Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

Flip

Original poster

when to leave for maternity

20 replies

daisy26 · 17/02/2008 10:55

i am 14 weeks pregnant don'y know wether to leave for maternity june/july i am due 19th august. I have 2 little ones gotta look after and the odd times I have to lift him but not often as he can walk, but he can be hard work and exhausting. Some people say leave july then you can maybe always change your mind, i wouldnt be able to do this as the parents have got to find someone to cover me whilst im off, so i would ned to let them know when I wanted to start it. Any advice with previous experience on what to do

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

aGalChangedHerName · 17/02/2008 11:04

I have been pg twice whilst CM and i have worked up to 2 weeks before birth with dd1 and a few days before birth with dd2.

I had lo's to lift in and out of the car/double buggy and it was hard going.

I wanted to take the 6 month paid leave after tho so just had to do it.

Original poster

daisy26 · 17/02/2008 11:06

don't think I want to do that, as I don't really want to work in school holidays

OP posts:

crace · 17/02/2008 11:07

I am taking 3 weeks off beforehand and 12 weeks after, all unpaid from my mindees but will be using the joys of SMP. I have had two past c-sections and am taking time off beforehand to limit any possible issues. I am booked in for my c-section late may.

Original poster

daisy26 · 17/02/2008 11:08

As i wont be taking lots of time off after babies born-well hoping not too as I want to go back and work with the family. I want to try and rest a bit before

OP posts:

trockodile · 17/02/2008 11:19

Hopefully you will be less exhausted now first trimester has passed.I worked in a baby room in a daynursery (temp contract) while pregnant and was very happy to leave at 34 weeks! But I was not going back so a couple of weeks was not so important. If I were you (and all being well) I would work up to school holidays. Would probably be a good time for parents to arrange cover from too. I did a maternity cover and nanny i took over from did till 36 weeks and was fine (though very ready to leave by then!). That should take you through till April? Much nicer to go back to work then with better weather and lighter mornings. Good luck.

looneytune · 17/02/2008 11:19

I'm currently 22 weeks and as much as I'd like to stop sooner (pelvis problems and lots of babies to lift so finding it hard), I'm leaving in June, 3 weeks before baby due (that's the plan anyway). Having 12 weeks off in total as any more than that and I think parents would have a problem with coming back. If money wasn't such an issue, I would have loved to have longer off but it's just not an option for me.

Original poster

daisy26 · 17/02/2008 11:24

less exhausted you kidding me I have just strted being exhausted this week. Not sure what to do Im having a chat with the parents wed anyway. I know I want at least 3months off with the baby as it be my first.

OP posts:

Original poster

daisy26 · 17/02/2008 11:26

Yeh maybe ill work till mid of july then just before start of scholl holidays as I really don't want to work when they are off to be honest. I use to work in a nursery prob wouldn't of been so bad as you have more help around you.

OP posts:

Original poster

daisy26 · 17/02/2008 11:27

school holidays i mean, i can't spell

OP posts:

trockodile · 17/02/2008 21:13

Sorry, i assumed you would take max maternity leave. Really comes down to how much money you can afford to lose then and how you feel. Your boss should understand that you cannot know how you will feel, what will happen and hopefully have a contingency plan in place for if you cannot work as long as you plan now.
It is not an easy situation. I discovered i was pregnant just after we moved so deliberately went for nursery work as it would feel less 'personal' if i was ill/had appts etc.

Original poster

daisy26 · 18/02/2008 18:50

yeh well I was in nurseries then it would solve my problem . When you on maternity leave after the odd weeks you don't get allot do you thats why i thought it be better going back earlier, but what do i know hehe.But haven't had luck with woman bosses at nurseries why i opyed for nannying-im happy to be pregnant but just wrong timing as people say tho-when is the right timin? Ill discuss all these options and what do I do etc wiv parents wed anyway

OP posts:

bonkerz · 18/02/2008 18:56

i finshed at 28 weeks with my last preganacy and started back when DD was 6 weeks old. i found the time before i gave brith was really useful as i minded for 2 x 2yr olds who were demanding. Once i was back at work a 6 week old was alot easier to look after than the 2 year olds and DD was in a good routine by then too.

AskABusyPerson · 19/02/2008 14:47

I'm 37 weeks pg (so any day now....!) and stopped minding 2 weeks ago. I only had one schoolie and the occasional ad-hoc mindee(s) (ages 2 (twins), 3 and 5) - was okay working whilst pg although we did much more of the 'lets read some books' 'lets watch an episode of eg Balamory' 'lets sit down and do some colouring / sticking etc' 'lets go round to (another cm's) house to play' so that I could get a bit of a sit down / break. Parents were fine with this!

Was planning to go back to minding sometime in June/July (I don't have many mindees so the £112 per week Maternity allowance is ok money wise for me) but family for whom I minded first child for 1.5 years until the mum went on Mat Leave herself, now have their second child and the mum is going back to work beginnning of May (after having 12 months off), so that's when I am going back to work too with the proviso that it could be delayed if I'm not up to going back then. Thats if Ofsted allow me to have 2 under 1's for 2 months.....baby mindee will be 1 at end of June.

I'd do it by finances, take as much time as you can if your mindees have been or can be found alternative care. I live in small village where there are 3 other cms, one of whom is having my schoolie and another is 'on standby' for any of my ad-hoc/emergency mindees.

Oh, and congratulations!

Original poster

daisy26 · 19/02/2008 19:13

thankyou I know I am a good nanny and they are really happy with me. Yeh I started do read some books, creative work and watch the odd bit of television, maybe go to mums n tots. I do ironing sittn down hehe. Well having that chat tomorow and see what they say and tell them what i want or maybe want to do etc

OP posts:

trockodile · 19/02/2008 19:57

Remember it is in their interests for you to be happy, and the restart at work to go well so don't feel pressured into going back earlier than you are happy with. Good luck with the chat tomorrow.

Original poster

daisy26 · 19/02/2008 20:01

yeh I know-Thankyou ill update you all

OP posts:

Original poster

daisy26 · 20/02/2008 20:06

had the chat today-not sure what to do yet tho got till monday-they are really happy with me and the kids are great and i have bonded with them relly well. The parents realistically need someone flexible as their hours can be like may need someone for like 7am means take oldest to school and may want you to stay l8r or stay over the odd times. Im not sure what to do. Im gonna leave maternity in july then probably take 3-4months off but I don't think it's going to work going back as much as I want to, which is a shame. Im not sure how it works if I take 3-4months off and decide not to return would you still get maternity off government or just nothing atall. I can't take a year off and they say Im not coming back. They have 3 kids and with a fourth and a baby gonna be bit mad I think. Any thoughs or advice be much appreciated

OP posts:

Original poster

daisy26 · 20/02/2008 20:36

anyone out there-really need some advice on this.

OP posts:

trockodile · 20/02/2008 21:45

As far as i know you get stat maternity pay for 9(?) months whether you go back to work or not -so long as you are entitled Difficult situation with you boss family but you would be best to tell them you are planning on returning because it keeps your options open. They can employ someone on the basis that the job may become permanant. Not easy for you to be fair to them and yourself. I am not an expert by any means though.

Original poster

daisy26 · 21/02/2008 07:17

but the advice helps tho, thakyou . Think they were saying I could go back and see how it goes-obv the maternity cover maybe a permanent cover if I don't think I can cope. If I could do less hours this would be great but I forgot to mention this to my boss yday.I know i can't do 8-6 m-fir would kill me hehe

OP posts:

Flip

Swipe left for the next trending thread