Quick Poll: when did you/will you start Maternity Leave?

[glitternanny]

Just wondered if im being overly optimistic!

When did u or will you start M/L?

I'm 32w with baby no. 1 I'm hoping to start at 38w - I'm a nanny working a 53 hour week + commuting.

[Notinmykitchen]

I started about 5 days before my due date, but was in an office based role at the time with a 10 minute walk to work. Also had a very easy pregnancy with a tiny bump which helped

[yummymango]

I started at 36 weeks - which I thought might be too early but around the same time my blood pressure started to rise and have been in and out of the hospital 2 or 3 times a weeks since, so probably good that I wasn't at work and commuting.

[thing1andthing2]

I started annual leave at 35+2 which fed into maternity leave at 37+6. But I did have a 1hr 50min journey to work so was quite glad to give that up.

[golemmings]

I started at 38 weeks but I was expecting to be late. Today is my due date and I'm still waiting... DD was late so I could have cut it finer. I did however have about 4 weeks of annual leave to use up before my mat leave started so I've really been off since early August...

[QuiltySecrets]

I start next Friday when I'll be 37 weeks (well, have taken 5 days annual leave so will officially stop at 38 weeks)...the last few weeks have felt like a real slog though and I'm finding it difficult to concentrate. Definitely looking forward to finishing now!

[emsyj]

I finished work at 36+4 and had DD at 37+1. So much for weeks of watching daytime TV and reading magazines! Gah.

[banana87]

I am starting this time at 35 weeks. Last time I believe I was 30 weeks due to SPD. I work with children with disabilities who can sometimes be quite aggressive, so quite different to if I was sitting in front of a computer all day.

[BellaCB]

I'm planning on starting at some point during my 36w - but tbf, I'm due mid-January so I get the better part of a fortnight off for very few annual leaves days over the Xmas period, so my mat leave doesn't really start until Jan 3rd, which is 38w. If it wasn't for Xmas I would have tried for 38 weeks!

[eaglewings]

DS I worked to 41 weeks and had him the next day

DD 2 I worked to 38 weeks and went into labour at work

I was not working full time and now wonder why I didn't stop earlier with DS

[JoinTheDots]

Started at 38 weeks, wanted to go to 39 weeks but had 1 week annual leave to take. Gave birth at 39+1 so might have been for the best. I was working 1 hour drive away, office based.

[pettyprudence]

I went on annual leave at 37.5 weeks and officially started mat leave 2 days after my due date.... DS arrived on due date . It was the perfect amount of time off for me.

[Snowgirl1]

Planning to take holiday from 38 weeks and start maternity leave at 40 weeks.

[PotteringAlong]

I'm a teacher - will officially start at 37 weeks but tagging it onto half term so 36 weeks exactly!

[saoirse86]

My last day at work I was 39+4 and I went into labour that night!

To be fair, I worked part time in my main job so it wasn't so bad for me.

I was also working part time in a pub and stopped working behind the bar at about 7 months. I carried on cleaning the beer lines until 38 weeks. I started back last week and it was more exhausting cleaning the beer lines having not done it for a year than it was at 38 weeks!

[MirandaWest]

Intended to stop working at 36 weeks with DS but high BP meant I stopped at about 34 weeks.
DS was born at 38 weeks and I was in and out of hospital from 35 weeks.

With DD I stopped working at about 32 weeks I think and was able to rest a bit as DS was at nursery for a couple of days a week. She was born a few days late.

[GwendolineMaryLacey]

Last time I was 34 weeks. Had a long commute into London and it was that that finished me off really. Now I'll probably be 31 weeks as work are being extremely difficult about things. Was hoping to go to about 36 weeks as I'm now part time but it's not looking likely.

[LikeACandleButNotQuite]

I was set for 39 weeks (office based, 15 mins drive each way), however have 3 leui days and 2 annual leave days which Im adding onto the start. Work shifts too, so will have my two days off just before all of that, should manage to get away at 37.5.

Counting the bloody weeks! (10 to go)

[Mum2be79]

I'll be 36 weeks exactly when I stop work (4th Dec official maternity begins). Am pleased as the nativity plays are the following week, followed by Christmas parties and Carol Services and Christmas Fayres and I would be wrecked as do a 50 minute commute at 7am and not home until 6pm - working with Y1!!!!

[NorthernChinchilla]

Maternity leave starts 1st Dec, due date 19th. Walk/train/walk to get into work, takes about 50 mins overall, actually a pleasant commute! I have an office job, and the nature of it means that whilst up to 2nd November will be hectic as hell, the last four weeks will be less so. I've already said to work that I'll use up TOIL to take half days, and/or work from home one day a week just to ensure I'm not knackering myself.
But have no family locally, and friends are mainly elsewhere or working, and I'd go mad being in the house on my own all day for any length of time!

[cluckypoo]

39 weeks; 5 days before my due date. I felt physically well so there seemed no point in leaving sooner. I think a lot depends on the type of job you have.

[notcitrus]

ds - was planning 37 weeks with holiday at the start, ended up starting at 35 weeks with terrible SPD.
dc2 - planning to go on leave from Christmas, which will be about 32 weeks with holiday beforehand, but I'm having a really crap pregnancy.

I figure if you've got to 32 weeks already then 38 weeks should be feasible but try to take it easy!

[cravingcake]

Tomorrow! :o I'll be 34+2. I have a 20 min drive & bump is now so big i wont fit behind the steering wheel after next week. I have a very stressful PA job & am looking forward to some peace & quiet and start nesting.

[kickingking]

There was a massive difference between 32 and 38 weeks for me. I was still at work at 32 weeks and managing OK. By 36 weeks I had an 8lb baby fully engaged and could barely walk.

Just saying! You may well be different. But there is no way I could have managed to 38 weeks.

[alicatte]

I meant to start at 35 weeks but it got delayed by a few days and them DS1 came early so I had 5 days off altogether but I wasn't too big or anything at 35 weeks . The second time I wasn't working and got sciatica and enormous during the last four weeks. My experience is that the later weeks were very different - I should not have liked to have been working then.

[planetpotty]

40 Weeks with the first - labour pains in my back started at my desk in the afternoon - thought I just had a bad back at the time

39 Weeks with the second.

My thinking was more time off with the baby but I know its a bit extreme and I have a desk job. TBH it kept me more active and kept me going but I had very easy pregnancies and the last weeks were hard to drag myself out of bed in the morning and I felt rediculous and was often told I looked rediculous!!