Signed off sick before Mat leave starts

[emma911030]

Has anyone been signed off sick before their mat leave has started?
I'm not due to start my Mat leave until 25th January, however I'm growing by the day (or so it feels) and I currently travel 20 miles to and 20 miles from work each shift which takes approximately 40 mins each way. I do 13 hour shifts.
I am struggling to sit in a decent up right position for too longer periods as it is uncomfortable and quite frankly makes it a little difficult to breath sometimes, I have adjusted my seat in the car so it is a little reclined giving my belly a little extra room however I don't like to drive like this as it makes me feel I'm not paying enough attention to the road, that and after 13 hours at work driving home in the dark in a more reclined positing just makes me feel more sleepy which is obviously very dangerous for myself as well as others on the road.
I have a previous pelvic injury (which is worse in the cold damp weather anyway without the added weight of pregnancy) that along with the SPD I have developed is making being on my feet for 13 hours really difficult and it is probably doing me more harm than good. I have been told by a few colleagues now to go and get signed off until my mat leave starts.
I'm not one to take the piss if I'm honest and I could probably muddle through if I really really tried but I feel I'm just going to make myself over exhausted and cause myself too much pain and discomfort. I've not been at my current job long enough to qualify for maternity pay and will therefore be receiving MA from the DWP which isn't much and will really only just cover what I need each month therefore I don't really want to start my maternity leave a further 3 weeks early because I'm not going to get paid for it or I'm just losing and extra 3 weeks on top of any weeks over due I go etc.
Does anyone have any experience in being signed off and if doctors are willing to do so or are they likely to tell me to start my leave early? And also how to approach it when going to the doctors? I guess it's a bit more complex than saying 'can you sign me off work sick for ... then the reasons'
Really sorry for the long post!! Any advice would be a great help

I'm pretty sure that because your reasoning is due to pregnancy (I.e. the struggles aren't caused by anything other than being pregnant), it would trigger the start of your mat leave.
With that reasoning you wouldn't get signed off. If it's that important to you to be signed off, you could always go to your doctor about being stressed at work.

Good luck whatever happens xx

I'm 29 weeks and everyone at work keeps asking me, 'should you BE here?' Because I'm on crutches because of pretty nasty spd and my breathing is quite heavy these days.

I can't do everything I used to be able to (my job involves carrying a lot and walking a lot), but I've moved my maternity date forward and keep struggling in! I'm just taking it day by day.

No advice really, but following. Some days I can barely stand up...

I was signed of sick at 29 weeks, wasn't made to start mat leave until 36 weeks xx

They can't force you to start maternity leave unless you are off with a pregnancy related illness in the last 4 weeks of pregnancy

I was on sick leave before my mat leave started in my last pregnancy. I was off for several weeks therefore my mat leave kicked in earlier by default. I think the rule is if you are off sick with pregnancy related ailments within 4 weeks of your due date, your maternity leave automatically starts. I hope that helps x

You can be signed off sick, but when you hit 36 wks (I think it is) it converts to leave.

I’ve been reading about maternity allowance because I need to apply next year. And if you’re signed off sick within 4 weeks of your due date then it automatically triggers your payments.

I’m saving all my leave and taking 5 weeks before as annual leave as I had SPD bad before so you have my sympathy.

If your sick leave is within 4 weeks of your due date And the reason for the leave is pregnancy related, your mat leave is automatically started.

I planned on starting my mat leave at 36 weeks anyway so I guess this is when it would automatically kick in for pregnancy related sickness anyway so would be no different?
I hate letting people down but it's such a full on job (HCA on busy surgical hospital ward) and with the travelling it's just so much. Getting out of bed at all hurts my pelvis mainly my pubic bone especially if I wake and need a wee so just think oh god need toilet and forget to get out in a sensible manner I could just cry. Thank you for your responses ladies I really appreciate them! xx