When you are pregnant, how many weeks is it safe to work before you should stop working? ie 36 wks pregnant?

Question

I am planning to start a family in the next few months, but as I am a bit of a organised freak, I like to know as much information as possible.
I would like to know who many weeks pregnant it is safe to work up until. Government Legislation states that you can start Maternity leave 11weeks before the week that your baby is due, but I would like to know what the latest sensible date would be ie 34/36/38 weeks of pregnancy, so that I can plan ahead.

Answer 1

it depends on your job, and how you are feeling in your pregnancy. i planned to work up to 36 weeks, but my job required a lot of energy and i just felt exhausted. i ended up finishing at 34 weeks. my baby was 2 weeks late so i had 8 weeks to put my feet up and prepare for labour and the new arrival. You really do need this break as when the baby comes you will be sleep deprived and so on. i would say work untill you feel ready to finish, and once you finish make the most of it. put your feet up and enjoy x

Answer 2

It is entirely up to you how long you work before starting maternity leave. I would just play it by ear and don't set a date in stone as you don't know how you will be feeling.
With my first baby I planned to work up to 37 weeks ( I work in a bank) but he was lying on my sciatic nerve & my hip became so painful I ended up on crutches and had to finish work at 35 weeks.
Wth my second baby I managed up to 37 weeks even though it was in the middle of the heatwave of summer 2006. Looking back, I don;t know how I managed it, I was like a big sweaty beached whale!
Remember, the longer you stay at work before the baby is born, the longer you will have off work afterwards which is much more fun!

Answer 3

It really depends on how you feel and what type of work you do. Some women work up til the day they deliver. I work with racehorses and ended up not working at 28 weeks. Not because I wanted to but because my boss moved his horses from Chicago to Louisana and it would have been to stressful to move. That and no other trainers would hire me for fear that I would get hurt by a horse so I just started staying home at that point. Currently 33 weeks due January 22, 2007.

Answer 4

It depends on how you feel and what your doctor says and your job demands...each pregnancy is different. I worked to 38 weeks with #1, 36 weeks with #2 and #3 kicked my behind and I was off work shortly after I was 24 weeks. I worked 50 hours a week managing a fast food restaurant at the time....

If your going to have kids I have one piece of advice...planning is great, but when life involves kids...well....ya can't plan everything...spit-up happens!! :) lol

Answer 5

You can work until you go into labour you don't even need to tell your employers that you are pregnant, but this then may delay your SMP (materity pay). If you have a lot of time off during your pregnany because of illness after 29 weeks gestation your employer can make you take maternity leave earlier than you had planned.

Answer 6

I tend to think it all depends on the type of job you do. I think it's safe to work up until the day you give birth really. Remember, people used to plough the fields, stop where they stood and give birth, get up and get on with it. I'm 22 weeks pregnant and plan on working as far as I can make it this time around.

Answer 7

With my son I planned on working right up to when I went into labor. I ended up on bed rest a week prior to when I was due. I have several friends who had babies here at work and they worked right up to when they went into labor. That way you get the full benefit of maternity leave.

Answer 8

Any where between 34 to 38 wks you should be getting ready to give birth to a beautiful human life so you should be laying back getting pamperd right now not worried when it is time to stop working!

Answer 9

i am 32 weeks pregnant with twins,the hospital have said they wont let me go past 36 weeks which makes it jan 5th(my birthday!).im up in the night between 5-7 times and getting pains and cramps.i was hoping to work to the end but i want to finish very,very soon.im a cleaner.you finish work when your ready,only you can decide.your health is more important.you need time to prepare for your baby and need plenty of rest,as you wont get much when he or she has arrived.hope this helps.goodluck xx

Answer 10

i worked til my due date as that gave me more time off the other side when i needed it ,
i worked in a nursery so i felt like there were lots of people who were very cool-headed if my waters broke!
i was overdue and very bored for 2 weeks,so if your job requires travel,late hours,then if i were in your position i would scale down as you get later in your pregnancy-law protects you there too,and maybe only work a 4-day week if you can,having worked for organisation freaks,it will give you time and rest, but work as long as you feel well, as women who are very busy at work usually get very bored at home-babies are lovely,but some women are just unable to give in to the wierd schedules they throw,but if you are organised now wow! i applaud your forward- thinking.