When to finish up work

Hi Girls. I'm 36 weeks this Thursday and have had a fairly uneventful pregnancy thank god but i have to say the last weeki have been absolutely shattered! It hurts to walk, it hurts to sit it, hurts to do anything! Also have been getting swollen feet and hands etc in the evenings, all which i know is normal, but i think because i have had it easy for the past few months i am finding it such a shock to the system! I'm due to finish up work on 2nd March which gives me 1 week and 6 days before my due date. Ive a tonne of stuff to do at work in the next 3 weeks and my job is pretty hectic but this morning i'm sitting here with ZERO concentration, a sickie feeling, hard to even stand to get to the printer! And it hurts to sit at the desk because LO wont stop squirming!! I just want to finish up now!!! I'm the only woman in my office and though all my male colleagues have wives and kids, i feel like they would really think i was milking it going off early and the guilt etc really gets to me to think i'm leaving so much stuff behind. Maybe im being a bit of a lightweight?? Do most people keep going right to the end? Just wondering when others are planning on finishing up for Maternity Leave? Thanks!

First time I finished up 2 weeks before due date. I felt ok, but had a fairly easy-going, non stressful job and the ability to work from home when I needed to. This time I'll have 3 weeks as I'm taking some holidays and the minimum 2 weeks ML and although pregnancy has been easy and I can do the working from home thing as needed, I'm still dying to be finished and have some downtime before baby gets here. If you're finding work very hard, then take the time you need if you can. It's the last bit of quiet time to yourself you're going to have for a while!

I'm starting ML at 35 weeks. I was very sick until 21 weeks, sickness has returned again for the past week, I'm constantly exhausted, not able for the 2+ hour trek to & from work etc. I am 35 weeks on Holy Thursday so I decided to go with that as my finish date - couldn't bear the thoughts of having a long weekend and coming back to work again - I see it as a natural finish. I'm taking a weeks holidays in March to break it up too - that's how much I am looking forward to finishing

I am finishing up at 37 weeks, taking 1 weeks out of my holidays and taking the minimum 2 weeks ML. I did the same with DS last year and i loved knocking around the house, getting it ready and in general putting the feet up and been relaxed for when LO arrives. Will be different this year as i will have DS to look after but am looking forward to spending extra time with him before new addition arrives. I am finding it a long day sitting down at desk, bump is very active and i have to get up and move around alot. If you have the holidays to use up, why not finish up early and have some rest before baby arrives. If your like me i had zero interest in work last year for the last 2/3 weeks. Towser - Don't feel like a lightweight, no-one is going to give you a medal for working right up to the end. Is work getting a replacement in for you, if not start delegating your work out to co-workers, they are going to have to get used to doing it anyway over the next 6/7 months ohsotired - your right to finish with the travelling, sickness and the tiredness will probably get worse towards the end.

Im just over 36weeks and had an appointment at the gp today, was due to finish up in 2wks but she gave me a cert so i'm finished from today. Have a pretty mental job where i'm on my feet about 13hrs a day and to be honest, it was getting a bit much for me. Never missed any other time throughout my pregnancy so i'm not gonna feel guilty about going two weeks early. When i came home to break the news to work I think they were kinda relieved that I was finishing up because for the last few weeks they're all terrified i'll go into labour at work! Anyway, just keep going as long as you feel up to it but dont worry about it when you need to stop. You need to rest too and just have a bit of time for yourself before all hell breaks loose in a few weeks

Thanks for the replies! Had a nightmare evening yesterday evening of exhaustion, tears and vomiting Was at consultant today and he has signed me off for the rest of the week, plus wants me to finish up next Friday for good! Just told work...waiting for a phonecall from the boss...dreading it!!!!!!!!

Sure thats great, get finished with work and enjoy the last days of freedom. Don't worry about work. I had to make that call yesterday to tell them i wouldnt be back and they were surprisingly nice. I've been snoozing and watching dvds for the last two days and im still wrecked! I think its just coz i'm finally finished and can wind down a bit now.

I was signed off by my GP at 35 weeks. Ive had high BP all thru the pregnancy, and have a stressful job where i'm on my feet all day. I am soooooo glad that i finished up when i did, as was struggling to get through the day. I don't know how some people go right up to 38/39 weeks. I am exhausted ALL the time, and it's so great to be able to sleep in and go to bed when i feel tired throughout the day as i'm not sleeping well at night (and haven't since about 30 weeks). Fair dues to those ladies that go close to their due date, but at the end of the day, who's going to thank you for it? You have to put yours and baby's health and wellbeing before work. (And i did this with 100% support of my senior manager, who was very encouraging of me to mind myself and baby- which , in fairness, DID make my decision to go out at 35 weeks easier. )

Don't worry about your BOSS! You baby comes first! I went on Mat leave at 34 weeks as my DS was transverse & they were afraid of cord prolapse. My GP advised me, but I fell at about 30 weeks & my ankle was in bits so I didn't go back to work before my mat leave. I ended up going back to work (2 days) when DS was 4 months, but I needed to take the time before. I would be very selfish regarding pregnancy after 2 mc's I wasn't taking any chances!