Naive to think I can work up until my due date?

[GoalDigger]

Just joined mn (thanks for having me) - 25 weeks pregnant and am wondering whether I am naive to think I can work until my due date?

I have an hour commute door to door either end of work (work 40 hours a week) but no issues with trains (always offered a seat, sometimes prefer to stand on my way home after sitting all day - I know this won't be the case soon).

Work are asking when I am going to start my maternity leave, and have a policy in place that I need to give them 8 weeks notice to change it, so even if I wanted to work longer, I would need to let them know 8 weeks in advance. They can use their own discretion however there are no guarantees from HR.

I know a few people who worked up to their due dates and had no problems. Am I naive in wanting to give this a try? I can go earlier if I need as I could just get signed off sick, but to go later it's a little more difficult if HR decide to be stubborn...

Any advice? Never had a baby before so no idea how realistic this is.

Also to add I had my daughter at 39+4 so I would've only had about a week and a bit to relax before she came, which deffo wouldn't have been enough for my 2 day Labour 🙈

I thought I could. I had a straightforward pregnancy and then I was signed off work at 33 weeks with PGP. I never made it back to work before my baby arrived - with no warning or niggles beforehand - at 35 weeks. There is no reason why you won't be able to and I am aware of colleagues working right up until their due dates. I just don't think you can know what will happen and the time at home before your baby arrives is so precious. There was no reason for my premature birth - just one of those things.

I would finish work at 33 weeks again if I were to have another pregnancy but appreciate my previous experience, while common, is not the norm.

How much walking does your work journey involve. Time on the train is ok but the walking either end of the journey could be hard.
I worked until 38 weeks and found commuting tiring but ok. At 39 weeks I could hardly get myself off the sofa let alone commute anywhere.

If you're comfortable doing it, then do it! If you need to stop work earlier than you've agreed you can get signed off by a doctor at any point.
With my 1st I worked up until my due date behind the bar, had no problems was just tired!
This time round I've given myself 3 weeks before because I'm so exhausted!

I finished for maternity leave at 37 weeks. Planned to work until 38 but I had been sick the full time, was exhausted and had been at the hospital for reduced movements so decided to take it easy until DD was born. I actually enjoyed the few weeks I had before DD was born, cleaning the house, batch cooking and relaxing.
Now she's here it would have been nice to have the extra couple of weeks with her, but to be honest I don't think another couple of weeks would have made the thought of going back to work any easier! I honestly have no idea how I'm going to manage to leave her 🙈 Also remember you will still have your fill year entitlement of annual leave to use the year when you go back, and will accrue any bank holidays, so I'm using a month of this year's annual leave before I go back to work, so that might help you bulk our your maternity leave after having the baby.

I had a desk job and drove to work and back everyday etc and planned to leave the week of my due date. Everything was going fine but I was then diagnosed with pre-eclampsia at 37 weeks and taken into hospital after a routine midwives appointment. I was monitored for a few days and then told I had to give birth the next day so with all the world in the world a plan can change in a split second so I would bear that in mind and maybe look at a week or 2 before just in case, if not just to put your feet up and enjoy some you time before it ripped away 😂

I worked up until my due date with both pregnancies, no problems. I did give birth one day later with my first, though.

I worked until two days before I went in to labour with first. I know lots of women who did. Less time before the baby meant more time after they were born.

I think I'm lucky as because of how my holiday year and due date fall, I get three weeks annual leave to take before I start mat leave so can have 12months off after birth and then take another month of leave!

36 weeks for my first. I was bored out of my brain and resented using up time I could have spent with my baby. With my second I finished work on my due date, and she came six days later. I only live a ten minute drive from work though - an hrs commute would not have worked for me.

I worked until the Friday and went in to be induced the Monday morning, I was tired but it was manageable, I have a desk job so wasn't too bad although I didn't have to use public transport, I had about a 40 min drive each way

I went up to 41 weeks with DD1 - lovely job and didn't really want to stop. Had a very easy pregnancy and was also clearly lucky. She still didn't arrive for another week and I managed to get quite bored in that time!

I finished at 37 weeks. Despite having an easy pregnancy, an office job where I could walk around as much as I needed, and a 15 minute commute where I could park my car right outside the door I struggled that last week and looking back I’d have finished a week earlier.
Despite having no signs DD arrived 9 days after finishing work.

I worked to 39 weeks and baby was a week late. I didn't get bored in the time I was off not at all. Did loads of things with that two weeks and felt rested and relaxed waiting for baby to make an appearance :) I also have a desk job and a drive to work. I was very fortunate with my pregnancy and didn't have too many aches and pains towards the end to prevent me from doing things. Everyone is different I suppose but go with what you think is best :) Good luck whatever you decide x

Meh I would if I were you. I finished at 37 weeks with my first and deeply regretted it as he only came along at 41+3. I was perfectly able to work. With my second I took a week off before a planned c-section but would have been fine to work. If it’ll be a faff to make it later I’d just put the latest possible date and move it earlier if need be.

That's weird that you're HR is 8 weeks I also work for a government department (medium sized) and mine is 4 weeks notice to change it!
Speak to your manager my department allows wfh 2 days a week and if agreed with the senior manager has allowed me to work remotely for up to 2 weeks before (my FIL was very ill with cancer and lives 10 hours away thankfully now responding to treatment).
I was going to start maternity leave 2 weeks before my due date. You do also have all the annual leave that you accumulate which you can take paid before going back to work.

Went at 36 weeks and could not wait. Absolutely exhausting. But everyone is different.

One thing I will say is that your employer can automatically trigger your maternity leave if you go off sick in the last 4 weeks... So you could always plan to go at 40 weeks and if you're not up to it at the time then go off sick and start mat leave at that point :-)

With ds1 I planned to have two weeks at home to prepare but ended up having two days. I really wish I could have had those two weeks at home before he was born. Time for batch cooking, getting my head round having a baby and just as pp have said ‘nesting’.

I'd give the latest date possible and go early if you need to. I've never really got the whole "you must have weeks to nest" thing. First pregnancy I ended up getting induced at just before 35 weeks so left work and went straight to hospital. Second one I went off at 39 weeks and was 12 days late. I was climbing the walls by then! I was still at the gym and looking after my 3 year old but there's really only so much pottering about I needed. I much prefer having the time with the baby than time before.

It's up to you and whatever you think you can cope with. With my first I finished work at 32 weeks (I was working away from home and the travel was getting too much, especially as I was having regular consultant appointments). DD was born at 35+5, the gap was perfect although I wouldn't have minded another week to myself! With DS I'd planned to finish at 33+3 (it was Christmas so I'd planned to finish expecting him to arrive early Jan). It didn't quite work like that; I went for a planned bp check up at the hospital in my lunch break at 33 weeks and never left the hospital as they admitted me that afternoon. DS was born by planned EMCS 3 days later.

I went at 38 weeks with my first, hour commute and three flights of stairs into the building, I was huge and exhausted, dd was a bit late but I never regretted going then. This time I'm going at 38 weeks but taking two weeks holiday before it starts (so 36 weeks), I have my two year old most of the time and going then will give me a few days off while she's in nursery before baby comes. I'm already big and maternity leave can't come soon enough. It's different for everyone but personally I hate the idea of my waters going at work (and they keep going until you have the baby by the way) or having to abandon my car if labour started.

I did - but not deliberately. I went off at 37 weeks and DD was born straight away. I did say when finishing up that I could have done another week. You just don't know how your body's going to react.
In my (I thought everywhere), if you take sick leave due to pregnancy after a certain point (34 weeks?) you have to take your mat leave from then, so I always knew I'd have that as a cushion.

Yes it's pregnancy related sick leave after 36 weeks that starts your maternity leave.
So if it was bed rest due to a placenta issue yes, if it was an ordinary cold then no.

The 8 weeks notice to change things is standard I believe but most sensible employers will let you change that to earlier if you aren't well and finding work hard. Also can ask for risk assessment to be reviewed if things change as a lot changes from 25 weeks to the end. Could also ask for more working at home, especially if you are desk based and writing handover notes etc.

I went part time at 30 weeks and started maternity leave at 36 weeks and still waiting for baby now (40 weeks today) but I was more than ready!
Yes I've been bored at home, but sitting at my desk, even part time, was so painful on my hips/coccyx. I also had no energy by the time I was home to do anything along the lines of cooking or housework!
I've also been having stop/start contractions now for the past 2 weeks and I'd honestly have hated to go into labour either at work or on my half hour car journey to/from work.
It's a personal choice, and I really think it depends on how you are feeling by the end

Its definitely do-able if you're having a straightforward pregnancy. I worked up until 39 weeks with my first baby. I was bone tired by about 35 weeks and the commute was tough, but I managed. Glad I did it, though, as DC1 didn't make an appearance until 42+5!.

I had DC2 at 37 weeks, though, so wouldn't have been possible (but was a SAHM at that point, so not relevant).