If you work full time when did you go on maternity leave?

[River93]

I’d originally told my employer I’d work until 2 weeks before due date. Oh how naive I was, I’m 21 weeks but find some days I’m struggling as it can be fairly physical some days as I travel around to lots of different locations and have lots of equipment to lug around and get in and out the car.

I think now I’d like to go 4 weeks before due date but again this could change. I suspect if my job was based at a desk it would be much easier for me!

I’m just interested to see when other people did?

I finished at 36 weeks, first baby, I have a desk job but was absolutely ready to finish by then as I was huge

I finished at 38 weeks, took a week’s annual leave and my maternity leave officially started at 39 weeks....except I went into labour at and gave birth at 38+6.

36 weeks. Ideally, I’d have gone on longer, but my job involved two flights a week, and I couldn’t fly after 36 weeks.

34 weeks. I'm a teacher and chose that time as I was born 6 weeks early myself so had an idea that I might go early.

At 35 weeks I was going in every other day for monitoring, so it was a good job I'd finished earlier as that would have been inconvenient.

And at 36 weeks I had my DD.

I had DD2 4 weeks early too.

I finished last week at 34 weeks and it couldn't have come a minute sooner. I did have 6 weeks of holidays to take upfront though so maternity leave actually doesn't start until my due date.

My role was mainly office based but included a 45 minute bus commute each way and also a lot of train travel whilst out doing research - I did agree with work that the travel stopped about 28 weeks because I was shattered and swollen. I also work from home at least once but more often twice a week so that definitely helps.

You've got a way to go yet but you will get there - think about small adjustments you can do to make it easier on yourself.

37, I was a useless blob and just sat in a chair all day though. That last week killed me!

I was 34 weeks with DC1 , job was physically easy but long tiring commute (2 hours each way) and high blood pressure meant I had to stop. Managed 37 weeks with DC2, and she was 2 weeks early, which was much better as she got to 11 months before I had to go back to work, just as well as she had awful reflux which settled around 9 months, we had a lovely 2 months before I went back.

37weeks and just stopped. i needed to. Driving was very painful and I was exhausted. Listen to your body and do what's best for you.

I worked FT with my first I went off on ML at 36wks when my waters broke at my desk - had been planning to finish at 38wks
I had stopped doing building site visits at 30weeks because I couldn't do the trips without needing a wee midway!

My second I worked for myself and started to wind things up at 36 wks good thing because I had him at 37wks.

I was 37 weeks but I work a desk job and it's only a 20 minute walk there and back. Plus I used annual leave and a bank holiday to have three 4-day weeks followed by a 3-day week so my last month was easier too. Booked 3 weeks annual leave, just about 40 weeks tomorrow when my SMP will officially start. I was really struggling with fatigue from work the last 6 weeks or so as it was, I'm sure if I had a long commute/lots of travel/ a physically demanding job I would have left much, much earlier.

30 weeks coz I hated my job and felt like shit

My first i went at 38 weeks and gave birth at 39 weeks - i was gutted as i had so much to do in the weeks i thought i had free when i thought i would be overdue. Second baby i went at 36 weeks and gave birth at 39 weeks - those 3 weeks were lovely - i got to spend time with my DS and do all the faffing/nesting i didnt for number 1.

I have to say that both my pregnancies were easy though and i felt fine right up to the end with both.

Desk job and left at 28 weeks as soon as I could! I was soooo done with the job before I got pregnant! But when I found out I was, I of course stayed as long as I had to for the maternity pay!

I’m off at 30 weeks. Using two weeks holiday initially. I’m a college tutor so spend a lot of time on my feet/racing around a big building and I’m fucked. I just can’t be arsed. Not returning in September and have given them adequate notice to find cover for the academic year.

I’ll be slightly earlier than 30 weeks tbh as it falls in the summer hols but yeah my MAP begins at 32 weeks.

33 weeks, I'm so tired and sore. So happy to be off now, such a relief!

I’m currently 37 weeks and planning to work up until 39 weeks... I work in an office and don’t have to commuted massively far so figured I’m better at work on a proper chair than slouching on the sofa where I need a crane to get me back up 😂 x

39 weeks, the day before my ELCS was booked for.

This was last year, but I originally said I'd work until I was 38 weeks, but by 36 weeks I couldn't sit on that computer chair any longer. So work agreed that I could use 2 weeks of my holidays from this year, so I could finish early!

It was the best 2 weeks of my life, chilling on the sofa, eating crumpets and watching Netflix! 😎

I was going to work up until my due date, then have a lovely 2 weeks nesting before baby arrived two weeks late.

Never, ever listen to your mother who insists ALL babies are born 2 weeks overdue in our family, early is unheard of. All are at least 8lbs, and labours are 2 hours start to finish.

I went into labour at 38wks and needed a crash section for my 6 lb er.

Last time i listen to my mother. Especially as i realised after my sister had her baby- textbook 10 hour 1cm/hr- that she genuinely thought all labours were 2 hours long. No clue on the actual process of birth, you get a labour twinge, rush to hospital, and have the baby straight away. Once my sister had been in labour 4 hours she was phoning me in a panic as “it shouldn’t take this long, something must have gone wrong”.

I was going to work up to my due date, I car share to work and my buddy was happy to do most of the driving so I didn’t have to drive towards the end.

In the end my waters broke at 39+6 but then nothing happened for 24 hours so I had to go to hospital to get antibiotics and I missed my last day, people were pretty shocked that I wasn’t going to leave at least 2 weeks before my due date but there was really no need and I wanted to spend as much time as possible with the baby once she arrived.

I worked up to my due date, DS was 6 days late so I still had almost a week off. I do have a desk job though, and a long commute but I usually got offered a seat with my bump so it was fine.

I'm 26 weeks and planning to work to my due date again if possible. If I had a more physically challenging job I'd start my leave earlier

OP, do you have any unused holiday? You accrue holiday as usual when on Maternity. I have 2 weeks unallocated for the rest of the leave year. I'm taking them before my mat leave starts so I can be off from 36 weeks.

I am 38 weeks and finished on Friday, I was ready to go a week earlier though in hindsight. Like others have said kept thinking if I go two weeks over then I will have already been off for four weeks by the time the baby comes.

I'm 35 weeks and leave 10 days before due date.
I've had enough.
I'm just so tired.
Everything I can deal with.... it's not not sleeping. I've fallen asleep at work 2 times. I want to leave but I'll get bored