the year I was running a team with about eight employees, and four other team leads also reported to me. I have been wanting to appoint someone to replace my team lead role, and my maternity leave accelerated that decision. I have appointed two managers to fill that gap in my absence and hope to have enough coaching time for them to be ramped up before I go on leave.</p> <p>I need to finish assigning backup managers for the client work I oversee.</p> <p>Then my boss will have to run point with the six managers who report to me while I'm out. I am a little worried about how that will go considering how jammed he is.</p> <p>I am expecting twins, so I set a deadline of 28 weeks (end of second trimester) to have my transition plan in place. Then I will do as much as I can for as long as I can. The reality is that with a high risk pregnancy I have an especially unpredictable third trimester, and it takes time to train a new manager. So I planned ahead. I don't expect to roll those changes back when I return so it's a worthwhile investment anyway.</p> <p>I expect to work from home for awhile at the end of my pregnancy. That makes management tough but with twins I don't think I will be able to commute.</p> <p>With my 4yo, I worked a week past my due date but the last two weeks I exclusively worked from home.</p> <p>There is never a convenient time to have a baby. But as someone mentioned above, the work will always be there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/going-on-maternity-leave-when-busy-at-work#post-2816966 Tue, 17 Apr 2018 21:37:23 +0000 ChitownRo 2816966@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>There’s never a slow time at my work (healthcare). They hire no one to fill in for maternity leaves. They are finally considering hiring a float NP bc someone is basically always on a leave/vacation etc. But this will take months and months to find, hire and train someone . My coworkers have to see more patients and are just way too busy. Patient care suffers. It’s really ridiculous.<br /> Im jealous of moms in business - even when overworked, their jobs aren’t literally dealing with others’ life or death. I feel so guilty when taking maternity leave.</p> <p>So basically, I’m the opposite of everyone else saying not to worrry... bc I worry, a lot. But I also am just so frustrated at the state of family leave in this country </p> <p>Sorry that I’m not being helpful :/ </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/going-on-maternity-leave-when-busy-at-work#post-2816936 Tue, 17 Apr 2018 18:17:31 +0000 MissKriss19 2816936@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Try not to stress! Things at work will continue on without you! I feel like as soon as I was around 30 weeks I became totally checked out of work. It was our busy time too but I was too exhausted/distracted to focus. I just made sure to document everything and spend a lot of time transitioning my work over to colleagues. When I finally went off work at 37 weeks I did keep in touch and checked my email regularly but then once the baby was born I went totally offline. I figure SO much can happen during my 18 month maternity l leave there is no point trying to keep track of things. I’ll deal with it when/if I go back. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/going-on-maternity-leave-when-busy-at-work#post-2816873 Tue, 17 Apr 2018 13:22:42 +0000 periwinklebee 2816873@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@agold: I totally understand needing that week of calm before the storm. This was my first baby, so I had lots of time to myself anyways (and probably didn't quite realize just how crazy things would be once he was here!) Good luck with everything! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/going-on-maternity-leave-when-busy-at-work#post-2816845 Tue, 17 Apr 2018 11:54:14 +0000 alphagam84 2816845@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wouldn't stress about it. Work on what you can and when it's time to go on maternity leave, leave with no guilt. Not like they didn't have ample warning. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/going-on-maternity-leave-when-busy-at-work#post-2816762 Tue, 17 Apr 2018 08:27:23 +0000 snowjewelz 2816762@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@agold: Yeah, it really is tough. I mean, you don't HAVE to work, but it would just be nagging you the whole time wondering if everything's falling apart if it's busy and you have no good support system in place :meh: It was "easier" for me this time b/c 1) 2nd LO just easier and 2) LO1 was in daycare most days so I was "free"... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/going-on-maternity-leave-when-busy-at-work#post-2816730 Mon, 16 Apr 2018 23:29:36 +0000 agold 2816730@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@cake2017: I'm not going to finish my projects. They will fall to someone else. Yikes! Small office = no one is happy for anyone else's maternity leave. </p> <p>@snowjewelz: I just really don't want to work during my maternity leave. Especially not during the initial first couple of weeks. This is my second biggest concern next to going out with people unsatisfied with my unfinished projects. </p> <p>@Shantuck: Thanks. This makes me feel better. </p> <p>@mediagirl: Oh my gosh, girl! You have some big concerns! Wow. Lots going on. I do hope you get to take your full 3 months! And maybe you can bring your baby to Las Vegas and pump when away from him/her. I went back to work after my first and hit the ground running re: pumping. Pumping in a random officer's server room like the 2nd day back at work. Ugh. </p> <p>@periwinklebee: Oh gees.. you set the standard high! I am planning to stop working on the 27th, which is 11 days before my due date. I feel sort of bad about this - i.e., wanting a week to myself before the baby comes. I pray she doesn't come early because it will take that "personal" time away. I could stay and continue working but..... i don't want to!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/going-on-maternity-leave-when-busy-at-work#post-2816570 Mon, 16 Apr 2018 12:08:08 +0000 periwinklebee 2816570@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I worked until I went into labor, at 41+ weeks. I was actually really glad he was late, because otherwise I wouldn't have finished everything that needed to get out... but even if he'd come earlier, things would have ultimately been fine. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/going-on-maternity-leave-when-busy-at-work#post-2816557 Mon, 16 Apr 2018 10:54:14 +0000 mediagirl 2816557@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm extremely worried about this. My boss is not supportive and I fear she will steal my clients. She's just that type of person. My plan is to give the important ones my cell and I'll talk to them while I'm on leave. I'm guessing I can't take my full 3 months b/c of how busy my work schedule is. And then I have to figure out what to do about the 9 days at our Las Vegas convention that I'm supposed to be at, 4 months after giving birth.... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/going-on-maternity-leave-when-busy-at-work#post-2816516 Mon, 16 Apr 2018 09:03:15 +0000 Shantuck 2816516@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>With my first, I had expected to at least make it until my due date but had booked a bunch of meetings with colleagues on the Monday when I was 38 weeks to start transitioning things over. Well, my water broke after work on the Friday night (at 38 weeks exactly) before all these meetings and my son was born that Saturday morning. I remember sitting in the hospital emailing all of my coworkers about where to find files, what the latest status was, etc. People were super understanding (and in some cases I hadn't even started working on things that people probably hoped I had been done with). Life happens. Do your best to get things wrapped up but I wouldn't feel too bad about it. You can't be expected to wind down everything when the demands are still coming, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/going-on-maternity-leave-when-busy-at-work#post-2816514 Mon, 16 Apr 2018 08:53:41 +0000 Sams Mom 2816514@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I worked up until the Friday before my c-section on Tuesday at 39w 2d. I was able to train my fill in person for a couple weeks leading up to my last day. But I still felt like I had so much going on. I wrote probably 10 pages of procedure for everything I do for him to reference and still ended up fielding a couple emails and texts while in the hospital. </p> <p>Get whatever you can done, and work should understand you can only do so much before you start mat leave. Don't stress yourself (which I know is easier said than done). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/going-on-maternity-leave-when-busy-at-work#post-2816513 Mon, 16 Apr 2018 08:52:15 +0000 snowjewelz 2816513@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>With LO2 I went into labor early unexpectedly (well, I mean, when is it really expected :silly: ), but with the nature on my work I was able to more or less finish follow up via emails/texts during labor and after delivery and also once I was home. Otherwise we were prepping for my eventual maternity leave and my team just had to take over but they knew they could always contact me with questions. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/going-on-maternity-leave-when-busy-at-work#post-2816506 Mon, 16 Apr 2018 08:40:08 +0000 krispi 2816506@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I left before the big project I was the project manager on was finished. We had a couple of set backs during the project due to delays in other departments. When it became clear that I would have to leave before it was over, I started meeting with my replacement to fill him in on what was going on. </p> <p>I started working from home full-time around 38 weeks. Around then, I started having weekly meetings with my boss about the transition and saved all my work each day on a shared drive in case anyone had to take over unexpectedly. </p> <p>I ended up getting some test results back from the doctor and had to come in for an emergency induction right before a big work call, so I just messaged everyone and told them I wouldn't be online anymore. I saved everything to the shared drive one last time and headed to the hospital! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/going-on-maternity-leave-when-busy-at-work#post-2816494 Mon, 16 Apr 2018 07:25:06 +0000 PurplePumps 2816494@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My schedule currently says my project will finish around end of Aug. (Our tasks usually run 1-2 years or longer) I just started on it as it was picking last Dec when another person left for maternity leave. Unfortunately also, I'm the most experienced with this task even if she hadn't left cause I've been working with this application/programing language for years and she just took the training. If the schedule slips, which is almost a guarantee, someone else will have to continue and it wont be fun for them. Debugging someone elses code is never fun. But I have given management ample warning for them to plan for this and if they don't... it's just not going to be my problem. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/going-on-maternity-leave-when-busy-at-work#post-2816489 Mon, 16 Apr 2018 07:01:13 +0000 cake2017 2816489@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@agold: Yes! My job is very demanding and we get “projects” weekly! However when I was pregnant i left with no shame! I think you just have to get to a point mentally that it’s work and it will always be there! I left around 34 weeks! I finished my projects and told them if they assign me more then it’s going to someone else- I’ll be back in 7 months! </p> <p>I returned recently and ofcourse the work was there but my point is - it will always be haha! </p> <p>Don’t worry! Happy delivery!!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/going-on-maternity-leave-when-busy-at-work#post-2816477 Mon, 16 Apr 2018 01:38:57 +0000 agold 2816477@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MACSUNSHINE: @crazydoglady: @HappyBaker: @Mama Bird: @Pollywog: @summerfruit: @Mrs. Tiger: Thank you so much, girls. I saw my boss briefly today when I went into the office. I told him X was not done and i'm trying my best to get it to him asap. He was nice about it but I'm sure he will be disappointed when he realizes just how behind I am. I will try to get him to prioritize all my current outstanding project. And yes to making a list of other projects that are currently on the back burner. You girls are great. Thanks for the moral support. I sort of feel this second baby will come early so I do worry about that. Praying no work trickles into my 3 month maternity leave. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/going-on-maternity-leave-when-busy-at-work#post-2816430 Sun, 15 Apr 2018 17:45:13 +0000 Mrs. Tiger 2816430@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@summerfruit: totally agree!</p> <p>Went into labor at 30 weeks, had prepared nothing, was even on a specific rotation with daily responsibilities starting at 6 am and I had to text some coworkers when I left for the ER at midnight begging them to find a sub for the morning. I then took 7 total months off because he was in the NICU for so long. If the stuff you're doing is important they will figure it out 😊 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/going-on-maternity-leave-when-busy-at-work#post-2816423 Sun, 15 Apr 2018 15:51:27 +0000 summerfruit 2816423@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You can't predict babies! I delivered two weeks before my due date. My work schedule was packed because people knew I'd be gone for maternity leave. They took care of it. It will be ok. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/going-on-maternity-leave-when-busy-at-work#post-2816414 Sun, 15 Apr 2018 12:44:56 +0000 Pollywog 2816414@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm 37+5 and will leave work behind. I've been clear with my managers that my workload is intense and I've wrapped up as much as possible, but not everything will get done. I've done my best to document everything, but I don't think it's reasonable to expect that they won't notice your absence. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/going-on-maternity-leave-when-busy-at-work#post-2816413 Sun, 15 Apr 2018 12:39:45 +0000 Mama Bird 2816413@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh, sure! I was insanely busy before my last maternity leave, and my bosses wouldn't find time to talk about who I could delegate to. I kept a spreadsheet with a running tally of my projects for whoever took over for me, but still... that was stressful. But what can you do? That's a deadline with no wiggle room, either management plans ahead to have someone take over your work smoothly, or they have some responsibility for the mess that happens if they don't plan ahead. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/going-on-maternity-leave-when-busy-at-work#post-2816407 Sun, 15 Apr 2018 11:21:25 +0000 HappyBaker 2816407@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes I just started maternity leave this past week and the timing was not great! Part of the issue is they didn’t hire my replacement until a week ago so it was very stressful trying to train her but also keep up with work. I ended up telling my boss I was going to just take sick time from 39 weeks until delivery, because having a hard and fast end date helped him realize I was really leaving and SOON so he started to prioritize what he really wanted done before I left. Good luck, it sucks when things are so crazy at the end! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/going-on-maternity-leave-when-busy-at-work#post-2816405 Sun, 15 Apr 2018 11:13:02 +0000 crazydoglady 2816405@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@agold: There is always going to be something to do, but can you talk to your superiors about what they want you to prioritize? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/going-on-maternity-leave-when-busy-at-work#post-2816403 Sun, 15 Apr 2018 11:09:19 +0000 MACSUNSHINE 2816403@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am sure you are doing the best you can. My first pregnancy I left during busy season, I worked insane hours until the day before I delivered. Somehow I did it with no issue, each day when I left (I delivered two days before my due date) I left a neat list of status of everything I was working on so someone could easily pick it up.</p> <p>This pregnancy I am not leaving at a time that is normally hard but I am now the head of the department and there is a complex transaction everyone is prepping for. It is going to prove to be more difficult this time. We are in a busy time this month with quarter close and I am exhausted, 33 weeks, I have no idea how I did it last time.</p> <p>Hang in there and just try to do what you can. Can you talk to someone to ask what they want you to tackle? Taking on new projects is sometimes unavoidable but it may not be the best use of you. Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/going-on-maternity-leave-when-busy-at-work#post-2816399 Sun, 15 Apr 2018 10:09:59 +0000 agold 2816399@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Did anyone leave on their maternity leave when busy at work or with some work unfinished? I'm just about 37 weeks and my work is so insanely busy right now. Its impossible for me to get ahead because new work is popping up each day. I'm working ridiculous hours. I plan to work until about 38.5 weeks. I'll be leaving in the middle of something and am just about to turn in a crap work product because I just about hit a wall over this weekend. </p> <p>I'm just curious if anyone else dealt with leaving on maternity leave during a bust work time. I think I'm just looking for moral support! </p>