At how many weeks did you give up work?

[LeBe]

Just wondering what the general time is. x

lebe, if you're not going back then that's a whole different thing!

It must be very hard for people who run their own business or who are self-employed. But Lebe if your body is telling you to slow down, and you can leave earlier, do it.

A lot of women work as long as possible to have as much time off after the birth as they can, with pay.

My former employer had v generous mat provisions so money wan't a big issue for me.

around 28 weeks and had dd at 40+1 weeks.

I stopped at 38 weeks, and had two weeks leave booked, dd came at 39 weeks, so maternity leave started the day she was born and I had a weeks leave to carry over. It was hard work, I used some annual leave so my last few weeks were only 3-4 day weeks, too, but it meant I had a long time at home with her before I had to return to work, so definitely worth the struggle.

maternity leave entitlement here

you can leave 11 weeks before the date of confinement

I agree - the reason i am leaving so early this time is because I have no intention of going back to work afterwards. Last time with DD I decided I wanted as much time with her before going back to work so worked as far as i could.

I stopped work last week at 35 weeks. I'm now spending my days chilling out, napping, packing hospital bag and doing preg yoga. I think its nice to have a bit of me time before birth but I hope it doesn't go on too long.

Sleepfinder - Oh ok im sure you still have it hard at home but that doesnt seem quite as bad as i first thought, i was thinking you must be superwoman!!
Bundle - why is it a whole different thing?
Also i agree about it being different if your not going back but i thought (although i may be totally wrong and please correct me if i am) for amternity leave you get 6 weeks of 90% of wages and then 20 weeks of £108.00 if you earn over that normally, and we cant really live on £100 and my bf wages so obviously hoping for help with child/working credits but i thought you dont get this until the baby is born so if i leave before 6weeks before my due date we wont get the help after the 6 weeks and will struggle until the baby is born?? i really hope that made sense! x

4 weeks before I gave birth

28 weeks (DD was born at 37.5wks)

I finished so early because I was on a temp contract and my contract expired (although I did still get smp from my temp agency). My boss was asking me to go for the permanent position, but I didn't go for it for several reasons. The first was that DH and I had planned that I would take a min of a year out with the baby once it was born, so the standard 6mo maternity leave was nowhere near that. Also, it was the start of the summer holidays and we already had DS1 & DS2 at home, so rather than pay for holiday clubs etc we decided that it would make more sense for me to finish a bit earlier.

My old next door neighbour finished work the DAY BEFORE her scheduled c-section.

I suppose it depends on how you feel during pregnancy and how physically demanding your job is (I found 37 hours a week quite tough to deal with, even though I was office based.)

Gave up at 37 weeks, dd was born at 40+4.

Could have kept going but I have a long drive to get to work and I was getting very uncomfortable in the car. I think the 4 weeks I had before she was born was about right in the end though. There was plenty of stuff on the telly that I like to watch and I was too immobile to do much else, but much longer and I would have gone mad with cabin fever.

Last day at work was 13 days before due date. Ds was 7 days late though.
Like CheesyFeet, the commute was what got to me in the last few weeks. That and just not giving a flying crap about the actual work any more!
I stayed at work for as long as I could (even though boss kept checking I was ok and didn't I want to go on mat leave sooner than that!) because I wanted max paid leave after the baby was born.

Gave up at 37 weeks - ds born 40+3.
First child so could relax when I got home from work and do bugger all.

Had to leave when I could no longer fit behind the till and they only put me there cos I got too dizzy standing up.

Im quitting work in two weeks time ill be twenty 28 wks being on feet for eight and a half hours is starting to do my nut in plus people keep walking in to me and im always too hot and sweaty......also one of my ears has grown a bit bigger than the other and its worrying me.

one of your ears ? Have you spoken to your midwife/GP about it ? Are you sure it isn't your pregnancy brain playing tricks on you (mine did)

With ds1 worked full time til 38 weeks then moved house a few days later!
Delivered at 41 weeks.

(With ds2 was SAHM)

With ds1, finished at 36 weeks but didn't deliver till nearly 42 weeks so got a bit bored!

Was already at home with ds2 and ds3 but I work from home - I think I worked pretty much right up to the birth with those pregnancies.

38 weeks both times

At 33 weeks,but I was having twins and walked quite a long distance to work each moring.I had the boys at 36 weeks,so I didn't have to wait too long before they arrived.

I stopped at 34 weeks. I was teaching fulltime in a Reception class. I could have stayed on another 2 or 3 weeks, but decided to finish at the beginning of a term so that my maternity cover teacher could start the term off, rather than take over a few weeks in. And, to be honest, I was on my knees, lol. Ds came at 38 weeks anyway, so I'm glad I stopped when I did.

With dd1 I worked until 2 weeks before. I had a rough P7 class(12year olds) but when they found out I was pregnant they became fantastic. I managed up to 38 weeks because they let me sit down most of the time. They brought things to me and carried everything. And no fighting.

With dd2 I stopped 6 weeks before, pelivs was acting up and causing much pain and little sleep. I was sooooo relieved the day I walk out I felt wonderful at being able to relax. Well that and the fact that the school received the dreaded 'inspection' box the very next week. What a shame I missed that?

I gave up at 33 weeks. I am a teacher and was finding it tiring being on my feet all day. Plus, I mark exam papers so thought I could spend my days marking leisurely rather than on top of work. I spent first 3 weeks of mat leave doing that.

Have now been off 8 weeks...still no baby. So in hindsight I wish I had not finished so early as I am now really bored- bit of cabin fever settling in as I can't drive anywhere, can't do much, nesting has been and gone and I spend every day doing very little and eating- not good!

I will certainly be rested though!

TBH, though as I work in a school and am taking 12 months off it means I do go back to work 3weeks before end of summer term and then get paid for July and have another 6 weeks hols off!!!