Is it crazy to plan to start maternity leave the week I am due?

[Pinetreeland]

Hi,

My job is office based with no physical activities involved. I am planning to start my maternity leave the week when I am due so I can spend more time with my baby instead. But consider that most people seems to take a few weeks off before due date, I am wondering whether I am being a bit 'brave' and underestimating the physical strain of having to commute to work with a big belly and not being able to rest as much as I would like.

My due date is early next year so I won't have accumulated much holidays neither to take before the birth.

Anyone has experience starting maternity leave just before expect date?

Many thanks!

I went at 38 weeks before DD and was bored and restless at home just waiting for labour to start for over 2 weeks. So this time I'm planning to go to a couple of days before my due date (so 39 + 5) and start my leave then. If I go into labour at work, so be it! The hospital's only round the corner.

My commute to work is just less than an hour each way - at the moment the train takes 20 minutes (commuter train into london) and I have been avoiding the tube by walking the rest of the journey. But again, I am not sure how good I would be at walking 1 hour everyday when I am close to 40 weeks.

I few girls in my office have given birth and have been opting for working from home a couple of days a week the month before the birth so I am hoping that I should be able to do the same. Although I do agree with the point about snow in the winter - I haven't thought about that at all!

My instinct been telling me that this baby will be late. Although most of the time my instinct doesn't really work! :p So I am not sure whether that's just simply wisful thinking! I am also scared that if I stay at home all these time before the birth I will panick and just fantascising everything that can possibly go wrong at the birth! If I am working, I am hoping work will be able to distract me!

My DH's opinion is that it would be great if I go into labour at work as I will be in the hands of many experienced and competent colleagues! However somehow I don't think it's such a good idea..

well, walking is good in late pregnancy - though at your own pace, and it becomes more of a waddle.

unfortunately i was using long walks as a child-managment strategy at 40 weeks and all it meant was that i needed a long lunchtime sleep at the same time as them (so no spare time generated)

you may find you want that sleep time!

My DS and DD2 were both two weeks late, I stopped working the week before my due date so was sitting around for 3 weeks. BORED STIFF.

I didn't have the money to go out and have lots of pampering treats or the like, I was too big and uncomfortable to do much, and sitting aorund at home made me feel like I should clean the place.

I still felt tired when the baby came, didn't make a bit of difference.

If you feel well and work is a welcome distraction, keep working.

If working from home is a possibility, I'd go for it. If you really start struggling nearer your EDD, your doc can sign you off which afaik would trigger your mat leave if it's late enough. So you'd have that as a fall-back if you get to 37 weeks and need a break before baby arrives.

Are you booked into RBH?

Be warned that if you develop SPD, walking any distance will become a lot harder. It's very common to get at least some symptoms just before your EDD as your pelvis preps for birth and baby engages, even if you're fine up to then.

Hello

Don't really have anything to add re: how you'll feel - posters seem to have covered it.

However, you should check with your manager or HR team about your annual leave. As you accrue annual leave throughout maternity leave, you will have lots to take either at the beginning or the end of your mat leave.

If you are planning to take an extended period of time off (and so that may/will take you into the next holiday year) some employers won't let you carry unused holiday over to the next holiday year. As such, to get the benefit of that holiday, you may have to take it before your maternity leave. I'm adding 2 weeks holiday on before my mat leave so that I don't lose it. Employer's will rarely pay you in lieu of unused holiday.

Make sure you speak to someone as you don't want to lose your holiday!

I worked up until the day before I gave birth to twins at 36 weeks. I had planned to take a few days off before I was due to go in to have them at 38 weeks but I was taken in a bit earlier. I had an easy pregnancy and ran and swam throughout. I think though that i was lucky, no sickness or tiredness which I imagine would make a big difference to how you feel. I also had no other children which would also have an impact. I wanted to have as much time afterwards as possible wih my Dt's although a few days or weeks peace on my own sounds bliss now

No crazy but bear in mind the time between finishing work and the baby coming is the last time you will have to yourself EVER

My friend's DS was early, she finished work 4 weeks before EDD and that night went into labour!

I took 5 weeks off before DD and it was bliss! So worth it. This time I have taken 4 weeks, and it's not quite so much of a break but am knackered so it's good not to have to worry about work any more.

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the advice and especially the bit about accrued holiday during maternity leave. I have no clue about that at all! I just got a spreadsheet from HR and seems like I may even get bank holiday as well. I definitely need to find out more about the company policy. As it was said, it may only make sense for me to take all the days before the leave starts.

I can't remember exactly but I think my company may have a policy saying that maternity leave needs to start at birth (which sounds pretty logical...).

Many thanks again!

As we were skint both times around and couldn't afford for me to take off any more than 8 weeks plus 4 weeks annual leave with both DC I wanted as much time as possible at home with the baby.

I left work at 39 weeks first time around, and as DD was a planned C/S I finished the day before she was born.

However I did have an office job with an easy commute.

My DS was due a Tuesday and I was due to start my mat leave the Friday before.
But due to health reasons I was induced at 38 weeks and signed off sign at 37.

If I was to have a second pregnancy I will stop work at 36 / 37 weeks by either starting my mat leave or by taking some annual leave as I was exhausted due to the lack of sleep.

Depends on how you are feeling. With DDs1-3 I stopped dead on 40 weeks. This time I'm booking mat leave from 40+2 though, as know I would only be frustrated otherwise.