Last month of pregnancy

Posted by mamas

Posted: August 1, 2008 - 10:41 pm

Some people think that it is crazy to continue working throughout your pregnancy. Others consider it normal to work up until the date that you deliver your new baby. I think that there are a lot of factors to consider when making the decision of when to take maternity leave, quit a job, or return to work. Also the current FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act) law allows for 12 weeks off from work and some moms do not want to dip into that until the baby is born.

Obviously some jobs are going to be more stressful than others. We now know that the affects of stress on a mother and unborn child, are tangible and detrimental to their health. Also, I believe that it is important to take a rest prior to your due date so that your body will have the energy that it needs to labor efficiently. Some financial situations to do not make this decision easy, but it is worth thinking through.

With less than five weeks left until my own baby is due, I am working toward taking a break. However, the last several weeks, I have been doing intense work. The nice thing about being busy and pregnant is that you don’t focus too much on your own situation and time just fly’s by. This same benefit can also be a problem if you don’t focus enough on your pregnancy and over-stretch yourself circumstantially instead.

The last month of pregnancy can be difficult because of body aches, sleepless nights, baby movements and low energy. It is important to boost your iron levels during this time so that you will have plenty of strength for labor. Anemia can sneak up during the last several weeks of pregnancy and cause problems postpartum if not corrected prior to birth.

Many moms assume that they have the full forty weeks until their baby will arrive, but they forget how many labors spontaneously start weeks or even a month in advance. The opposite is true when a mom passes her due date, and instead of resting and preparing, she continues to go full speed ahead and depletes her strength. Pacing yourself is best in either case.

With my first child, I decided to start maternity leave a week before my due date, just to have time to rest and recoup prior to the birth. There were pros and cons to this decision as I felt that I should and could still be working. Yet I knew that I needed to slow down and catch my breath. Unfortunately, time seemed to slow down with me and each day felt very long as I waited for my body and baby to line up. Ultimately, I am glad that I took the break because after labor comes a newborn and not a lot of rest in most cases.

I believe that it’s important to stay relaxed, to spend time on you, and to laugh and have fun even at the end of pregnancy. This promotes good endorphins and can even help with dilation if you are in a relaxed state. Read books or watch movies, but stay away from anything that sends fear signals about birth to your mind. Spending time in the baby room will often provide solace and focus for a mom, and allow you to sense the coming joy of a new family member.

What are your thoughts on when to take maternity leave? How did you spend the last month of pregnancy?

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