Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

When did you go on maternity leave?

26 replies

FlyingSoap · 07/05/2024 20:11

My role isn’t too physically strenuous but can be full-on and is people facing.

I’m wondering if I should work as late as I can (so that I can afford to stay off longer with baby) or if I should go off earlier.

How far along were you when you finished & did you use annual leave to finish earlier than your official mat leave start date?

Would you change what you did?

OP posts:
Sunshineclouds11 · 07/05/2024 20:17

1st, 36 weeks, 2 weeks AL then mat leave.

2nd, same as above.

I don't have a stressful job but sitting at a desk all day wasn't comfortable near the end at all.

I enjoyed time off before hand, some find it too long and get bored but I didn't.

ILikePistachios · 07/05/2024 20:18

38 weeks

HuntingoftheSnark · 07/05/2024 20:20

I gave birth overseas where maternity leave was six weeks. Nobody gave up work until they had to get to the hospital. It was a small island so you were never far away.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Families
ProjectKettle · 07/05/2024 20:22

DD1 - went on 2 weeks AL at 37+5 with intention of starting ML on due date. DD was born at 38w exactly and i really missed not having any downtime.

DD2 - went on 3 weeks AL from 36w and then ML from 39w. I really needed that time as i was exhausted from the toddler, plus had preeclampsia so was at the hospital every 2 days for BP profiles and monitoring. I think my employer would have wanted me to start my ML if i hadnt booked it off already.

Malbecfan · 07/05/2024 20:22

DD1 38 weeks. She arrived at 39 weeks. I was teaching full-time and commuting an hour each way by car.

With DD2, term ended on 36 weeks. I had some exam recording & marking to do, which I finished during the next week. She arrived the morning after I finished, so 37 weeks.

SummerRain56 · 07/05/2024 20:22

37wks with first then they were 15d over so it felt like a long 5wks waiting! Second I had planned c-sec at so I went off at 36wk. It really depends on how well your sleeping and the intensity of your job. I was shattered in the last few weeks and my brain had gone to mush so I was counting down the hours. Plus if you have other children to look after it’s harder. Good luck hope it goes well.

Wolfhall1 · 07/05/2024 20:23

I finished at37 weeks and I’m glad I did as I ended up being induced at 39 weeks! I appreciated the time at home getting sorted before baby. The end of my pregnancy wasn’t straightforward and I ended up with a lot of medical appointments that took up loads of time and would have been tricky to fit round work.

SummerRain56 · 07/05/2024 20:33

I think36wks is a good time to go off if you have leave to take as you may find medical apts increase as does tiredness and brain fog.

ghostbusters · 07/05/2024 21:03

#1 about 36 weeks, using AL to take me to due date. DS born at 39w, mat leave kicked in, so I carried over that final week off AL to take at the end of mat leave.

#2 finished at 34 weeks using 4 weeks AL, mat leave from 38w. Ended up off sick on my last 2 working days unexpectedly so I went in to clear my desk on 34+1. Waters broke the next morning and DS was born 2 days later. I really missed having no time off before #2, I was really ill at/after the birth so was already exhausted when we got home. But I had almost 4 weeks of AL to tag on to the end of my mat leave.

NotMeekNotObedient · 07/05/2024 21:16

I worked until I went into labour! Waters broke Monday and DD was born early Wednesday, 4 days early. I planned to work up until the last possible minute. I worked from home for for last few months so it was manageable. Office based job.

It all depends on your job and the pregnancy to be honest!

Blanketpolicy · 07/05/2024 21:23

38 weeks, he arrived at 39 weeks which was just as well as I had everything ready and was bored stiff waiting for it to happen with nothing to do except spend money on things I really didn’t need!

It meant more time with baby too. I kept holidays and was allowed to use them to come back part time for several months which meant I was earning a FT wage while paying PT nursery so could save a bit. If I had my time again I would plan to finish as late as possible and if I was really overwhelmed near the end just finish early.

PossiblyNow · 07/05/2024 21:28

I had to stop work at 36 weeks as I was commuting weekly by air, and couldn’t fly after that stage of pregnancy. Otherwise I’d have worked later.

MojoDojoCasaHouse · 07/05/2024 21:30

Left at 37 weeks with both taking 3 weeks annual leave. Started mat leave at 40 weeks. Had one at 40+6 and other at 40+8 so it worked out for me. Desk job so I was able to work ok until 37 weeks.

Scooby2024 · 07/05/2024 21:34

Went off 3 weeks before only because I had 2 weeks annual leave to take. I would of worked until a week before I but luckily I didn't as DS was born 6 days early and on the actual day my MAT leave started 😂

Lokshen · 07/05/2024 21:35

1st, 39weeks
2nd saved up all my AL and went at 32 weeks. CF came 2 days later.

GoldieMam · 07/05/2024 21:40

38+5 (Fri) then he arrived at 39+1 (Mon). I originally planned to work upto 40 weeks (desk job) but my midwife saw me at 38+4 and told me she suspected I wouldn’t get that far so I brought it forward. It’s so hard, ideally I would have liked a few days more to get prepped but I didn’t want to be bored!

shrunkenhead · 07/05/2024 21:43

I worked until my waters broke at 38 weeks as wanted to spend more time off with my baby - tagged holiday leave onto mat leave and took a year off work.

wellthatwasanicesurprise · 07/05/2024 21:43

First time I was 39 weeks, and that's only because the office closed for Christmas. I'd have quite happily worked till they kicked me out. Baby came at 41 weeks so I had time between finishing work and baby arriving. I got the nursery and bathroom painted, then we hosted Christmas for the extended fam. Between boxing day and baby I was mostly bored out of my mind.

Second time I was signed off with insomnia early in the 3rd trimester. I can't remember what week that was. Baby #2 also came at 41 weeks. Wouldn't change that for the world tbh, had lots of time to rest (which I needed because of the insomnia) and got precious extra weeks with #1 before life got crazy.

So both times very different, but I don't think I'd change it. Looking back I think it was the right thing not to work to term with #1, even though I was bored. That rest was more needed than I admitted at the time.

reluctantbrit · 07/05/2024 21:46

I left at 35 weeks and used 2 weeks annual leave, so proper maternity leave started at 37 weeks. DD arrived at 41 weeks.

ViveLaOeuf · 07/05/2024 21:46

I finished at 37 weeks then used annual leave to go right up to my due date (mat leave had to start from due date). DC came at 39 weeks so I got a few days of annual leave back to add on to the end.

Orangello · 07/05/2024 21:48

I worked til it was time to go to the hospital, DC born 3 hours after I left the office. My boss was American and those were her expectations.

LesmisPhantom · 07/05/2024 21:49

With my first, 37+6, and then I unexpectedly gave birth the next day.

With my second, I thought I would be early so finished at 36 weeks…he arrived at 39 weeks!

Hotmalibu94 · 07/05/2024 21:55

I'm close enough that I think I can get away with saying it now 🤣
I'll be starting annual leave for 3 weeks from next Monday so I'll be 34+6.
Then mat leave will start at 37+6.

My original plan was to have 2 weeks annual leave from 37+6 and then start mat leave at 39+6 but I've been in such pain with pelvic girdle pain, I'm barely sleeping due to pgp/needing to wee/heartburn in the night and I just realised I need to put myself first and leave earlier. Those 2 weeks will likely make more difference to me on this end than it will on the other end.

ZombieBoob · 07/05/2024 21:58

I was 39+3 thought I'd have a couple of days. Baby was over due by 6 days was my 4th and only that didn't come at nearly 40 weeks

Ponderingwindow · 07/05/2024 22:42

I only got 12 weeks of leave. Despite having hyperemesis for 9
months, I worked up until the day before I had the baby. I just dealt with being miserable and thankfully had a private office.