Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

When did you start maternity leave?

46 replies

hmyh23 · 03/12/2017 17:22

I'm 30 weeks so not starting any time soon but I'm so tired and fed up already! Im.a teacher so just trying to drag myself to Xmas and then will only have 2 weeks left to do in January.

I can manage the actual day to day fine but in terms of marking/planning in the evenings and weekends, I just can't think straight.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

IHateYourCarpet · 03/12/2017 17:34

I went at 34 weeks, but tagged on four weeks annual leave. Best decision I’d ever made, I really couldn’t have managed it to 38!

HoneyWheeler · 03/12/2017 17:46

I'm a teacher and went on half term at 37 weeks and official maternity leave at 38 weeks. At the time I felt completely exhausted and would have struggled to go much further on! He ended up being two weeks late so had five weeks off before he arrived

thingymaboob · 03/12/2017 17:48

I'm 34+2 and I'm going at 35+5. I'm really struggling. The fatigue is insane and I suffer hyperemesis and spd. I really should have gone two weeks ago. Cannot cope at work at all. Absolutely dreading the coming week.

Girlwiththearabstrap · 03/12/2017 18:07

I'm also a teacher. I've put my date down as 39 weeks so I'll have Easter holidays and then be back to work for a week or two. I planned to work up till 39 weeks last time but ended up being induced at 35 and literally went from school up to the hospital - and came home 2 weeks later with a baby!

userabcname · 03/12/2017 18:13

I'm a teacher and went to 38 weeks. And of course we got ofsted in my final week! And I got observed. It was a real treat!

Kpo58 · 03/12/2017 19:28

35+6 weeks (aka when the baby turned up).

I'm hoping to plan it better this time...

Usernamegone · 03/12/2017 19:39

I’m finishing work at 35+4 and taking a months holiday before I officially go on mat leave at 40+0

MrsPicklesonSmythe · 03/12/2017 19:45

I e got a weeks holiday then I'm on mat leave from next week, I'll be 31 weeks. V early but my bosses havent spoken to me for 11 weeks since I told them I was pregnant so I don't feel bad.

BendingSpoons · 03/12/2017 19:47

Finished work at 37 weeks and had 2.5 weeks of holiday so started mat leave two days before my due date. It was tough at the end due to working with small children and a commute involving tubes and buses but I was bored once I finished and was glad I didn't stop earlier. (DD was born at 41+1). I actually had a worse patch at around 35 weeks (hurt my back, seemed ages left), although was definitely ready to finish by the time I did!

Kleokat · 03/12/2017 19:48

I left at 32 weeks as had 6 weeks holiday to take. It was best thing I did because I was really struggling at work for a long time and couldn't wait to leave! Felt like such a weight of my shoulders when I finally left and didn't have to drag my swollen grumpy self in every day. It was the middle of summer and extremely hot at the time in an office with no air conditioning! I was miserable.

WeShouldOpenABar · 03/12/2017 19:54

35 weeks with one sick week two annual leave. I'm half regretting it as I'm sick waiting for baby to appear but I truly couldn't have kept going.

vroc81 · 03/12/2017 20:04

39 + 4.... but I had the easiest pregnancy going and I sit at a desk.. mostly.. i still had to wait until 40 + 11 for her to put in an appearance though so got a couple of weeks to “nest” and lie on the sofa..!

BluePheasant · 03/12/2017 20:09

30 weeks here with DC2 and I wish I could start mat leave tomorrow! I’m really anaemia and just bloody knackered. Due to finish juts before 37 weeks but that’s if I make it that far which I have my doubts about. With my first I could have worked up to my due date if I’d had to but this time am finding it so much harder.

newmummysw · 03/12/2017 20:20

I remember being back and forth with this decision so much! I finished at 38 weeks but really struggled in that final week or 2. Baby ended up being 2 weeks late so in the end I had a month off before he appeared. I appreciated that time so much!

futuremrsconnor85 · 03/12/2017 20:26

I finished on Friday at 38+4! People in the office thought I was mad!. ( I sometimes do 10-11 hour days and have a 60 mile round trip each day) I've had an easy pregnancy and wanted to keep going as normal as long as I could. It's not for everyone though. If you can why not book some leave before you go off? I found taking a few days off then going back for the last few days helped me a lot. Some people would prefer to tag it on to maternity leave but I enjoyed using it to make the last weeks easier.

NC1990 · 03/12/2017 21:27

I finished at 37 weeks, baby arrived at 38+6.

mindutopia · 03/12/2017 21:54

36+5 with my first. She was born a week later at 37+5.

This time I aim to stop at around the same time 36+5 is my last scheduled day. But I essentially work for myself and from home. I used to have a 3 hour commute. I couldn’t still be doing that even now and I’m only 30 weeks. I may still do a bit of work after 37 weeks but only if I feel like it/really need to and not full days. I struggle now to work in the evenings too though.

Unihorn · 03/12/2017 21:57

33 weeks, but took 4 weeks' holiday before starting maternity leave at 37 weeks. I work in hospitality though and was approaching Christmas, which means 12 hours shifts with 5 minutes to sit down and eat, being shouted at by angry drunk revellers and standing in a 40 degree kitchen. I didn't feel it healthy to continue!

This time I'll be going off at 37 weeks but attempting to reduce my duties closer to the due date as it's a quieter time of year.

SarahBeeney · 03/12/2017 22:04

38 weeks with my first baby. Was a real bugger standing on the tube/train.

LoveYouTimMinchin · 03/12/2017 22:08

35 weeks. I remember day 1 of my maternity leave like yesterday as it was the day of a heartbreaking National news story concerning a local boy, and I just felt so sad all day when it should have been happy. I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing - much like when Diana died.

Ponyboycurtis · 03/12/2017 22:09

37wks but had an ELCS booked for 38wks, I was a Youth Worker at the time and spent a lot of my day driving, with lots of after school visits. My bump was touching the steering wheel by the end and I was shattered, glad I stayed working as late as possible though, so that I had more time with them when they arrived.

Zomam · 03/12/2017 23:00

I finished at 37 weeks, but kept aside a weeks holiday to use, so my mat leave didn’t start until 38 weeks.

Before I finished I’d wished I’d just stayed on until baby arrived as I felt fine, but as soon as I stopped working I was exhausted and glad of a rest!

Original poster

hmyh23 · 03/12/2017 23:39

I'm aiming for 37 weeks too. I think I need to just take a day at a time rather than thinking in weeks. Luckily my commute is easy and in the car, I think having the added stress of public transport/horrendous traffic would make it much worse. I think this time of year in the cold and dark makes everything seem a bit more grim as well. Roll on Christmas!!

OP posts:

TriJo · 04/12/2017 00:21

Finished at 37 weeks with my son, I'm 30 weeks now and planning to work until 38 weeks this time.

CinnamonAndSpice · 04/12/2017 01:13

I'm going at 29 weeks.. Only because my job is so stressful and physically hard and it caused me to have health issues, stress related before pregnancy so not risking it now as it's not much better. Will miss my colleagues loads tho but have lots to keep me busy in the meantime.

Flip

1 2