Maternity leave - can I ask when you started/plan to start?

[Surf25]

The title says it all really. Just 16 weeks with twins but trying to plan ahead. Clear caveat that I am talking about an ideal and that I am aware things could change! Would be really helpful to know folks thoughts about starting maternity leave - when they did it/would they advise someone else the same or different/expectant mums of multiples when are you planning to stop work?

[melibu84]

I finished at 38 weeks, but everyone was telling me I was leaving it too late and I did regret it in the end! It was so much effort to get up and leave the house for work, especially since I had some pelvic pain. On the other hand, I then sat around bored for wating for DS to be born for 4 weeks!

[fabulous01]

I finished at 32 weeks but was able to work from home and took 4 weeks leave. Mine came at just under 36 weeks

[44PumpLane]

I've decided to go off work at 30 weeks and use 3 weeks annual leave then start mat leave at 33 weeks.

Office based job but lots of responsibility, ridiculously busy and no let up or consideration for being pregnant. I'm literally working 6 day weeks glued to me desk for 9-10 hours a day with no time to do anything I need to do at home.

So I'm hoping by going off at 30 weeks I'll have time to get some stuff done in the house.

If I had an easier job I'd stay a bit longer.

[Surf25]

Thanks everyone for your input. As I have a bit of annual leave to use up I am taking a week off in October and then using the rest of it so I can finish work at around 31 weeks and then actual maternity leave starts around 33 weeks. I am looking forward to it!!

[DoublyTroubly]

I left work at 31 weeks with my twins. When I booked it in I was worried it would be too early but I was really glad at the time (office based job but over an hour commute each way which was the killer). It was also nice to spend a bit of time with my eldest before the twins were born x

[Onionringo]

I left at 32 weeks, with babies arriving at 37. I wish I'd gone earlier.

[CocklesandMussels]

I'm 26 weeks with DCDA twins and planning to go off at 32. I have a week of annual leave in a couple of weeks from now which will be a relief. I already have a tally chart of days left. I also work in the NHS in a clinical role but I'm doing more sitting down now and masking other people to do the running around. Financially I wanted to work as late as possible but I'm already exhausted and not sure I'll make it. This pregnancy has been much harder than my last.

[TheEagle]

My maternity leave only ran from when the twins were born.

Up until then I was on sick leave.

I'm not in the UK though, so the rules might be different.

[Degustibusnonestdisputandem]

I finished at 34 weeks (but was booked in for ELCS at 36 weeks) - I was pretty much ready to start mat leave though.

[Potplant]

Well if you've got 3 other little ones at home you're probably better off staying at work as long as you can .

[ElodieS]

I stopped working at 34 weeks, and they arrived at 36 weeks. Technically my maternity leave started the day before they were born and the time prior to that was annual leave, but that's just because I needed to use it up really.

From about 30 weeks I started to drop cases (lawyer) and worked more and more from home, handed stuff over and started working more reasonable hours I'd say. My employers were very understanding, and a little scared I think... I was massive.

[ElodieS]

I stopped working at 34 weeks, and they arrived at 36 weeks. Technically my maternity leave started the day before they were born and the time prior to that was annual leave, but that's just because I needed to use it up really.

From about 30 weeks I started to drop cases (lawyer) and worked more and more from home, handed stuff over and started working more reasonable hours I'd say. My employers were very understanding, and a little scared I think... I was massive.

[Surf25]

The other thing for me is that with three under two years old and another two older, I won't be going straight back to work although am unsure if I'll take a career break or hand my notice in... So I don't need to factor in the needing to remain at work so that I have as much time off as possible afterwards iykwim. And boredom won't be a factor, it never is around here!!! Thank you for all of your help and insight into your thoughts and plans! Really appreciate it!

[Lules]

Only one baby - I went at 37 weeks (technically 38 weeks but with a week's annual leave). I ended up going 12 days over and was so bored I wished I'd stayed another week, although I'm not sure I could have had another week spending my commute vomiting in the train toilet (was sick the entire pregnancy).

[Surf25]

Yes Lemon sounds like things have changed! For MCDA twins they aim for 36-37 weeks and that for us falls right at Christmas week so likely to be induced or planned section closer to the 36 than the 37 mark depending on lie of babies. For DCDA they aim for 37 weeks now. Increased risk of complications such as placental failure as April said. Suits me fine! Am really interested that people don't regret going earlier. I have three other dc - 6,5 and 1, so it wouldn't be putting my feet up anyway!!! Lots to think about.

[LemonDr1zzle]

Thanks April

[April241]

Lemon my consultant is also aiming for 36/37 weeks and won't let me go by 37 weeks he says. I believe the NICE guidelines say now that anything over 37 weeks puts babies at risk of placenta failure etc although don't quote me on it I, I haven't read them yet :)

[Potplant]

30 weeks. I was So exhausted just getting to work. i would come in from work at 6.30, have a sandwich and go to bed. And it was a hot summer as well with no ac in the car. I couldn't have managed another day of it. (Or fit behind the wheel of the car either )

I was told that I would be having a section at 38 weeks, but to be prepared for 36 weeks just in case. They came at 34 weeks.

[Snowberry86]

I'm 28 weeks and plan to go on mat leave from 38 weeks. I teach in a tough secondary 30 miles from home so I think I may be crazy but I want as much time off as possible with baby.

Luckily I've got the 6 week summer holiday off so getting a proper break at the minute. It's going to be really tough going back in September for 5 weeks!

[TheEagle]

Just to say that my consultant would have signed me off anytime from 24ish weeks.

[TheEagle]

I finished at 30 weeks and I was really struggling by then.

I'm a teacher and at the time had about a 40 minute commute each way.

I had a 17 month old at home and he was bringing lots of bugs from nursery and I couldn't fight them off.

My twins were born at 35+6 after I went into labour spontaneously.

I wasn't at all bored (had a toddler at home!) but was relieved to be finished.

[LemonDr1zzle]

Surf why are you only aiming for 36 weeks? Has the advice changed so much in recent years (my twins are now teens)?

With my twins, I was in tears with the consultant begging for a section at 36 weeks - they wanted to wait for as long as possible, at least until 38 weeks.

But my waters broke at 37 weeks, so the decision was out of our hands.

[Surf25]

Thanks everyone! It is a help to hear what others have done. My consultant has told us that the twins will be born at 36 weeks all being well, so am thinking about perhaps 32/33 weeks or so. Although I might have some annual leave to use up too. Work in the NHS, but not as much on my feet as you are, April! Definitely worth bearing in mind that there are probably more variables that can change with twins such as needing more monitoring/changing of position etc!

[April241]

Oh also, forgot to add. I was totally fine other than a bit achy up until 24 weeks but one of my twins decided to flip and ended up transverse while the other one stayed cephalic. The transverse baby put too much pressure on my diaphragm which the consultant thought in turn was squeezing nerves and causing the upper back pain. It's gone now as baby is more breech than transverse so their positioning can change things quickly. Lovely .

[BossWitch]

What I found really interesting was talking to the older women at work who all had to (by law I think) start their mat leave at 7 months. They felt really sorry for us young ones waddling through to near enough full term! But I can't imagine how bored I would have been if I'd been at home so early - let alone how broke we would have been!