When are you going on maternity leave/finishing work?

[mackinnonka]

Not sure I am posting this in the right topic area so apologies if not!

Just wondering when people think they will start maternity leave/finish work in terms of how many weeks pregnant they will be?

Any recommendations or suggestions in terms of when and why?

I left at 35.5 on annual leave, it was a week before Christmas so made sense. Gave me time to get stuff ready for Christmas without tiring myself out, it was also supposed to give me 2 weeks after Christmas to get the house ready for baby, batch cook, rest etc. As it was little man came at 38 weeks and I barely got the christmas decs down!

If I ever did it again at another time of year I'd leave at 36 weeks again, to give me 2 weeks rest and prepare time.

I'd always planned for 37 weeks, I started my leave today at 34+4.

For me it's been complicated by gestational diabetes and having a wanker for a boss. Physical job with nothing put in place to help me, just couldn't do it anymore.

Leaving at 34 weeks at end of Jan but taking the whole of Feb as annual leave so not actually starting maternity leave properly until the beginning of March.

Don't know how people manage to work up til 37 weeks and later to be honest, I am 32 weeks and my brain is already mush! Hats off to them.

I'm going on annual leave at 37 weeks and starting proper maternity leave on my due date. Last time I finished work at 39 weeks - I'd bought into the theory that first babies are always late, and wanted to make sure I had longer with the baby once he was here. Then he came on his due date and I hadn't done half the things I meant to! So this time I'm taking three weeks to clean, cook, nap and shop, and spend time with ds of course. This one will probably be two weeks late!

In terms of suggestion there is no right or wrong really...depends on your individual circumstances.

Many mums who work right up to due date or similar do it for

a) financial reasons
b) they prefer to be working as they will get bored at home
c) they prefer to have more time at the end of maternity leave to spend with the baby, rather than before when baby is not here yet

Many mums who start leave earlier do it because

a) they have illnesses or complications which force them into it
b) they are financially comfortable enough to be able to leave earlier
c) they wish to have more time before baby comes
d) they're fed up with work!

b,c, and d of the above are true for me. I'm planning to take the whole year of maternity leave and DP's salary is enough for both of us to live off so I am lucky.

I have to say mentally I don't think I could do from being at work one minute and looking after a small baby a couple of days later, hence why I'm giving myself lots of time in case he shoots out early. Sod's law dictates he'll probably be late though.

Do what is right for you!

I went at 35+2, seemed like a good time to go as was just before Christmas. I could have probably done up to 37 weeks but definitely no more. I am enjoying the time to get things ready and also lots of meet ups with friends on mat leave and my nct group. My mat leave doesn't start until 39+5 though, I've taken annual leave up to then.

I officially start ML the day before my due date, but have tacked 3 weeks of annual leave on before that, plus weekends so my last day of work will be when I'm 36+3 (currently 34+6)

I could probably go later; it's a desk based job and it's only 10 minutes drive back home, but I wanted to have the chance of a couple of weeks to myself to potter around, make sure things are ready, sleep, eat, sleep some more, before it all kicks off. Also I was the first child and I came 2 weeks early, so although I am hoping my kid doesn't follow that precedent and completely throw me off my plans, I'm theoretically ready if it does happen.

Finance-wise I can only afford to take 6 months off work, so didn't want to start ML super early and thus have to return to work even earlier than I'd like, although I'm tired enough to not want to be here right now, and my brain's not quite what it used to be.

Just got to count down the next 2 weeks in the office, then it's temporary freedom!

Thanks all.

I'm not entitled to maternity/annual leave as such because I am a contractor so really its just when I feel like I want to stop working.

I am thinking maybe around 36 week mark as not keen on the idea of commuting by train and tube much later than that, and will be nice to have some prep/nesting time. Will have to wait and see how things go!

Second DC finishing 36 weeks start mat leave at 37. Finished earlier with dd but finance wise hope to take a year off as holiday year starts again in April so can take on end plus scrimping is cheaper than finding childcare earlier for me as I work part time! Rubbish pregnancy with this one still sick acid heartburn constantly tired can't wait to finish! Even though only do 3 days!

I finished at 35 weeks just before Christmas and quite honestly could have happily gone at 32 weeks onwards, I was soooo tired and dragging myself in every day was awful. I'm 38 weeks now and feel so much better for being able to rest properly!

I'm 32+3 and have told work I will work up until 38 weeks exactly. At the moment though I'm really fed up and 6 more weeks seems like a long time! Work have said they can be flexible if I do want to go sooner, but I'd like to work as long as possible to have more time with the baby afterwards. Will just take each week as it comes I think.

I'm 32 weeks on Thursday and finishing 4 weeks on Friday at 36+1,

however so very tempted to bring it forward, purely because all my work has already been divided up between others and noone will give me anything new to start on so I'm just being a general admin and filer for the next 4 weeks and it's boring the life out of me.

However on SMP only so taking solace in knowing I'm getting paid my normal wage to do bugger all while I'm here for the next few weeks.

I left at 36 but had a very physically demanding job, I would have stayed longer if it wasn't but looking back it's so nice to have a bit of time to yourself before the baby, cherish it! I say leave as soon as you want to/can afford to.

I agree that it really depends on what your pay is like... I'm only getting SMP so working until 37 and a half, then one week of annual leave and maternity pay starting just before 39 weeks. Only 31 weeks now and can really see why people leave earlier as I'm shattered! But I can only afford so much time off, and I'd rather spend it with baby than sitting at home feeling fat :/

I went really early with DC1 - 29 weeks! I had about six weeks AL so mat leave kicked in around 35 weeks. But I was doing a hugely stressful role working for possibly the most unpleasant woman in the world, doing 60+ hours each week and 200 miles from home three nights a week. I just couldn't face doing it any longer that I had to.

This time I plan to work later but I certainly won't still be there beyond 36-37 weeks, hopefully a bit sooner.

39.weeks last time, 38 this time. Would have rather gone earlier as am totally shattered, but can't afford to.

I'm finishing up next Friday at 37+4. Desk job with easy enough commute.

Planned to work until 36 weeks but finished at 34 due to bad back (although one week was on sick leave so 35 officially). Feels like a bit of a long stretch so I'm trying to keep busy getting everything ready for the baby and seeing friends who are also on mat leave. I think if I'd have managed to get to 36 weeks it would have been the right option for me but I'm not complaining either- it is nice to have a bit of time to get organised and take things easy.

I'd been sleeping quite badly and feeling a bit stressed about how I was managing at work (bad memory, feeling uncomfortable) and am finding that now I've more time to relax, my sleep is improved and I feel I can focus on what's to come.

I'm taking annual leave from 34 weeks, then maternity will be from about 38 weeks. There's no way I'd want to go beyond 35 weeks at work - fairly long train commute as well as nursery drop off and pick up for DS.. and painful SPD which is ironically worse sitting at a desk all day! I'm looking forward to a few weeks of napping before DC2 arrives (no doubt they'll be 2 weeks late though).

will start mat leave at the end of the 38th week, due to have ELCS week 39.
Would love more time off, but simply can't afford it, so leaving it as late as possible to get the maximum amount of time with baby.

With DS1 he had to be delivered at 35 weeks, so had no time at all then, at least if this one goes to plan I'll get the weekend!

Will be end of this month for me when I will be 36 weeks; getting induced by 38 weeks due to GD.

I had planned to work until 37 weeks but at 32 the doctor decided enough was enough and signed me off. I think I could have gone to 34sh but definitely no later, I haven't had a straightforward pregnancy though!!

With DS 3.5 years ago I left at just over 36 weeks (2 weeks of annual to take before mat leave). He was 10 days late so I had nearly 6 weeks off before the birth in the end. I have a desk job but I was absolutely knackered towards the end and pretty immobile with meralgia parasthetica and SPD.

This time I'm not due until 1 Feb but left on 18 December as I had already saved annual leave for Xmas and our leave year starts on 1 January so it made sense to just use most of my 2016 annual leave up pre-due date. Again, I've had mobility problems and been very uncomfortable so even with just a desk job I was SOO ready to go.

As it happened it has worked out very well as DS got chicken pox on New Year's Day so I've been at home with him, not tearing my hair out worrying about trying to leave a straight edge at work while he's not allowed to go to nursery.

Another consideration is that my DH works full time and we can afford for me to have the full 12 months mat leave. If we couldn't do that financially I'd be more inclined to struggle on as close to my due date as possible to get maximum time off with baby.

36+3 but then taking 2 weeks AL so ML will start at 38+3, did originally plan to go at 38+and then AL up to my EDD but after coming back in after Christmas shutdown I realised I didn't want to work that late. also only get SMP so pushing it for as long as I could for that.

Last day of work is 26th Feb and I am due on the 6th March.

It is my first so I may be slightly underestimating things!!