Maternity leave

[Banwell32]

Hi was just wondering when did everyone take maternity leave I started mine today as I really couldn’t cope at work at 32 weeks my partners work seamed to think I should of stayed longer

Completely up to you. I went off at 35 weeks with my first, will work to 36 or 37 with this one if I can, we will see. I have a sit down office job and only 15 min commute by car so nothing too taxing.

I think that’s fine it starts at 29 weeks for a reason , we all cope differently and some feel worse than others ! ..I find that some people have been very judgmental towards me as I’m going to take mine early , almost like I’m faking feeling rubbish an they mananged to work until the end 🤷🏻‍♀️ Really annoying , and I would hate to work till say 39 weeks and only have a couple of days off before the baby came ..even if I felt great! I think its better idea to relax before labour xx

First time I was off sick from 31 weeks and maternity leave started when baby born at 35 weeks. This time I worked until 37+5 and baby came at 38+1. Every pregnancy is different, do whatever you like! Personally I wanted to maximise my time off once baby was here.

Thankyou guys im a support worker and constantly on my feet And it’s a very stressful environment going to use my time to relax and get everything ready for when she arrives x

Worked up until my due date all three times.

My partners mum keeps telling me how she worked right till the end with him and she thinks I should of stayed longer but I guess every pregnancy is different i would of
Loved to stay longer and have longer at home with my baby I just really couldn’t manage x

I'm currently 32 weeks and I've been off sick since around 24 weeks with rib pain. I'm a nurse so couldn't hack the pain anymore.

If I hadn't been signed off when I did with rib pain I think I would be struggling now with commuting and working full time. The tiredness is real by now and it's hard to sleep at night.

Don't feel bad at all, pregnancy is different for everyone and you have to do what's best for you and baby x

Legally it's from 29 weeks so don't worry. Most people leave it later to maximise paid leave post birth but from an employers point of view that means more missed time for appointments and a risk of you going into labour at work or before you handover. Dh's work suggests 36 weeks

Why do your partner’s work care?

Sorry you’re feeling so rubbish enjoy the opportunity to relax before baby comes.

38 weeks, but I used annual leave for the last two so I physically left work at 36 weeks.

I worked late, but I had the hugely privileged position of a gentle job and easy pregnancies. Your work is hardcore!!!! And also, like the nurse upthread, really important. If you get sloppy and half arsed because you are knackered and in pain, people suffer. In my case, all it meant was messier spreadsheets, and possibly a slightly irked cover person with dodgy handover notes. You do what it right for you!!!!

Totally personal choice depending on your own pregnancy. I'm hoping to work until 37 weeks (C section for medical reasons at 38 weeks). Everyone is different don't worry. It's no one else's business. I think generally we work longer to afford more time off after with baby. Good luck with everything :)

I'm finishing this week so same as you, 32 weeks. Did the same with DC1. I'm a vet so on my feet all day, stressful environment etc. I'm using my annual leave before hand so technically mat leave starts at 37 weeks. Obviously time at the end would have been nice but I'm going to use the next couple of months to get prepared/rest at least 1 day a week while DS is in nursery. Enjoy your time off, you'll likely not get the opportunity to have this long off to enjoy it by yourself (if this is your first) for a long long time!!

Don’t listen to anyones opinion - listen to your body - you know what’s best for your body and baby.

I started maternity leave this week at 29+3. I'm totally rubbish at being pregnant, have a long commute and my work is stressful and non forgiving so I decided to take early maternity leave.
I've been judged for it, mainly by women but I'm happy that taking this time now is the right thing for me.
Everyone is different, no one knows how you feel. xxx

@dreaminofholidays

Il be taking mine around then your not the only one Im rubbish at being pregnant, I think it’s so wrong people judge x

I was due to finish at 34 but finished at 30, I was really struggling and my work were really difficult and my manager was quite judgemental tbh and i doubted myself for a few days.... until I finally got some rest and realised I felt better and had done the right thing.

Women who stay at work longer are amazing yes, but no more or less amazing than all of the rest of us!

You do what feels right for you and your baby please, you'll be so glad in the end x

29 weeks!! 😂😂 just because I wanted to no particular reason!!! I enjoyed every minute!!baby didn’t arrive until 41 weeks 😂😂

More people probably leave earlier than it seems, they just don't want to admit it for fear of being judged. Every pregnancy is different, some harder on women than others, and every job/work environment is different too. I doubt you'll regret the time off!

Every pregnancy is different. I went at 35 weeks this time (last time I worked 3 weeks longer) and it has been right for me. This pregnancy has been far harder going and I’m utterly exhausted. If I had to go into work now I’d have a breakdown and I don’t physically think I could do it. I think it also makes a difference if you’re someone that naturally goes to 37/38 weeks versus 41/42. Obviously with a first baby you won’t know but it was a factor in my decision-making second time round.

I also think the time of year has made a difference to me. My first was an early summer baby there was no sickness to worry about. This time my third trimester has coincided with a period of about 6 weeks where I’ve been sicker than I’ve ever been in my adult life.

You know your body and you just need to finish when it feels right.

38weeks + 1 day. Baby still hasn't made an appearance, now 8 days overdue and it's looking like I'll have to be induced on Monday, which will be 12 days over. If I'd known, I'd have worked up until my due date. I'm so so bored now.

I don’t think it will be
Possible to be bored I haven’t stopped cleaning I’m high risk for going into labour early. She’s my first baby and really haven’t coped well in constant pain in my back and ribs at least I now know I’m not the only one like some people are making out Thankyou

34 weeks. Everyone is different. I had really bad swollen ankles around then so I'm glad I put it in for then even tho I didn't know I was going to suffer with bad swelling. I had him at 38 weeks, so I think it timed well. Had almost a month to chill before he arrived and I needed it.

OP, I'm high risk of early labout too; last baby arrived at 29 weeks but I've made it to 30 weeks today, which I'm delighted with! If you are high risk then rest assured that you are definitely doing the right thing. I have an irritable uterus so I get regular contractions and have been signed off one of my jobs since week 27 because of that. I'm still doing the other job from home but resting more has made my symptoms much easier. I also just don't want to be further from the hospital then I need to be tbh!
Every pregnancy is different so please don't worry about taking the time you need at this end of your mat leave rather than the other!

Totally personal.

I was well and fit (comparatively for being that far pg). I had a desk job, and work were accommodating of me. DH drove me to and from work daily rather than commuting by bus from about 30 weeks.

So for me, it was fine to stay until 38 weeks.

But I know lots of others who went out much earlier than that - some by choice, wanting some quiet time at home before lives changed, some because coping with commuting/work/daily life just got to be too much of a struggle, and some because they had health issues and needed to rest or otherwise deal with them (1 lady in my pg yoga class went on mat leave at 17 weeks due to health issues, I saw her again in hospital as she managed to keep managing the pg until 38 weeks when she had a planned CS).

Just because other people have been lucky that everything has fallen in such a way that they can manage, doesn't mean that everyone else does. There are lots of reasons to either drop back your load (a few friends managed a shorter working day for a couple of months before mat leave kicked in), or take some annual leave beforehand to give yourself a break - or actually just say "I am growing a new baby here, that is most important, and I need to focus on that now - I will just take less time after the baby is born".