Maternity leave 32 weeks

[Polkadotscarf]

Anyone else started/starting maternity leave at 32 weeks? I am very much debating it and just wonder if it's a bit early. Work is stressful and shattering and my body is not coping at all. Just feel a bit guilty about having 8 weeks to go.

Well you certainly shouldn't feel guilty! There are no prizes for killing yourself working it's about what is the best thing for you.

How long can you take off in total? If you can only take a few months off then it may be worth hanging on a bit so you can have more time at home with the baby, but if you can take a long time, that doesn't apply so much.

Also depends what your job is. If your job is a physical one or involves standing a lot then 32 weeks is good going already!

I was very stressed at work in my last pregnancy and had a surprise birth at 34 weeks. I don't know that work stress was the cause but I guess it didn't help! I'm now pregnant again and debating when to stop this time...

Is there a half way option? Could you speak to work about doing reduced hours/part time until you go off?

I am, really couldn't manage any longer. I'm off for today as I am feel awful. Due to finish on the 19th, if I can make it to then.

SPD is just awful, can be difficult just getting out of bed some days.

Work are ok about it, I think they'd rather I hurried up and went on leave than kept having time off sick.

Do you have any holiday left that you could use? I'm using my christmas holidays too.

I'm a teacher so no half day or part time options. Working 14 hours a day, evenings and weekends and have only been back a week and a half! Am shattered!

Can you get signed off with pregnancy related issues up til 36 weeks? At least you won't be eating into your maternity leave for 4 weeks.

Sick leave I mean btw.

Be careful about being signed off sick. I think if you get signed off for pregnancy related reasons at any time after 26 weeks, your employer can legally insist that that's the start of your maternity leave.

With my first pregnacy I was that exsusted I went on mat leave at 29 weeks. I don't work now but am 34 weeks and can't imagine being able to work full time. Take it when you feel you need to xx

Yes, both times because my due dates were just after the summer holidays so I had the summer before officially starting mat leave.

Your employer can insist mat leave automatically kicks at 36/after if you take a day off sick or are signed off sick - before that, they can't insist on anything

I stopped at 32 weeks last pregnancy. I work in emergency medicine, on my feet, and the stress and the emergencies and the shifts were killing me.

I also knew it would be the only time for a very very long time I'd have to myself!

Weeks 32-37 were wonderful, I read lots of books, relaxed, saw all my friends, got loads of energy back and did lots of yoga and swimming. It was lovely and I was in such a better frame of mind when baby arrived.Was a bit grumpy from week 37 onwards but I guess that's standard! Baby arrived a few days after my due date.

I was fortunate enough to be able to afford a year off. It was still hard going back when baby was 10 months old.

This pregnancy I worked till 36 weeks and I was really really feeling it the last week or two. I am part time now so I did a lot of collapsing on my days off, put toddler in nursery for extra days (felt very guilty about this). But finances are tighter this time round so I pushed through.

In some ways I am very glad I stopped at 32 weeks that first pregnancy because I had such a great summer. In other ways I resent my work for not being more accommodating and trying to find me more suitable work - I would have worked later if they had. I tried but they were not helpful. That should be your first port of call though, if you would rather continue working - arrange a risk assessment with your line manager - this should cover things like long hours and being on your feet. THey have a duty to give you suitable work and if they can't technically you should be suspended on full pay. I say this as it is true, but I didn't really manage to make it work for me, so I understand in the real world it is different… I did manage to get signed off night shifts so maybe you could get signed off weekends?

If your work are unhelpful another option is going to your GP, they could write you a sick note for amended duties specifying no shifts longer than x hours, no weekend work. again this is then reliant on you actually leaving on time etc, which I had agreements for but was unable to when a patient is extremely sick, so it did me no good at all! But a couple of options to consider.

If you want 'permission' to stop working at 32 weeks cause it just sounds bloody great - well you have mine! Pregnancy is fucking hard work!

Ah ok Ohmjh I had remembered 26 weeks but clearly remembered wrong. Thanks, useful to know.

I did. Had a 2 hour train commute each way and it got too much for me. Salt home working wasn't really an option due to type of work.

Really enjoyed the first few weeks. Had a wobble in the middle as I had no routine etc. am now 39 weeks and very pleased that I feel I have had a proper pre baby rest but I am ready to have re baby now!!

It did give me a chance to do things like aqua natal classes and as I went to them for some time I have developed a good group of new/impending mum friends too rather than just being able to do these things for a couple of weeks before baby arrives xx

Not sure where salt came from!!

I am starting at 33 weeks. I didn't want to start so early as I would rather use all my mat leave once the baby is here. I am taking the full 12 months and the way our holiday year falls meant that if I started later I would lose some of my 2015 holiday allowance (can only carry over 25% of it). I can't complain as I am still having 14 months off

I finished at 34 weeks and was so ready at that time. I thought what if the baby came early and I'd had no time to relax!! As it was he only came 3 days early so I had a lovely 6 weeks off having lots of naps and lie ins and watching box sets on TV as well as batch cooking and sorting baby clothes . Best decision I made and would definitely finish that early again and I have "only" an office job.
Just a shame there is no such thing as a sleep bank where you can store all those extra sleep hours!!

Speak to your union rep about the hours you're doing - and ask their advice / guidance. Can you speak to a line manager too - I am a teacher too and in the last few wks of my pregnancy I had my hours reduced and wasn't expected to attend meetings. I was pregnant with twins (now 15wks) and my school were keen for me to work as long as I could (without putting any pressure on me), to maximise time with my exam classes - so it made sense to have my other classes covered to give me some respite. Hope you're ok; being pregnant and working is mighty tough.

YES! Finished last week, in fact. I was really struggling in a very physical job.

I feel like a new woman this week. Energy has returned & getting loads done but able to have lots of rests. Best thing I ever did!

I'm going at 32 weeks too. It's a desk job but I have to commute on public transport for at least three hours a day and I'm just knackered. The metro is always packed and hot and makes me feel sick. I did have some annual leave saved up so my ma leave starts 6 weeks before my due date.

I can't wait tbh! Only 4 more days of work to go!

So do what you feel is best! Everyone's different. Just because someone works till their due date doesn't mean you should!

When do you plan to return? If going back by Sept 2015 makes sense to finish earlier. No holiday accrued in teaching so latest you can return I think is 12 months from when finish.

im going at 29 weeks felt soo ill and exhausted. been off sick loads so going sooner rather than later

I'm a teacher and planning on working until I'm 38+4
It's my first baby and I had NO idea about how tired I'd be. I'm 33+3 and only been back 9 days (kids for 7 days) and don't know how I'm going to manage the next 5 weeks BUT I can't afford to take a long time off and want the time with little 'un after they're born. That's my reasoning but if I could afford to go on maternity leave early I would. So if you can afford to, why not?!

Go for it! I'm in my last week of work at 37 weeks and it's really tiring, I dont even have a physically demanding job. If it wasn't for the fact that I really need the leave once the baby is here rather than before, I'd have left much earlier just to take time for myself and get my head around the fact a baby is coming!

I know for a fact they can't force you to start ML until 36 weeks, as I was signed off sick from 29 weeks continuously. They might not be happy but there is nothing they can do, & they can't discipline you either, AFAIK, as it's a protected characteristic. However, it depends on whether your GP is willing to sign you off.

Don't feel guilty. I went off at 32 weeks and wrecked my body in the meantime doing 12 hr shifts (I'm a nurse and had spd). I felt so guilty and pushed myself further than I should have done. My baby is now 5 months old and I still suffer with pelvic pain.

Just do what you need to do to keep you and baby happy and well.