When did you trigger your maternity leave?

[Rubberyduck]

I am planning to go at 34 weeks and use a few weeks annual leave, I will trigger maternity leave at 37 weeks. I am now wondering if that sounds early! Last time I triggered on due date but now I am part time and have Dc1 at home for 3 weeks over Christmas before the birth in January, I cant imagine I will get any time to myself otherwise....

I was planning on going at 38+1 but I'm having some issues with a colleague that are really stressing me out and for my own sanity I think I need to finish sooner.

Currently got a horrible chest infection and if I'm still off work on Thursday, that could trigger my mat leave as I'll be 36 weeks.

This is DC2 and I have nothing ready at all. Need to do a gazillion things before baby arrives because weekends are spent chasing DS(3).

DS was a totally different matter, he was due end of February so I took two weeks off at Christmas, came back for two weeks in Jan and went off at 36 weeks on annual leave and mat leave triggered the day he was born because I'd banked and bought extra days.

It wasn't such a big deal when ML started because I was on an enhanced package and full pay for the first 6 months. This time around I'm on statutory. Hate the idea that the lower limit could kick in before the baby is even born if I go on mat leave this week.

I finished last week at exactly 36 weeks, got 2 weeks annual leave first and then maternity leave starts when I’m 38 weeks x

Due date for DC1 due to summer holidays, and 38 weeks for DC2 but actually finished at 37 due to half term. 37 weeks along sounds far enough to me, the last few weeks are a long old slog when you have other DC

I was meant to leave at 37 weeks as my babies are usually born 39 weeks so I thought 2 weeks off before baby would be enough. All my babies have been born the week before due date.

However I left at 35 weeks as I'm exhausted! Being that bit older and already having infant and junior school children to run around after and working, trying to get them to clubs etc as usual I am running myself ragged!

I was planning on taking annual leave from 38w, but due to my role and a sympathetic GP, I’ve been mandated shorter working hours (with SPD) so I’m in work for four hours a day. It’s enough to get me out of bed in the morning but not stressful in the slightest. It’s perfect for me.

It also means I probably won’t need to take annual leave before due date, so I’ll work right up to 1 Nov (due 5 Nov) and May leave will kick in at due date.

I’m on annual leave this week, a preplanned fixture, and all the leave I have remaining this financial year, I can carry over into the next FY, so I can spend the time with baby without losing income. I get 6mths full pay but will be able to have 7mths off this way.

I'm 31+5 and have been signed off since 31+0.
Maternity leave will be triggered for me at 36 weeks, but I've been told I'll be induced at 38, so it's not as if I'll be wasting too much of my mat leave waiting for baby to arrive!

I had had enough both times at 36 weeks. Pregnancy for me was exhausting particularly second time round.

Sorry to hear you were signed off @sweetsaltypopcorn I hope you are OK

With my first, mat leave started on my due date (and DS helpfully obliged by turning up on due date), had taken a week's annual leave at 39w. The last few weeks were v tough but I only had SMP and was fairly broke.

With DD, was in hospital from 24 weeks (so on sick leave), mat leave would have been triggered at 36 weeks but she came at 30+6, so was triggered then.

Not having another, but if I did, and finances allowed, would be off from 36 weeks I think - the last month is bloody hard!

36 weeks and so glad to have some time for myself as I'll never get it again! Is your job easy and interesting? You'll know when you need to go.

37 wells but that was because I was getting induced the next day.
I would have happily gone as far as I could because I felt ok and stuff was ready at home, plus I enjoyed my job and they were very supportive of me in pregnancy.

35 weeks and 36+6, the days DC1 and DC2 were born! I had been off sick with some complications with DC2 for a couple of weeks though so did get a bit of a 'break' (in and out of hospital) that time.