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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

When did you take maternity leave? What do you do for work?

31 replies

Kylieemilyj · 19/03/2019 16:09

Just wondering. I’m 33 weeks tomorrow and am working until 38 weeks but I want to give up now! I work FT in a pub

OP posts:

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Littlefroggy18 · 19/03/2019 16:23

I finished at 37 weeks, took 3 weeks annual leave so mat leave officially started at 49 weeks. Was ready to finish at 37 weeks, wouldn’t have wanted to work much longer. I worked in retail FT with a reasonably small commute.

Hiphopopotamous · 19/03/2019 16:37

I'd be finishing way before 38 weeks if I was on my feet all day! You must be exhausted.

First time I was working as a GP full time and made it to 38 weeks, doing on calls and home visits. I was so tired!
This time I'm expecting to get to 38 weeks working part time with no home visits and no evening work.

Original poster

Kylieemilyj · 19/03/2019 16:39

@hiphop that’s how I’m starting to feel tbf. I’ve just had a weeks holiday and todsy is my first day back after 9 days off, I’m exhausted today. I really want to push on and work as long as possible so I can have longer with my baby when he’s here.

OP posts:

abcriskringle · 19/03/2019 16:44

I'm a teacher, worked til 38 weeks the first time.
Pregnant again and this time I've decided I'm not going more than 37 weeks. It's exhausting plus I have a toddler now too so less time to relax at home!

Wavingwhiledrowning · 19/03/2019 16:53

Worked until 37 weeks with all three pregnancies, and was induced basically the next day each time (gestational diabetes). With each pregnancy I felt like I could manage less time working because I was so, so tired. I stayed as long as I could though in order to save on leave and maximise time with the baby. In hindsight it wasn't always a good idea - working right up until the last minute made for a pretty stark mental transition. My midwife told me off every time! I work FT as a relatively senior manager in the civil service.

owlofathena · 19/03/2019 16:54

I'm also a teacher, I finished at 36 weeks. My plan was always to work right up til half term to ensure an easier transition for my class but then I realised that my baby was actually due in half term so wasn't the best of plans. I didn't want to risk giving birth at school! I found that by 36 weeks I was exhausted and ready to leave

Redorangeyellowgreen · 19/03/2019 16:59

I finished at 36 weeks, worked in full-time office job. That was absolutely enough for me, I was exhausted. Although I was sat down all day the hours were long and it was an hour commute each way on the tube.

Next time I'll go even earlier, possibly 34 weeks if I can.

Mummsie1 · 19/03/2019 17:02

I finished at 37 weeks with my daughter and she came at 39 weeks and hoping this year to work to 38 weeks 1 day it will be 3 weeks after summer so hoping as I had 6 weeks to get everything ready and relax I should be okay

Megan2018 · 19/03/2019 17:07

I have an office job but our year is 1 Sept-31 Aug (I work in HE so follow an academic calendar).

I am planning on starting mat leave at 38 weeks on 1 Sept but taking 2 weeks leave that I have to use up before that so will stop at 36 weeks.

If I didn't have the holiday to take I'd try to work up to 38 weeks, but I have a 1hr commute so I think I'll be ready to give that up!

Pottedfern · 19/03/2019 23:27

Hey OP, don’t feel bad about wanting to begin your maternity leave earlier than planned. I am a HR manager for a restaurant chain and many of our ladies end up starting their leave well before 38 weeks. Being on your feet all day as well as dealing with customers is exhausting!

Can you ask HR if there are any amended duties you can do that are less strenuous?

cardboard33 · 20/03/2019 05:30

I work in a university so around half of my job is desk based. I was planning on working to 39 weeks and then taking AL until my due date but baby had other ideas and made a quick appearance at 37 weeks exactly. I wasn't ready mentally to finish work as still had another 2 weeks left and felt completely fine (even had a chat with my husband earlier the same day about when I'd feel "properly pregnant" and then 12 hours later he was here) so going from being at work on the Friday to not going back to as I had a baby by the Monday was a massive shock to the system because so much was left unfinished. If you feel like it's getting tough then can you put on some AL so that you don't have to go in everyday? That way you're not eating into your mat leave but also aren't working full time.

Frizzy1986 · 20/03/2019 08:07

I had a desk job which was a 20 minute commute away. I finished at 36.5 weeks and took some annual leave so my mat leave wasn't due to start until about 38 weeks.
I'm glad I went when I did. Early labour started 2 days later and dd arrived at 37+4 so I didn't actually get any real rest time before the onslaught of a newborn.
I'm planning on going at about 36 weeks this time and using 2 weeks leave to take me to 38. Hoping this one will stay put a bit longer for me to rest (as much as you can with a 5 year old)

BillyAndTheSillies · 20/03/2019 08:26

With my first pregnancy I took annual leave at 36 weeks and then went officially on maternity leave at 38 weeks. I was commuting an hour each way and had horrendous SPD, I think I spent the last few weeks wages on Uber's home from work.

This time I work a 10 minute drive from home, and work with DH and IL's so don't even need to physically drive so that's a strain off. It also means I'm close to DH if anything were to happen early. I'll probably work up to 38/39 weeks although I will likely still have 10 days AL to use so may use that too.

burritofan · 20/03/2019 08:33

I WFH for myself, but stopped doing client work last Friday at 36+1, too tiring and too much to do. But for paperwork purposes my maternity leave will start from birth.

I was doing 3-4 days a week retail work too but had to stop at 28 weeks, I couldn't handle the drive, the being upright all day, the sliver of lunch break, the lack of loo breaks… You're a superhero for doing FT pub work this late!

user1467718508 · 20/03/2019 09:12

I work a very easygoing 9-5 admin role in a university. If it were closer to home I'd be tempted to work up to 39 weeks.

Alas it's a 45 minute commute on a packed train and tube, so I've opted to start ML at 37 weeks.

Keep fretting that it's too long and I could end up wasting a month or longer (!) twiddling my thumbs at home.

ChocolateChipMuffin2016 · 20/03/2019 09:17

I work in an easy going desk job, with DS I finished at 38 weeks had an easy pregnancy and it was ok.
This time (same job) I went at 36 weeks, more complicated pregnancy and could easily have gone earlier, though I do have a toddler now.
If I was on my feet all day I would definitely go earlier, that’s hard, exhausting work!

Prequelle · 20/03/2019 09:49

I'm a nurse on a ward/emergency clinic so 13hr shifts on feet and all that malarky. I have 3 weeks of annual leave so could use that to leave earlier. I'm aiming for 37 but I seriously don't know how I'm gunna do it.

Peanut91 · 20/03/2019 09:59

I have an office based job and originally planned to go on mat leave at 38 weeks but finish work at 35 weeks using 3 weeks of annual leave up first.

I ended up finishing at 33 weeks as I was admitted to.hospital with IUGR and baby came on his own accord at 36 + 5

maddieharrison · 20/03/2019 10:03

I work full time in an office. I finished at 35 +3 weeks and planned to enjoy the early weeks watching tv and resting and sleeping. Baby ended up coming at exactly 37 weeks. Was not expecting it but thankfully the hospital bag was at least ready.

HouseplantInvasion · 20/03/2019 10:39

With my last 2 I finished at 35-36 weeks ish, taking annual leave to actually start ML at about 39 weeks, and they arrived 2 weeks late so I had a lovely long break!

This time I plan to stop at 37 weeks, taking annual leave so that ML starts at 40 weeks, but it will be anything but relaxing as I’ll be looking after 2 school aged kids in the holidays as soon as I stop.

I work part time in an office but with a 1 hour commute

BlueKarou · 20/03/2019 11:04

Finished at 37 weeks, but had 3 weeks annual leave, so mat leave started the day before his due date. He was born on that first day of mat leave.

I work in a desk job, with a very short drive in, and had a pretty easy pregnancy, so I probably could have worked later, but I quite liked the time off before it all kicked off, and I would have lost the annual leave otherwise.

laurajayneinkent · 20/03/2019 19:11

With both I worked until 10 days before my due date. Office job, and my health was luckily fine, so it wasn't hard to carry on working. Only 6wks of full pay was given (well, 90% of full pay) so I preferred to take most of that leave after they were born!

mrsk28 · 20/03/2019 19:30

I'm a nurse in a hospital. Currently 34+5 and have been on sick leave since around 24 weeks and will start maternity leave at 38 weeks.

If I wasn't off sick then I would have chosen to finish around now using annual leave because I think it would have gotten too tiring to stand all day. My feet hurt if I walk for too long so don't know how you work in a pub!

Prequelle · 20/03/2019 19:44

Do you work for the NHS @mrsk? The policy where I work is that mat leave starts automatically if you're off sick 4 weeks prior to due date

nespressowoo · 20/03/2019 20:28

Health visitor. I had holiday to take so finished at 34 weeks and mat leave started at 39 weeks. He came on due date. That six weeks before he came I will always cherish.

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