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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

When did you/are you starting your maternity leave?

81 replies

TheBreadstick · 02/02/2012 16:08

Just curious really as I'm pg with my first and planning to start mat leave at around 38 weeks and been getting some real and faces recently when people ask when I'm planning to leave.

I've had a complication free pregnancy so far and I'm feeling really fit and well in myself - just can't help thinking I'd like more time off after baby comes rather before, or am I just kidding myself! Eeek!

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LaurenLaverne · 02/02/2012 18:08

Im finishing tomorrow!! But I am taking 4 weeks of annual leave before my Mat Leave starts, so im 35 weeks when I finish but my Mat leave starts at 39 weeks.

Im really pleased to be finishing as my hips and pelvis are really painful by the end of the day, also my concentration is rubbish!

mrsallcock · 02/02/2012 18:10

Oh my god what jobs do you all do? I'm a nurse on a busy ward, and I do not see it being possible in any way to work to 38 weeks as nurse on a busy ward. Officially I will be on mat leave at 32 weeks, I have annual leave to take, saying that I have not been at work due to a complicated pregnancy.

ginmakesitallok · 02/02/2012 18:13

I took a weeks annual leave before ML with both DDs. DD1 arrived at 38 weeks (day maty leave started) and DD2 arrived about 3 weeks early - 4 days before ML started. Went off work at 36/37 weeks with both

gloucestergirl · 02/02/2012 18:15

Have just started mine at 36 weeks. As a teacher, I had just reached the end. PGP/SPD with a long commute (and having to stand 'cos of people 'beating' me to seats on the train), waking up 3-4 times a night and a school where we go to the kids' class rather than them coming to us, so I was up and down like a yo yo all day. Good luck to those who manage longer, but I was so uncomfortable, tired and grumpy that work was becoming horrible, making me horrible.

blackteaplease · 02/02/2012 18:17

I went off at 37 weeks and had a weeks annual leave then two weeks mat leave. DD was then 2 weeks late, it was the icy winter of death 2009 and I was bored out of my skull with waiting. On the other hand I was knackered those last few weeks at work.

ivykaty44 · 02/02/2012 18:20

pg 1 two days after my due date
pg 2 24 weeks ish as I added on annual leave to finish work as it was an awful pg

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 02/02/2012 18:23

Don't know if it's changed since I had mine but you have to watch out for if you are using holiday up and the baby comes early your maternity leave starts automatically, then if your holiday year ends within your maternity leave period and you can't carry it over you lose the holiday. Both my mat leaves straddled holiday years, I used some from the first year to work less days in the last few weeks and some from the second year to work less days the first few weeks back.

ChasTittyBeltUp · 02/02/2012 18:24

I began at 7 months. I was knackered.

NatashaBee · 02/02/2012 18:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

blackteaplease · 02/02/2012 18:25

That was the case 2 years ago Whonknows as my colleague planned to have a whole month off before mat leave and ended up losing all her annual leave. I was due at the end of my leave year and kept a week back so it wasn't so much of a problem.

openerofjars · 02/02/2012 18:30

I stopped at 37 ish weeks for DS and am planning on going to 38 with this one if I can. My god, the boredom before the baby arrived last time was epic, although this time I will have DS to contend with as well. I'd still rather have the time off post-birth, though.

mildertduck · 02/02/2012 20:57

Thanks to using up annual leave I'm going at 34 weeks. Yay!

Re losing holiday if the baby comes early - I think it depends on your company policy. My maternity leave starts the Sunday of the week I'm due, but if I give birth earlier HR will sort it out so that the holiday I didn't use is cashed in, so I don't lose out.

tigana · 02/02/2012 21:04

38 weeks both times.
Both times lots of people saying "oooooo, that's leaving it late!" and "I don't think you'll last that long" etc.

Both times I went overdue!!
Both times straightforward pregnancies.
Both times was utterly knackered in the last 2-3 weeks of work, went to bed for a nap as soon as got home from work.
Both times work was desk-based and not super stressful.

MrsLister · 02/02/2012 21:14

I haven't even thought about this - still only 10 wks so not had the HR chat with work yet.

One thing for me is that I'm due Aug 30th and I will be living in East London - about 10 mins away from the Olympics. Am thinking I will want to have left work before they start to avoid commuter HELL whilst ready to drop!

ThreeForTea · 02/02/2012 21:14

Last time I was still at work at 39 weeks, however had cut down by a day a week with al from 36 weeks. I did have early labour scare at 36 due to early show, contractions etc. As was my first think I was really anxious about being stuck home worrying and miserable alone and just waiting. Think of totally depends on your workplace. I didn't deliver till 41 +2 so am happy I worked late ad didn't enjoy the last couple of weeks at all (was nesting to max, ironing knickers etc)
This time though am hoping to take ml at the earliest possible, 11 weeks before due date, plus take all the al ill have owing till next April first, which means can leave work around 20th may for a Sept delivery :) completely other extreme but would really want to spend the summer with dd (who is 1) and taking it easy. But intending to have the full year off this time, and a lot less bothered about going back at all tbh.

aaahhhBump · 02/02/2012 21:46

Off on al nxt week, then back for 4 weeks of work. Two more weeks AL and ML starts when I'm 39+5. I work as an auxiliary in a hospital. Hasn't been the best pregnancy as I've got hyperemesis and anemia. Fingers crossed for a quick easy labour.:o

feekerry · 02/02/2012 21:57

I was going to work till about 38 weeks as my work are pretty good but i've now decided to leave at 35 weeks as I just cant be bothered with work anymore! I do really want as much leave as possible for when baby is here as money will be tight but late pregnancy is harder work than I thought! Currently 34 weeks and whilst nothing awful, its just hard work and i'm really looking forward to doing some nice me things for the next few weeks. On the other hand i'll be a little annoyed if she's 2 weeks late as that will be 7 weeks of my leave already gone.

Happenstance · 02/02/2012 22:01

33 weeks last time 35 weeks this time 3 weeks to go and tbh i'm shattered, role on end of feb :)

Want2bSupermum · 02/02/2012 22:01

I was planning on working through to 39 weeks but at 35 wks I was so swollen that the obn put me on bed rest (I am in the US). Here in NJ you get unlimited disability before pregnancy if doctor signs you off.

I think you should set a target - say 37-39 weeks and tell HR that you will let them know when you get closer. My obn said at my first appointment that you can go anytime after 35wks and that my employer should have plans in place to replace me after this time. I didn't have a replacement but delegated my work from 32wks onward so I didn't do much during the day but was around to answer questions. Handover wasn't a problem as I started the process early.

If you are a nurse I would think you can't do much in your 3rd trimester.

sleeplessinderbyshire · 02/02/2012 22:08

I only get 6 months leave (partner in small business so our agreement states this rather than the employee's standard 12 months) because of this I am having a/l from 37 weeks and starting m/l at 39 weeks. last time i worked til 38 weeks and had DD at 39 weeks I was bored silly at home that first week - this time with DD to keep me busy/tire me out I suspect i'll be glad to stop sooner but returning to work with a 5 1/2 month old is rubbish enough without making that time any shorter by going off sooner

ardenbird · 03/02/2012 05:35

Wow, you 39+ ladies make me not feel so ambitious :). I'm starting ML on the due date with annual leave before: original plan was 10 days leave, so off at 38 weeks, but I started to panic that was too late and cut short my Xmas break to get three more days, so now taking off at 37+3 (a weekend gives me one more day in there). I get 16 weeks paid leave, which is all I'm taking as I'm the sole wage earner, so I wanted as much as possible with the baby. Having come from the States, I'm just awed at how much time I get off, although people here seem to think I'm not taking much.

And it must be that the annual leave thing is employer-specific: we can't carry any leave over ML no matter when in the year it falls, so it's use-it-or-lose-it. My worry is if something happens before I go off, ML automatically starts and I'll have to be back sooner, so less time with LO. Our "autostart" is for days off for any illness pregnancy-related within 11 weeks of the due date.

I'm now struggling quite a bit (32+5, so within the autostart zone) as I have quite bad SPD: on crutches and terrible sleep due to the pain. I had to put my ML start in writing way before things got bad, so had no way to know. So now i just have to keep going. But I'm not sure I would have done differently: I still want as much time off as I can with the LO, and at least work distracts me from feeling sorry for myself :). Plus, as I crutch my way around I get to educate colleagues about how much a struggle pregnancy can be.

TopazMortmain · 03/02/2012 05:53

Due tomorrow and working now

Mostly because I am a control freak...

molly3478 · 03/02/2012 06:11

Last time I went up to 40 weeks (my due date was my last day). That was doing uni and placement and I had 10 days off and then went straight back to it after birth.

This time I work in a physical, non stop not much sitting down job at a busy nursery and I am going to 37. I could go longer but I need to use leave.

MiauMau · 03/02/2012 10:20

I'm 38+3 and still working. I'm hoping to work another week, I love my job and even though my commute is long (1h15m), I have my DP with me and he bullies people into giving me their seats :o and the idea of not working after I struggled so much to get to where I am professionally is bothering me a bit.
Also, I seriously HATE waiting, have a major trauma about it. Staying at home would just make me insane. At least next week my mum will join us and I'll have someone to distract me.

TeaandCake · 03/02/2012 10:50

DC1 finished at 33 weeks - 2 weeks annual leave then mat leave from 35 weeks. A v good decision, was utterly fed up with my boss and was glad to get away from her and I figured that I'd never get this time to myself again (I was right about that!).

Spent the time meeting friends for lunch, daytime cinema, afternoon naps, spending a bit of time with DH (he is self-employed so I could go to his workplace and hang out there and drink tea), preparing last minute stuff for the nursery, cleaning the house and generally nesting, cooking for the freezer (invaluable post birth) and generally enjoying myself!

It also gave me time to think and get my head together before the massive life-change.

DC2 finished at 36 weeks. Again, 2 weeks AL then ML from then. Was working PT so not quite as desperate to get away!

No opportunity for relaxation with a 2 and a half year old around though. Spent his 2 nursery sessions a week doing the freezer cooking but no real time to rest!

DC3, will finish at 36 weeks again. No let up with school and nursery runs to do.

I would advise anybody to finish a little sooner and enjoy the time beforehand, you will be a parent forever afterwards and it will probably be many years before you get the chance to spend time solely on yourself. Enjoy it!

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