when to leave on maternity

[aj87]

hi folks,

I could do with some help. I am currently working in a busy hospital on wards and am 26 weeks- due in July. I wondered if there was anyone else out there who had a similar job and when you left for mat?
the only thing is I havnt been working there too long and I'm not eligible for mat pay only stat so I wanted to work as long as I was physically able.
I don't really know anything about anything to do with maternity or even babies its my first and a bit in the dark really.
could anyone help?
cheers

I usually work until the day before the baby is born.(granted I'm mostly induced so I know when it's happening) the only time this has ever changed is when I have been to sick to work and a doctor has told me I should not be working.

I prefer to have as much time with the baby as I can before I go back

I found I hit the wall at 36 weeks with my 2, after that work was just too tiring. Do you have some annual leave you can use before you start mat leave? And remember annual leave accrues while you're on mat leave. So you can take you annual leave as soon as you return to work and have a few more weeks at home on full pay

Up until the end. So that I can more time with my child when she was born

I'm leaving work 7wks before due date. I have quite a stressful manual job and at 28 weeks i'm already exhausted and will be glad of the time off in summer before baby arrives. Its my first too and I want a bit of a rest and me time before he's here!