When did you start maternity leave?

[bananaphon]

I'm 24 weeks pregnant and wondering when to start maternity leave. I work for a small organisation and would like to give as much notice as possible so my employer can find cover. My DS was born at 34 weeks so I took maternity leave suddenly and early with him so I have no idea. I have a sit down office job and it's about 30-45 mins drive each way M-F. I can't work from home. This is a very high risk pregnancy and I'm feeling tired/stressed already so don't want to work until due date. I could end up having the baby early anyway but just wondering what others did?

I'm 27 weeks pregnant with my first and plan to start maternity leave the day before I'm due, however I'm going to take 2/3 weeks of annual leave beforehand.

I think with yours being a high risk pregnancy and your history of early delivery I'd definitely err on the side of caution! Can you take some annual leave beforehand too?

I started mine a week before my due date and glad I didn’t go any earlier because honestly that week was the longest week of my life every day dragged! X

I stopped work (FT) at 38 weeks for both of them, they were both 2 weeks late. The first was in December so I could run Xmas prep errands, the second was mid aug so I could do the back to school preparations. Worked out nicely but I didn't have a high risk pg like yourss. Hope all goes well OP.

#1 DC I finished at 37 weeks, 3 weeks A/L then M/L from due date but he was born at 39weeks so tagged the extra A/L on before going back.
#2 DC I finished at 34 weeks, then 4 weeks A/L so M/L starting at 39weeks. However, my waters went the day after I cleared my desk and DC born at 34+6 so M/L kicked in then and, again, I took that A/L at the end of M/L before going back to work. It was good going back on the payroll 4 weeks before stepping foot back at work!

It's hard to know what to do. Could you use some A/L days randomly so you have a shorter working week to get some rest in the run up to M/L?

Good luck, and take care.

I finished at 36 weeks with my first and 35 with the second (finished for Christmas then didn't go back after), but the first couple of weeks were holiday I had saved with actual maternity starting at 38/39 weeks.
I had PGP so really struggled at the end, couldn't have done any longer.

I’m finishing this Friday at 36 weeks, mat leave starts at 38 with 2 weeks al first. I can’t wait I’m bloody knackered!

Why can't you work from home? Is it something that could be a reasonable adjustment as part of your pregnancy risk assessment?

I finished work 3 weeks before my planned c section it was a straightforward pregnancy but I had quite bad carpel tunnel and was just ready to hang my lanyard up!

DC1 working full time, 8 weeks before
DC2 working a 2 day week, 4 weeks before
Returned to work each time when they were about 10 months old.

I finished at 37 weeks both times but was enormous and exhausted by then even though I loved being pregnant, so wouldn’t have left it any later!

I finished at 38 weeks, used annual leave and was induced at 39 weeks, I actually gave birth the Sunday before my mat leave kicked in on the Monday. It felt the right amount of time at home and I was surprisingly busy getting bits ready for baby, did some batch cooking, cleaning etc and just chilled.

DD1 - finished at 37+5 and she was born at 38w. Should have gone a week earlier.

DD2 - took annual leave for 3 weeks from 36w and mat leave started at 39w. She was born at 39+3. I ended up developing high BP then preeclampsia and so i was at the hospital every second day for BP monitoring from 36w. I was really pleased that I'd already finished so I could get bits done inbetween visiting days and to be honest, i was absolutely knackered with a toddler in the mix as well.

I went on maternity leave at 34 weeks - I was still being violently sick and just had enough of putting on a brave face at work, running out of meetings - and DH having to regularly leave work to pick me up (luckily he's always done over and above his hours !) as I knew I'd be sick on the bus. Turned out to be the right thing for me as I had to be induced at 37 weeks.

Finished work at 38 weeks for DC1, had 2 weeks AL before maternity started on my due date when baby was born.

Finished work at 39 weeks for DC2 but was having an elective c section at 39+1.

I had a high risk pregnancy too op with my twins, I had planned to finish at 33 weeks with delivery expected at 34, I went in at 31+6 and had them the next day.

If the reasons for your first early delivery could happen again, I’d aim to finish at 34 weeks. It would relieve some stress for you and you’d be able to take it easy for (hopefully!) a month before the birth.

I had a high risk pregnancy so I was let WFH full time. I would push for it.
I was meant to start at 37 weeks but DD had to be brought out early so had to go off a week earlier with two day notice.

Another thing to consider is when my pregnancy became high risk at the end I had loads of hospital appointments and was in cof regular monitoring, I know technically you can get paid time off for this but I just found it less stressful being able to take my time getting to hospital and not worrying about clock watching for work etc.

Thanks everyone. There's a high risk of preterm birth as I had preeclampsia in 2 pregnancies (1 resulted in a loss) and the longest I've been pregnant for is 34 weeks. I'm thinking 35 or 36 weeks at the moment, even though I may have to go off a lot earlier. I'm averaging 1 hospital appointment a week at the moment. My bp is doing ok for now but they've also asked me to go in for monitoring of bp at least once a fortnight and this will increase at 28 weeks so even more medical appointments! My work have been fine with it though, they have to be really!