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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

Is this too early to start my Maternity leave?

29 replies

molifly · 10/01/2018 08:09

Due to some issues at work and how this is effecting my health i am considering starting my Maternity leave at 32 weeks. I'm aware you can start Maternity leave 11 weeks before your due date however is this too early in principle rather than in policy?

Has anyone started Maternity leave around this time and regretted it or not regretted it?

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NorthernLurker · 10/01/2018 08:12

Do you intend to return to work? If you hang on to 36 weeks, you can then, with the max leave and annual leave usually be off till your child's first birthday. If you go at 32 weeks you will have potentially ten weeks before the baby arrives. That might be fine but it is a long time and you may regret it later when you need to get back to work and anybody you know whose baby is the same age is still on leave.
If your health is the main reason you could be signed off for four weeks to 36 weeks? Yes ur leave has to start at 36 weeks if you're signed off sick.

8DaysAWeek · 10/01/2018 08:16

I started at 33 weeks. Few reasons: very physically demanding job, morning sickness followed me through the whole pregnancy and I generally just didn't enjoy work so thought why not?

I would have like to have kept working up until 38 weeks to get more time with baby at the end but I'd had enough by that point.

It is a long wait until giving birth but if you can keep yourself busy it's fine!

Original poster

molifly · 10/01/2018 08:17

I do intend to return to work afterwards yes- this is main concern that 10 weeks pre baby is a long time.

I did consider going to the Doctors but I'm worried if i went to the Doctor they wouldn't sign me off and tell me to get on with it and that it would also look bad to my employee me going off sick up until my Maternity leave.

OP posts:

clarebear1983 · 10/01/2018 08:17

I think it depends on your situation, if finishing early means you will have to go back earlier and you don't want to do that then it's important to consider.

Why don't you get yourself signed off instead, just explain to your GP that things are stressing you out or whatever at work and they'll sign you off (usually for however long you'd like).

Don't put yourself at a financial disadvantage by going on maternity early if you don't have to. If you stay off sick until 36 weeks you'll automatically start your maternity leave, so you could either go back for a few weeks, take outstanding holiday or just let it start then. But at least it'll buy you a few more weeks on the other side.

BertieBotts · 10/01/2018 08:20

If you go off sick close to your maternity leave it counts as maternity IIRC.

It's a shame that in the UK the pre/post birth it works like this, it means lots of people end up feeling like they have to work right up to the last minute. I was a bit surprised in Germany they expect you to go off at 34 weeks but it doesn't affect any time after the birth, so there's no benefit to cutting it short. I think it will be useful for me as I'm due at the end of August so it's going to be boiling!

Lules · 10/01/2018 08:20

I went at 31 weeks for my second, although I used up my leave before I officially went on ML. It was the best thing I did. I was really struggling.

I could probably have got signed off as I was feeling awful but I didn’t want the faff or the obligation to go back if I started to feel better. I’m taking my accrued leave at the end of my ML so my baby will be almost a year when I go back anyway.

Mummyme87 · 10/01/2018 08:22

Depends on your personal situation. 32weeks is early but if it’s due to ill health then needs must but get signed off from your GP!
I went off on annual leave at 35weeks and mat leave at 36weeks with this one. I work as a midwife on labour ward so physically and emotionally exhausting, I had severe PGP and sickness until about 26weeks. I wanted to get into December to maximise my time off post baby and to get next Christmas off! With DS1, I was able to rest when not working and my PGP was t as bad so I went off on annual leave at 37weeks and mat leave at 38weeks

LorelaiVictoriaGilmore · 10/01/2018 08:25

I'm 33 weeks and have just been signed off sick for the next three weeks until maternity leave starts at week 36. I've got total placenta previa which puts me at high risk of bleeding, premature birth and will (at best) mean a complicated c-section at week 39. In all honesty, I could physically probably still be working from home but I am totally panicked by everything that is going on so have had myself signed off. It was the right decision for me although my boredom levels are quite high and I wonder if sticking with work a bit longer would have kept my mind off things!

Sparklesdontshine · 10/01/2018 08:30

Have you got any annual leave you can take first? I always finish around 32 weeks, but use annual leave first

Original poster

molifly · 10/01/2018 08:30

Thank you so much for all your lovely responses - it's really helpful to hear from others who are in a similar situation.

If i went to the GP and said i was really struggling how likely are they to give me a sick note? I've struggled with sickness all the way through my pregnancy along with SPD and lack of support at work for these things aren't helping. I'm just worried the Doctor wouldn't sign me off.

OP posts:

flimp · 10/01/2018 08:31

If it's pregnancy-related sickness in the last few weeks of work, your employer can ask you to start maternity leave.

If it was me I'd try and grin and bear it at work if at all possible. There's no doubt you will appreciate those extra weeks with your baby.

How bad is it?

wowbutter · 10/01/2018 08:35

If you get signed off now, your maternity leave will automatically begin at 34 weeks.

If you are really struggling, do that. I was signed off at 22 weeks due to spd pain and am 32 now. Yes, it's dull as hell, but the pain is less. Yes I've sacrificed time with the baby afterwards, but I couldn't stand. You need to think about yourself and get yourself well rested and prepared for labour. Go and tell your gp you need signing off.

Dairymilkmuncher · 10/01/2018 08:41

Instead of using your holidays in a block like three weeks could you use 2 1/2 days a week for six weeks or something like that so you are just taking it more easy for double the time?

Buxbaum · 10/01/2018 08:46

Pregnancy-related sickness usually triggers mat leave after 36 weeks but it depends on the arrangements with your employer (my experience is largely in the public sector). You should be able to take normal sick leave up to this point.

Serendipper · 10/01/2018 09:01

I was signed off work with work related stress at 30 weeks due to an incident in work. As it was work related it didn't trigger my maternity leave to start so technically I was off sick for 8 weeks and maternity started at 38 weeks as planned. I had a really understanding doctor who agreed it was the right thing for me and signed me off without question. I was worried about being bored or too inactive in the run up to having a baby but I have managed to keep myself busy and have had lots of company and time to get things sorted for the babies arrival. I was determined that it was not going to affect my maternity leave though (as it was my employers that caused the stress) so if it had triggered maternity leave at 36 weeks I would have pushed myself to go in for the final fortnight. I would definitely think about taking some time off sick first. Most drs are understanding and even if they say no what have you lost?

Oysterbabe · 10/01/2018 09:05

How long are you planning on being off on maternity?

LorelaiVictoriaGilmore · 10/01/2018 09:57

My experience of going to the doctor for a sick note as a pregnant woman is that they don't really say 'no'! However, I am quite forceful and prepared to cry in their office until I get what I want!

I didn't really want to get signed off work, but knew it was the right thing and am thinking of it as one of the first big things that I am doing for this baby - it's part of looking after her even though she isn't born yet!

mindutopia · 10/01/2018 09:59

It would depend on if it affects when you go back to work. Personally, if you only plan to take off 9 months (for example), then stopping 2.5 months early might mean you have to go back at 7.5 months. I wouldn't want to do that. I'd rather suck it up now and have more time off with baby and I would regret missing out on those extra months. If you plan to stay at home for the first 2 years anyway as a SAHP and then look to go back, it probably doesn't matter as much. So I would consider being signed off, but only if it didn't trigger your mat leave and affect how much time you ultimately get off.

Smellybears · 10/01/2018 10:18

I went off at 33 weeks. I’m having 12 months off and am unsure if I’m going back, but if I do it’ll be part time.
I keep finding myself having to ‘justify’ why I went off so early but I’m glad I did. I have a busy job especially in December and my boss wasn’t accommodating toward my pregnancy at all. Going off sick would not have gone down well in work at all!
I have found that every day I have been busy, I have had things to do and haven’t been ‘sat round bored doing nothing’ like some people said. I knew I’d keep myself busy and I have done, the nursery has been fully decorated, furniture put up etc and I’m glad it’s done now before the baby has arrived.
I was told that I may be induced a couple of weeks ago due to slow growth but they’ve increased number of scans and are happy for me to go naturally.
I’m glad I went off early but I have also thought that if I wasn’t due till later on in the year then I’d have gone off work later, it’s just that December is such a busy time.
You do what you feel is best for you and your baby, you need to put your health first!

clarebear1983 · 10/01/2018 10:22

You will almost certainly get a sick note from the doctor with no lecture whatsoever.

Your maternity will not automatically start if you are signed off, it will only automatically start if you are still signed off by the 36th week of pregnancy. So you could book holiday for example weeks, 36 and 37 then start maternity at 38.

Smellybears · 10/01/2018 10:25

I wasn’t allowed to take holiday in December which is why I couldn’t have weeks 33 and 34 as holiday, otherwise I would have done.

readytostart · 10/01/2018 10:41

I went at 34 weeks, I had weeks holiday so maternity started at 35 weeks. I'm so glad I did. I stopped sleeping at night, was absolutely shattered through the day so could now nap, I was in tears most days with spd and ended up in and out of hospital the last couple of weeks.

AndInShortIWasAfraid · 10/01/2018 12:49

I'm going at 35 weeks due to severe HG. I do have about six weeks of holiday to use up though and was signed off for four months.

Do you have any holiday you can use? If not, definitely get signed off if you're unwell. I probably shouldn't have come back to work but was worried about the money. I feel incredibly unwell now and have been sent home from work too. If you feel ill there is no such thing as too early.

Chipsahoy · 10/01/2018 14:01

I'm going at 32 weeks, may even bring it forward to 31 (I do have five weeks of hols). Its not anyone's business when you go, it's not too early unless it's prior to eleven weeks before, go when you want.

Firstchild7 · 10/01/2018 14:03

U have to do what is right for u and Ur child, I went early on mine as was stressed and job was to physical.

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