Maternity Leave advice

[Moominy12]

Just after some advice.

I'm 25 weeks pregnant with my second. I work 3 days a week and already finding it really difficult. With my first, I started my maternity leave at 38 weeks then had my daughter 2 days after which wasn't ideal!

This time round, I want to have more time to rest especially with a toddler to look after. I was planning on starting maternity at 37 then having 3 weeks holiday before so basically leaving work at 34 weeks. I'm worried it's too early and won't be able to spend enough time with the new baby.

Just after some advice? Second time round it's a lot different with a toddler in tow!

Take it whenever you feel is a good time for you. I wanted to stay until around 36 weeks but left at 32 weeks after being signed off by the doctor and figured what’s the point. I couldn’t have kept on my feet for so long as it was painful and uncomfy & stress with other couple things. Glad I did as I’m in a better state of mind and body.

37 weeks is fairly normal isn't it? How much maternity leave will you be taking? Xx

I technically started mine on my due date BUT I took 4 weeks holiday prior so ended at 36 weeks. She's my only child so I had no others to take care of and I also had a very lucky pregnancy.

A friend of mine has just been signed off at 29 weeks so had started much earlier than she expected.

Do whatever feels right for you at this time. I can only imagine a second is more challenging than the first as you already have little legs to look after!

Good luck!

My maternity leave officially starts 3 days before my due day, but I had loads of holidays to take, so I ended at 36 weeks.

I'd just do what's best for you! I also have a 14 month old, so this leave isn't as relaxing as it was the first time around. Lol!

I've ended up being signed off one job and working the other from home (since 27 weeks). My last lo arrived unexpectedly at 29 weeks so no experience waiting for mat leave to start. My plan is to stay signed off that one job until 36 weeks; at which point mat leave automatically starts if you're signed off, and I'm also working until 36 weeks with the other job. Physically I'm just done-in; can barely walk the length of myself and have irritable uterus contractions all the time so there's no way I could still be working full time (I'm 29 weeks right now). There's also a risk baby could come early again so need to take care of myself to try to prevent that too.
Take what time you need to. In an ideal world all pregnancies would be easy and go to term and we would all work until 39 weeks but that's not the way it works out for lots of people. A week extra now will likely feel a lot more valuable than one at the end if you're physically knackered and heavily pregnant!

DC1 is 6 so not as hands on as a toddler but I took 3 weeks leave to finish at 36 weeks. This is my first day off I'm so glad! Last week was tough going. Mat leave kicks in at 39+3. Do what feels right for you.

This is something playing on my mind also! And I’m only 16 weeks 🙈
I dont know what im going to do as I’m self employed so realistically, money wise I need to work as long as possibles but even at this early stage I’m finding it exhausting so hoping I get more energy soon!
My other dc’s are much older though at 7,10 & 11 so not so much running around after them.

@lexyness
You can get maternity allowance from 29 weeks check if you qualify, that’s what I’m getting as self employed

@moominy12
I would take that time off it can’t be nice working till the end and having a few days free before the baby comes

I did exactly what you’ve suggested and I’m glad I did. I’ve been knackered and it feels like either me or my toddler has been poorly over the last month so the extra time has been a blessing. I have found everything harder much earlier with no.2. With my first i was happily working at 38 weeks but at the same stage now I’m a wreck in comparison. I will probably have slightly less time with the baby than I did with my first but I wouldn’t have been able to carry on working (or I’d have tried and exhausted myself in the process).

I ended up starting mat leave around 32 weeks with DC1. I was just tired of commuting and working whilst pg, and it wasn’t even a stressful job, I just couldn’t get on with it. We had a client at the time who was telling me about how she worked non stop throughout her pregnancy then decided to start mat leave at 38 weeks, and baby came early so she’d only been off a couple of days when she went into labour. She said she was so tired beforehand but felt like she would plug on, because others do, but in the end she’d wish she’d finished earlier because she was so utterly drained and then went into labour and had a newborn, so was super drained! I decided that she made a fair point and that if I’m already feeling beat, it might be worth finishing early. Didn’t regret it at all.

With DC2 I did similar, that time I had a toddler too so it was welcome time with him before the baby came too.

Pg with DC3 again and I’ll be doing exactly the same, but I now work in a different company with slightly more generous benefits, so I’ve got a fair bit of leave I can take first and then I’ll officially start mat leave once that’s finished, but I’ll be out of the office by 32 weeks again! This one is due in summer and I don’t fancy commuting daily at the peak of my pregnancy in the heat, especially if it’s anything like last year.