to want to start my maternity leave on my due date?

[HulaHunter]

Never had children before so have no idea how naive I'm being... is it completely nuts of me to want to start my maternity leave on my actual due date? I work in an office, have a very easy commute (4 minutes walk, 30 minute train, 4 minutes walk door to door). I can get a taxi for less that £2 if I need to.

I would obviously start my leave earlier if I absolutely needed to, but want as much time with baby as possible as I can't afford to take more than 6 months (my maternity package is rubbish).

Anyone have any advice on a new mum to be?

That was my plan for DD1 but she turned up two weeks early! I was fine with work though - office job, plenty of sitting, commute wasn’t too bad either. So I’d say go for it unless you don’t feel up to it by he end - you can change your mind if you’re struggling.

I don’t think you can. I think the latest you can start is the day before.

I’ve had 3 children. I went off at 37 weeks with 1 and it was too early. 39+4 with number 2 and it was fine and 38+6 with number 3 and it was too late. But a week before would have been perfect!

You realise your due date is a rough estimate and not set in stone? Presumably your office will have to arrange cover for you. How will that work?

Just keep an open mind. I'm leaving at 33 weeks due to SPD mainly. There's lots of reasons you may not be able to work until that late and you don't need to be putting any extra pressure on yourself once you get to the third trimester. It can be seriously tough!

I’ve done it for both of mine. In both cases with a 45 min - 1 hour commute. Not pleasant, but also not too bad if you have a complication free pregnancy

I did, but then I used up AL either side of my maternity leave to extend it out.. is that an option you could look into? You'll still accrue your normal holiday while being off

How far along are you now? If it can be flexible and you can change your mind I’d say do it. I had to leave at 36 weeks but I had a half hour walk to the station each way and it was killing me by the end. The actual sitting in an office bit would have been fine for me if not

Yes, I did. I was overseas and had six weeks' maternity leave. Left work at 5 and had DD at 6.17pm.

Lots of other issues so the laws of the universe made that bit really easy

I'm 32 weeks and could easily go now (although do have a different sort of job to you as I'm on my feet for 11/12 hour shifts). I guess you could always plan to go on your due date and then if baby comes early or if you're sick you can just go off then... They can trigger your maternity leave if you go off sick I'm the last 4 weeks before you're due anyway :-)

Good luck whatever you decide :-)

I did with my first, it was fine. She was still 2 weeks late the sod! 😂 subsequent ones though I had to go earlier, I was knackered.

I worked up to my due date, it was fine but I didn’t have any health issues and dd1 was 2 weeks overdue anyway.

I started mine 2 weeks before (1 of this being annual leave). I wanted to work until my due date but all of a sudden at about 8 months all I wanted to do was hide away and clean my house to within an inch of its life. I can't tell you the anxiety it gave me sitting at work when I could be washing baby clothes and getting ready for their arrival. I never thought I could be that crazy.

Keep an open mind OP, my mind changed multiple times before I left.

If you have some flexibility in your role then go for it. The thing is you just need to be prepared if things get tricky and you need to stop.

I started at 35 weeks with both of mine. During 1st pregnancy I’d intended to start at 38 but some complications arose around 28 weeks and I couldn’t physically make it any longer.

justmuddling yes I'm aware that most babies do not arrive on their due date. I work in a large office, in the civil service. It won't be an issue. To be honest I'm thinking more about myself and what's best for me than my 10,000 strong employer! If they don't want people to leave the day of their maternity I guess they shouldn't have that policy in place? If I end up going two weeks early then so be it! For all I know I could deliver prematurely anyway in which case they would be in the same situation.

Could you save up some holiday days to use before your mat leave or for before you go back to work?

I started mine on my due date but I had 4 weeks annual leave to take prior so that’s a bit disingenuous. My dd was also almost 3 weeks over due so I’d have been totally pissed off i’d taken mat leave any earlier. I also plonked my 6 weeks annual leave onto the end so managed to take almost 14 months off.
Initially I told my line manager I’d be back after 6 months but I learned to live very frugally....(thanks to a very stupid career move I lost out on my enhanced mat leave)

I was informed you have to plan to start on the Sunday of the week of your due date.

However if you go into labour earlier then legally that's when it starts.

Thanks all. Holiday days is a good idea! I'll save a week which is easily doable. I'm 20 weeks so starting to think about these things. It's so daunting!

blue I've read through the whole police and not heard anything about starting the Sunday before? I'll have another look...

I started my mat leave on my due date with DD2, so it is possible, but then I also had 4 weeks annual leave beforehand and sick leave before that. With DD1 I went on mat leave from 38 weeks and that was pretty tough. I've had pgp in every pregnancy and this time I'm finishing at 29 weeks. If you're managing though then I don't see why it would be a problem. Are your work flexible?

£2 taxi is probably wise for the last few weeks. Where do you live?

You can do that. My mat leave officially started on my due date but I planned for 2wks annual leave before then and actually end up finishing 4 days before that as I’d had enough shit boss who made no move for handover and actually added more work on to me

I had the plan to work happily up to 38wks and had a similar journey to work but the tiredness can get to you.

So can you use holiday to give yourself a little cushion? Plus assuming you’re in the uk you still accrue your holidays when on mat leave plus bank holidays so you could tack these on to the end so you’re officially back in the business on x date (on payroll) but not physically present until y date.

I added 6 weeks holiday to the end of mine, it was best for me and I positioned it as better for the company as I’d have to take it some time so better in one block than dipping in and out

I work for the civil service OP and have had 3 lots of mat leave, there is no restriction for starting mat leave on your due date so don't worry. pp must have a different policy.

I set my maternity leave to start the day before but had 3 weeks annual leave to add to the beginning (I couldn't carry it over into another year not sure if that's normal practice or was just my company's procedure) DD arrive 3 weeks early the day after my last day working day.

I was convinced she would be late with it being my first child & I was born a fortnight late. She had other ideas!!

So DD was 3 weeks old when my maternity leave actually started.

For each of mine I've worked up until my due date, found it tough & swore I wouldn't do it next time- then done exactly the same again with the next kid.

IMO it's hard going but do-able.