When to start Maternity Leave ?

[FoghornLeghorn]

Am in a dilema and don't know what to do - I didn't have this trouble deciding what to do last time.

Basically I am 5 months pregnant with #2, I currently work 21.5 hours per week which is classed as full time and have no plans to return to work after having this baby. With DD I worked until 2 weeks before my due date as I knew I would be returning to work and wanted to have as much time as possible with the baby, however, this time this isn't the case.
I would love to start my maternity leave early September as it would give me alot of time to spend with DD in the run up to this baby arriving, preparing her and myself and generally getting organised/relaxing. However, loosing out on potentially another 2 months wages is a killer. As DH and I do not plan for me to go back to work after this baby we know it is going to be a struggle going down to one wage and to be honest the extra £2K would be an absolute god send but I really really wanted to spend some quality time with DD and relaxing a bit before this baby arrives.

What would you do ?

I could look at finishing 10th October which would mean having 6 weeks with DD before this baby comes which is a slightly better option. Although my friend who currently looks after DD for me, her son is starting school in September so I wanted to have finished working so she can concentrate on getting him settled into school and a routine with it all

I personally would just finish as early as you can, it is obvious that that is what you want to do and lets face it 2 months pay may sound very nice but if you are going to be living without it anyway then I would just bite the bullet.

You never know number 2 might make an early apperance.

I do flutterbee and usually I would just go with that but want to make sure we are making the right decision, its going to be so hard coping without the money I don't know whether to just get through another stint at work to ty and make things a bit easier

have you used your annual leave yet?

with both of mine I kept my annual leave and took it over the last 4 weeks and mat leave started as late as it could (sunday before date of confinement). any time I had off before this was marked off against toil or I went sick(opps!)

obviously you need your manager to agree as with anything it is at their discretion.

That's not a problem Lexie as my bosses are my parents and my brothers so doubt I will get any trouble from them .
No annual leave left as have got married this year so time taken out over that.
Think I have decided on 28th September - that will give me nearly 8 weeks off with DD before new baby arrives and ties in nicely with a contract I am working on at present.
WAHOOOOO - only 10 weeks to go !!!!

Just out of curiousity, are your parents and brothers going to provide your statutory maternity pay?