Any shift workers due in January?? :)

[Rhiannon2015]

Hiya, I'm due in the 3rd week January. I've had a pretty easy pregnancy so far. The main symptoms have been fatigue but I haven't been off work at all during my pregnancy down to illness.

There is a chance every year I will have to work the days around Xmas. My question goes to anyone in this situation and would like to know what you are doing. I want to take 52 weeks of work maternity to have as much time with our baby as possible, but don't know when to start my leave.

Question comes down to, start mat leave at 36 weeks or earlier and have this Xmas off, or suffer through Xmas until 37 weeks pg and guarantee Xmas off with my (will be) 11 month old baby !! :)

I'm not huge yet (showing but not uncomfortable) and I don't know how I will feel close to the date. 25 weeks today. My job involves visiting people and driving.

If you are/were in my situation;
Would you take:
A) 52 weeks starting mid December
-relax ovér Xmas and have extra time off before

Or

B) 52 weeks starting just after Xmas
Risk working xmas while heavily pregnant (36 weeks) earning double pay but ensuring first Xmas with LO will be off work and having a guarrenteed first baby Xmas off!

Apologies for the long question - if anyone is or has been in same situation I would love to hear from you xxx

[dixiedoo88]

Hey congrats on your pregnancy :) I'm due the second week of January and I'm taking 52 weeks mat leave plus my accrued holiday which totals about 60 weeks, so I'll be able to have both christmases off. Could you do this at your work?

[Rhiannon2015]

Hi Dixie, thank you! Congrats to you too :) so exciting and not long now! I'm on a zero hour contract and I think i have used up all this years holiday (in hindsight i should have saved them up)
Do you mean accused holiday from mat leave? I asked my employee about this and they didn't have a clue! (I used to work in HR so may look into current standards as I'm sure you used to!) X

[Rhiannon2015]

Accrue not accuse

[Oysterbabe]

You accrue holiday while on maternity leave and can add it on at the end to extend your leave.
I'm also due at end of January. I'm working Christmas and finishing at 38 weeks. I'm office based though so it shouldn't be too hard.

[Etak15]

Yes if you've got this years hols left then is good to add them on at beginning of Mat leave and then you'll have the following years hols to add on at end or to put a day or two a wk in when you go back ease in gently!! I'm NHS ward based though and we're not allowed to book annual leave Xmas wk & new year wk? So not sure if this would be a prob?

[dixiedoo88]

Yeah you accrue annual leave while you're on maternity leave so I think they either have to pay you for it or let you take it as holiday when your mat leave has finished - definitely worth checking out as this could avoid you having to decide whether to struggle on or not

[Rhiannon2015]

I can't imagine I'll be allowed to book off annual leave over Xmas. I'm in a similar field to nursing in regards to caring for others. My duties have been dramatically less strenuous since announcing my pregnancy and most of my clients wohldnt want to pay for care over Xmas - but next year when I go back I will def have manual handling jobs as won't be pregnant! So more likely have more shifts over xmas. Xx

[madsaz76]

Hi Rhiannon

I'm due first week of Feb. I'm a doctor and work in a really busy acute medical unit. I decided to save up annual leave and finish on 23rd - I though the others night grumble but they were actually relieved. They were worried I would work Christmas but end up in pre labour meaning they'd have to cover it anyway and at short notice.

I'm lucky because they care enough about me to be concerned for my and baby's welfare but I haven't taken any stick despite it making a busy time of year harder for them.

I know normally you wouldn't be able to take annual leave over Christmas but you are not normally that pregnant. There's a risk assessment to be done for the type of work you are doing and many of us can't make it to the bitter end safely - using your leave is a good option and I would be very surprised if an employer said no - if they did I would ask to carry the leave over and use at the end instead.

In summary take Christmas off - you won't be finding work easy by then and you know you deserve it. I bet (if anything like me) you haven't spent both Christmas and new year with your family since you started the job...