Finishing Work Before Baby Arrives ...

i finished work at 36wks. i probably could've stayed longer but jack was to be born early so i wanted at least a couple of weeks to get organised.
i haven't been back to work since. my pay wasn't much so we are lucky enough to survive on DH's.
i'll be going back to work part time after xmas

I stopped at 36 weeks and dont regret it for a moment. I noticed a huge differenc in my energy levels from week 35 to week 36 and dont think I would have coped. Also you get to a stage where nothing really fits you nicely and you dont want to be seen in public

I also felt that if I worked longer bubs would come early and I wouldnt get any break. I read somewhere that the more rested and relaxed (aka bored) you are before baby arrives, the better you will cope with labour, and that fact that having a baby means a big achievement in a day is just having a shower.

As for going back to work...thats a toughy. I have takend 12 months but my boss has allowedme to come back for a day or 2 earlier if I want (depending on finances...I know I wont WANT to).

I originally wanted to slowly scale down my working hours but at my work that was not possible so I worked full time until 35 weeks and then stopped. It was a relief to be finished but I was so bored like you say! In my ideal world, I would work full time to 7 1/2 mos, then halve hours until 37 weeks and then stay home and sleep and eat smoothies (mine was a summer baby, ice cream for lunch!)

Then I would consider PT work when the baby is 6mos but in between I'd live completely off DH's income (I know it can be hard, we did it with student allowance) so that I had the option. After Hannah was born she was so easy that I was bored lol and I started working PT, with her, until Briona was 6mos. And I haven't worked since then except for one 2 week stint.

I started taking Wednesdays off at 24 weeks and am planning to finish at 36 weeks. But work is driving me so crazy that I might leave earlier. They are being really good and will let me go whenever I need to.

I am on a maternity contract at the moment, covering the previous girl, and so I am not offered any maternity leave myself. I am not planning to go back to work until baby is at school - but am going to try and some work from home (computer stuff - website design and so on)

I'll be finishing at 36 weeks. Cos I'm a teacher, thats just when the end of the school year happens to fit... pretty good timing really! I figure if it gets too much at the end I can just take sick leave.

Im currently a student and will finish my exams when I am 34 wks and then rest for me yipee!!! I have one more paper to do next year( 10 hrs a week) and then my degree is complete. Not sure if I will start it in feb (baby will 2mths) or wait and do it second semester. I will not look for a job until bubs is a year old and then hopefully can find something part time I can do from home. We will be poor but I really want to be home with bubs for a full year.

With Andrew I planned to work fulltime right up until 37 weeks. Was going fine until I got to 34 weeks and I was told to cut my hours or go straight onto PPL. I cut from 8 hours a day down to 6 and it was great. Once I was on leave I was bored and I was put on bedrest which made me even more bored. I was put into hospital at 37 weeks and finally had him at 39 weeks.

Josh I was only worked 10 hours a week (over 2 days), and I was a fulltime student. I had had enough of my job by 30 weeks but stuck it out till 34 weeks and then went on leave for the 2 days I was working for 2 weeks and then started my paid leave. I have just gone back to uni (extramural) semester 2.

For me, I only had three months off so I wanted to work as close to my due date as possible so I maximised my time with my child. With baby #2 I worked full time to 38 weeks, one week half days and then had a week to be ready. For me, it worked well but it does all depend on how you are felling

I was supposed to finish at 37 weeks but finished at 36 weeks instead, as I was just so shattered by the end. Just as well, because Em came at just over 38 weeks! It's hard to predict when your baby will arrive so I guess it would depend on a number of things -- how you feel, how easily you can just pick up and leave if your baby comes earlier than expected, how quickly your replacement can start... And never underestimate the urge to nest, even if you think you're already organised! I felt the need to reorganise the entire garage at about 37 weeks -- thank goodness I was off work or I'd have been sitting at my desk unable to concentrate. LOL

I'm finishing work at 36 weeks and have applied for 12 months maternity leave. May go back to work abit earlier, just depends how it goes financially.