# Who quit work soon after getting pregnant?



## GuavaGirl (May 6, 2008)

I know lots of mamas work almost right up until they're due, but does anyone quit really early on, just to be able to rest more, and take better care of yourself?

Tell me about it.

What's your advice on the matter?


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## inky leeuhhh (Aug 2, 2007)

im taking off two weeks before my due date. not really early, but unheard of where i work. lol. im also taking an extra month off for my maternity leave, which is also unheard of where i work. crazy! i think resting before the birth is an excellent idea.


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## nuwavemomma (Jul 20, 2006)

I have never worked during a pregnancy. The first time was inadvertent: my company laid us all off and shut its doors the week I found out I was pregnant, (which was also unplanned). This meant DP and I both were unemployed. (We met at work.) It was not a good week. I soon got so sick from borderline HG and pregnancy-related thyroid issues that I couldn't work. By the time I felt level again was able to work I was very obviously pregnant and couldn't get hired.

I've been a SAHM since then. The last half of my first pregnancy it felt like an absolute luxury to be at home. I did take great care of myself, did a lot of projects in our house, etc. But I gotta tell ya, chasing a 3.5 year old while pregnant is no easy task this time.


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## bangerlm (Feb 27, 2007)

I worked up until my water broke with my first. It wasn't much fun. She did come 3 weeks early though, so I still had 4 more weeks in my head and hadn't got to the point where I was wishing she was out. But I was dreading the next 4 weeks.

This time I work from home part time and I wanted to quit in the 1st tri, work the 2nd, and quit for the 3rd but obviously that was just my fantasy. I did manage to get through the 5 hard weeks during the first tri, by using lots of vacation. I did quit supposedly so that I'd be done when I was 20 weeks, but they talked me into another month, and now they talked me into another month, so as of now I'll be done when I'm 29 weeks. BUt I really want/wanted time to get stuff ready before I was huge and tired. Hopefully I'll still have some energy when I am done, if I'll ever be done. Sigh.


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## MomtoXane (Aug 21, 2005)

I quit my job about 8wks, ended up in the ER with severe morning sickness at 10wks. I was so sick and missing so many hours at work that I was loosing money...


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## jrose_lee (Oct 2, 2005)

I did it with my first pregnancy. I was just nannying and was going to be a SAHM once the baby was born anyway, so I didn't really consider it a career. Staying home while I was pregnant was one of the best times of my life. We're pregnant with number two now, but it's not the same with a toddler around









I had a wonderful time that first pregnancy not working. Dh worked really close. I drove him to work, then came back and did all sorts of research on baby stuff. Before stopping working I wasn't aware of any sort of AP stuff and I did tons of research on not vaxing. I went and had lunch with dh and discussed all the things I was leaning. I baked and made dinner and took naps whenever I was tired. Sigh- it was lovely.

I don't regret it at all. It was so great. I will never get a chance to have another pregnancy like it!


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## GuavaGirl (May 6, 2008)

jrose_lee: I'm in a pretty similar situation. I plan to be a SAHM, and for now I'm nannying/babysitting.(for 5 different families)

At what point in your pregnancy did you quit? What did the family(s) think about it?

I guess I'm afraid that they're going to think I'm crazy, or a major wimp for quitting for that reason, esp. early in the pregnancy. But, I just feel like, I want to be able eat really healthy (which is hard when you're busy & at other people's houses a lot), and take naps when I want, & not have to worry about having to work on days that I'm sick. I just want to do the best that I possibly can. ....but I don't see anyone I know doing this, so it's made me think that I'm some big baby....or just a little odd.


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## sunflwrmoonbeam (Oct 9, 2006)

I developed rather severe sacroiliac pain at 10 weeks and couldn't physically work past 14 weeks. I would have worked up through like 30ish weeks had I been able to. And, for the record, I plan to stay at home, so it was a permanent quitting.

I would not recommend quitting until the 2nd trimester, at least, unless you need to for health reasons (hyperemesis, for instance). Unfortunately, miscarriage is a very common occurrence and, having been through several, I've found that maintaining your normal pre-pregnant life post-miscarriage is rather helpful. Hopefully it doesn't happen to you, but if you were to quit as soon as you got your positive, you may regret it.


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## geekgolightly (Apr 21, 2004)

I made it through my first trimester working in an ICU as a nurse, but only by a thread and multiple sick days taken. I am reducing my hours to 2-12's a week starting my 16th week, and by June 1st (7 months) I will work one day a week. I still don't know if I will work after my leave.


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## GuavaGirl (May 6, 2008)

Yeah, one of the problems is, I can't just call in sick, the morning of, or the night before, because with my type of work fill-ins can't be found that fast, so I was just worried about being a big problem for people, during the 1st tri. But hey, i could be like my friend, and not get sick at all.

sunflwrmoonbeam: that is a really good point that I hadn't thought about, as far as waiting until the 1st tri. is over. Thank you.


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## CourtBChase (Sep 11, 2006)

I am planning to work until almost the end, but I thought I would add my experience because I am a nanny also. I actually made it through the first trimester with only one sick day, even with morning sickness, by telling the family early on that I was pregnant. I was pretty confident they wouldn't fire me for that reason, and I wanted them to understand why we weren't going on as many outings or doing as many projects as when I was non-pregnant. They have been really understanding, and I think I am probably not *as* good a nanny pregnant, but I keep the kids safe and happy and they don't seem to mind too much . Good luck with TTC!


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## GuavaGirl (May 6, 2008)

Courtney, thanks for the insight!

Another question: For a couple of my families, I watch their kids for the weekend nights out. I'm just wondering if I'm going to be able to do those, since they don't get home until midnight....and sometimes a little later.


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## CourtBChase (Sep 11, 2006)

I still do some weekend babysitting. In my first trimester, I had to tell families I would probably fall asleep on the couch around ten, because I really seemed incapable of staying up past then. These were preschool aged kids, so it was fine. If you are watching an infant who is up a lot at night it might be harder. I think how you feel while pregnant varies, so you might just have to play that by ear.


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## sunflwrmoonbeam (Oct 9, 2006)

Honestly, I had no problem working through morning sickness, and mine was pretty bad. One nice thing about nannying is that you don't have to deal with adults. If you're feeling sick, you can scale back activities, play games at home, etc.

I was a shelver at a library and puking an average of 3 times each of my 5 hour shifts. It wasn't terribly pleasant, but it was do-able. The only time I called in for morning sickness was when I was so malnourished and weak that I couldn't climb stairs without exhausting myself.

It may help to mention to the parents that you're pregnant and say that means you'll be doing more quiet activities, like reading, movies, games, etc.


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## pinksprklybarefoot (Jan 18, 2007)

I worked until I had to go on modified bedrest during the last month. I don't think that I called in sick once the entire time I was working. However, my job was early morning-afternoon. If I had to stay up until midnight, I would have been in trouble! I tend to go to sleep around 7 or 8 while pregnant.


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## lovbeingamommy (Jun 17, 2007)

I quit working about one month before my delivery date. Then went back after the holidays only part-time. I've been part time ever since and love it. I have no idea how I would even work full time now considering that the grandparents watch my DS. They love it, don't get me wrong, but they also have their own retirement to enjoy. For me, day care is just something I can't bring myself to do - sometimes I wish I could, but it's too tough on me mentally to do it.


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## brittljens (Feb 10, 2009)

I'm just out of my first trimester, but I've had a horrible pregnancy so far. I have to go to the hospital and get IV therapy every other day because the pills come right back up. We'll be able to get by money-wise, but I feel so bad quitting, and like everyone will think I'm a wuss or something even though everyone tells me they don't know how I'm making it through. So, if it was me giving some advice to people I would say if you're not feeling well, quit. I'm a teacher and have an interview with my principal tomorrow where I'm more than likely going to quit or at least go down to part-time.


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## WeasleyMum (Feb 27, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sunflwrmoonbeam* 
I would not recommend quitting until the 2nd trimester, at least, unless you need to for health reasons (hyperemesis, for instance). Unfortunately, miscarriage is a very common occurrence and, having been through several, I've found that maintaining your normal pre-pregnant life post-miscarriage is rather helpful. Hopefully it doesn't happen to you, but if you were to quit as soon as you got your positive, you may regret it.

I totally agree. Obviously nobody anticipates a pregnancy ending badly, but it does happen. If I had quit my job the first time I got pregnant, I'd be SOL, since that one and the next three all miscarried. While I don't really see my job as a "career" and plan to leave once this baby comes, it does pay my bills, provides my health insurance and etc. Also as sunflrmoonbeam points out, should something catastrophic happen, it can actually be a nice thing to have a job-- that mundane distraction that gets you out of the house and keeps you from thinking about the loss 24/7. IME.

I am viewing this time during pregnancy as a time to get my financial house in order: since I plan to quit in May we don't have much time to get used to living on one income. I'm trying to get us to the point where all of my income is going into savings, that way (1) we're used to the reduction by the time the baby comes and (2) we have that extra bit of savings, too. Quitting now wouldn't help with that, as much as I'd like to sleep in every morning!


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## Malva (Nov 2, 2005)

My last day of work is this Thursday and I'm due near the end of March.

With my other two pregnancies I had stopped work only a couple weeks early but both babies were two weeks late, giving me a full month at home first.

I really enjoy being able to rest, relax and nest in the last few weeks.


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