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Working moms - I am pregnant with my first, and work for a very small firm (I am the only employee other than the 2 owners). I have spoken with them about continuing working, part-time at first, when my baby is born. I am due in October, and would like to switch to working 3 or 4 days a week in July, then stop coming into work a few weeks before I'm due (though I might still go in 1-2 days a week depending on how it is going). After the baby is here I anticipate taking a few weeks off (but still checking emails occasionally, etc), and then going back to work approx. 20 hours a week (half-time), half of that from home, half in the office.
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well, I don't get ANY traditional "maternity leave" but they're willing to work with me - so I can take what time I feel is necessary, but I also anticipate i'll start working again from home pretty soon after db is born
[ Reply | Options ]Here's my two cents: You'll be big and uncomfortable when you're nine months pregnant but there's no reason you can't work (barring any problems). I literally worked until I went into labor, NYC subway commute and all. After birth, you have a newborn who wakes every two hours and BF takes 40 minutes every two hours, etc., it's a lot more unpredictable. I would not count on checking email or being able to go back to work a few weeks after birth. I'm not saying you won't be able to do it, but you won't know how you're feel, how fussy DB will be, etc. I would save my leave for when I actually need it, and IMHO, I didn't need it when I was 9 months pregnant.
[ Reply | Options ]thanks! I'm already committed to switching to part time (and know that I'll need the extra time to get things ready). I definitely understand your point about newborns taking lots of time, and am not planning to go back to work right away, but I also know I'm a compulsive email checker so I can't imagine not checking my email at least once a day, even if I'm very busy with the baby. My sort of "plan" is: take off work approx. Sept. 25 (db due Oct 1), then plan to go back into work (maybe just 1 day) by the end of Oct if db is approx ontime.
[ Reply | Options ]If I can't talk you out of taking time off before DB, then I can't, but what would you do? You can't set up nursery or lift anything heavy. Anyway, I would wait at least six weeks for your post partum checkup. Get yourself a BB if you plan on checking email - at least you'll get something done while DB is attached to your boob for 40 minutes!
[ Reply | Options ]I kind of agree that taking time off before a baby comes is useless. It is kind of useful that you can nap. But you won't feel like eating, you won't feel like walking around going to museums, you will feel like crap. I definitely don't regret working until the last minute. if there's something wrong, its a whole other story, but I personally think saving the goodwill for after is better. Especially if this is your first. I am 33wks with my 2nd and actually, would love an afternoon to myself!
[ Reply | Options ]thanks - I really do appreciate all the insight. I guess I can just play it by ear and see how I'm feeling. But I wonder- if I won't feel like eating, walking around a museum, and feel like crap, how/why am I going to haul myself 45 minutes on the subway into work?
[ Reply | Options ]At least you will make money and not be bored...then again, I had maternity leave to save my vacation/sick time for and I needed the money. If you don't need the money, I guess you can take time off...
[ Reply | Options ]Making money will help, but it isn't essential. Before i came up with the parttime idea I assumed I would just have to quit, as their current business model really does require a fulltime employee, but they are willing to change it to keep me... I don't get any standard maternity/sick/vacation, its all pretty much at the discretion of my bosses, but I don't abuse it and if they've ever had a problem with my taking time off (vacation) they let me know and we work it out.
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yes, planning on BF, but not necessarily exclusively (DH very much wants to have a part in feeding db, so I will pump and/or supplement so he can). I know I can't set up the nursery (hope that will be done by then!) but at least I can have some time to relax and rest and do things for me that I won't be able to do for a while. Currently I leave the house by 8am every day and dont' get home until after 7, and dh works even more, so the only time we have together is on the weekend, when we have to take care of all the chores so there's not a lot of quality time. I've had a lot of people recommend taking a few weeks off before db
[ Reply | Options ]I would take time off before DB only if it doesn't interfere with taking time off after DB. As other posters said, if it's a tradeoff in time/goodwill or whatever, save it for after DB. You might be scheduled to work and have a bad night and call your boss sobbing on two hours of sleep that you can't come in to work.
[ Reply | Options ]thanks... I guess my situation is very unusual in that my bosses actually seem more concerned about making this work for me than they are for them (I guess I'm a very good employee). But that is a point. I don't think they'll have a problem with my taking time off before - I wouldn't do more than 2 weeks, probably less, all depending on how I feel - and maybe would just switch to going in 1-2 days a week rather than 3-4, and working more from home.
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a working dh: I would start by asking them what they are thinking. You don't really get into your tasks and stuff. Is much of your work stuff you could do from home? (Read: they could ask you to do from home.) What I have seen at my job is working moms with alternative schedules take home a lot of work on their part time salary. Work that would have filled their 9-5 days before baby and often they are doing much/all the work they did pre-baby. Just they are more efficient.
[ Reply | Options ]thanks wdh - we've discussed basically everything except the salary aspect (that's been discussed in so much as "we'll figure it out later"). Yes, they're fine with me working a lot from home, and I think I plan to do 50% at least of my work from home. Most things just need a computer or a phone, both of which I can use from home. I imagine I'll end up working more than 20 (or so) hours some weeks, and less others, and the time I'm in the office I'll actually be more productive/efficient than I am now (i.e. I'm currently on UB, but that's because I have nothing else to do at the moment)
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