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Original poster

Maternity Leave 1 hour drive

27 replies

Lou0712 · 26/06/2019 11:49

Hi

Just wanted advice from any of you who have had a long drive to work and when you started maternity leave?

I am 27 weeks pregnant with baby number 1 and have so far had a great pregnancy, feeling fine. I do have what is considered a high risk pregnancy due to previous LLETZ procedures and therefore a risk of pre-term labour but I take progesterone for this and so far so good! Cervix was last measured at 24 weeks and was 3.5cm.

I leave my house at 6.20am to drive to London and it takes me around 1.15....with school holidays coming up I think that should be about an hour soon and less stressful traffic! I just can't decide when to go on maternity leave!
My employer is suggesting I finish end of August which is 3.5 weeks before my due date (so I will be 36+2) but I could do with the extra cash and was wondering whether I should wait until I am 38+2 so 2.5 weeks before due date.
Hospital is in the middle of my work and home.

Obviously I am in 2nd trimester honeymoon period at the moment and my bump is still fairly neat and small.....

What did you all do??

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Original poster
Lou0712 · 26/06/2019 11:51

Oh I forgot to mention I do have 11 days holiday to take....so whenever I go I will be using those but in my head it would be good for my mat leave pay to start as close to due date as poss due to financial reasons.

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DieCryHate · 26/06/2019 11:52

I planned for 37 weeks but left at 36. I felt fine but my long drive had nowhere on the way to stop for the loo. I also found for some reason my driving skills turned to shit once I had a massive bump (that's probably just me though!). Is working from home an option? In hindsight I wish I worked from home 36-38 weeks.

Darkstar4855 · 26/06/2019 11:56

I left at 36 weeks but was probably ready to go at 34, the last two weeks were a struggle! I do a job where I’m on my feet all day though.

Slicedpineapple · 26/06/2019 12:22

I finished at 36 weeks. Was very much ready to go and couldn't have worked longer.

purplemama1990 · 26/06/2019 12:25

I'm finishing up this Friday at 37+5, using 2 weeks annual leave before mat leave officially starts on due date. I don't have a long commute.. I'm a 7 minute drive from the office!

I wanted to work up as close as possible as well, and I'm still feeling good but I really am ready to finish up now I think... walking up and down the stairs to the toilets at work every 5 mins is just getting embarrassing and annoying now!

But if you're feeling good, there's absolutely no reason why you can't work up as long as possible. And if baby makes a surprise early appearance, mat leave will just start early that's all. But it's harder to do it the other way around, decide to finish up at 36w then extend if you're still feeling good.

Amibeingdaft81 · 26/06/2019 12:27

I didn’t have a drive of that long
I have a long walk and tube travel of about an hour
In a heatwave (August born baby)

I was fine. I just went at a slow pace and stopped at 37

sar302 · 26/06/2019 12:46

I finished at 36 weeks and took two weeks annual leave before starting Mat leave. Baby didn't come til 42 weeks! So I was a bit bored. But my job involved a lot of travel across the country, and I just got to the point where I couldn't be arsed! There was also a new project starting that I didn't want to be involved in...

cardboard33 · 26/06/2019 12:54

I have an hour commute into London on train/tube, so similar. I planned to stop at 39 weeks, use up some holiday and start mat leave on my due date. As it happened I went home for the weekend at 36+5, had a baby so never went back for my final two weeks at work. You could always say plan to start mat leave at 40 weeks (my HR told me that I wasn't allowed to be at work beyond my due date - I work primarily in an office for a large well known organisation) then use your holiday to start at 38 weeks? Then if you don't use the holidays you just get it rolled over for when you come back.

I felt completely fine and even had a chat with my husband the day that I went into labour about when I'd feel "properly" pregnant. Turns out never. I did work from home one day per week in the final trimester though which I found useful and also had a high risk pregnancy due to epilepsy, so not really similar.

Teddybear45 · 26/06/2019 12:55

Can you work from home? If so suggest a handover period / process for the remaining time.

CmdrCressidaDuck · 26/06/2019 12:56

I had a 1.5hr commute in the car with my first pregnancy and worked until 37 weeks, although I WFH more in the last few weeks.

Baby was born at 40+1.

marinova · 26/06/2019 12:57

I have just over an hour drive too. Going off at 35 weeks, 2.5 weeks holiday then starting mat

Bigpizzalover · 26/06/2019 12:58

I finished 10 days before due date each pregnancy with around a 40 minute commute.

Second baby I was also under the preterm clinic after LLETZ following birth of baby 1.

I felt fine so kept working as long as I could. I would set mat leave for the 38 weeks you want to, you can bring it forward if needed.

Capybaras · 26/06/2019 13:02

I finished at 36+3. Only a 15 minute commute to work but by 34 weeks I couldn't be arsed any longer and was really struggling with sitting down all day (coccyx pain). Now 38w and on annual leave until my mat leave starts on due date and so glad I've finished. Been sorting out baby bits, tidying house, seeing friends and family and just enjoying a bit of rest. Had a really straight forward pregnancy so far and feeling well but just got to a point where I really didn't care about work! Maybe if I go up to 42 weeks I may change my mind but at the moment it's definitely been the right thing for me!

Princessdebthe1st · 26/06/2019 13:06

OP,

I also had a LLETZ (this was a long time ago and the risk of pre-term labour was not explained) and planned to take maternity leave from 34 weeks and annual leave the week before. My waters broke when I was on annual leave and I gave birth at 33 weeks. I was very thankful that I had already finished work and got everything sorted. My DD was fine by the way. If it is feasible for you I would take maternity leave sooner rather than later with such a long drive.

Chartreuser · 26/06/2019 13:10

I went on a/l at 34+3, bus train, bus commute from zone 4 to zone 1 London. Started mat leave at 36+ 3, waters went 36+4 baby born 36+5

FairyDust92 · 26/06/2019 13:32

Went on leave at 35 weeks but covered with holiday until the 10/7

Original poster
Lou0712 · 26/06/2019 13:33

HI everyone,

Thanks for all your replies, really interesting to read them all.
I can WFH very easily but my boss is a bit of a cow and has said this is not possible (despite her daughter WFH full time!!!).
I didn't even think about the needing to stop and pee aspect!!!
Seems like a lot of you stopped at 36 weeks and were happy with that decision.
I already get leg cramp after every drive and I agree with all of you who have said you just couldn't be bothered later on. I am already so over work mentally and cannot wait to get away!

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Newmumma83 · 26/06/2019 13:37

I had a 50 min drive .... and left at 38 weeks ... was going to hold until 39 but was exhausted... boss was great he just said when your ready to stop do so ... I basically wrapped everything up and had handover plans ready so there was nothing to stop me stopping when I wanted x

Lexyness · 26/06/2019 13:52

I was planning on starting Mat leave at 36 weeks (to coincide with next consultant app) which is 3 weeks away! I am sooooooo ready to give up now tbh!
I’ve been finding driving more difficult for past few weeks and I literally only drive for 10 minutes for work (several times a day as I am a self employed carer) but like you I would like to try and last as long as possible as could do with the money 🙈 x

Thistle86 · 28/06/2019 20:21

I used to have a 1hr -1hr 20min commute when pregnant with my first. I went on mat leave at about 36.5 weeks but used my holiday to reduce my week down to a 3 day week for the last month. I did find it tiring towards the end and uncomfortable as carried baby high (painful ribs in last 10 weeks) but the last week I had 2 shorter days due to mw appt and finishing at lunch on my last day.

Pregnant with second now (early days), commute now 40mins and will finish earlier as hoping for planned csection. Probably around 35wks

NewAccount270219 · 28/06/2019 21:36

I drive an hour to work and went on mat leave at 38 weeks. At 36 weeks I thought 'oh, I should have worked right up to due date' because it was so fine - but at 37 weeks I suddenly started to find it incredibly tiring and wished I'd stopped at 36 (this was last year and that was also when the huge heat wave kicked in, which didn't help). I was only taking 6 months mat leave so I was really reluctant to lose more than an absolute max of 4 weeks of it pre-baby, though (he came at 39+1 in the end, luckily)

Scrumptiousbears · 28/06/2019 21:41

With both of my pregnancy's I left the Friday before my due date. For my first it was a day before and for my second 4 days before. It was fine. I was 2 weeks over for my first and a planned section for my second. If you feel fine then do it.

boodles101 · 29/06/2019 11:20

I had a 2 hour commute into London and I had also had a Lletz about 6 months before falling pregnant. I was told I wouldn't be at risk of early labour and it shouldn't affect my pregnancy at all. I decided to take a week's holiday at 37 weeks and may leave started at 38. Baby didn't arrive until 41+1 so they were right that I didn't have any preterm labour issues (not saying that will be the case for everyone) I did wish that I had stayed a bit longer at work as I was so bored being off for 4 weeks.

Thursday452poh · 29/06/2019 18:39

This is my 2nd, between 1st and 2nd I’ve had lletz, my cervix has shortened and on progestratone as well but nothing to worry about so pretty similar to you!
I’ve got growth scans every 3 weeks as my first was small...I’m 29 weeks now. I’m finishing at 39+4.
I commute about 45 mins dependant on traffic and drop little one at nursery on way (am full time). I did the same with my first worked till 39+4 and went into labour same day and he appeared the next! Deffo made use of my mat leave!

I’d bare in mind that potentially you might go two weeks over.... so if you finish that early that’s a lot of being bored at home over the summer waiting for baby to come.

I think working until so late helped me go into labour as my body didn’t stop... so I’m hoping the same with this one!

Original poster
Lou0712 · 29/06/2019 22:47

Thank you, those last msgs are really interesting to read.
I’ve worked out if I work until 38 weeks, I can then use my holiday to take my up until the end of September before going on mat leave which means I’d get a full months pay that month which would be super helpful so I think I’m going to aim for then!

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