How early did you go on maternity leave?

[GreyAndCopper]

How early did you go on maternity leave? I'm 26 weeks and can't wait. I hate my job and I don't want to go back after the baby. Just interested to know when anyone else went on maternity leave or if anyone went on it early?

39 and a half weeks
38 weeks
37 and a half weeks.
I wanted the time after, maternity pay is awful for most.

Number 1:- 35 weeks
Number 2 & 3 I left on my due date.

I hated my job. But I wanted more time with the baby.

I planned to go a month before due date but ended up being signed off with pelvic pain a month before that. Thankfully the sick note ended just before my planned mat leave so wasn't made to take it early so ended up leaving around 2 months before. I was massive and had a very active job in retail where I was on my feet all day so very thankful not to have to work any longer. I think it depends on what you do, if you're desk based you could probably manage longer.

36 weeks with my first and 29 weeks with my second mainly because I hadn’t planned on staying and then ended up pregnant on my first mat leave so I only had childcare for my first until the point I’d planned to leave anyway

38 weeks and back to work at 6 months but then I love ,y job and it pays well

love my job is what I meant to type

I went at 37 weeks, I wanted to go later but my job means I’m standing up all the time and boy I NEEDED to sit down!

If you don’t plan on going back to work and you can afford this with ease then you might as well take your maternity early.

Off sick at 30 weeks with first, mat leave kicked in when I gave birth at 35 weeks. Second time I worked until 37+5 and had section at 38+1. I’d much rather have the time afterwards.

I struggled to get to 38 weeks and I had a job when I worked from home a lot but I was SO glad I had the time after. If you aren't going back to work at all and financially don't have to worry then go as soon as you are able.

36 weeks and 4 days with dc1. Which I regretted when I gave birth at 37 weeks. I’d planned on a good 3 weeks of loafing around watching daytime tv cos first babies are always late doncha know.

31 weeks, the day after my DD was born.

30 weeks

37 with DD1 - I felt so huge as it was and hated being on public transport to get into work so planning to do the same with this one.

With my first 39 weeks this time am going about 32 weeks but am self employed this time and dknt plan on returning back to work which am lucky enough to be able to do am 26 weeks currently and would go now if I didnt have work commitments x

38 weeks. Baby 2 weeks late so I had a month off and got quite bored!

I was always aware that I'd have a planned induction at around 38 weeks owing to a pre-existing condition. I WFH from 37 weeks and my last day was a Friday (which coincidentally was also the day we exchanged on the new house and picked up the keys) I was induced on the Sunday evening.

I’m planning on taking maternity leave at 34 weeks as I am bridesmaid at a wedding at 35 weeks and I think I’ll need a rest after all the wedding celebrations! 😂

My mat leave is due to start 4 days before my due date. However ive saved up AL and im taking 3 weeks before that, so my AL just rolls into my mat leave.

It'll mean I leave work at 36 weeks and tbh I cant wait. Im a nurse, 31 weeks pregnant at the moment and im really struggling

38.5 weeks and dd was born at 39 weeks. I wanted to work as long as I could

I was supposed to start annual leave at 36+2 with maternity pay kicking in at due date.

Instead maternity pay started at 36+1 since I was admitted into hospital with pre-eclampsia. Hopefully my manager remembers to transfer that annual leave to the end of my maternity leave.

I'll try to get off at around the same time if I have another.

I was due to finish at 33 weeks but went at 32 after swelling up and work basically telling me to leave 😂

I am REALLY tempted to take maternity at 30 weeks. I'm so bloody exhausted and I just want to rest and get the house ready for baby! Would that be really bad?

Of course not it's personal preference. How much leave can you afford to take?

Well @Nomorelaundry I have saved up so far £1,500 and my partner and I will be putting in another £1,000 at the end of the month. Our rent is £950 so we're hoping to have rent completely covered for three months after baby is born so that we can have maternity pay/his pay for disposable income & bills. I also work a side job where I write 3 x articles for £700 a week, and I can still do this on KIT days but I can only take 10. So I'm wondering whether to take holiday leave from 28 weeks for two weeks, write a bunch of articles for my side job so that I'm a month ahead in pay, and then use my KIT days from after I give birth.

But am I thinking to optimistically? Or shall I stick out work and my side job until later?

If I were you, I’d stick at it for longer so you have more money and can spend more time with baby after birth. It’s obviously up to you though. I worked until 38 weeks and had her at 39 weeks, which worked out great for me.