Will I regret taking maternity leave this early?

[doingitalllagain]

With my son I worked until 37 weeks and then had him at 37+5 and I don't want to do that again. I've got SPD, work is half hour opposite way to school, I'm having dizzy spells and I would finish now if I could.

I'm thinking of just not going back after Christmas, so taking annual leave from 33 weeks until that runs out and then my maternity leave would start at 35 weeks 5 days. I am currently booked to start my annual leave at 35 weeks and go off at 38 but the thought of going back after Christmas when it's cold, dark and I'll be feeling rubbish if how I feel now is anything to go by.. makes me shudder.

Is this really early? Will I regret it? I'm taking a full year

I did not regret finishing early. I think id want to even more with a second as you need more rest!
Will you have enough annual leave after mat leave finishes to feel like you had the full year?

Yes I think you would...work should make reasonable adjustments to accommodate your spd. You need to get the dizzy spells checked that's very important.
The way this country is going, scrapping energy price cap in April you'll need as much money to your name as possible.

I guess it depends on how much it’ll impact the end of your may leave. Do you want to be off until first birthday? If you’re happy going back when your baby is a bit younger, or if you take your collected holidays beyond a year, then I’d say it’s fine!
Id always prefer the extra time at the other side, but we’re all different and my pregnancies have been pretty straightforward.

If you're having dizzy spells and SPD can you get sick pay?

Just bear in mind every day you take now is a day sooner you're back in, presumably with childcare costs to pay for.

I'd be seeing what adjustments could be made and getting your dizzy spells looked into.

Of course if you're really struggling then stop early. But in reality is it more being off sick rather than leave?

If OP is having dizzy spell and SPD then it is possible that her employer could start maternity leave early

www.gov.uk/maternity-pay-leave/leave

Ultimately the decision is your and you will accrue annual leave whilst on maternity so could use some of that leave to stay home a little longer after baby is born or alternatively use unpaid parental leave?

Yes I had thought about going off sick but if I get signed off my mat leave automatically starts at 36 weeks anyway which is only 2 days after what I'd be doing anyway. The annual leave I want to take has to be used this side of maternity leave or is lost. I'll accrue 2 or 3 weeks leave while I'm off that I plan to lump on to the end.

I'm not sure really, they've made some changes to my role but I can't work from home, if I don't drive because I'm dizzy I end up spending 1.5 hours a day on buses, and then walking 20 mins to work from the bus in pain. It just feels like it might be a struggle. I'm hoping I'll find another job and not have to come back to this one at all!

I finished my maternity leave at Xmas, it was a bit early but the thought of dragging myself back in for a week or so in January was soul destroying. It felt much better just doing a handover and closing down at Xmas. I didn't regret it.

I finished early with DC1 as I was in no fit state to work. I basically slept for three weeks and then she arrived early. I used annual leave and then started mat leave at 36 weeks.

I went off five weeks early and loved every second. It allowed me to prepare the house, my mind, do what I wanted for a while. I accrued annual leave whist I was off and was still able to take almost 13 months with holiday. I needed an end date. Funnily enough it was Christmas for me too and my son was born in Jan.

Why not get signed off until just before 36 weeks, then take some annual leave from that point? Ofc if baby comes early then mat leave will be triggered, but at least you'll be off until baby comes and have longer off with them.

I was signed off this summer and ended up using annual leave afterwards with my mat leave starting at around the time yours will, can't remember exactly when but it was around 36 weeks and baby came at 37+2!

Sounds fine to me! With both my 2 DC, I left at 36 weeks (I think half annual leave, half mat leave) but with Christmas, I definitely would’ve started mat leave then and rested up. (Feel like doing that now with no baby or maternity leave)

To be honest, I did regret taking early Maternity Leave, but in my case it wasn’t really something I wanted to do. I took mat leave at 30 weeks due to being in a high risk covid job and wanted to be at home protected from risks. I had my daughter at 40+1 and I was so bored up to that point but I’m an organised person who already had everything ready and I had an easy pregnancy so no real need to slow down so early.
I am now at the point where instead of going back a year later I am dipping into my savings to stay off work until my daughter turns 1 year old. She’s a bright, happy little thing but unfortunately she just really isn’t very adaptable try as I might so I worry about her sleep and milk intake (EBF) if I went back now so I’m staying off until at least she won’t need milk in the day and we can work on her naps.

36 weeks isn't particularly early, women power on for so long in the UK (and I understand why) but in France, Germany etc a woman's maternity leave automatically starts 6 weeks before their due date. It's important to prioritise yourself in heavy pregnancy as well as time with the baby after.

I had to start my maternity leave at 36 weeks with both my kids. With a combination of annual leave and sickness to get me there from 28 weeks with my first and covid meant I couldn't work as was considered too high risk with my second. I took the full year off both times, although I know this is near impossible for a lot of people to do. So didn't feel much of an impact of the 2-3 weeks I could've had extra. If you can't work you can't work. I would suggest taking some sick leave if you can afford it, then annual leave if they'll let you, that way you can maybe eek a few more weeks out of it. DD was born at 37 weeks tbf, and I was very glad of the early mat leave as I spent lots of time in hospital prior to having her.