Taking early maternity

[SweetPea86]

I'm nearly 22 weeks pregnant and have pretty much struggled from 5 weeks pregnant. Had serve sickness for 3 months and now it has calmed down even tho still sick on a morning and have the odd sickly day.

That has pretty much drove me to despair and exhausted me for the rest of the pregnancy lol. I've got SPD and my lower back and bum hurt a lot.

I work full time over 6 days and one day off isn't enough any more.

I have a trapped nerve in my bum which causes really bad pain in my bum and legs as I'm on my feet all week.

I looked in to when you can leave and I belive it's 11 weeks before due date So I spoke to my boss the other day and told him I'd Probably take my maternity at 29 weeks. I feel guilty going so early.

Has any body else left this early I worry I will be bored.

On the positive side I plan to buy every thing for baby in this time decorate nursery and catch up on basically every thing that I never can when working, once baby is here I won't get the chance to.

I just don't no how women can work right up till 36 -38 weeks.

What was your works reaction to taking maternity early

I am finishing up at 33 weeks and my work have been fine about it. Better that they know the position needs filled for your maternity leave than for them to try and cover illness at short notice.

I left work at all of 10 weeks (now 40+5) due to sever hyperemesis which has latest for most of this pregnancy, SPD, liver and kidney problems and a whole host of other lovely stuff.
Have you tried getting your GP to sign you off for a week or two so you can rest up? You may then find that you can cope with going back for a bit longer.
If you are off for a long time my advice is to try to get out in the fresh air at least once a day, see some sunlight and have a little task to do if you possibly can.

I've taken mat leave at 29 weeks and it was fine.

IME GPs are quite happy to sign you off when pregnant, so maybe see if you can work a bit longer and then get signed off at 29 weeks if you really can't go on?

In my first pregnancy I was due to finish at 36w, got admitted at 32w and signed off sick until I was due to start mat leave, this time I planned to leave at 32w and ended up off sick at 28w! Sigh! However, I feel so much better now I'm off, if you need to stop work, stop, baby and you are more important and work will still be there after mat leave() would reducing hours or something be a compromise maybe?

Hi, I was planning to work until 39 weeks but ended up leaving only a week early which wasn't too bad considering my bloody spd. However the GP put me on reduced hours meaning I could work that far. Was a good compromise for me- even though the dr wanted to sign me off completely !
Def worth trying to see if reduced hrs help as I didn't want to waste my mat leave

Has your work done a risk assessment for you? If standing all day is aggravating pregnancy related problems I'm sure they should be making reasonable adjustments (alternative duties, working over 5 days not 6 etc) for you rather than forcing you to finish so early because you can't do everything you normally do. (unless you want to finish as early as possible of course )

My work have been supportive of me within reason. Were as my boss said if I feel ill to let him no. But as for risk assessments I think its utter cobblers. They said they done one as my office is ridiculous work bench too high so can sit down as even a chair won't reach. So basically I'm stretching all day I work in a male environment quite frankly they don't give a shit about me lol.

I've already spoke to my boss about my hours saying I'm struggling with my bk and legs and he didn't really say much. I don't even have the energy to fight I just want to get through the next seven weeks and leave. When I go bk it's pay bk I'm going part time and choosing the hours I want lol. The company pride them self on family flexibility so they won't be able to argue.

Hi I planned to leave at 36 weeks but got signed off at 26 weeks and then went on maternity at 29 weeks. It was fine just extremely boring, towards the end I was going insane not helped by the fact I couldn't get about very well!

Unless money really is no concern I would encourage you to pursue your boss to fulfil their obligations. The legislation is clearly there and you need a risk assessment. If they can't make adjustments they need to suspend you on full pay.
At the very least you should consider being signed off for spd until 36 weeks.
I know its hard when you're knackered and fed up and just don't want to fight. But you really have a right to be treated fairly. It is sexist for your work not to make adjustments,so rather than think of payback when you return (part time isn't pay back - and they can refuse your request remember) try and logically negotiate a situation now that works best for you.
At the least you should be paid until 36 weeks. I wouldn't even reduce hours as this means you would get a drop in pay.
If they are really arsey then get what you can and find a new job after maternity leave - but please, put yourself and baby first!

See your GP and get signed off for a couple of weeks to see if im you can get SPD to settle.
I was signed off from 26 weeks in last pregnancy and started maternity leave at 36 weeks. They can't force you to take it earlier but if signed off after. 36 weeks may leave automatically starts.

My plan is to go to 36+3. 20+5 today and ready to finish now!

I'm signed off sick with my Pregnancy and will be on Sick Pay until 36 weeks gestation. I have then got two weeks of Annual Leave to take and will officially start my Maternity Leave at 38 weeks. I'm then being c-sectioned at 39 weeks.

I'm very much like you OP though as I've had problems from the start (hence why I'm signed off sick) and I get a lot of pain in my lower back and left bum cheek, lol - I also wonder if I have a trapped nerve because the shooting pains I get are agony!!! My job is very active and I'm on my feet all day and there is no way that if I wasn't off Sick I would be able to carry on until late stage pregnancy. I had been expecting to go back to work at some point and it was always my intention to leave at 34 weeks gestation but if I'm honest, I doubt I would have made it that far anyway.

My only worry would have been finance - there is just no way me and my husband could have financially coped if I'd been forced to start my Maternity Pay at such an early stage - I think we would have struggled if I'd gone any earlier than 34 weeks.

However, if you can afford to take it at 29 weeks then you definitely should - you need to be rested and healthy. Congratulations on your pregnancy.