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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 start maternity leave?

38 replies

EnjoyItAll · 13/04/2019 09:42

I have been avoiding discussing maternity leave with my boss as this is my first pregnancy and I have no idea as to what is realistic. My job is low stress and is office based so I don’t need to worry about being on my feet all day. I’m thinking of starting maternity either a week before my due date and taking 9 months. I know it can be changed but is a week before a realistic time to start it provided baby doesn’t come early?

OP posts:

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Gillian1980 · 13/04/2019 12:16

You should be able to accumulate annual leave while you’re off, I’m sure it’s a legal entitlement.

I accrued leave as a full time employee, then went in about a month before I was due to return and they agreed to let me back 3 days per week. I had all my f/t accrued leave as well as my new p/t leave allowance.... felt like I was never in that first year back!!

PhoebeBear · 15/04/2019 08:56

I'm handing in my MAT1 form today and I really have no idea either when to start taking my leave too!
My holidays go April to April and I haven't used any so far, I'm thinking of middle of June off for 4 weeks then starting my leave after that. I'm due August 8th but I'm struggling with my job as I'm on my feet all day and constantly stocking shelves and doing delivery. My back is in bits by the end of the day and I'm very tired.

purplemama1990 · 15/04/2019 11:37

Do you still get a holiday entitlement when on maternity leave?

Yes, you are still technically employed while on leave and therefore you accrue your normal holiday entitlement. This is the case for everyone, both public and private sector.

I'm in same position as you, wondering if I'm being naive by working up until 39 weeks! But like someone else said, I'd rather put down for 39 weeks, and if I go early then mat leave will start early. But it's more difficult to work it out the other way, say putting down for 36 weeks and then extend if you still feel good. Hopefully I'll manage to keep working as long as possible as I can only afford to take the 9 months really, and want to have it while baby is here and not beforehand!

stucknoue · 15/04/2019 11:49

33 weeks though officially 36 due to Christmas and annual leave. I was commuting over an hour each way on packed trains.

Backwoodsgirl · 15/04/2019 11:54

Started at 41 weeks, will go back to work 3 weeks after. ( I run my own business from home so not as bad as it sounds) DH is taking 2 weeks.

ChillyB · 15/04/2019 11:54

I had planned to stop at 37 weeks and use accrued leave so mat leave would’ve started at 39 weeks. I wish I’d stopped at 36 weeks as I was feeling knackered by then and I then had DS early at 36+4. So all the annual leave I’d planned to take before I’m now tagging onto the end of my mat leave instead.

todwin · 15/04/2019 11:55

I had planned to leave at the end of my 37th week but I've decided to bring it forward a week. (I'm 34 weeks now with bambino no 1)

I was convinced I could go all the way to due date and I probably still could but think I would end up exhausted before the little one arrived.

You've got to take things like work stress levels and commute into consideration. I've got a 2 hour round trip each day, with my days usually being 12 hours plus. And I was convinced that baby brain wasn't a thing... until I got to 32 weeks and couldn't keep a thought in my head!

Many of my friends have suggested get a rest before the baby arrives because it'll be a very long time before that happens again 😊

magpie24 · 15/04/2019 11:57

38 weeks and she was two weeks late so I had a month off which felt like forever

anonforthespies43267 · 15/04/2019 12:10

I plan to go off at 37.5 weeks, my last week is a 3 day week, I’ll take annual leave then maternity leave starts on my due date. Think this means I carry over maybe 16 days holiday over to next year? Depending on how I feel I may go a few days earlier but I’m very fortunate I can work from home and don’t plan on commuting in from around 34 wks.

Original poster

EnjoyItAll · 15/04/2019 14:34

Thank you ladies for all your responses it's good to get an idea of what people have done or are planning on doing. I think I will go from the week before so have around 10 days or so. I'm very lucky in that my maternity package is very good enabling me to.take a minimum of 6 months. I wish I could take the year but I just don't think we could afford it although with holiday on top I will have an additional month off with that too.

OP posts:

LondonKate · 15/04/2019 15:35

I was planning to stop at 38 weeks. But my blood pressure was creeping up so midwives asked my GP to check. I ended up finishing at 36 weeks and I was so ready. It was nice to realise I could change my mind

Frizzy1986 · 15/04/2019 19:25

With my first I planned to finish at 37 weeks and take 2 weeks annual leave so maternity kicked in at 39 weeks.
The week before I was shattered though and finding it hard going (only an easy office job with fairly minimal stress) I went at 36+5 in the end and went into early labour at 37 weeks dead on. Didn't really get the rest time I'd hoped for.
This time I'm hoping I can take annual leave from 36 weeks and start mat leave at 38 weeks.

HavelockVetinari · 15/04/2019 19:28

Was due to start at 38 weeks, with 2 weeks annual leave beforehand. I thought I'd have a lovely few weeks pottering about before the birth. DS had other ideas, my waters broke at 36+1

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