Maternity leave

[ohbabybabyy]

To ask you when you went on or are planning to go on maternity leave..!?
I'm hoping to go at 36 weeks but really unsure at this point. I have 2 weeks holiday left and was going to use two weeks maternity as well. I will stay longer if I can and if I feel up to it but my job is stressful and each day I just think about how I could potentially go on maternity earlier if I want but I know that's not wise if I want to spend more time with my baby. I've realised all the people who have gone on maternity at my work have gone between 8 and 4 weeks before their due date.. So when did you go on maternity? why did you choose to go when you did and did you regret your choice?

Technically speaking my mat leave started two days before my due date. However I had four weeks of annual leave prior to that and tbh while I could have gone longer I was fed up.

Started mat leave 4 weeks before due date with first (6 weeks before in total as also took 2 weeks annual leave).

Started maternity leave at 28 weeks with second. Knew was going to SAH for a while afterwards.

Was freelancing when pregnant with dc3 and due date minus - 6 weeks coincided with the end of the contract. Picked up work again when he was about 1.

Worked up to 38 weeks. I was tired and uncomfortable but it was fine really. Baby was nearly 2 weeks late though, so I kind of think I should have worked another week. But psychologically id had enough by then I think.

I went at 36 weeks but DS wasnt born until the full 42 by ecs. I was terribly aggravated by the last 2 weels but more so because I was convinced he wouldn't be late! This time I will go at 36 too and Just SLEEP

My job is busy and some might consider it stressful, but overall I think it’s alright (I don’t feel super stressed regularly or anything like that). I’m office based with some travel, commute is relatively straight forward (1 hour, but again not too stressful and can get a seat). I can work from home one or two days a week, depending on what’s going on.

But I just really don’t like working while heavily pregnant! I find it much, much harder to concentrate, I’m more physically uncomfortable, need to pee more etc so those 2-3 hour long meetings are mighty unattractive. I’m technically going on maternity at 39 weeks but have loads of leave to take so will actually finish in the office at 33 weeks. I did the same in my other pregnancies. I could work later and tag the leave on to the end to be off longer with baby, but my brain and body just can’t hack it!