When to start maternity leave?

[Chunk9]

35 weeks this week. I was aiming to get to 38 weeks but finding everything hard to juggle at the moment! I only work 3 days but with a 3 year old it’s quite full on. I went up to 38 with my first pregnancy.

When is everyone starting leave? Especially second pregnancies?

I finished at 38 weeks with DS and planned to finish at 37 weeks this time. However I’m now 33 weeks and have been signed off for the next two weeks with SPD, then it’s half term (I teach) so I’m not going back. Means starting mat leave at 36 weeks and our pay isn’t great as it is but I can’t carry on any longer.

I work 3 days a week and have a 2yo DS. . I went at 38 weeks with my first though started my mat leave on due date and DS was a week early so I actually only got a week to myself before baby! This time I am going at 35+5 (though 2 weeks of that is holiday) and I was planning to keep DS in childcare 3 days a week till due date, but my CM has just quit so I will probably have him at home with me from 38 weeks. No rest for the wicked!

With DS1 I went off at 36 weeks (A/L then maternity), he was 10 days overdue so it felt like a long time to be off before baby came!

Now pregnant with second and DS only 11 months. I work full time but reducing my weeks to 4 days for 2 weeks then going off at 37 weeks (annual leave for two weeks then maternity officially starts at 39 weeks). I might be having an elective section at 39 weeks which would only give me two weeks to get properly organised, spend time with my son and also relax/have time to myself whilst he is at childminders.

Cant help but worry about the Mum guilt of wondering how my son will be when we have the new baby, he will only just be turned 1!

@Chunk9 depends on the child I guess! But wasn’t an issue for us. DC1 turned 2yo a week after DC2 was born. Prior to that, I was able to potter about, spend more time playing with DC1, reading books to him, etc. When DC2 was born he was pretty relaxed about it, thought the baby looked cute and insisted on sitting next to his bouncy chair and showing him things

I bought special DVDs for DC1 which only went on during feeding DC2, as that was the most consuming time with DC2, which DC1 was quite happy about as he got to have a special show whenever DC2 was fed, and we’d set him up if needed with his own cup of milk and a snack (obviously didn’t do that part every time as he would have been stuffed!). Overall he was fine with it all. He only started to get a bit annoyed once DC2 was crawling and would follow him everywhere!

2nd baby finishing in 3 weeks at 36 weeks. 3 weeks annual leave then mat leave will start. PGP this time can't stick it much longer!

I finished at 34 weeks with DD, it was an office job, so nothing too physically demanding so I could of stayed much longer, but tbh I absolutely hated working there, I wasn't intending on going back to the same job after my maternity, & couldn't get out of there quick enough! DD arrived 2 weeks late, so although I was glad of the rest, I was a bit bored for 6 weeks. The end of my pregnancy really seemed to drag!

This time around ill be leaving the middle of April when I'm 38 weeks. However my job is quite physically demanding this time around, and at 28 weeks I'm already finding it quite tough being on my feet for 8 hours a day, so I'm thinking since the holiday year renews in April I have the option of taking the first 2 weeks of April as annual leave so I'll be finishing when I'm 36 weeks.

The more I think about it the more I think that might be the preferable option, as I'll not only get a much needed break before baby comes but I'll have a couple more weeks of quality time just me and DD before her baby brother arrives, which will be lovely.

I'm 28 weeks now and will be having a c section at 39 weeks. Hoping to make it until 38 weeks for my university teaching and right up until a day or two before with my private pupils. I have an almost 2 year old at home too, so we'll just have to see how it goes.