October Pregnancy Thread

[JanetJ]

Molli, congrats on hearing that beautiful heartbeat!!

[TLee4]

For those of you who are working, what type of maternity leave provisions do you have? I plan to take the 12 week FMLA. I have been at my job for 8 years, and have 12 weeks of sick time in my sick bank. (I had always thought that I might need it for just this reason, so I've never squandered sick days). Today I discovered that although I am entitled to take the 12 weeks, I can only get paid 6-8 weeks out of my sick bank. (Depending on what my doctor's note says). The additional 4-6 weeks have to be out of vacation time (of which I have little..I DO like to take my vacations!) and a couple of days of personal time. Otherwise it is unpaid. I am quite disappointed about this. I will still take the 12 weeks, and I'm sure it will all work out fine, but it's a bummer. At least I still have 7 months to accumulate vacation time.

So I'm interested to hear what all of your experience is.
Thanks,
Terri

[MinEaston]

de-lurking to answer Terri... I was in a position almost exactly like yours. I took my 12 weeks off - the first 4 paid in full using sick leave, the next 2 were short-term disability supplemented by sick leave to pay me in full, then the next 4 were paid in full because I had enough vacation/personal leave time. The last 2 weeks, I ended up working on a part-time basis, so all in all, out of the 12 weeks, 11 were paid in full. I know that I was lucky to do that well. We had budgeted and planned for only about 8 weeks of pay (I'm the principal bread-winner in our household, so we really took a close look at it!)

Take the 12 weeks if you can swing it. You won't regret it!

[DanaSD]

In CA we get 6 weeks disability or 8 weeks if c-section. I think the disability is around 40% pay but we have through our company additional disability insurance to bring it up to 60% for the first 6 weeks. Since its pretax its similar to full pay. Then we can use sick and vacation time. We get 6 sick days a year but that starts over every year - though tricky part in my case is since I'm due Jan 2nd I don't get my sick days until I work at least 1 day in 2006. So if I can work on Jan 2 I get those days (we may actually get the 2nd off, so that would mean I have to work on the 3rd). I calculated that I will have 23 vacation days so that puts me around 10 1/2 weeks of pay (not including sick days). I plan on taking 10-12 weeks and may transition with part time for the first few weeks - I'm not going to decide that now, just wait and see.

[Andrea_2]

Terri - My employer requires that we use five sick days first (which really stinks since we only get 5 sick days per year), then after that we go into short-term disability. We get six weeks for vaginal delivery and 8 weeks for C-section. This isn't all necessarily full pay though, it depends on length of service. With my son, I would've had four weeks full pay and four half, if only he could've waited 3 more days, but no... the little monster just couldn't do it! :mad: :D Instead, I only got one week full pay, and that was just not good by the end of 8 weeks. This time (if I have another C-section I'll get 4 weeks full pay and 4 half pay unless I use some vacation days). I think I'll just wait and see on that. I know after the first one, I was actually ready to go back to work (probably due to at least partially to being so broke!). If I want more time this time, I might use some vacation days to supplement it, but I hate to use all those at once too.

[JanetJ]

With my employer I have to use 3 sick days first and then I will get paid for 8 weeks at 100% pay. After that I can use whatever remaining vacation/sick time I have left to cover additional time (for me it wouldn't be enough to cover an additional 4 weeks - I also like to take my vacation time). I'm actually taking 4 1/2 months off and then coming back part-time after the baby is born, so once my 8 weeks and any remaining sick days are exhausted I will get my vacation days cashed out and then will be converted to a part-time employee on personal leave until my return.

[mst]

Well, after all this time, I do have proof that I am extra big! I went for an u/s yesterday, and my baby measured above the 90% in terms of size. The baby should weigh about 6 pounds at this point, and my baby is 7.5! (Keep in mind, I am also under 5' and have 3.5 weeks to go.) So, it looks like I most likely will be a c-section. My doctor is not committing to it right now, but it looks as though that is the direction we are going.

The pictures of the baby were great. S/he was blinking, breathing, sticking out his/her tongue, and kept moving his/her arms around. Once again, I cried through the whole thing.

I feel so lucky. I still can't believe that we are going to have a baby.

[Molli526]

I am greatful for my company's benefits. We get 6/8 weeks for vaginal/c-section paid in full. We also get the 2 weeks prior to due date off, paid in full. We can take as much vacation as we have. You can only carry over a week, year-to-year, so I will take all of mine and not carry over, which will bring me to 12 weeks paid in full. I can take up to 16 weeks FMLA, but it is not paid, but I may use a few of those days to transition back to work. If for some reasons I have complications, I will get paid at 70% of my pay after the 8 weeks of Short Term.

[silverrr]

i just wanted to check in, as i do about once a week.
well, i'm almost done with week 9 and i'm feeling good. the nausea has subsided a lot and i haven't had too much heartburn either.
but what HAS kicked in, you ask?

INSANE HUNGER!!!!

oh my goodness. i am 'chubby' to begin with. i did lose 30 lbs. on ww before getting PG, but i could have lost more (but oh well, the baby came first-yay!)
but i can't believe the way my hunger has just taken me OVER!! it's so unbelievable. i used to eat salad every day and healthy stuff all around and i've been overtaken with wanting no salad or meat...just cheese, carbs, etc.. i'm not sure how to deal with this! i don't want to gain more than i should.
i've gained 3.5 lbs. already, which isn't bad, but i'm afraid it will accelerate.
today, i ate an egg and cheese sandwich for lunch and was still starving, so i had a slice of pizza!! i don't know why i'm making not so wise choices. i would rarely ever ever eat pizza before this pg, now i could eat it every day.
anyone have any suggestions about this?

[Bawstinn]

I can't find a thing on materrnity leave here and the HR people have not returned my emails. I am in a cube, so I don't want to call on the phone.

I do know that for short-term disability I get one week full pay for each year (5) I have worked for the company (my due date is one month short of 6). I don't know if I am required to take vacation time at all, before disability or not (we don't have sick days; as long as you aren't out more than 1 week you still get your 40 paid).

Even with going to Bora Bora, I'll have 80 hours vacation too, so I am hoping to be able to take the 7 weeks off.

We'll see if HR ever answers my question. :rolleyes:

Haven't been queasy very much this week, but still tired. I also have a nasty cold that makes trying to sleep unpleasant. Looking forward to sleeping past 5:30 tomorrow AND I'm looking forward to the extra hour this weekend.

Had a minor meltdown this week. I tried on my favorite red twin set to wear with a skirt and it looked horrible. I am well-endowed in the first place and the tank top was soooooo tight there was no way I'd wear it in public. Skirt also wasn't fitting as nicely in the waist as it did last week. Sigh, I am afraid I am entering the stage where I'll look like I indulged in too much Halloween candy, rather than looking pregnant.

I went to the gym yesterday for the first time in about a month to walk the treadmill for 20 minutes. I felt fine until I stopped and got dizzy and queasy. I then remembered the slice of pizza and small salad I had was 5 hours prior and I didn't have a snack. Had some crackers from the vending machine and some water and felt a lot better.

Speaking of pizza, time for me to go find some lunch. Everyone have a nice weekend.

Maria

[Megan James]

Rebecca Lyn James was born Oct 25th at 8:06pm. She was 8lbs 9oz & 22 1/4" long. The delivery was a bit long but in the end I have an adorable little girl. :D We had our first sponge bath today and are currently working on feeding now that my milk is in, we just got it down with the colostram (sp). More details and pics to come.

megan & rebecca

[lisas3575]

Congratulations, Megan and welcome Rebecca!

[Sarah428]

Congratulations Megan! I love the name you finally decided on ;)! Hope you are all doing well and I can't wait to see Rebecca.

Sarah

[JanetJ]

Congratulations, Megan!! Welcome to Rebecca! :)

[Chelle D]

*delurking to say...*

Welcome to our newest Supper Club baby! :) Welcome Rebecca and Congrats Megan. I too love the name. I can't wait to meet her !

[silverrr]

congratulations, megan!!! :D

[magdon]

Congrats Megan!

silverrr, I too was constantly always hungry my first trimester both times. It has definitely slowed down now and, if I remember correctly, later you won't have room for the food! I'm also not having as many cravings now as I was in the first 12 or so weeks. I sort of figure that as long as I generally am eating ok, giving into the cravings are probably ok too. Baby must be wanting something right? Although this one seems especially fond of chocolate. :)

Heather, have you seen the toddler bars you attach to your stroller so #1 can stand and ride behind? Maybe Logan would like something like that?

I'm feeling pretty good overall, loving this middle period. Although my hips & pelvis have been a bit achy the past couple days. Having to chase after DS as he escaped from the playground yesterday didn't help any.

Have a good weekend!

[mst]

Congrats Megan. I love the name Rebecca Lyn. Very sweet.

[TLee4]

Congratulations Megan!

Re: maternity leave, it sounds like there is a big variation and I am somewhere in the middle. We don't have any type of short-term disability at my job..only the sick and vacation time that you accrue in your banks. Long-term disability starts after 90 days off (and generally would not apply to a pregnancy if it is normal). So I'll just suck it up and be glad for what I get, I guess. I am definitely taking the 12 weeks regardless of how it is (or is not) paid!

Terri

p.s. I have my second m.d. appt on Nov. 1. I'll be 10 weeks and hopefully she will hear the heartbeat. :)

[lisas3575]

So I'll just suck it up and be glad for what I get, I guess. I am definitely taking the 12 weeks regardless of how it is (or is not) paid!


It's all relative, Terri. ;) I am self-employed, so all of my leave is unpaid and I'm even running the risk of losing some clients since there's not an automatic backup person. :eek: I don't think that is likely to happen-- I've been really upfront and communicating with them all about my plans for leave and that, even though I won't be doing the actual work, I'm still taking messages and overseeing projects that I subcontract out. I'm planning on taking 10-ish weeks (and if we get a good sleeper/happy baby maybe doing a tiny amount during naps etc.) and then transitioning back slowly in February.

I am envious of all of you with some kind of compensation coming in during your leave, but my trade off is all the flexibility I have pre- and post-delivery. :)

[misskitty100]

My OB's office just called and they are moving my C-section up from November 4th to November 2nd. My doctor has a "family situation" and the hospital is really booked and they were concerned there wouldn't be an open bed for me.

I am excited but boy do I have a lot to do before Wednesday ......