first time mom trying to plan leave (:
hiii,
just wanting to get some input from other moms. so i am currently pregnant with my first child. i am trying to determine when to schedule my maternity leave. my due date is 10/7 which would put me coming back approx 1/4/27 ( i work monday - thursday) - im definitely taking the full 12 weeks lol buttt im not sure if i should plan to take off before my due date to have some prep time or even after my due date since most first time moms carry longer (i think ill carry longer personally lol) & i dont wanna feel like i wasted time scheduling my leave too early then sitting at home for a couple of weeks that could of been spent with my baby once they actually arrive. i initially planned to start it 10/19 so i didnt have to come right back after the new year lol but im just wanting other moms opinions or person experiences to help me make a decision. thank you all in advance š„¹š«¶š½
The views expressed in community are solely the opinions of participants, and do not reflect those of Peanut.
Learn more about our guidelines.
Had my first in March 2025 and I worked until the day before my scheduled c section so I got all the time with my baby which was perfect but I also had a smooth pregnancy so listen to ur body and donāt ever feel guilty for choosing to take a little time to physically and mentally prepare for baby. Whatever u decide will be the right choice
I was lucky with my first - the company i worked for gave me the two weeks before my due date as part of my leave, plus 12 weeks after delivery.
For my second, i was at a different company with a different policy (no leave prior to due date). I stacked leave with PTO and planned to work until I delivered. I ended up throwing in the towel at about 40w4d, I was exhausted and needed to focus on encouraging the baby out (he was born shortly before midnight the day before we scheduled an induction).
Ultimately, the PTO days that I used prior to delivery had no material impact, I had plenty of time on leave. I guess my advice would be to plan to use PTO or sick time or whatever past a certain threshold, especially if your baby ends up being late. Not sure of the nature of your job but everything, even sitting behind a desk, gets too exhausting for an expectant mother at some point. You have to prioritize yourself when that time comes.
Download the Peanut App
