When did you work up until before going on maternity leave?

[Sparksi]

Just that. I want to work as close up to as possible - probably booking 2 weeks of annual leave at the end before I officially start maternity leave. This is so I can afford more time off with baby.

On the other hand I know in the 3rd trimester I’ll probably be really tired and might not even be able to get behind the steering wheel!

When did everyone work up until?

36 weeks, I slowed down to office duties by then and would have needed special permission from occy health to go past this date. Depends what your job is.

Until my due date. I was WFH so could take breaks as well as work random hours

I have an office job and thought it would be a breeze working up until the week before I was due. I managed but I was totally exhausted as I was only able to sleep in hour increments at night because I was so uncomfortable and constantly needed to pee 😅

Totally hear you that you want to spend as much time as poss with your baby but definitely take some time to yourself beforehand to relax, will be your last chance at peace for a while 🤣🤣.

I worked until my due date. Like @MyAmara I worked at home so it wasn't an issue. Baby came at 40+4 with near perfect timing.
I had awful PGP throughout (from 9 weeks) so by the end I was used to being uncomfortable.

38 weeks. Finished a bit earlier on DD1, but it made no difference as she came that very day, 3 weeks early.

I had no particular issues, and I wouldn't have enjoyed relaxing or resting more, so it worked for me.

It's a very individual thing!

Finished work 3 weeks before due date to have a rest. Baby came 4 days later! No rest for me lol

39 weeks, I was WFH but was okay being out and about even past my due date. Depends on the job, I used to be a teacher and not sure I could've coped with that up to 39 weeks.

37 wks first time
39 wks second time/ but covid so wfh was a thing.

only issue I had was needing to pre constantly on the commute- otherwise easy desk job.

37 weeks, the took 2 weeks annual leave.

Day before my due date I wasn't working from home but my colleagues were amazing and made sure I was looked after. I felt fine, waddling around and getting lots of tea bought to me!

Both of mine arrived early so always right up until the day before.

39 weeks. Office job in the days when you had to go there 5 days per week. I felt much worse when throwing up multiple times a day from weeks 8-17 tbh

39+4 with number 1, born 4 days later at 40+1

38 with number 2, born at 39

i think it’s worth the time afterwards when they are here!

I worked right up until my due date in the height of summer, in a very active job and felt absolutely fine. On the other hand, I have friends in sedentary jobs who really struggled as soon as the third trimester hit. You have no way of knowing really.

I would just tell work that you’ll work up to your due date, but then you can always bring it forwards once you know how you’re feeling nearer the time. I’m really glad that I left it until my due date because it meant more time with my baby!

Dc1 38 weeks (I was a nurse so on my feet all day). If id been office based I'd have worked till due date.
Dt I was put on bed rest at 26 weeks. A long 11 weeks before birth.
I don't think you can ever fully plan and I'd always say book to go off as late as possible, you can always bring it forward if your not well enough (but you can't normally continue to work longer than you said).

39 weeks each time
I had an office job and I felt much worse at the beginning than at the end so it wasn’t too difficult for me.

My baby came 2 weeks early so I had 1 day of maternity leave then went into labour.

36 weeks as I worked away over 200 miles from home! Took annual leave then mat leave from 38 weeks. I think you know your own body and although I was under consultant care I felt well and would have worked later but for the distance from home.

37 + 3 with my first. I had a spa day the next day. Came home all emotional and weepy, gave Dh the birth book I wanted him to read, he said he’d read it that weekend. My water broke at 2am and dd was born a few hours later at 37 + 5.

I don’t even remember with my 2nd, but he was born 40 + 6. I think I definitely had a couple weeks off first that time.

DD was 5 weeks early. I had to phone in and say I couldn't come in as was in labour.

DS I worked until 38 weeks.

With my first is worked up until 10 days before my due date as a teacher but I had the Easter hold where I did go kn to teach a couple of revision sessions but was easier and then did the training day after the hike before going off on maternity leave. Baby born 6 days later!! Second it was lockdown and work from home and finished at 38 weeks and baby was late!!!

29 weeks. [Was entitled to 40 weeks max off in total - 11 before/29 weeks after birth].

Until 34 weeks which was when my son was born. Maternity leave started the day after.

I worked up until 38 weeks but had to stop as I work at a school and we broke up for the Christmas holidays. If not I would have tried to have worked for longer.

A month, which was the norm twenty five years ago. Today, people work much closer to their due dates.