When is best to start maternity leave

[stripeknit]

Hi all, what is peoples advice for starting maternity leave? I am due the very end of January and haven't been with my employer long enough to get SMP but should be eligible for maternity allowance instead. I haven't used much of my AL either so should have about 20 days left although would like to take some around Christmas. What's best, to work until I can basically a week or two before due date or take AL between Christmas and due date and basically have the whole of January off.

Also, what is the general consensus of how long. Do most take their 52 week entitlement or the 39 paid weeks. Time is flying and I really should get a plan in place to propose to my boss. Any advice or comments would be great.

I'm not sure how you got to now without a plan tbh! You have to submit a form to HR to apply for leave before the end of your 25th week of pregnancy, and the form usually includes your due date and when you want to take your leave from. You can change it after, but there has to be a plan in place.

Otherwise depends on you and how you're coping. Some are fine to work until the very end (then use AL to extend their mat leave at full pay), some need to finish much earlier - especially if quite demanding job that involves you being on your feet.

It's a personal decision, but consider your comfort, health, and finances. Taking some AL around Christmas and working closer to your due date might offer a balance. Most take the 52-week entitlement, but it varies. Discuss your plans with your boss.

I was due near the beginning of Jan, went off about three and a half weeks beforehand, most of that was annual leave (only had to take 12 days with Chrstmas bank hols) with mat leaving kicking in 3 days before my due date. Would have been fine working up until my mat leave date but it was nice to have it off and I did have an easy pregnancy. Ended up having LO the day after Mat leave started!

If I had another I would probably do the same

I'm very surprised they haven't asked your plans yet. I'm working until due date, but i do WFH. I can carry over all my annual leave and use it at the end of maternity leave so I get several weeks full pay before going back.

With DD1 i planned to go off on AL at 38w and then mat leave at 39w. Baby was born at 38w and i REALLY resented not having that down time before she arrived. It felt like i basically finished in the office, baby was here, house was a tip and i wasn't mentally prepared. So this time im planning to go at 37w just in case.

I only took 39weeks paid mat leave rather than 52, but I really enjoy my job and DD went to a lovely nursery so i was happy to get back (i had PND so didnt have the greatest mat leave). I know many others who took the full 52 weeks leave and really enjoyed it.

Agree with pp that HR would have been chasing me long before now!

Thanks for all of your replies! They're really helpful. I'm not sure why HR haven't chased it up either but probably something to do with as it's a very small team and with half term in the way, I'd like to be proactive and get something in place initially. It's my first baby so all of this is very new and the weeks now seem to be flying by!

I have myself a week to have a week for myself. I was due to start leave at 39w. My waters broke at 38+5 and she was born the following morning. I had to edit my online shopping to remove all the ingredients for the baking I had planned at 3am in labour.
I was pretty certain I was going back at 9 months but I developed severe depression and pyschosis so instead of going back to work in went into a mother and baby unit and had 3 months off sick at the end of my 12m mat leave

I guess what I'm saying even with the best laid plans circumstances can cause them to change

Do look into whether you are entitled to KIT days!

I'd planned to work up until my due date originally but was a WFH office job. Unfortunately I developed complications with the pregnancy and was struggling with work so brought my mat leave forward a month.. baby was born by unplanned emcs at almost 37weeks.

I'd have liked to have the full 52 weeks if I could as loved every minute of mat leave but couldn't afford it so took the paid element, did KIT days and then took leave and went back when baby was 10.5months old. I think all in i only had 1 week of unpaid mat. However I did tell work I was taking 52 weeks.. and just gave the 8 weeks notice required to return early so I had the option for flexibility :)

Thankfully my work was very flexible with going on mat leave and although asked for a plan was happy for me to ask to leave earlier if I needed to. Was my first baby to so had no idea how I'd be feeling towards the end when making plans.