AIBU to say f**k it and start mat leave really early?

[Heatherbell1978]

I'm 22 wks pregnant and work in a highly stressed role - I've always worked in 'stressed jobs' but this one which I started in March really takes the biscuit. I work in project management - project is horrendous, senior management are a joke and I'm constantly having to pick up work that isn't mine to pick up.
DD1 due end of February and I was planning to leave at 36wks (end Jan). With DS1 I left work at 35 wks and was a bit bored tbh as he arrived at 41 wks. This pregnancy has been easy so far again but I'm really tired, days start at 5.30am and I have a toddler at home too (DH is great so no complaints there).
I'm seriously thinking of just packing it in at Xmas when I'll only be 31 weeks although there's loads to do on the project in January and I know they're keen for me to work through January.
We could afford it which is good but it's obvious I'm only doing it to get out of the workload.
AIBU to do this or would you just stick at it and not take the financial hit (or piss management off)?

Bored at home with a toddler? Some of you must've had considerably more mental and physical energy during late pregnancy than I did!

Do what you feel is best OP. If they're likely to be pissed off, make a health case. One thing they'd like even less than you not being there in Jan because you've started mat leave is you not being there in Jan because you're signed off sick and still having to be paid.

I took the earliest possible leave and I loved every second of it even though ds was 10 days late - but I knew I had no intention of going back

if you've got enough holiday allowance to take January and February off without 'eating into' your official maternity leave (which you say you have) then I'd do it

But that holiday allowance could also be taken after the official maternity leave, giving an extra 2 months off...so it won't be without any impact iyswim?

I did it - although I was moving house 8 weeks before due date. To be honest I was a bit bored by the end (he was nearly two weeks late).

I did. Planned to work until 36 weeks but my boss was such a bitch, I threw in the towel at 30 weeks. Boss was single and desperate for a man and a baby. There were several of us in that workplace who were pregnant at the time and she was horrible to us all. Thankfully, my circumstances changed after having DD and I never went back to that job.

But that holiday allowance could also be taken after the official maternity leave, giving an extra 2 months off...so it won't be without any impact iyswim?

It depends on your employers rules about carrying over holiday allowance. I know my employers will only allow you to carry over a week's holiday (maximum) unless there are seriously mitigating circumstances. Assuming the OP's holiday allowance runs the length of the financial year (rather than a calendar year) like the holiday year at our workplace does, and she's not due to start maternity leave until late February, my employer for example would have expected me to use my holiday up by the end of the financial year / by the time maternity leave started, as they would consider that you've had most of the financial year to take that holiday allowance, and wouldn't consider it reasonable to carry it over. Workplaces do differ with this though.

If you can cover the first weeks with holiday rather than ML so you don't lose out on having the amount of time off you want after the baby is born then fine. I stopped a bit later than you then used holiday for the next few weeks so I maximised the amount of ML after the baby was born. (DS1 was a bit early so it was perfect timing - he was born on the last day of my holiday so my ML started with his birth)

Thanks for all your comments. My plan in any case is to return to work in Jan 18 when DD is 10 months. I can phase back so work a few days a week for the first few months so it'll be a gradual return. I'd prefer DD to start nursery the same age as her brother did too as it seemed a good age for him. So this wouldn't mean I'd take less time at the end but it would 'cost' a month of holiday so I'd be out of pocket...

Go for it. I finished really early because I'm freelance and my project came to an abrupt end. I've absolutely loved having extra time with DS, getting my Xmas shopping done, pottering around the house etc. I'm 33 weeks now so still a way to go but I'd say if you can afford it, do it. You have years ahead of you to get back into work.