When to start mat leave with twins

[RosettaR]

I was wondering what the norm is for starting maternity leave with twins. It's early days for me but I need to start thinking about when to go so we can recruit cover. The TAMBA book recommends going on maternity leave after week 28, that seems so early! I have a very sedentary job and should be able to work from home if needed, so I'm hoping I can last longer than that. What are people's experiences?

My consultant also advised 28/29 weeks - at that gestation, you're at the same size as 40 weeks with a singleton. However, I was having a fairly straight-forward and comfortable pregnancy (compared to my previous one!) and decided I'd try to go til 31 weeks. I managed it no problem and reckon I could have coped with another week beyond that. It all depends on your pregnancy though.

I finished at 35 weeks which was the right time. But I have to caveat that as I did work in the building where I had them, and my husband did as well so I didn’t have to drive. Which were big factors. They were born 37w6 and were nearly 15lb between them. I always said I’d listen to how I felt, that’s the key thing, and I could be flexible. If I had to plan for cover I’d err on the side of caution.

My friend worked to 34 weeks as a dr on ward rounds, don't know how she did it.

I was signed off work from 29 weeks. I only did an office based job so was sat at a desk but I couldn't drive due to severe sciatica and sitting up was hard (turned out I had a herniated disc in my back).

I had originally planned to stop at 33 weeks with babies due to be delivered at 36 weeks but there was no way I would have ever been able to continue working.

As PP said at 29weeks you are normally measuring the same as a 40week singleton pregnancy.

I've just been thinking about this - I'm nearly 16 weeks and so achey today - luckily I'm working from home but even short bursts of being on my feet or in the car is making my bump really achey. I'm pretty petite really - only 5ft 2 1/2 and have a sizeable bump already - I was hoping to work as long as possible but just don't feel like I will be able to. Thing is my maternity leave is crap - only 18 weeks although none is full paid and I'm the main earner by at least 3x - I'm going to carry over as much annual leave as possible this year to use to finish early I think x

Depends on your job. I’m currently 28 weeks, and in all honesty I’m hugely uncomfortable and ungainly - bigger than I was at full term with my singleton pregnancy! And much more achey than I was - my bump is really tender and feels a bit bruised from stretching so quickly. But I’m going to be working until 33 weeks because I really don’t want to go on leave earlier if I can possibly avoid it! That works for me because my school has put me on a reduced timetable and given me tonnes of paperwork instead, I’m only on my feet for an hour or so a day. They also have my maternity cover already in place, so if I have to go earlier they can sort it out on almost no notice.

Speak to your work - are they willing/able to be flexible? Can you do a role that is as sedentary as possible? How is your commute (I find that the hardest part of my day at the moment)?

I finished work at 34 weeks, job sort of desk based, with 30 min drive each way. B/g twins were born induced at 38 weeks.

I started maternity leave at 33 weeks and had them at 37 weeks, I could have probably carried on another week if I had to, but I was sooo tired and moving was becoming a real effort 😆

I should have finished earlier but kept going and had emergency c section at 33weeks. Luckily, both babies fine after a stint in SCBU.

I finished at 33 weeks, secondary teacher and it coincided nicely with an end of term! I was literally counting down the days for the last couple of weeks!