Early or late, is there a sign?

[apples82]

I'm currently debating when to start my mat leave, due 17th Oct.

But my question is, into the last trimester, is there ANY indicators that the midwife can tell from bump or how it sits etc, that may give a hint as to if i'd be early, or go the distance etc?

I know i'm clutching at straws, but i'll take old wives tales!!!

I don't think there are any signs, but this is my first so not much idea on anything really!

As for maternity leave: I'm due on October 23rd and start my official maternity leave two weeks before this, BUT also added my remaining two weeks of annual leave onto the front of this so I finish on September 23rd.

That's similar to me Renaissance227, I'm thinking of starting mat leave a week before due date, but I have three weeks of holiday to take still so will add that on to finish at 36 weeks.

I'm not sure whether this is greedy though, and I could go another week at work! Hence the question

I think that sounds fine and not greedy at all. It's a good amount of time before you have the baby so that you can rest and buy all those last min bits and pieces. You will be probably be ready to finish at 36 weeks!

I planned to finish just 2 weeks before due date, but as the pregnancy progressed and the sickness didn't stop I made that 3 weeks.
Now I am wishing for more time. I am off on annual leave this week and just pottering about doing little jobs with DD (who is almost 12 so more of a help than a hindrance thankfully).

Then I am doing 3 more weeks (ok so Monday 11th is WFH due to 2 appointments at scan and diabetic clinic so not a full day) and I have the 22nd as a days annual leave too - so 13 more days really.

I feel so big and sickly and tired now I am thinking to myself how on earth am I going to manage 3 more weeks in the office. But I know I will cope by going to bed at 8pm and DH doing most of the round the house tasks for that time.

Roll on 29 Jul - I cannot wait!! (Due Aug 21st)

Don't under-estimate how crappy you may be feeling at that point. If you do feel crappy you will be thankful of the rest before LO arrives.

However, You may feel great, like my friend did, but she also got her whole house in perfect order in that last 4 weeks so it certainly wasn't a waste.

I am very thankful of this week off (booked months ago) ... I've got a bit more prepared which is a good thing as I have been diagnosted with GD and that can potentially mean I will see baby early (which is no bad thing considering how urg I feel - but will eat into my precious 3 weeks).
Nappy washing commences tomorrow :)

Hope my comments help you choose, it is a choice for you just bear in mind how you feel then is way different to how you feel now. Also find out fom work how late can you change your mind, so you know if you can be a little flexible.

Based on my experience, I seriously suggest you do not ask the midwife for advice on early/late as it may well give you false hope or unnecessary worry! My midwife told me at 28 weeks with my first pg that the baby's head was already engaged and to prepare for an early birth. Baby eventually arrived at 42 weeks after a world record dosage of syntocin (think that is what the induction stuff is called)!!!

As far at mat leave goes, it depends entirely on your plans for returning to work afterwards. I had 6 moths off for instance so I actually worked up until my due date so I had the max time off with my baby. Although I felt pretty rough at the time and had to put up with colleagues saying things like 'your waters had better not break in my office!' and 'you look ready to pop!', in retrospect I am very glad I did this. If I had finished 2 or 3 weeks earlier I would have wasted a month or more sitting around the house waiting for my baby to put in an appearance and then had to return to work when my baby was still pretty little. As it was, when my baby was 6 months and I went back she still seemed so young and needy, it nearly broke my heart!

Good luck with it all :)

Hey Eviepoo, ooh I hope the rest of your time until 29th July goes quickly, sounds like you're ready for a break. Thanks for your advise, just had a midwife app coincidentally and she said the same as you- you'll be surprised how tired you are at that stage!