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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

When to go on Maternity Leave?

53 replies

Stephisaur · 12/07/2018 14:25

Baby isn't due until December, but it's occurred to me today that I have no idea when you're supposed to work until!

I'm due the 17th, so my original idea was to start my Maternity leave on the Friday (14th). I don't know whether this is too late? I have some holiday (need to check how much) that I could take before then if I should leave work earlier, but with it being my first I just don't know!

I have an office job, so not too taxing really. I just sit here on mumsnet and answer phones and emails really.

Any thoughts?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

LexieLulu · 12/07/2018 23:51

Office job here, worked until my due date both times.

If your office is air con'd I'd stay put till they kicked me out 😂

kirinm · 13/07/2018 11:10

My friend who has recently had a baby finished work at about 37+3 weeks and then ended up having the baby at 37+5. I couldn't deal with having a baby with zero rest time in between.

I'm due to finish at 36 weeks. I'm likely to have a ELCS. I don't have a date yet but have been told it'll be in my 39th week so I'm looking at 3 weeks off before baby. That'll be plenty. I'm slightly concerned I'll get bored but having done nothing to prepare for the baby yet, I'll still have quite a lot to do.

BlairWaldorfLovesShopping · 13/07/2018 11:56

I'm 37 weeks with first baby and work in a desk job. I expect I will go off in the middle of next week (work are extremely laid back about it all). I'm going to take annual leave up to a maximum of 15 days/3 weeks and then go on ML, unless baby arrives earlier of course. Fingers crossed I will have a good period of time to try and relax before he does.

Lexie - the air con in my office is one of the reasons I've stayed so long

MonicaGellerHyphenBing · 13/07/2018 17:27

I went on ML (from an office job) when I was 36+6. That gave me 2 weeks to myself before DD arrived of her own accord at 38+6. I was well and truly ready to finish, and given I went 8 days early I'm glad I had some time to relax before the fog of newborn life descended!

Defnotunique · 13/07/2018 17:38

I'm a restaurant supervisor so on my feet all day long.
However I only get 6 weeks @ 90%.
So.... my plan - I'm due 13th Nov, so i will take 1 week hol from 4th-10th Nov then start my maternity leave on 11th November.
They plan on inducing me on my due date anyways so won't go over too much......

surreygirl1987 · 14/07/2018 07:40

@birdybirdbird im.almost exactly the same as you - due a couple of days after you, mat leave starts the same day and am a teacher too! Well timed mat leave!

birdybirdbird · 14/07/2018 08:33

@surreygirl1987 The teacher in me was very pleased with the September birthday! I’m going to be very annoyed if it decides to come early

TheGrumpySquirrel · 14/07/2018 08:43

It depends how you feel and how flexible your work is. I was originally going to finish at 37 weeks then realised I'd go crazy alone at home for 3-5 weeks pre baby. Now I'm 35w and finishing at 38 weeks (and if it wasn't so bloody hot I'd try to go longer). I've had an easy pregnancy and only just starting to feel physically compromised. My workplace will let me bring the date forward but I don't think I can move it later at this point. I'm fortunate that I'm allowed to work from home as much as I need to. It's getting hard to walk the 15 minutes to the tube station!

lifechangesforever · 14/07/2018 08:53

@jennac are you sure about having to start leave 4 weeks before due date? That sounds an awful long time and I'm not sure they can enforce you to leave so early if you didn't want to and wanted more time with baby.

I finished at 34 weeks due to SPD and that I had my full 6 weeks of annual leave to take. My maternity leave doesn't actually start until Wednesday, which is my due date. If I'd not had the annual leave then I would have been working as late as my body could take it, in order to allow more time with baby.

OP - I would say 1/2 weeks before due is perfect but just be open to wanting to change it as you get nearer. I also work in an office but the swelling in my feet and SPD just made it really hard work. Was so thankful for my AL!

myotherbagisgucci · 14/07/2018 08:58

I was due on the 18th December 2017 (DD was born on 19th) but I finished work on the 16th November.

My maternity didn't officially start until the 3rd December, but I used holidays to finish early.

I was 36 weeks when I left and I'm glad I had that 4 weeks to myself at home before DD was born. The weather was so bad and I chilled on the sofa, cleaned the house, got last minute baby bits ready and I didn't have to worry about going out in the snow.

Good Luck OP with whatever you decide.

somersetsoul · 14/07/2018 08:58

I'm leaving st 32 weeks. I have an office job but No 3 pg is hard work! I also get the last two weeks of the school holidays with my dds 🙂

Original poster

Stephisaur · 14/07/2018 09:28

Thanks everyone :)

Yes, office is air conditioned and I sit right under the vent 😂 it’s new but we believe it also works as a heater in the winter.

I think for now I’m best off seeing how I go. I didn’t want to take too much time off before the baby, because I want more time afterwards but if I’m struggling then my work are very good (there are benefits to working for your parents!) so I just have to give them 1-2 weeks notice.

My mum was telling me that when she was pregnant with my sister she had to go on ML 12 weeks before she was due!!

OP posts:

Flatwhite32 · 14/07/2018 09:32

I'm a primary school teacher of 31 children and worked til 37+4. Currently 38+5. There is no air conditioning at school, so I'll admit I was struggling towards the end in the heat! However, I was lucky in that I don't have PGP or SPD, so was fine with all the standing etc (despite sore feet!). I was very relieved to finish though. It really does depend how your pregnancy goes too, which can be difficult to predict in the earlier stages.

jennac · 14/07/2018 10:15

@lifechangesforever hmm perhaps I misunderstood then! I haven't actually told them I'm expecting yet, I just thought I'd read the 4 week thing on the company policy but perhaps I misinterpreted it. I would much rather put those four weeks to better use after the birth!!

surreygirl1987 · 15/07/2018 15:41

Oh it might be the rule about if you go off sick within 4 weeks of your due date your mat leave starts automatically? Is that maybe what you read?

HidCat · 15/07/2018 17:36

It's a very personal decision. I put my last date in as the day before my due date (due date was a Saturday). I worked right to the end with no problems due to an easy pregnancy, left work at 5pm on the Thursday and went into labour at midnight. At 9am my husband had to call in to let them know we'd had the baby and I wouldn't be in for my last day. That's actually what I wanted as I only took 4 mths of maternity leave so got to maximise time with my baby.

jennac · 17/07/2018 17:28

Following on from my comments at the beginning of this thread, I have checked my company policy again and it definitely says that we must finish at least four weeks before due date (exact quote below). I'm pretty gutted to be honest as we only get four months off paid! So that'll be one gone before the birth :(

A pregnant co-worker is statutorily entitled to 16 weeks of maternity leave. The co-worker can choose to stop working either four weeks (minimum) or 6 weeks (maximum) before the expected delivery date.

TheGrumpySquirrel · 17/07/2018 18:10

@jennac it might be their policy but not sure it's legally enforceable, very odd. Is it a physical job? Check out maternity action website to check your rights

TheGrumpySquirrel · 17/07/2018 18:10

I've only ever heard of this in Holland / Germany

OhMeOhMy1234 · 17/07/2018 18:17

I’m due in December too and am finishing 3 weeks before. I can’t bloody wait! Will enjoy the time off to rest, sort the house out and just enjoy my alone time before it disappears forever

TheGrumpySquirrel · 17/07/2018 18:20

Jenna look at this:

TheGrumpySquirrel · 17/07/2018 18:22

I'm also confused about their use of the word statutorily entitled.. in the U.K. you are statutorily entitled to 26 weeks Ordinary maternity leave and a further 26 weeks additional maternity leave.

TheGrumpySquirrel · 17/07/2018 18:24

Maybe they mean they will only pay (as in top up the SMP) for 16 weeks including 4 pre birth. But I would get advice on this as their policy is at best badly worded and at worst infringes on your legal rights.

surreygirl1987 · 17/07/2018 19:14

Eh? Thanks for posting the exact quote... now I see why you are confused! That surely isn't right. I don't suppose you are in a union are you? You definitely need to follow this up!

jennac · 18/07/2018 06:36

Hmm thanks everyone for your comments. It does seem quite odd. It isn't a physical job so not sure why that would be necessary. The only thing I can think of is that it is a Dutch company so perhaps their policy somehow originated from Dutch guidelines. I'm going to be telling them I'm pregnant tomorrow so I'm sure I will get some clarification on the matter then! Otherwise I will have to start putting something together to see if I can dispute it. Thanks for your help 🙂xx

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