To think there's nothing wrong with early mat leave?

[bluesign]

I'm starting mine at 34 weeks. Well technically I'll be using up annual leave before it officially starts at 37 weeks but have had a few raised eyebrows from colleagues saying it's early! It's not really though is it?

It seems the expectation amongst people at my company is to work as long as possible before the baby is due. I understand some people prefer to do this, but I can think of nothing worse than working up to 38-39 weeks. Why should I struggle through the last few weeks if I don't have to?

I can think of nothing better than doing absolutely as little as possible before baby comes.

34 weeks isn't early is it?

I worked to 38 weeks because everybody in my not group had gone to 41-42+ weeks. 34 weeks would be a lot of time “off” if you went to 42. But I see you’re likely to CS at 39 so that doesn’t apply to you.

It totally depends on what suits you. I wanted to preserve as much time as I could for once my baby was born, so worked as long as I could, but I don't think there's any issue with going off earlier if that's what you want to do.

I prefer to have the extra time with my baby at the end - and for me I could take any additional holiday forward and so the fact that it wasn't "real" mat leave wouldn't make a difference. So I worked until the very end - happened to go at 39+3... and then had my baby the next day. For no. 2 I went off 2 days before my planned c section. I would always make that choice.

But... we are all different, so do what works for you! Makes no difference to anyone else!

When people say you get extra time with the baby, they mean those 3 weeks of leave you’ve used now. If you were going on maternity leave at 30 weeks and didn’t give birth until 42 weeks then that could be an extra 3 months with your baby. For some women that’s important and they would rather work until the end to maximise time with baby. I personally couldn’t wait to go back. I started using annual leave to go part time at 34 weeks and used a week of annual leave at 37 weeks to start my maternity at 38 weeks. I knew I was being induced early though. I don’t think I’d have wanted a full four weeks off because I would have felt I had to do something constructive with my time, instead of napping and watching shit tv on the odd day off.

I went on leave at 34 weeks with DC1 and had already been signed off sick before my mat leave started with DC2. I had rough pregnancies though.

I think it's early and would do it (did it) the other way round. I worked up to last minute both times, so that I could have longer off with baby.

Of course there's nothing wrong with.

You do what's right for you.

When you are pregnant or have a child the whole world thinks it can pass comment on every aspect of your life.

Smile and ignore.

I also wanted to save all my paid time off for when the baby arrived. I have a desk job though, so was able to just go on WFH at 37 weeks.

I stopped at 34 weeks with first and 30 weeks either second and had my reasons for both.

But I've not used all of my AL for this year and will have some for next year, so that never really crossed my mind

Suppose I would have worked for longer but they weren't really happy with me WFH right up until. The commute to the office is a killer!

I don't understand your logic that it isn't cutting down time with the baby. If you finish two weeks later, your maternity leave with the baby can finish two weeks later if you take the maximum, and you can tag on holiday either way? So starting earlier in the majority of cases, means (slightly) less time with the baby. Starting back at work and settling a baby into nursery is hard, and working when heavily pregnant is also hard, and it's up to each individual what they want to prioritise. I worked as long as I could as I was really bored and restless at home by myself (would kill for that time again now though!)

There’s nothing wrong with it.

But it’s quite unusual, ime, most people start at around 37/38 and use annual leave then

It really depends on plans for afterwards. If I'd of gone at 34 weeks then I'd of had 8 weeks off before baby made an appearance

My maternity pay package would have been over before they were even here, and I'd of been on smp before the birth! The basic maternity package is normally only 6 weeks of full pay before smp.

yes I'd of liked longer off beforehand but for me it was directly linked to each week I was off before hand was a week less with my baby. I'd of not wanted to go back to work 2 months earlier

I'd of made a different decision if I wasn't going back to work or could afford it.

Even using leave, I saw that as leave I could use to stay home post birth

34 weeks is fairly early for a typical person if there's no special circumstances

I went off at 38 weeks but mainly worked from home in the last month which I think made it possible. I also had the feeling I would be overdue and bored - which I was. I did enjoy the first 2 weeks of leave with spa days and lunches though so make some plans and enjoy 🤗

Each to their own really. I left it until 39weeks to maximise time away and time with baby.

I ended up being 2weeks late, so would have been frustrated had I left work earlier.

I'd planned on going at 38 weeks including some leave but I ended up having my son at 34 weeks so maternity leave kicked in the day after! Looking back it would have been nice to relax and have a few weeks to rest. Obviously I wouldn't have had that choice in my situation though. I can definitely see why you want to do it.

I started mine at 39 weeks but I had a really easy pregnancy. If you’re having a tough time of it, there’s no shame in that. If you’re not struggling however, I would advise saving it for after. Hardest time of my life was going back to work as I just was not ready to leave baby and I would have given my right arm for another 6 weeks with him

I was feeling terrible by this point and relished the few weeks of leave with my toddler before baby arrived. Make the most of it. It works for some, not for others. Enjoy it!

You'll literally never have that time again - even for future dc you'll have dc1 to work around even if off.

Take it! Enjoy it!

It's only 3 weeks of mat leave of 52 possible weeks, so negligible in the grand scheme of things on the other side.

I was signed off work due to PGP. I had to take my mat leave from 4 weeks before my due date. DS also decided to be 2 weeks late. So, I was so fed up by the end of it.

I absolutely loved having the time to rest and sleep as much as I could though.

Do what's best for you!

I finished at 37 weeks with number 1, and that felt too early - I basically sat around for a month. Number 2 I worked until 39+4 and that was ok as baby didn’t arrive until 41 weeks.

This time I’m 32 weeks and knackered with 2 pre-schoolers, I’m going to finish at 37 or 38 weeks because I need time to get my head in gear for another baby, my job has become a lot more stressful and I don’t have a second to myself at the moment.

So basically - I’d see how you feel at the end but with your first I don’t really see the point of finishing super-early.

I stopped at 32 weeks with my first, but:
a. I fancied the summer off with my teacher DH and
b. Was commuting to London on a packed train with no seats so thought 'stuff it'.

I was then 2 weeks early though, so didn't have it all.

It's not that, it's just people know how hard it is to leave a baby at the end of maternity (feels heartbreaking!) so encourage you to have as long as possible to with them.

And so this thread is indicative of the responses in real life!

I was an 'early leaver' at 33 weeks, it was perfect for me! Same responses, why wouldn't you want to dedicate each and every minute to your baby, sod you and how you feel!

Take it and enjoy OP!