When will you / did you give up work during pregnancy?

[ellie19812]

Just wondered really :-)

[RaRa1988]

Does anyone know if it's permissible to work past your due date?? I was hoping to plan to at least - it's my first baby, so I'm expecting it to be late. I know you can't guarantee it, but I'd rather not leave with the possibility of sitting at home for a fortnight waiting for him/her to make an appearance!

[onedev]

When I last had maternity (2 1/2 yrs ago) the latest you could start your maternity leave was your due date, but not sure if the law has changed since then.

[greentshirt]

No RaRa, maternity leave has to start on the due date or when the baby is born if he or she arrives before due date.

Im finishing at 36+1 and taking annual leave until 39+3 when maternity leave starts (at my work maternity leave has to start on a sunday)

So only 9 weeks left at work now, I wouldnt say im ready as such as im still certainly capable of getting up and going to work but being off at xmas has marked a very certain line between work going to the back of my mind and the baby coming being at the forefront! going to be a long 9 weeks of waiting when theres a lot I want to do at home!

[working9while5]

Trying to work it out at present. Think I was 36 weeks with no. 1 and was closer to 29 with number two (but before Easter hols and had holidays to take on top of it, so officially started mat leave at maybe 34 weeks).

I have a four hour commute each day so probably going to use hols to drop to 2 days a week for this term (I am not a teacher so don't get paid school hols and have an extra 30 hours hols on top of term time hours), go off when that runs out.

[cece]

DC1 - 35 wks
DC2 - 37 wks
DC3 - 38 wks

Mine have all been at least 1 week late. I am a teacher if that helps.

[OwlinaTree]

I'm finishing at 36 + 5 then on holiday till 38 + 1. Baby 1 appeared 38 + 4.

[Franchini]

I'm having twins who well be delivered at 36 weeks so I'm finishing work at 31 weeks which well take me up to the end of Jan. I'm then using 2014 leave until the babies arrive.

[RaRa1988]

Thanks Greentshirt. Guess I'll be leaving on my due date then! S/he better not be too late!

[lorenzo1984]

Finished on a Friday, labour started on Saturday, baby born on Sunday - week and a half early!

[theborrower]

Finished at 36 last time - mum said it was the last time I'd have time to myself and to enjoy it, I'm glad I did. Lots if lie ins, book reading, resting etc. went into labour on my due date. A friend who was due not long after me finished up on a Friday and ended up being induced for high blood pressure a few dats later, so didn't enjoy any time off. I also knew of a few people who had early (first) babies and I didn't want to risk having no time at all!

Will probably do 36-37 this time.

[ethlinn]

I finished at 36 weeks. It was just before Christmas and I couldn't be arsed any more really. Office job, bump between me and desk - horrible, 90 minute commute each way and often really long hours (not that anyone forced me to do them but double pay was too tempting). DS was 2 weeks late so I had plenty of time to eat chocolate and finish decorating his room.

[MistletoeBUTNOwine]

Planned on staying til 36 but went off sick at 33 due to spd.. I'm a nurse

[SweetPea86]

I finish in 3 weeks time I will be 30 weeks got spd in agony working 6 days 40 hours on my feet all the time I'm dying on my feet

[volvocowgirl]

I'm going on annual leave from 34+3 (next week ), then maternity leave starts on 37+1. There's a lot of changes, including moving towns for my department so I'm going a bit earlier than I initially thought I would as I can't be doing with being surrounded by boxes and being the person who all the organising falls on (as per usual).

[CelticPromise]

Planned to finish about 38 weeks but was admitted to hospital at 26+4 and had baby at 27 weeks. Beat laid plans and all that...

[MitsuruSenpai]

Last time finished at 29 weeks, had 7 week's leave I had to use or lose and started a year's mat leave at 36 weeks. I loved it! Didn't get bored at all, made the most of the last child free weeks of my life and cleaned the house to within an inch of its life!

Taking a year again this time and have 6 weeks leave that needs using again, will probably finish later at 33-34 weeks this time though.

[shineypeacock]

I finished at 35+3 end of June last year, then used 3 weeks annual leave, so mat leave kicked in at 38+3. Im so glad i dif as the heateave started that weekend and i spent 5 weeks at home in the garden!

[MissSlackPants84]

I'm hoping to work right upto the day I go into Labour providing my pregnancy continues to be straightforward. My boss is excellent and will insist on me taking it easy until then. I have quite a bit of responsibility so hoping as the weeks come on to share some of it out amongst my staff

[Plateofcrumbs]

I was initially working on assumption I'd work as long as possible to maximise time with baby. However I've heard a lot of people saying that (assuming you're taking a decent amount of ML), you won't really notice the extra 2-3 weeks with baby but you will feel the benefit of 2-3 weeks pre-baby to relax and prepare.

I work in a job where they will get maternity cover in whilst I'm off and there will be a lot to handover / finish off before I leave. I don't want to run too great a risk of an early arrival from baby throwing that all up in the air - I'd rather clear the decks.

[Wishfulmakeupping]

Supposed to be 36 weeks but I was signed on sick from 31 weeks watched a lot of daytime tv

[Emilycee]

31 weeks. My office is very stuffy, air con crap so I keep getting colds/too hot. Feel uncomfortable sat in one place all day ( I do move around and take regular breaks) but I have a lot of aches and pains and would rather be at home chilling out, keeping mobile etc. I plan to have a good clear out of the house, swim/gentle gym every day and read some books, spa day booked etc. Plus afternoon nap every day - can't wait! Ive worked since 16 sometimes doing bar jobs with full.time jobs at times so Ive decided Ive earnt a couple of lazy months! :-)

[Buffy81]

I am only 9+6 at the mo, but I plan to leave WK 36 and use up the last 4 wks of annual leaveleave(I get about 5 wks a yr) and start mat leave on my edd

[GillyBillyWilly]

Due date is 2nd june and I'd like to work up until 30th may!!! This might change as time goes on but I'm going to do my best!
I have an easy job and am sat at a desk pretty much all day.. The only hard bit is the train into work and home (south eastern train into London bridge=hectic!)
I'm also 100% sure that my due date is more like 9th June based on when I ovulated and my cycle length but the doctor says 2nd and the sonographer went along with it!

[RaRa1988]

Might well change you when you get your 12-week dating scan then, Gilly

[GillyBillyWilly]

I've had my 12 week scan... 20 week scan is next week.
Sonographer went with what doctor said which is based on LMP and said that the measurements were about right and due date is 2nd June.
But I know when I ovulated (was using OPKs) and due to DH being away for most of the month of conception we actually only dtd twice which was when I got a positive opk. So.. They're wrong and I'm right haha