38 weeks too late to start mat leave?

[T00ManyB00ks]

I'm currently 23 weeks and very aware that I need to tell my work when I'm starting Mat leave.
Due date is June 22nd and I was planning on starting my leave at some point in my 38th week (I work in a school and that is the start of term so I'd have one week of half term off in my week 37).
My line manager is happy with me starting back that week and maybe doing a few days, but when I mentioned it to my team one woman looked at me like I had two heads! My thought is that there's no point starting leave at the end of term if I have a "free week" anyway. Is 38 weeks too late and am I totally mad? At the moment I'm still pretty active and happy! This is my first baby so I'd love some advice. I work in admin, not a teacher so not on my feet all day.

[vfoster]

I'm a teacher and went to 35 2with my first as she was due at the end of August and so I had the summer holidays before she was born.
With this one my timing wasn't as great and I'm due at the beginning of July. I'm currently aiming to go to 38 weeks to see my year 11 group through the exams and have as much time off after the birth as possible!
A few people have said the same to me and I can see why to be honest. At the end it's really hard! I'm just to keep my date at 38 weeks and see how I go. I know that I can change my kind as time goes on or if worst comes to worst I know I can start at 36 weeks if I'm off.
I've known people who've worked up until the day before giving birth so it could go either way!
Good luck!

[celtiethree]

No it's not too late. Those final weeks are so boring. Just be prepared to change if you have to. I had planned for 38 weeks but left about a week earlier but only because of severe swelling in my feet due to a long commute.

[Helbelle75]

I was originally going to go at the end of term - 38.5 weeks, but I'm now going 2 weeks earlier as I really started to struggle at around 28 weeks. I'miss now 33 weeks and it was a good decision. I'm a teacher and finding it all exhausting!
Do whatever you think is best for you. You can always change your mind a bit later on.

[AntiHop]

It's your choice when you stop, so tell her to keep her nose out. 38 weeks sounds perfect. I worked to a few days before my due date and I wish I stopped a bit earlier to put my feet up. If I have another, I'd stop at 38 weeks.

[wobblywonderwoman]

I worked until 38 weeks but I was really tired from 36 and there were no all singing all dancing lessons.

Can you take sick leave if you need to before?

[SpaghettiMeatballs]

It depends. I worked to 38 weeks with my first. I had more travelling than a teacher to contend with.

With my second I went at 36 weeks. I was done in looking after a two year old in late pregnancy.

[SpinALittleFaster]

I worked to 37 weeks both times. The first time I was totally wiped out by 35 weeks and struggled to get to the end of my last week. The second time I could easily have worked up to 39 weeks. It really depends on the pregnancy.

[mrslol]

I'm due a couple of days before you and also work in a school. I've put my leaving date as 38 + 4 and worked until a similar date last time. I was overdue with my first and bored out of my box by my due date. If you're well then there's no reason you can't work until then.

[Popskipiekin]

I had office job with short commute and planned to work up to 38 weeks with first baby. All was going fine but spd got the better of me from 35 weeks on. I started to work from home a bit in 37th week and then waters broke 37+5, induction next day and born the day I planned to start mat leave! All a bit knackering but wonderful not to have hanging about "wasting" time without the baby. DC2 I left at 36 weeks in case same thing happened but he was born 40+5. That said, I did love that extra time to myself. Up to you and what you feel you can cope with.

[JessieMillz25]

I'm a teacher and I'm going to 37 weeks hopefully.

[MrsNuckyThompson]

Personally I think you'll find it very very hard by then. You won't be sleeping properly due to being uncomfortable and needing to wee and physically getting around / standing are starting to get very hard

I'm 36 weeks with my second and am thanking the lord that I have just started mat leave and don't have to go in on Monday. I'm so tired and fed up already!!

[IWantATardis]

A lot depends on how you'll feel towards the end of the pregnancy, and of course you won't know how you'll be feeling until you get there.

I've had 3 DC and didn't make it to 38 weeks with any of them before they were born, but I suspect that's unusual.

[Beckyloulou100]

Hello. I am about to start my last week at work before mat leave, I'll be 38 weeks.

I've thankfully had an uncomplicated pregnancy and it's been absolutely fine. I have an office job. I would say I've been very very tired from about 35 weeks but as long as your manager isn't expecting you to be super duper productive in those last few weeks, you'll be absolutely fine.

[Tobuyornot99]

I started mat leave at 38 weeks, would have happily stayed longer but my manager wouldn't allow it. Only you know how demanding your job is and how you feel, if your manager is supportive then stay as long as you can, and have the time with baby afterwards.

[MotherofA]

I work from home book-keeping & admin . I'm over 37 weeks and still doing lots and lots of hours . It is uncomfortable and tiring but not a big issue I'm just cracking on with it .

[ineedwine99]

Hi, I worked until a week before my due date and was fine, depends how you feel at the time, i was told leave date is an indication but I could leave earlier if I wanted to. Worked out fine as baby arrived on her due date

[Hellmouth]

I didn't start maternity leave until 38 weeks, and I was doing an hour long commute into London. I was fine until the last couple of weeks when I started getting pelvic pain, but even then, it was manageable and I always got offered a seat on the train (Londoners are nicer than you think, especially when your 5'2" and your bump is HUUUUUGE!

Anyway, I am glad I did wait that long as DS was 2 weeks late, so I ended up with a month of waiting, and I would have gotten to spend far less time with him as well, as we couldn't afford for me to take the full year off.

[AllTheLight]

I worked until 38 weeks (office job with a 40 min commute), then DC was a week late so I ended up having three weeks off before he arrived.

[fizzicles]

I started my mat leave on Monday at 38+5 and baby arrived yesterday at 39+2. I'm a teacher, but work part time, so my last actual day was 8th Feb when I was 37 weeks, then it was half term. You can start your leave on the first day of the new term/half term so you get paid for the holidays and don't use up your mat leave.

[mummy1234321]

My though was that it's too early but only because my both DS were overdue. I started my first mat leave at 38 weeks and I was soooooooo bored. My son was born at 41+5. I was more clever with second and went on mat leave 5 days before I was due and guess what, he was born two weeks after went on maternity leave.
I just felt that I wasted so much time I could have extra with my child before I come back too work.
My older DS was only 11months when I had to go back to work, because I had one year mat leave (and sort of 'wasted' one month).
However it depends if you are able to work until the end, if it's too hard, you can always start your mat leave earlier.

[clarka]

Office based job and I worked until 38+2 with no problems. It's different for everyone but all you can do at this point is plan and see how you get on. If you need to leave earlier your employer will find a way to deal with it and it will be fine.

[Ilovewillow]

No I worked up to my 38th week and then my daughter was 6 days late so I had three weeks and I was so bored. If you are feeling well then why not!

[CadleCrap]

Don't start your maternity before the half term break, work at least
one day and you will get paid for it.

I worked up to 39 weeks and he was 15 days late. It was mind numbingly boring.

[IamChipmunk]

I'm a teacher and worked to 39 weeks with ds (to get to a half term!) And 38+4 with Dd (only because we then broke up for summer).
No reason why you shouldn't go as late as you want as long as you feel ok and don't have issues in pregnancy.

[elpth]

I taught full time until 38+3 weeks and could have gone later and should have too because DD didn't arrive for over a month (42+3). The longer you stay, the more time you get with your baby before going back.