How long before due date did you/ will you start mat leave?

[Bubbles0616]

Hi all,

I am due in august and working out when i think the best time is to start my mat leave. I want as long off with our baby as possible but also work an hour away from home and would like to have some chill time at home to prepare and also cope with being huge!

This is my first baby so no idea what liklihood is of early or late bubby.

Would love to hear what your plans are /were

I finished on the Friday and went in on the Monday to be induced (39 weeks) commutes about 40 minutes in the car and it's mainly a desk job, I'm 24 weeks with DC2 and planning the same section booked for 39 and working until 3 days before. If I struggle though I will finish earlier

With my first I worked from home from home (bed) for week and then had 2 weeks before baby arrived on time. I wish I hadn’t struggled and went earlier to be honest so this time (also due in August) I plan to take 4 weeks off before. I just got too tired.

I officially left at 36 weeks but 3.5 of these were holiday so didn’t actually start mat leave until a few days before due date

as others have said, save your holiday and tag on to pre mat leave so you have 5 weeks holiday and decide to leave at 39 weeks you can take holiday from 34 weeks. you will accrue 5 weeks holiday on mat leave too so will go back after 57 weeks x

oh and full pay for those last weeks pre mat leave and first 5 at the end.

Finished on due date! Baby 2 weeks late both time so still had plenty to time to sit around

Depends what job you have. I was on my feet a lot. Took 7 weeks off before baby arrived

Totally agree that it's totally dependent on your job. I thought I was having a really easy first trimester with very little nausea and pretty manageable tiredness, until I went to a conference when I was 11 weeks. Turns out if I had to stand up and move around lots and interact with people all day I felt dreadful and I can imagine I would have needed some time off - but because normally I sit down all day alone and taking breaks at times of my choosing I had been finding it very manageable.

I finished at 35 weeks because then it was the Christmas break and I knew I wouldn't want to go back after.

LO didn't arrive til 42 weeks so I had 7 whole weeks to myself, I remember being bored at the time but I'd love to have some of that time now!

I worked until I was about 37 weeks, took three weeks annual leave, my mat leave officially started the day before my due date - I went into labour that day and DD was born on her due date! The last 5 weeks I worked 4 and then 3 day weeks due to bank holidays and using some annual leave to split up the weeks as I was really really tired all the time, physically and mentally, and had fairly bad coccyxdynia and general back pain. But I work an easy, 9-5 office job and my 'commute' was only a flat 20 minute walk each way. And even that was all tough going for me at the end, if I worked an active job or had a long commute I would definitely have needed to leave significantly earlier. I think by about 33 weeks I was really starting to feel the fatigue and couldn't do loads of long walking or late nights anymore.

Last time at 39+6, planning to do the same. So one day before due date is my last work day.

Can you go on sick leave if you feel too poorly?