When did you stop work for mat leave?

[crazycatlady82]

I am not sure if I have posted this in the right place but...

When did you stop to go on mat leave?

I am due on 18th Oct so I thought I would start my mat leave 2 weeks before my due date and use annual leave to stop 2 weeks before that, so it works out that I stop on 18th Sept.

I am a little worried (with no reason why at all) that I 'go' early.

Any thoughts ladies...

I'm due on the 26th (4 days time) and I finished on the 13th of March. I wanted to work up to my due date but glad I didn't as I'm struggling to get around now. Teaching full time isn't the easiest of jobs.

Haha- left work as normal 3pm on Thursday, due in again on Monday at 9am but unexpectedly had sprog on the Sunday... Caused merry hell at work :-) wouldn't recommend leaving it too late unless everything is all set up etc!

It totally depends on you, your job and also how your annual lave works. The way my annual leave falls, if I don't take the majority of it before my maternity leave, then I lose it. I am stopping work at 33 weeks (due 9th June, last day at work 17th April using holidays and maternity leave starting 1st June or whenever baby comes if earlier). Have to say that I am going to be relieved to finish work. I have been fortunate to have a fairly easy pregnancy but now I am in my third trimester, I am absolutely exhausted and have a highly stressful job which is pretty tough right now. I can't wait for some time to myself before baby comes so I can nest, rest, batchbake and just slowly get ready. But each to their own, you have to do what is best for you and your baby.

39 weeks but could have gone to 40, it made more sense to take time off after the birth rather than before.

I worked until the latest I was legally allowed with both of mine (the last Friday prior to the due date), so that I had enough time off after the birth.

Maternity leave is longer now, so I would probably stop 2 - 3 weeks earlier if it were nowadays.
I wouldn't be worried about going into labour early, just means you have more time to use post birth when you would probably need it more.

First time I finished at 37 weeks, this time I'm going to finish at 34 weeks. I have leave to use and I want to spend some time with ds before baby comes

I planned to work up to my due date last time. In the end I went into labour at 37+1 - on a day I was due in work.

I was absolutely knackered by 35 weeks and wish I'd stopped then and this time I will be stopping at 36 weeks. I'd stop a week earlier but I have a big project to deliver.

I stopped 3 weeks before due date with ds and 11 weeks before with dd. We were building a house and I was knackered. Think we would still be waiting for the builders to finish if angry pregnant lady hadnt stomped about chivvying them.

I'm finishing at 37+2 and taking annual leave up until my due date, when mat leave will officially begin.

Currently 35+5 and still managing fine but definitely looking forward to finishing. Desk job with a 45-min commute on the tube.

Depends on your age, fitness, commute and how big you get. I am 41 and put on just about 2st and worked to end of w38. I wish I'd gone earlier!

Due to heartburn and placement of bump, I wasn't sleeping well and also couldn't eat lots so was very tired. Also very breathless as someone had their feet in my lungs!

Commute was ok ish but I was only traveling at tail end of rush hour to avoid crowds. I'd stopped driving at 34w as I was overly tired and also couldn't turn to look over right shoulder.

Although it was baby #1 I also knew I was going to be induced - at 39w if consultant had his way. Ended up delivering bang on 40w.

I didn't have enough downtime beforehand and I don't think I was really mentally prepared for the birth although was very practically organized with various bags etc.

In hindsight I wish I'd finished at 36w - but work were slow at confirming may cover and didn't have very long to do handover.

Ds1 34 weeks. He was 10 days late and I wished I'd left it later.

Ds2 39 weeks because I took a week's holiday. He was born on the Sunday before his due date so mat leave kicked in the next morning - result

I had easy pregnancies though, an office job, no commute to speak of and a big gap between dcs so no toddler at home.

With my first I finished work at 12.30pm and had him at 10pm (2 days early). My second I finished for mat leave at 6pm.( 6 weeks before due date) and had her at 11.30 pm. I really wish I'd had just a little time off to do nothing with one of them.

I'm 34 weeks today & finished work on Thursday. I've got 4 weeks annual leave & 2 weeks maternity leave before due date

I finished at 33 weeks using 3 weeks annual leave and started my maternity at 36 weeks.
I went 8 days over so had 8 weeks off in total before ds came.
I loved every minute of being off I worked 12 hr shifts 3-4days a week so was glad to not be on my feet. I am also lucky as a friend was also off on maternity for some of my maternity and another friend also works shifts so was off during the week so I wasn't spending everyday on my own. I also can spend full days in the house watching tv cleaning and faffing about.
My sister started her maternity at 38 weeks and was bored stupid being home. Different strokes for different folks.

I'm due 27th May and have two weeks holiday from 1st May then straight into Mat leave :)

although depending on how I go I may have to stop a little earlier as am under the consultant because she may make an early appearance

With DD, until 11 days past my due date (went into hospital for induction at 12 days overdue).
With DS, until 2 days overdue (he was born the next day, a Saturday).

Stopping at 32 weeks, going to use up 3 weeks of leave sunning myself at the coast then on ML from 35 weeks. Looking forward to it immensely.

It's really hard to decide this I think!! I ended up stopping at 38 weeks and delivering at 42 weeks. I had a brilliant pregnancy and decided to use the time the other side. In hindsight wish I worked longer... A month of not doing much was a tad boring for me! Go with your gut!

Last time I was 36 weeks, DS arrived at 39+6. It was great having a month beforehand to sleep but I regret not having the time at the other end. So this time I'm working up to 39 weeks and hopefully I'll manage but I feel terrible this time around whereas last time I felt great and didn't have as much to do. I suppose I'll just have to see how it goes.

My current contract ends end of July, due mid September, have option to stay on but have said will see how i feel, or depends on how sunny it is!

I'd planned to take annual leave for 4 weeks from 35 weeks and then start Mat leave at 39. (Due early June, so planning to finish work end April). I have a long public transport commute into london and a desk job so I thought I'd be fine. I got to 24 weeks and although I had a niggly back from a pre existing injury, I'd been feeling really good. At 25 weeks it was like someone flicked the SPD switch and I've struggled with pain and mobility significantly since. . It came on without warning and has been really quite debilitating, so I ended up signed off weeks 25-30 and will be bringing my planned leave forward to 31 weeks. I'm disappointed because I wanted to keep going as long as I could, but I guess my point is you'll know when you need to stop, and it might not be when you plan for! . The consultant I'm seeing said I would be a fool to push myself, and if it hurts, it's your body telling you to slow down. Ultimately you need to do what's right for you and your baby and expect things to change!

Due to my work situation I'll be starting at 31 weeks. A fixed term job I was doing ended in Jan, I secured another short term contract but that will end when 31 weeks. At that stage I can't claim job seekers allowance; I'll have to claim maternity allowance so it looks like I'll be starting ML very early! On one hand I feel guilty as my DP will need to start paying the majority of the bills at an earlier stage but on the other hand it will be nice not to be commuting into London heavily pregnant.

If I had a permanent job I would have done the same as you are thinking of OP

I am going to request (can't submit it yet as don't have my MATB1 form) that I finish on 17 July; I am due 14 August but I have four weeks worth of annual leave to take - it means no time off (apart from bank holidays) between now and then, but totally worth it!