when should I start maternity leave?

[SimplySoo]

This is my first baby, it's due at end of October. I've told my employer provisionally I'm going to start my maternity leave on 1 October, and use my last 2 weeks annual leave at the end of Sept, so effectively stop work mid Sept.

Thing is, we're planning to move near the end of my pregnancy. We're renting in London so only need to start looking in July/Aug (during the Olympics!) to move in Sept. Are we cutting it too fine? Should I stop work on 1 Sept (or even earlier?) to make moving less stressful? I don't particularly like my job but could do with the money!

What are others doing/what have others done?

It's such a personal thing. My mw wanted me to stop at 34 weeks as my job is quite stressful. In the end (I am 33 weeks) I have used holiday to reduce my working week to 2 or 3 days a week. I am then using 2 weeks annual leave to take me to 38 weeks then my mat leave kicks in 2 weeks before my due date but effectively I will have been off for 4 weeks.

My mummy friends just found that they were more tired towards the end, and that's without the stress of moving! I have just been enjoying doing stuff for me before our lives change forever!

I would say 01 sept is fine, you would be around 31 weeks?

Frog

Can

I'd recommend as early as poss . I left 3 months before as early as you can legally. I had moved house and we had renovations to do. Plus I had a 3hr commute and a job that I hated so it wasn't really a tough choice for me. I also knew I wasn't going back so I was delighted to say goodbye pronto...

I stopped at 37 weeks with first pregnancy And 34 with second. Both were fine, but I did get a bit bored waiting with second!

With my first, I worked to the end, (worked on the Friday, went into about on the Monday at 39 weeks) I was a counsellor, had a nice cushy office and could make my own appointments. I went back to work the day after dd turned one, which was great.

Now, I am a kindergarten teacher and am exhausted. I am moving to the UK 2 days after I finish work at 35+5. I cannot wait to stop work and get on with this move. As a teacher, I will be getting 14 months off with this baby, which I am very happy about.

I wouldn't start mat leave at 31 weeks, if I meant I had to go back when dc was 10 months old. I would much rather have the time off with baby, then by myself.

It will depend on how you are feeling at the time really. I think what you have planned is quite sensible. you can always change your mind nearer the time or even drop some working hours/days without affecting your maternity pay as that will have been calculated from earlier in the year
I started my last leave around the same timings as you and my DD was 11 days late, I was going insane by that point!

Thanks everyone. It's a desk job, only half hour commute at the mo, but would be one and a half hours after we move, hence the desire to move after i've stopped work! Good point mrswee about cutting down hours towards the end. sooty - I'm so tempted to leave that early!

A cautionary tale: DP & I sold our flat, with an exit date of about 32 weeks, as I didn't want to be moving too close to my term date.

Baby arrived very unexpectedly at 29 weeks! Moving house 3 weeks later, with a baby in intensive care & after an emergency CS was hellish.

There were several of us in the same situation - we all wished we'd moved much earlier in pregnancy.

Whilst extremely unlikely to happen to you - do have a plan B xx

I worked until 3 weeks before my due date with DC1, all 3 weeks were annual leave. Baby was 10 days over so I got an extra week. We moved house on the first day of my mat leave and I was very glad to have the 4 weeks to get settled.

The last few days got a bit boring but honestly it's the last chance you'll have for MANY YEARS to lie on the sofa watching telly, reading, snacking and pottering about in peace. Make the most of it. And rest as much as you can, you'll certainly wish you had after the baby comes.

It's a good idea to take as much annual leave instead of mat leave as you can beforehand then you'll have as much mat leave as possible after the baby comes. You'll acrue all your annual leave as normal while on mat leave so can tag some of this on to the end to extend your time off if you want.

Best wishes

Thanks, lotsofcheese - I had wondered about a plan B. Even though it's expensive we might work it so we have a slight overlap between our new place and current place, not sure how realistic that is though. It's frustrating not being able to plan our move yet!

It's a personal thing. I worked to 36 weeks. Dd didn't come till 42+3. Longest time of my life. A house move would have kept me occupies

With DC1 I finished at 36 weeks, she was 2 weeks late and I was bored shitless by the time she came.
DC2 I finished at 38 weeks, then again had an extra 2 weeks til he came.
This time I am now 40 weeks, finished 1 week ago and am hoping he's late too as I'm enjoying some me time!

My attitude is that I'd rather have time off with the baby once it's born rather than before but then my current job is not overly stressful.