Maternity leave and potential breech c-section

[Crumm24]

I work in a sit-down office job, so I plan to work up until 39 weeks, take a weeks holiday and then start maternity from my due date (or the day before it - basically the last possible point). However, currently at 33 weeks, baby is still very much head up and has been comfortably in the same position for weeks. I know he's still got lots of time to turn, but what would happen if I were to be penciled in for a c-section with regards to my maternity? Would I then have to take it from the c-section date? What if I was scanned on the day and he's turned so the section didn't go ahead - would I still have to take maternity from then, or could I cancel and go back to my original plan?! I know it's only really a week or so in it, but am just curious (and clueless!).

Hopefully it's all moot anyways and he'll be head down very soon!

In my last pregnancy I was due to start maternity leave at 39 weeks, with 4 weeks of annual leave before that. However, DS came 6 weeks early. So my mat leave had to start on the day he was born. My annual leave got carried over to the end of my mat leave as there were "extenuating circumstances". I work for the NHS, if any of that helps.

Unfortunately it's not an exact science... the best you can do is hedge your bets, I would be tempted to take your weeks holiday from 38 weeks then plan to start your m/l at 39 weeks (which is when your c-sec will be if you need one).

I had 6 weeks of holiday to take or lose before DS was born - it was an anxious time - I kept thinking about how if he arrived early I'd lose £500 for each week he was early! As it happened the wonder arrived at 39+6 and the day my M/L actually started!