When to go on maternity leave

[namechanger2735]

I'm currently 14weeks pregnant.
Due on the 22nd Feb (if not earlier, definitely not later as high risk pregnancy and will be induced so I don't go over due)
I have a JUST turned 1 year old DD.

With my daughter I went on maternity leave at 34 weeks pregnant, after putting 4 weeks holiday in front of that leave so left work at 30 weeks. This time around I will only have about 2 weeks holiday to put infront of maternity leave.
My thought process IS
•I want to spend some quality time with DD before this baby arrives
•it would be LOVELY to finish work and have a lovely Christmas with family (I do shift work so would definitely miss out on family time if I'm still at work)
•I don't want to go from crazy busy with juggling work and 1 year old, to crazy stressed juggling 1 year old and newborn especially as DCs dad is recently out of the picture

I left work so early last time due to severe hyperemisis, was in and out of hospital (admitted to a ward for days at a time, not just day trips), I got preeclampsia and had to stay in hospital for longer than usual when I had DD because my blood pressure wouldn't go down, and was eventually discharged with 6 weeks worth of Medication for this and other health problems that occurred due to pregnancy. This time around is going fairly the same as last time SO FAR. Fingers crossed things will get easier but if not, I really don't want to work up until the last minute, miss time with DD that il never get again just me and her once new baby is here and not be in the best possible physical and emotional mind set before being chucked in at the deep end with two under 2.
Is the end of December too early to leave do you think?
I should add that I don't want to cut down on my hours as il be paid my usual monthly salary for a big portion of my maternity leave, so want this to remain as high as possible.
Thanks in advance

Hey there,
I am lucky in that I do not have any of the medical complications that you do and I am not high risk.
I am however starting my maternity leave "early" anyway at around 32 weeks.
There are some people I know who have made me feel guilty about this (other pregnant friends who are not able to afford the time off) but I am lucky in that I have quite a bit of savings from being self-employed last year and working my arse off during that time. Also lucky in that my partner is being very supportive. I am taking maternity leave "early" from work so that I can attempt to get as much of my studies done as possible before baby arrives in January as I was intending a career change next year anyway.
I say that as long as you can afford it, you should do what is best for you.
I work in a retail environment and the thought of working through December whilst coming to the end of my pregnancy is not a happy one. I even had to go home early today from work as I was getting strange cervical pains and needed a sit down so I dread to think what it would be like for me further on.
So I say do what feels best for you and don't worry about what other people think :)

I started mat leave at 37 weeks but used all my annual leave beforehand to actually finish at 33 weeks. I wondered if I was doing the right thing as everyone expressed surprised as they thought it was too early, however I'm 35 weeks tomorrow and I don't regret it at all. I've had lots of days out with my DS before he starts school in Sept and it's just been easier than juggling with work. I've had severe anaemia so much easier than dealing with the exhaustion getting up at 5.30 for work and driving sends my back into spasm so much easier without hours commute each way!!

Do whatever works best for you! It's your pregnancy, not anybody else's.

I finished up 4 weeks before x

I've had a tough pregnancy with HG and I finished at 33 weeks (using several weeks of A/L before triggering mat leave much closer to my due date). Best decision I made. I'm struggling to move around here at 35 weeks, let alone work!

Is there any reason you weren't signed off sick previously with your HG and pre-eclampsia rather than having to use your A/L and mat leave early? If you're unwell again this time, you could be signed off up to 36 weeks. After that, your employer can trigger mat leave if you're off with a pregnancy illness. Or is your sick pay not very good?

If you can afford it, finish early. I'm so glad I did

lemondrop I went to GP at about 15 weeks last time and was told "pregnancy is not an illness. We don't sign women off because they're pregnant" I was early and it got a lot worse after this but this just really put me off going back and seeing another doctor/persisting. I just cracked on and when I felt I couldn't do anymore (after leaving work one night with severe pains and in tears) I decided I should leave, this was at 30 weeks

I'm shocked!!! That's an awful way for you to be treated. No, pregnancy itself is not an illness - but you can certainly become very ill with a number of different pregnancy related conditions! I was signed off for a chunk of the first trimester with HG because I couldn't get out of bed.

You poor thing. If you struggle this time, please do see a different and more compassionate doctor.

I'm shocked at the attitude of your GP. Could you ask to see another one? I had the GP practically falling over her shelf to sign me of towards the end of pregnancy - she said if I ever wanted a sick note all I had to do was ask as the health of myself and the baby was most important. So not all GPs are like yours... thankfully

I'm due late Jan and will be finishing mid Dec.
I will be 34 weeks I think by then - I have however used some leftover holidays so that I only do 4 day weeks from October xx

Thanks ladies. It just makes me really not want to ask again, makes me feel like I'm milking it or exaggerating. I KNOW I'm not, but that kind of reception puts you off.
I'm only just getting myself back together mentally after splitting with kids dad, it's still so raw, on top of the hyperemisis this time, keeping up with a one year old, working late nights (I get home at around midnight, to them be up at 6 with DD), waiting to move in a few months, maybe it's everything getting on top of me that makes me want to leave work ASAP.
Maybe il just take each week as it comes

I can leave around 24th Dec at earliest, if my dates are correct.
However I'd like to wait until Feb if I can. Due around 10 March.
BUT. work are trying to change my contract and are being arseholes about various things Inc boxing day, which as it stands is my rota day off. I will have no childcare for ds if they make me work as dp is possibly working and out of principal that it's my day off I refuse to do it. So if they say I HAVE to do boxing day, I will say OK, but will start mat leave 24 Dec. :) I'm lucky I get 14 weeks full pay and the rest smp, which as I'm p/t I Only lose 65 a month so will be taking it all..
I still have 4.5 weeks how to book out too however they won't allow it in one line p before stay leave so may book some in novto get Xmas shopping done. And maybe 2 in Jan if I stay till Feb. If not they'll have to sort it.

PS see a diff gp. I have been signed off for the last 4 weeks with bad sickness and exhaustion. I have a very hands on job, toilets are far away and no where to sit. As soon as I walked in gp surgery to see if anything I could take he signed me off and said it can be for as long as I want.. But I'm. So bored and sickeness is going. I'm on Hol next week so will go back after that. If I'm tired I'll take a longer break

I finished last week at 34+4 using 3 weeks AL and then my maternity starts. I'll still have 1 week AL to carry over too!

This is PFB so I'm kinda bored but couldn't have coped with getting up at 5:30am for work and was so uncomfortable sat in my chair all day.

Sounds like your GP wasn't very empathic with your symptoms. I'd certainly see another GP, as soon as I went to see my GP when I found out I was pregnant she offered to sign me off (was due to me having to come off neuropathic pain medication due to a prolapsed disc) I initially declined and went back to work but soon found it all too much and then got signed off for 8 weeks, back at work now in 2nd trimester.
I'm due early Jan with possible induction end off Dec, planing on finishing end of November taking AL and starting mat leave closer to EDD.

With ds I finished at 37 weeks, using 3 weeks of saved annual leave so that mat leave then kicked in from my due date. He was a week overdue so j had a month at home which was lovely and relaxing.

Currently 33 weeks with ds2 and I'm finishing at 36 weeks. I'm full time and really finding work a struggle, I'm so breathless and physically exhausted that there's no way I'd make it any further. Even having another 3 weeks left feels like an age.

I have bad HG and you should definitely get different opinions if you have a doctor who is unsympathetic. I have not had to be signed of but I am taking Ondansetron to control the vomiting and Nausea. Best Pills in the world!

It is really difficult to know when to take leave. I am currently 23 weeks with my first, and HR want me to firm up mat leave dates by the end of Jan. Although I have HD I am controlled with drugs, but I have no idea what I am going to be like over the next couple of months. Before i found out I was pregnant I had booked a week holiday on the 20th April, which is only 3 weeks before my due date! I had originally though that I would start my mat leave after this, but people have said that if I am late it will be wasted, and I do want to spend as much time with my newborn as possible. I have 20 days holiday to take but others have suggested continuing to work and save these for when I come back to work.
It is such a mine field!!!

I need some Help, information more precisely. A pregnant woman with a high risky pregancy, is She entiteled to receive her normal payment as if She was working?

I've got a job where I have to be on my feet all day so that may make it seem worse but I'm just starting mat leave now at 36 weeks and am KNACKERED and cannot wait to not have to stand up all day!