Teacher - maternity leave 34 weeks

[studentvera]

Hi there
Was hoping you lovely ladies would give me your opinion. Have told my work I will start my leave at 34 weeks - I'm a primary school teacher.
Do you think that's doable? I'm still early days but this is my first pregnancy and I have no idea what to expect!!

I started my first mat leave at 35 weeks and was tired but fine. Also had enough time to nest/prepare/rest before baby. Everyone is different though!

I would have thought it was quite early. You want plenty of time after the baby is born. I am planning in 38 weeks.

I left at 35 weeks (not a teacher). Loved having time to sleep, mooch, go to cinema, meet people for lunch, nest etc. I know too many people who worked to 38 weeks then went into labour within a day or two of finishing work (the same night they finished in the case of 2 people I know!). No time to decompress or prepare for what was to come or just enjoy a few precious weeks of no responsibilities for the last time in 20 years... You won't regret finishing early.

What is your commute like? That's something to factor in. I worked until 38+1 which was the end of term. I was tired but also had an hour commute on public transport which was probably the reason for the tiredness. I would say 34 weeks might be a bit early.

Congrats! Also a teacher, went on ML with DS at 37 weeks, gave birth at 38 weeks... 34 weeks is absolutely fine :)

I was teaching full time and started my maternity leave at 34 weeks. Yes, you get extra time with the LO if you leave it til later, but I was born 6 weeks early and in my head I wanted to leave at that stage just in case.

I had 3 weeks at home before I had DD at 37 weeks. I also had DD2 at 36 weeks.

The argument re: having more time off after baby is born is null and void if, like me, you're planning on going back at a certain time of the school year. Eg I went back for the last two weeks of the summer term and would have done so no matter when I'd finished, to ease myself back in, get to know new children etc and start preparing for September.

Also- if you can, make sure you start your mat leave at the beginning of a term, eg I started mine officially on 4th jan despite finishing at end of autumn term. It's no different from tagging on your annual leave which is what people in industry can do!

With my first I worked up till 10 days before my due date. It was tiring but had good support from colleagues who would help bring the children in after playtime etc as I couldn't walk far by the end. It's personal to everyone but I preferred working as long as possible to keep my mind off the birth.

I'm pregnant again and plan to work till 38 weeks as I only work 2 days a week and will prob have csection at 39 weeks.

34 weeks does seem quite early, and most women seem to prefer taking less time off before the birth so as to maximise paid time off with baby.

Also bear in mind that tying your start of mat leave in with school holidays can work out well. Eg last time my baby was due on 27 December so I was determined to work up till the end of term, so then got paid holiday pay as normal for first week of Xmas hols and put mat leave start date to be my due date.

If you can't cope at 34 weeks, you can be signed off sick.

You can be signed off sick with pregnancy-related issues at any point up until 36 weeks, at which point any pregnancy-related sick leave will trigger maternity leave automatically.

So, I'd plan to start ML as late as possible, and go off sick if you cannot cope, starting ML at 36 weeks at the earliest.

I finished at 32 weeks and was on my knees! It coincided with the end of term though, so it was convenient.

What age do you teach?

I started mine at 36 weeks, but it was really 34 because of two weeks holiday. And our pfb was two weeks late!

The children I worked with at that time were very young and I couldn't have done it without the support of my colleagues because it was so physical, and I was sooooo immobile.

I went to 36 weeks with my first and was pretty tired by the end. I'd originally planned to go to 38 weeks but realised by 32/33 that it wasn't doable or me.

Which key stage are you?

I don't think teaching can compare to office jobs where you have more of an opportunity to switch off for 15 minutes or so.

I think it also depends how far from the holidays you are. 38 weeks at two weeks past half term would be fairly doable but 38 weeks four weeks past half term probably isn't.

I'd leave it until later to see how your body is coping and decide then.

I'm a primary school teacher. I'll be leaving at 37+4 which is the end of term so I'll have some holiday first then ml will start at 39 weeks.

Having to make the same call myself. Was thinking end of term at 37 weeks, but autumn term so knackering I don't think it will be doable. Thinking to leave at 35 weeks now which seems manageable and leaves me time to rest etc.
You have to factor in time of year, eg end of school year in july is going to be easier than the build up to xmas when everyones tired and ratty and workload is huge.

Thank you for replies! V useful!

Am a reception teacher so 4 years old and commute one hour on public transport.

Perhaps will try to make it to 36 weeks

I'm finishing at 34 weeks and i work in a call centre. I have ds who is a toddler and i work compressed hours over 4 days, and I'm already shattered. My bump measures two weeks ahead, I'm cumbersome and have my own gravitational pull at 30 weeks.

I'm always foing to be going back when the baby is 20 weeks because I'm splitting the leave with dh.

i left at 35 weeks with ds and he came at 38, it was nice to have time to myself

I'm a teacher and did

DC1 - 36 weeks
DC2 - 37 weeks
DC3 - 38 weeks

However, I have a tendency to have mine 2 weeks late so got very bored with the first one...

interesting thread. I am a secondary teacher but I have middle management responsibility and teach in different rooms. Im due end may/start june so am hoping I can go to half term and get the week before official maternity leave starts.

im not sure yet if ill manage it!

I went if at 29 weeks with DS.(Was sick of teaching and desperate for a lovely long break). 33 weeks with DS2 but was stupid as started mat leave on 22nd July, should have started it on Sept 1st... Silly me!!

Ouch, stillenacht !

With DD I planned to work up to the October holidays (I'm in Scotland) which would have made me 38 weeks when I stopped, but by 32 weeks I was exhausted so stopped at 34 weeks. I was working in the nursery and being down on the floor, having to get up out of a seat all the time to assist children to complete tasks etc was just too much physically. Due to staffing issues at the time I was not getting a break either. I had a lovely time walking, napping and getting my house in order before DD arrived. She was nearly 2 weeks late so I had a month and a half to myself!

I'm pg again and plan to stop at Christmas when I'll be 32 weeks. I figure it's easier to stop at the end if term and there's really no point going back at 34 weeks. It'll give whoever takes over from me a nice clean start in the new year too.

From what I've seen, most teachers like to come back for a new term, so pushing yourself so you have more time once baby is born isn't really worth it. Also, you are still benefitting your baby by resting, building up your stamina and eating well before they arrive. I found that hard to do while I was still working.

As a full time secondary teacher I went off at 32 weeks. I was tired, had a difficult commute and a challenging timetable, plus I knew I'd return last week of summer term regardless. Now I'm part time and planning to go to 36 weeks. It doesn't fit neatly with any end of term or anything like that and I'll return at an awkward time of year too. I think plenty of time before baby is due is very beneficial - I felt calm, rested and well prepared for the birth. Also, I got terrible insomnia in the last trimester so would have struggled to keep teaching full time for longer - being at home meant it didn't matter.

I'm secondary and leaving at 35 weeks as that fits with the holidays. First day of ML is first day of new term in Jan when I'll actually be 37 weeks but won't have worked since last day of Dec.
Thought it seemed a bit indulgent and early but I'll be going back in July regardless and thought it best for the cover teacher to start at the start of a new term.

If you teach Reception then I would say 34 weeks is about right. I work in Early Years and to be honest it's all the up and down off the floor and bending over small furniture, getting shoes/wellies on and off etc, picking toys up off the floor that does you in. I went at 32 weeks first time and could probably have continued a bit longer. This time I also do after school club every day and have an hour commute each way on public transport so am leaving at the first opportunity (29 weeks).