Teachers: when did you start maternity leave?

[ScotsLamb]

Hi all

Im a secondary teacher. I'm currently due at Christmas this year. I would like to try to work until the end of term (4 days before due date). I can't take annual leave before then to allow me extra time before baby and we can't afford to have more than 4 months off with baby so would like as much time with baby as possible.

Am I being daft to think I can work that close to due date?

I'm in Scotland. Primary.

DD1 was due early Sep. I went back for a week after the new year started in Aug. This meant I was off for the 6 weeks of summer in the third trimester.

DD2 was due mid Aug. She arrived the Sun before first INSET of the new year so I had the summer in the third trimester.

If I had a third, I would be off from 32 weeks.

I'm Scotland too! Thanks for the reply.

I have had 2 babies in the Christmas holidays, and worked until the last day of term with both. Don't forget that if you do that, you can give the first day of maternity leave as your due date, gaining an extra week or so of pay, and you can return to work on the first day of a holiday gaining pay there too!

Thank you Sweeps. That's very reassuring as lots of people are talking about end of November as a good time for me to finish. I'm not very good at sitting doing nothing. Especially when the last week of school will be church, a concert and a DVD... fingers crossed I feel well enough to stay until the end.

I'm due on the 9th November and plan on working until the first day back after half term, which is the 30th Oct. I'm glad you've asked this question because everyone seems to think I'm insane.

My thought process is: if baby is late, I haven't spent weeks doing nothing at home and if baby is early, maternity leave will automatically kick in and therefore, I'll have more time with him next year!

I'm in Scotland too.

Six years ago I was due second Sunday of October which was the first weekend of October holidays. First official day off was the Monday before. So I was 39+1. Ds was 12 days overdue in the end so plenty time for feet up.

Last year I was 38+2 when I went off. I knew when my induction was planned for so this was perfect time to stop.

I was also only planning on being off 6 months each time.

The thing with starting maternity leave is you can pick a date you think you'll reach and if it all gets too much you can go sooner.

Exactly Littlelouse! I'm fully prepared to call it a day early with work if I have to. I ran myself into the ground in June so know that I can't just work and work and work all the hours while pregnant. Fingers crossed for both of us making it until our plan (or baby arrives early!)

I went on a residential camping trip in July to be fair, that did me in a bit. Will keep my fingers crossed for us both - I think a lot of it is down to luck. Most recent colleague to go on Mat leave was fit as a fiddle and planning to go as close to due date as we are but suffered terribly with SPD and had to go at 33 weeks in the end!

Thanks my worse nightmare.

That's*

DC1 finished at 38ish weeks (felt rotten, should have stopped at 36 weeks which was half term).

DC2 finished at 40+1, end of term, got normal pay for the 2 week of holidays while I went overdue so didn't start leave/pay till DC finally turned up. Although, I was fortunate to feel amazing that time, and was fully prepared to ditch out earlier if needed. Wouldn't have managed it with DC1, I felt so awful.

I made sure to look after myself better that time though - sleep well (as well as you can), eat well (I ate a bit too well!), drop break duty (hips didn't agree), got kids to come to me/carry stuff/pick stuff up (though secondary, so they were more able/willing to help). But as PP says, it's luck of the draw, really.

Best of luck, OP

Both of mine I finished on due date (Both were bloody 2 weeks late though!). I was lucky though as my cover started before I finished so I was only really on light duties towards the end of pregnancy

I left 12 days before my due date but had my baby one day after finishing. All was fine and if I had a second I work up until I was almost due again. Good luck.

I was due mid January so I started my maternity as soon as Christmas holidays were over. 38 weeks

Make the date as late as possible. You can always move it forward. I worked to 38weeks with DD, luckily it was half term in my 39th week and so I started mat leave at 39weeks. I'm pregnant again now and intend to try and go to 39 again!

I'm a secondary teacher and I'm due in April. My workplace is toxic, with high stress levels and an unsupportive management. I also have a two hour round commute everyday. There's no way I can go close up to my DD!

However, another colleague did go into labour in school!!! She wasn't teaching at the time but marking coursework in an office and complained to a few people she had bad stomach ache. They were contractions!!! Her husband worked there at the time so he drove her straight to hospital and she gave birth just a few hours later!

Hi @ScotsLamb, I'm secondary too and with DD1 I worked up until 4 days before she was born (due 21/01/12' went off on mat officially 16/0 but had the weekend too, and Eliza was born 18/01). I went back 1 week before the summer hols so that my full pay kicked in again. I'm pregnant again and due 27/01/18. I plan to work until 17/01. (Just so I can be off for Eliza's birthday) and plan to go back in the last week of summer term again so I can be paid over the summer holidays.

@Finch82 I really sympathise with you. I used to work in a school like that - was on leadership, with a good wage, but I couldn't cope with the stress, the toxic style of leadership that was expected and the relentless hours (often in from 7.30 until 7 - sometimes later if a business sponsor was visiting and wanted an update). Had zero work life balance so resigned afte 18 months and went on supply. Best decision ever!

2 of my colleagues have been sent home in labour over the years! I went 8 days before so had 10 days. All was fine as I got some decent handover with my replacement and spent the last 2 weeks doing marking and admin

I planned on going at 38 weeks to tie in with a half term. Was off sick (pregnancy related) from 33 1/2 weeks (really should have gone off sooner, I was a complete mess), so my mat leave automatically kicked in early from 36 weeks. I had a planned c-section at 39 weeks as my baby was breech. Put it as late as feels right to you but if you need to go off early, do.

My LO was due on the 31st of July this year, and we broke up for Summer on the 21st. I managed to work right up to the bitter end despite spd and very swollen ankles. My waters broke the first official day of the holidays and he arrived on the 25th. I'm glad I made it to the end of term, as everyone said I wouldn't. However in hindsight, I wish I'd had a couple of weeks to put my feet up before he put in an appearance.
Working up until the end is possible, but it takes a lot of determination.

I'm secondary too. Both of mine came a week or two into the holidays, so I worked until end of term, then that way my maternity leave actually started on my due dates. It was tough! I sat down a lot in my classroom but the kids were lovely, which helped!

I'm prep age, baby was due 25/9/17, insets 1/9-4/9. Baby decided to put me into labour on 31/8/17!! Joshua was born 1/9/7. You never know what can happen 😊

I'm secondary and my EDD was 28/12. I worked up until end of term which was 16/12. Just about made it but don't think I could have gone on a day longer. Probably wouldn't have finished this late if it wasn't the end of term - kind of wanted to see things through until the end, plus it meant I could officially start my maternity leave on my due date. Usual end of term tiredness is magnified 10 fold when heavily pregnant!