To take maternity 4 weeks before my due date

[Heartburn888]

I’m 33 weeks pregnant.

I have started on with quite a bad back now and am considering pulling my leave forward and finishing 31st October, I am due 1st December.

Is this too early do you think?

I have asked work if they can do anything to help me with my back to which they have said no it’s my midwives responsibility to send me for physio as they don’t see the point in getting me a new chair or putting anything in place for me for the next 5 weeks, which I can understand their point. My midwife has said that my employer needs to put something in place as I have been off work prior to now with a bad back due to the chair i sit on and it shouldn’t matter if I am going off work in 2 weeks or 2 months for maternity because I am a pregnant woman who is employed by the company. My midwife said she won’t refer me for physio as by the time I’m seen I will of had my baby by then and I can also see her point.

Feel like I’m being fobbed off from both sides as the more sick days I take, the more go on my record and the less pay I recover that month (had 2 instances this month due to my back). I feel my only alternative is to start my leave early and I know I will regret it when the time comes for me to go back to work.

So my aibu is is 4 weeks too early to start my leave?

It’s entirely up to you, the longer you work though the longer you will have with baby, if you intend to go back to work after.

I worked up till 3 days before and am now reaping the benefits of spending more time with my baby.

You also accrue annual leave plus bank holidays whilst you are on maternity so you could add this to the end of your maternity leave if you are taking the full year and your work allow you to to gain back 4/5 weeks.

I went off at 34/35 weeks with SPD and didn't regret it when it came to going back at all. It was at 11months though, not sure how long you can take and would need to go back?

I went on my leave at 32 weeks. No problems, just wanted to have some time at home before baby arrived. I actually had 10 lovely weeks before she arrived. I treasure the memories!

Do it!

I went on maternity leave at 36+3 and ended up giving birth at 38 weeks so I didn't get much time off to relax anyway. Go whenever feels right for you.

Print off the Maternity Action info sheets and highlight the relevant bits to show your employer - they may not know what your rights are.