The work until labor or take a few weeks off debate...

By Marjorie Greenfield, MD

Some employers will want you to work until whenever labor begins, while others prefer that you name a departure date that they can work around. Find out what they need, and think about what would be best for you, before deciding which plan best fits your situation.

In my first pregnancy I stopped working a week before my due date, and then I went a week late and was twiddling my thumbs for two weeks—and just WAITING. This pregnancy I am going to work up until labor. (Michele C., accountant)

The second time, I was so sure I was going to be early, like the first one, that I started my maternity leave early. When I still hadn’t delivered by my due date, I decided to go back to work on a day-by-day basis. (Elisa R., ob-gyn)

I stopped working about one month before I was due, because I started getting really tired, and I wanted to make sure that I was well-rested for labor. (Kafi P., teacher)

They expected me to work up until labor. But I live forty minutes away and I wanted to take leave at thirty-eight to thirty-nine weeks so I wouldn’t be so far if I went into labor. Plus I didn’t want to be driving in labor, and it was winter and I was worried about the weather. They were very negative about me taking off before delivery. They seemed to think I was making excuses. (Danielle R., trust analyst)

They wanted me to take off starting at thirty-eight weeks so that they could plan for my absence. Then my baby came ten days late, which was tough — I wanted that time to be with him. Unfortunately you can’t bank sleep, but when I look back on it I appreciate that time that I had to myself after working so hard in pregnancy and before my life changed after the baby came. (Kendra F., civil litigator)

One practical problem with taking off from work before labor: loss of leave at the other end. For many mothers-to-be, taking a few weeks off beforehand means they have that much less (paid or unpaid) time off after the baby. Some women set their schedule day-to-day for the last two weeks, just doing add-on work or last minute projects, so they can extricate themselves when they have to leave suddenly. Before you decide when to start your leave, be sure to check how your predelivery leave would affect your time at home after your little one arrives.

Arguments for taking off a few weeks:

• You will have time to yourself

• You will have time to prepare for the baby

• You will feel rested before labor begins

Arguments for working until labor:

• You may feel bored and antsy waiting for the baby

• You may waste precious maternity leave, especially if you go overdue

Telling the Truth about Your Plans to Return...or Not

Unless you are absolutely certain that you won’t be going back to work, it’s usually best to assume that you will. Try not to burn any bridges, even if you are unhappy about how your employer is handling your pregnancy or leave. If you have no intention to return, however, try not to lie outright, because that will undermine your credibility and may render you liable for health insurance payments made on your behalf during your leave. (It will also hurt mothers who come after you, who won’t be believed when they say they intend to return.) And what if you plan to go back, but change your mind? We all know moms who intend to resume paid work but end up staying home full-time or shifting into a part-time career; after all, no one can know for sure how she will feel once she has held her baby in her arms. If you change your mind about going back to work, it is important to follow your instincts and do
what’s right for you and your family.

Excerpted from The Working Woman’s Pregnancy Book, by Marjorie Greenfield, M.D, copyright © 2008 by Marjorie Greenfield. Reproduced by permission of Yale University Press.

Marjorie Greenfield, M.D., is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist and fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG). She has practiced and taught obstetrics and gynecology since 1987, and is currently associate professor on the full-time faculty at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. She practices general obstetrics and gynecology with a specialty of pediatric and adolescent gynecology, but love obstetrics and has a large adult OB practice. She lives in the Cleveland area with her husband and teenage son.

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