Should You Work Until Your Due Date?
When it comes to preparing for a new baby, many expecting parents find themselves wondering how long they should continue working. Should you push through until the very last moment to save as much time as possible for your maternity leave? Or is there value in slowing down before your little one arrives? Read Should You Work Until Your Due Date? for our experiences and some insights you’ll want to consider when making this decision for yourself!
Why We Thought Working Until the Due Date Was Best (And Why We Changed Our Minds)
Both of us worked right up until our due dates with our first pregnancies. Like many parents-to-be, we wanted to maximize time with our newborns and tie up all the loose ends at work. However, we quickly discovered that transitioning from a fast-paced work life to the slow, repetitive rhythm of newborn care was FAR more challenging than we expected.
The adjustment wasn’t just about physically slowing down; it was also about the mental shift from constant productivity to simply being with our babies. We both found that working until the last minute didn’t leave enough time to mentally prepare for this shift, and it made the early weeks of motherhood more overwhelming.
What’s the Downside of Working Up to Your Due Date?
Mental and Physical Burnout:
By the time labor starts, you might already feel exhausted from pushing through work deadlines and last-minute tasks. That fatigue can carry into your labor and postpartum recovery.Delayed Mental Readiness:
For Amanda, working until her due date contributed to her going 12 days past due. Her body and mind weren’t ready to let go and transition into birth mode.Stress Impacting Labor:
High stress levels and a constant "go, go, go" mentality can keep your body in fight-or-flight mode, potentially affecting when labor begins. For Rebecca, this brought her baby a week earlier than her due date.Lack of Practical Preparation:
Staying busy with gender reveals and setting up the nursery can prevent you from doing the things that will help you have a smoother birth and more empowered entrance into motherhood.
What Should You Do Instead?
If you’re thinking, "But I can’t just sit around waiting!", we get it! We encourage moms to focus on the things that will help them have a smoother birth experience and feel more confident when baby arrives. Preparing your mind, body, and pelvic floor for childbirth is the best way to get the homebirth you’re hoping for - that’s what you’ll find in Progressive Pregnancy.
Here are some more valuable ways you can use your pre-baby time meaningfully:
Meet with a Lactation Consultant:
Even a virtual appointment before your baby arrives can make a world of difference. Having someone on speed dial for those first challenging weeks is invaluable.Schedule a Pelvic Floor Therapy Session:
Have a baseline pelvic floor assessment before birth. A visit to a pelvic health therapist can help you alleviate pregnancy-related symptoms, prepare for labor, and understand your postpartum recovery needs.Practice Slowing Down:
Resting isn’t just physical—it’s mental too. Journaling, deep breathing, or even just sitting quietly can help prepare you for the slower pace of life with a newborn.Prepare Your Support Team:
Make sure you know who you can reach out to after birth—whether that’s a lactation consultant, pelvic floor therapist, pediatrician, doula, or a trusted friend who’s been through it. New motherhood can be very isolating, and having knowledgeable support and guidance makes a huge difference!Engage in Gentle Movement:
Sitting on a Swiss ball, doing prenatal yoga, or going for light walks can help your body prepare for labor while keeping you active.
Why Taking Time Before Birth Matters
Slowing down before your due date isn’t just about physical rest. It’s about giving your mind and body the space to shift gears for one of life’s biggest transitions. Taking even a few days before your due date to rest, reflect, and prepare can make the postpartum period smoother and less overwhelming.
Final Thoughts
If you’re on the fence about working until your due date, let our experiences guide you. While the desire to maximize maternity leave is understandable, the benefits of slowing down and preparing—mentally, physically, and emotionally—are worth it.
If you would like more support and guidance during your pregnancy journey, join Progressive Pregnancy - our online self-paced program with monthly group coaching that shows you step-by-step how to prepare your mind, body, and pelvic floor for homebirth.
