Just ranting....

go debby....it's your birthday....well not really but I bet it feels like it is!

Debby, I'm so glad you were able to get out of the heat!!! I remember being pregnant in July and part of August, and it is just MISERABLE. Especially in the humidity there in Iowa. (I went home to Nebraska for a visit when I was 8 months pregnant and oh my gosh I thought I was going to die!!!) Now you can relax and just concentrate on getting ready for the baby! Good luck!!!

Glad to hear your got your disability! You'll be much better off at home!

Oh by the way, I have a box ready here to mail you, so watch your mailbox next week!!

Debby,

I said to Colby last night when you hadn't reappeared in the thread that maybe the baby had decided to make an appearance. Well, I didn't get my wish on that part, but you'll be able to get some much-needed rest before the baby comes. Hurrah!

Thanks guys!!!!! I am so hoping she will decide to be born anytime now!!!!!! I think we have decided on Amber Danielle for sure now!

The bad thing about being off work, is that it is going to be harder to get exercise, and I am so tempted to eat sweets and things I know I shouldn't. But I may try to take some walks in the early morning before it gets hot....not too far though...living in the country there isn't much traffic, in case I go into labor and then I might have to walk all the way back to the house in pain. Not a good thought.

Don't worry, Debby. You don't go into the unbearable pain right away. That gets saved for later. At first, it's not so bad nor so often. I thought, "Hey, maybe I can make it through this natural childbirth thing". Often when you first go into labor, you might only have a short contraction every 20-30 minutes. That could last for hours. I think you could make it back to the house in time.

We have a woman at work that went through fertility procedures to get pregnant. Our insurance didn't pay for it, but they are now paying for the pregnancy. Her doctor says the babies are breech, and took her off work two months ago to prevent the babies from opening her cervix to early. ( She isn't due for another three weeks, yet.) We have a proram that lets us collect 60% of our pay when the dr. takes us off. Maybe your factory has something similar to that? They should make a small concession for you with your years of service, but I can understand your frustration. Most factories don't care. Good luck.

Debby - do you only get 6 wks off with Amber? Do you get paid for it? I am just trying to compare the American and Canadian system here.

Ady, I think sometimes it depends. I know that doctors will not sign a realease for you to return until 6 weeks after the birth but under the FMLA you have up to 12 weeks to be off after the birth.

Debby, I'm so glad you got the dissability. Good for you for going to a different doctor!

From what I understand, I could have 3 months off with FMLA, but only if the doctor signed papers saying it was medically necessary for me to have that much time off....I would get paid disability in that case for all but the first week. However, that three months, I believe it is 480 hours exactly...also includes all my docotrs appointments, etc. Every hour I am gone from work, they subract off the FMLA. I have used FMLA for all my appoinments, but of course it wasn't paid. Now that the doctor has signed me out of work completely, and is filling out disability papers, I will get the rest of the time paid.
I get 6 weeks off after the baby is born, unless it is ceserian, then it is 8 weeks I believe....and so if it happens to be 2 more weeks till I have the baby, then altogether I would be off work for 8 weeks, if it is a normal delivery.
My friend had alot of complications with her pregnancy, in fact the baby died shortly after birth, and she was off work per doctors orders for about 3 months I believe. (Most of that time was before the baby was born, so she ran out of time and had to come back only 2 weeks after the baby was born, which was hard, so soon after losing her.)

Since we are on the subject.....the nurse told me not to bother coming in until my contractions are only 5 minutes apart, for at least an hour!!!!
I reminded her I live 70 miles away from the hospital, but she said that since it is my first baby I will probably be in labor for 8-12 hours, so there would be plenty of time.
She said, if the pain gets really intense, take a hot bath, and she said the pain might get so bad that I can't talk or move through it....geez....that's just what I needed to hear! I have this mental image of myself gripping the side of the bathroom sink with one hand, with my mouth open (cause I can't speak) and clutching my stomache with the other hand, unable to move or make a sound.....lovely image!

Does that sound right? Not going in until I have had contractions that are only 5 minutes apart for at least an hour???? Especially living 70 miles from the hospital?

I can't say about the contractions as I have never had a baby.

In Canada we can get paid for 50 weeks, but we don't get 100% of our earnings - only 55%.

50 weeks paid! WOW! We only could get a maximum of 12 weeks off with FMLA...and I'm not sure what percent the pay for disability is, but it isn't a full paycheck here, either.

Debby, yes that does sound right. Although living 70 miles from the hospital would have me a bit uneasy too.

Most times ( although not always ) first babies take their sweet time appearing! You'll probably labor for at least 8 hours, and probably more along the lines of 12 or 14. Not that this whole time is hard labor, because it isn't. The beginning won't be that bad, and once you know things are moving along you can head to the hosp. I would wait till the contractions are less than 10 min apart regularly, but waiting till 5 does sound a bit like cutting it close. But then again, i'm sure your doctor knows best. So listen to them.

Try not to worry too much, just remember the pain is only temporary, and the joy you will feel after is life long.

Thanks Daniela!! I appreciate your advice! I just want to get this whole thing over with so bad!!!!

Debby, That big tummy, not being able to sleep, getting kicked in the bladder, constant back aches, sinus congestion? Just a few of the things that make labor seem an attractive alternative! Not only that, but there's an unbelievable reward at the end of your hard work! Just have that good looking anesthetist on hand in case you need one. And if you don't need him, he's a nice distraction. (I am slapping my own hand for being soooo bad.) Seriously, I am so glad your long wait is almost over!

Debby-I'm glad to hear that you are finally off work until Amber is born. I can't believe that companies are so stingy and they only think of themselves. I'm sure if you gathered all the needed info you could sue them if they didn't let you off. Hang in there...Soon enough you'll have a beautiful baby girl.

I'm glad you mentioned the sinus congestion...I have been having a real problem with that, and i told my mother-in-law that I read that it is part of being pregnant, and she thought I was nuts.

Thanks Sarah!

I know where I used to work (MOT), they gave 6 weeks (I think) for maternity leave, but I think it is unpaid. Speaking of FMLA, you'd be surprised at how easily you can get a doctor to put you on medical leave. I have a friend who works for the same company, but different plant..... She was on medical leave for like 1 month because she said she had hurt her back. Later after she came back, she told me she never did hurt it...... She just didn't want to work. She did make a point though about being on a medical leave: how does a doctor know if you are hurting or not? They don't know...... it isn't their body....... She was also on another medical leave because of stress (not sleeping well). I thought it was quite funny that she did all of this though. And medical leave, I think they pay like 80% of your pay, or something like that........

Debby,
Is Amber kicking you more?