When did you finish up at work?

[Purpleboa]

So, I booked my maternity leave during the ‘golden age’ of week 23, when the going was still smooth and I still had that thing called ‘energy’. My due date is June 16th so I factored it in to start from June 8th. June is a crazy busy month for us at my work, so I figured I’d be best staying on as long as I could. It just didn’t seem like it was going to be an issue.

However, I hadn’t reckoned on the joys of the third trimester! I am now tired all the time, SPD is making it difficult for me to sit comfortably for even short periods of time, and the walk to work (which is mostly uphill) is getting harder by the day. And I know the experts claim baby brain isn't a thing, but I beg to differ - my head feels like it's stuffed full of cotton wool and I'm fluffing up even the simplest of requests.

I’m just coming into my 32nd week, and I know the coming weeks are going to be increasingly challenging. My colleague, who has just given birth, was in agony with her back in her final few weeks here, and she still finished up on the 36th week. So yes, I’m a little concerned about how this is going to go.

When did you all finish? And any tips for making the last few weeks more bearable? I’m reluctant to use up my annual leave, wanting to use it at ‘the other side’, but I guess if I have to, then it’s an option I do have.

You know, I bet if men could get pregnant then it would be mandatory that all maternity leave starts at the beginning fo the third trimester…

I also meant to get right to the end (posted thread recently) but gave up and used holidays at 36+3. Exhausted and sore and no longer doing a good job anyway! This is my first day off and it's lovely

If the pain does get that bad you could always request to be signed off by your GP for a few weeks, companies aren't allowed to force early maternity leave until you are four weeks from your due date, it states this on the government website.

I was signed off for four weeks for a different issue, my sick note runs out two days before my holiday and maternity leave officially start

I do a very manual job but like yourself was feeling great in the 2nd trimester so thought I could easily make it to 37 weeks. In the end I took a weeks holiday to finish at 36, so I finished last week. Very relieved to have finished now. Even though they promised to give me light duties, we were constantly short staffed and I felt guilty that other staff were having to pick up my slack and were judging me for being lazy, as no-one there had had a baby before and understood how hard it was for me. It does seem silly we have to tell our employers so early on when we plan on finishing when we don't know how the pregnancy will go.

I am leaving work 6 weeks before due. Three weeks annual leave then starting mat leave at week 37.
People think I am mad and I will be bored but we might be moving house so I really wont. Even if we don't move house then I am looking forward to my last few weeks to myself to do what I want and relax.
I am leaving 29th May and due 12th July.

Worked to 37 weeks with my 1st and was exhausted and could barely walk with SPD. This time I'm finishing at 36 weeks ( but would have liked to have gone earlier tbh).

I finished at 37 weeks and it was a little late, tbh. I was knackered and miserable for the last couple of weeks - I actually feel loads better now at 39+3 than I did then!

First pregnancy I finished at 38 weeks and was absolutely fine - I have a desk job. Those two weeks were enough to relax in and especially as she was 4 days late, but I felt better in the last 4 weeks than the whole of my pregnancy!

Booked the same this time round, but did not take into account what parenting a 17 month old and horrendous back ache would do to me this time............... I have, this morning, agreed that I will leave work this afternoon at 37 weeks!

Just finished at 37+2 (on hols for a couple of days and ML starts officially at 38 weeks). I've had an easy pregnancy so could probably have carried on a bit longer but I'm really glad to be off now - the commute was the worst part.

I am 33 weeks today and today is my first day off work until baby arrives. I am using 6 weeks of annual leave first and ML begins on 1st June. Due Date, 8the June. I was more than ready to finish and I had planned it this way (didn't actually have a choice as I would have lost my annual leave if I did not take it beforehand). As it happens the tiredness and soreness was beginning to take its toll and I struggled during the last week. I have a stressful job and am delighted to be taking a step back for a few weeks to myself and to prepare. My blood pressure is high and I would rather look after myself and baby than continue to flog myself at work. Feel so much better for being off.

Thanks ladies, that's all really helpful. Think the best thing I can do is just see how it goes. My boss is aware that I'm struggling physically and has said to let her know, and we can work out a solution. Working from home could be good, and maybe working part time. I'm lucky in that I have a desk based job, and that my maternity cover has already started (she's replacing me and another colleague, lucky girl!) She's incredibly capable so I've no worries about leaving things in her hands, and is already taking work off me.

I'm due in early November but am stacking up my annual leave of 21 days plus weekends to use to cover all of October. That's great because then I can go off the moment I am done with 36 weeks. However even before then I shall be able to work from home thankfully for a good couple of months

I finished last week at 35+5 but have nearly a month of AL to use up before ML proper starts. This is my second baby and it's a bit more knackering this time, esp as DC1 is a poor sleeper. First time I planned to work till 38 weeks but gave up in the end at 37. I went slightly overdue but I know several who went into labour within a day or two of finishing work and definitely felt "robbed"!

With dc1 I finished at 37 weeks and went into the labour the day after I finished! I definitely felt robbed of the relaxation I had planned before baby arriving. I really struggled for the first few weeks which i think was partly due to having had no rest. I felt fine physically up until I went into labour, and as it was my first I just assumed
I would go overdue. This time round I'm finishing at 35 weeks and it can't come soon enough!

I am only 28 weeks but am planning on going off at 35.5 weeks. We can carry over annual leave so would prefer to have it at the other end! My manager has said I can take the odd days leave if i want towards the end if I'm struggling. I will be having an induction at 38 weeks so will only have 3 weeks off but I'm glad as I don't want to be festering at home for too long!

I'm meant to be going at 37 weeks but to be honest I've had enough now.
I am ill from being run down and picking up every bug going and SPD means I can just about walk to work but spending all day on my feet, it's getting out of the question!
I'm going to the doc's this week

I brought mine forward due to a bad water infection and crippling back ache. I ended up finishing at 35 weeks although I used some annual leave before maternity leave actually started.

I am finishing at 36 weeks this time, did 37 last time. To be honest, if you are struggling then you may find it makes more difference to you to have a few extra weeks to relax now, than a few extra weeks with baby at the other end -going back to work 2weeks earlier isn't going to make much difference to either of you in the grand scheme of things!

I'm almost 31 weeks and planning to work to 36 weeks. I worked til 38 last time but I've got a 2 year old and I'm absolutely shattered. 5 weeks seems a long time right now!!