Maternity leave advice needed please

[josieangel]

Hi
I've never started a thread on here before, but could do with the experienced advice of others on here.

I am 21 weeks pregnant with my first baby, and trying to figure out maternity leave. I work in an office, and sit down the majority of the day. Pregnancy all fine so far, and fingers crossed will stay that way!

As I understand it, I will get paid 6 weeks at 90% of my current pay, then 33 weeks at £128.73. Sadly, I can't afford to take stacks of time off, so I'm trying to work out how to optimise my time off, but realistically!

I'm due 17th September, and (probably naively) hoping to work until the end of August, and return to work 3 days a week in January.

In your experience - is this do-able?!

Thanks

hey josieangel, no experience I'm afraid, but also hoping it's do-able! I'm due on the 27th July and have got last day (teaching) down as 15th July at the moment.
My theory was that I'd rather put down a later dater and finish earlier if need be rather than say I'll finish at 35 weeks or something and feel well enough to carry on (but then not be able to).
Like you, we can't afford for me to be off for ages so I'd much rather have my time with the baby, than beforehand.
Fingers crossed it'll work out as planned!

I'm due on the 15th of September and plan to start official maternity leave on the 12th with 2 weeks holiday befor so finishing at the end of Aug. I figured I can always bring it forward if I need to but this way I get more time with dd when she arrives.

Have you factored in your annual leave you are due too?

In my case we HAVE to take our annual leave for the current holiday year (unless we are returning in that same holiday year) before the baby due date (as maternity leave has to start as soon as the baby is born, and any holiday not taken is lost). You might also consider taking some annual leave before returning.

If you are well and given you are not in a physically demanding job then working to 38 weeks is do-able (for a teacher I would have thought it would be harder?). I have left at 35 weeks both times, first time I really felt ready to leave, it hurt to sit and I felt tired and achy, this time I felt a bit of a fraud as feel absolutely fine.

I work in an office, and had a very straightforward pregnancy; I started my maternity leave at 38 weeks. At 36 weeks I used some AL to cut down to 3 days a week, so I was getting in the swing of not working (bit of a workaholic in my prebaby days).

I planned to take 6 months, then use my remaining holiday by the end of the holiday year, taking it to 7 months altogether. However my boss could sense my reluctance to come back to work, and bent the rules on AL to let me carry over my holiday into the next year, which meant I could go back 4 days a weeks to start with, using one day a week so I'm only in the office for 3 days.

Bit now, realising that it was this week one year ago I was starting ML. In June, I'll have used up all of last year's holiday and will be full time again. Enjoy the months to come OP, it really does go faster than you expect.

You really don't know how you are going to feel until you are there. I was really ill around 24-30 weeks and took maternity leave early but since about 32 weeks have been fine. I was doing quite a physically demanding job though so still sure I was right to stop.

I would say you plan to work to whenever you think, then you can always leave earlier if you have any health problems or it all gets too much.

IME, it?s definitely doable! I am also not in a great position financially and get only 6 weeks at 90% before dropping to SMP
I also work in an office and sit at my desk the majority of the day. The only hard part is the hours tube commute each way between home and work.

With DD, the EDD was Weds 28th. My last working day was Fri 23rd and I went into labour on Mon 26th.
I had a well enough PG, yes did get tired physically with the commute and the stairs but was fine once in the office.
I returned back to work, 3 days a week when DD was 7 months, and went back to full time when DD was 1yo.

With this PG, the EDD is Mon 13th, however as I have a toddler, want to spend some time with her, so am planning to take annual leave from Tues the 6th.
So will be 39 weeks when I start ML.

So my advice is, as long as you feel well enough, working til 37 weeks should be absolutely fine (and if its not, you can always bring it fwd)

Havent read all the posts but I've just finished work at 38 weeks taking two weeks annual leave to take me up to the day after my DD. I am lucky to have had an easy pregnancy and have a job where I plan my own diary. I also managed to take 10 days off using toil to cover the time between the public holidays last months, now on maternity and feel like I dont deserve it as I've had a week off last week. Though baby arriving by ELCS on Thursday so will actually on have had 3 days off without baby.

Thanks for all your advice everyone, it's really helpful to see other people's experiences and opinions on my plans. Also visited a nursery today to see where baby will hopefully be going a couple of days a week, so feeling very reassured tonight :)

Actually, could just do with a couple of reassuring big kicks from bumpy tonight if s/he's listening to calm my "prone to panic" nerves please!!

Hi Josie,

I'm 35+4 now and made the same plan you describe: to work to 38 weeks. I also have a desk based job and a 45 min commute (walk and tube). I decided on Monday that i need to take one day off this week, and my last two weeks at work as I'm more tired than I expected I would be. My employers have been supportive and today is my first day off and I'm loving it!

Might reduced hours at the end of your pregnancy be an option you can keep open, should you need it?

my maternity leave is same kind of deal. 100% pay for 6 weeks then SMP for 33 weeks. i had to tell work what day my ML was starting on and any annual leave i wanted to take. other than that i have had no query n what i intend to do on returning. the letter just said that i have to return ( i ticked the box saying i planned to) within 52 weeks of ML start date.

because of where i fall, i;ve had to take all my annual leave before ML (and work it round college on day release) so its amounted to 5 1/2 weeks off prior to due date - my official ML start date is the EDD of baby!

Hi, I am due 9th September. I am planning to work until 3 weeks before, so I guess that's 37 weeks. I am planning to go back when DS is 6 or 7 months. I am curious how that worked for people the other end, in terms of childcare, breast feeding... Thank you for the thread, OP, very useful.

Im a teacher and due in November, I can only afford to take 5/6 months of so was planning to work till 39 weeks as I believe thats the maximum I'm allowed to work till. Sure I'll be knackered but I'd rather hve as much time as possible after wards.

Hiya, SMP is actually 100% of current pay OR 90% of average of last two months, whichever is higher. And by current, I mean your estimated week of delivery minus 15 weeks. A bit hard to work out, I know (I work in HR and even I figured it out wrong the first time!)

I'm currently 34+3, and have just decided to start my leave 12 days before my due date. People have been warning me for ages that I might not be up for that, including SIL who started hers 5 weeks before, but actually I feel fine and frankly am a wee bit determined not to let this pregnancy beat me so easily.

However I also have a fairly easy commute (30 mins on tube), a desk job, and a very flexible and understanding boss who is happy for me to amend my date if I need to or even continue to work from home beyond my leave date if I'm up to it. I have about a weeks worth of annual leave left too which I can use to shorten my weeks.

In the US, women only get 12 weeks maternity leave so it is not uncommon for them to literally work until the contractions start. I figure if they can do it, so can I.

Hi, if it makes you feel better I'm due in 11 days and am still working full time. My last day is 2 days before my EDD and i work in an office environment too. It is possible to keep going till the end!!

I'm working till 37+4, I'm a teacher and doing an extra week would take me to the summer hols but already finding it hard work being on my feet all day at 31+ weeks so glad I've only 6 weeks left. Would love to work longer and have more time after LO arrives but don't want to be a knackered wreck before I even go into labour :)

transatlantic is that in the US?? The first 6weeks I have been told is 90% of' my wage averaged over a week period 8 weeks prior to my due date. Got that off gov.uk website too? Am I missing something?

OP I am booked to go on ML at 39 weeks unless things change before I have flexibility to take leave if I want it before. All over leave I am taking at the end of my mat leave. It was more convenient for my work to do that. Normally u would lose any leave not take like the other post says above.

I get to work from home if suitable for a day or so in week so that break it up nicely and helps with the fatigue!

I'm 31 weeks now.

All other leave I mean! Trying to type laid down around a bump! :)

Hi

I was due on 17th Sept 3 years ago, and left work on 22 Aug. I was pretty bored after two weeks, although very tired (late pg is very hard work), but then DS showed up on 7 Sept anyway.

DC2 is due on 25 Oct, and I am planning on stopping work on 30 Sept.

PS Also desk based office job, which I drive to.

JimmyChoo17 how strange - it's here in the UK but I just looked at the direct gov link and see what you mean. Our company policy says that "statutory" is 90% of two months or 100% one month whichever is higher. But they also uplift on top of that, so I don't know if the 100% is an extra uplift...? My company is giving me 26 weeks on full pay, then 3 months on statutory pay (£128pw)... and because my bonus got paid in one of the months they take your average salary, by pure luck I'm being paid a lot more than my regular salary for those first 6 weeks when SMP is in force. So I'm quite lucky in that respect.

I get about 8 weeks where they pay me 50% of my wages plus smp on top of it.