When to start maternity leave

[Cnmorgan13]

Hello, me again!
Just wondering when you all were thinking of starting maternity leave. I'm due 4 March, was thinking of starting my maternity leave 26 feb (also my birthday ) I work as an Admin in an office so it's no hard graft. Also, I expect I'll have to use up my holidays before I go.

Totally depends on what you can afford, and how much mat leave you're taking in total.

With DS, I went at 39 weeks, but then I could only afford to have four months off in total. I was shattered by then and would love to have gone earlier.

This time I'm going at 38 weeks and taking 6 months off in total. If I could afford a full year I'd be going at 35/36 weeks, based on how knackered I was last time round.

I started at 33 weeks but mainly because I was exhausted and couldn't face the long commute each way. I wont be going back tho so thankfully the amount of time I have with baby didn't affect my decision. Are you going back? How long would you like to take? Xx

OP I was also doing an office job when pg with DS and finished 2 weeks before he was due (1 week AL, 1 week ML). He arrived pretty much on time so I had two weeks to myself before that, which was perfect. I felt great from second trimester until I started my ML (when all of a sudden I started feeling heavy and knackered).

You don't have to tell them until you are 25 weeks, so I'd say wait and see how you feel then.

Will you have any holiday left that you can take before starting ML?

I'm due 17th March - hoping to save 10 days to take before starting maternity on week 38. But I have a toddler DS so I'm hoping to spend some time with him before the chaos.

I'm 30 weeks and have gone already. I'm taking three and a half weeks leave first. I hate my job though!

I'm due on a Tuesday and am planning on starting ML that Monday. However I have 3 weeks AL to use up, so will be popping that on immediately before, so I'll technically be off from 36+6 weeks.

I'm due 16th Jan and planning to start mat leave on 11th Jan. I'll be taking leave from December 15th though due to timing of my leave year.

I'm taking 3 weeks annual leave before my official maternity leave starts at 38 weeks. That way I finish work at 34 weeks and should get about 5 weeks to myself before DD2 arrives. I did similar with DD1 and really enjoyed having the time to myself, plus this pregnancy has been quite hard physically and even just sitting at a desk all day exhausts me. I can't wait to finish...

I'm starting when I give birth, but then I have my own business. If I was employed and had maternity pay/ leave I'd start earlier.

With DD1, when I was employed and had to commute (and got maternity pay!) I started at 36 weeks (but gave birth at 36+6 so had no rest beforehand at all, which was rough).

Hi, I'm also due on 4th Match do we're due date buddies! I'm planning on starting mat leave on the 4th but have annual leave to take so will actually finish on 11th Feb!

I'm taking 9 months then (hopefully) going part time after then. The holidays thing is awkward. Our holidays run from jan-dec (we close over Xmas/new year) so I think i could potentially have most of jan off if i have to use up all my holidays before I come back, which would be December when we close again

Due 22nd Jan, starting mat leave on 18th (so last day will be 15th). Using annual leave to make those two weeks after Christmas only three-day weeks though. Don't want to use too much mat leave before the due date but also don't want to lose annual leave if baby comes early! Also don't want to be bored at home if it's late...

I'm due 14 Feb but have to take all my annual leave before I go so I'm finishing at 32 weeks (Christmas!!).......not sure if it's madness or bliss?!

Due 22 March, will have some leave to burn so considering going from the second Friday in March, when I'll be 38+3, then only starting the actual maternity leave from 40 weeks. I'm planning to take around 8 months off so when I go back it should be a relatively short run to Christmas.

I just don't know if my boss will be awkward as its a small team and we're generally not allowed to take more than 2 weeks off at a time. I suppose he will just need to get used to me not being there lol

I think you should go when you're comfortable. I'm 36+4 due 4/10/15 my mat leave doesn't start till 5/10/15. I'm only at a sit down job and they've obviously got a contingency plan for if I go into labour earlier than expected lol x

Oh and the last week from 27/9-4/10 is holiday that I had to use up - I've also been on shorter weeks (longer hours though) for the last 2 weeks xx

Based on how I am feeling today would like to start tomorrow... Am only 9 weeks though...

Cnmorgan13 your situation sounds the exact same as mine, I'm due 10th march. Work in the construction industry in a small office we close for 2 weeks over Xmas and our holidays run Jan - December.

I've Calculated if I take 2 weeks AL starting 14th Feb, then ML from 1st march through to 1st December. Then all of December as holiday (don't forget, you haven't been able to use your bank holidays you'll have accrued those too if it's like where I am.
I'll be returning after the Xmas break (if I do) on the 4th January unless I can find part time work elsewhere (small office, set hours, don't allow part time work here)

I've got 3 weeks left, I'll be 36+6, I CANNOT WAIT.