Maternity Leave

[Hewie30]

Hi ladies!

Just wondered what everyone was doing in terms of when your thinking of starting maternity leave. I'm due 8th July and my manager at work is asking when I'm thinking on going on leave. I do nursing so my jobs pretty full on, I'm GP based so isn't as full on and on my feet all day as I would be if I worked in a hospital but I work upstairs so I'm up and down stairs a hell of alot! I thought maybe starting it in May or mid May but wasn't sure if that was too early? I want to spend as much time with peanut as I can and I do have a fair bit of annual leave left too.

I’m due 16th May; starting Mat leave two weeks before due date and adding an extra weeks’ leave before that. Ive also said to my boss that, depending how I feel closer the time, I might take an extra weeks’ leave. I have a desk job but with a 50 minute commute which is more the issue so will probably take that extra week, given how I’m feeling already!
If you’ve got lots of leave, you could always start your mat leave on your due date and then add your leave on to the start, depending how you’re feeling at the time.
I know at our place you have to give 28 days notice to change your mat leave start date which is why I’m using annual leave instead for the flexibility.

I'm due on the 26th of May and plan on starting maternity leave 3 weeks before that. I do a care work which is quite physically demanding so I hope I can keep going until then.

May seems quite early. If you're due 8th July then you might not driver until 20th if baby goes overdue! If you've been off for 2 months by then you'll be going mad if you're anything like me.

Also have to consider that the earlier you start mat leave, the sooner your mat pay will run out. It might mean you have to go back sooner than you'd like.

If you have AL you can take then maybe go on maternity leave in mid June but take a week or two of leave before that. Finishing before 37 weeks is probably not worth it.

Deliver not driver!!

My maternity leave kicked in from 39+2, however as I took a couple of annual leave days beforehand I left work at 38+5.

I have an office based job however and other than having to go up a flight of stairs to the toilet for the last month (perfect refurb timing at the office!) I was okay.

Unfortunately I am still waiting for her to arrive at 39+5 and have to say the novelty has worn off and I'm already bored. I can't walk for a long time before my back starts hurting, so there isn't much to occupy my time with!

Hoping she will come in the next week or so as I think I might go crazy if I have to wait until 40+12 for induction!

I'm a hospital midwife, 2nd baby due 1st July. Starting mat leave 25th May and I'll be 34+, however I've also got 2 weeks annual leave before that too so will be off from 11th May. Seems early but I aimed to go off at 35 weeks with DD and ended up off sick from 33 weeks as I could barely walk with back pain. I was in a less physically demanding area of the hospital then too.
Will you have annual leave to take either side of your mat leave?

I'm being induced at 38+0, I started mat leave at 37+0. I did use annual leave to drop down to 3 days a week for 3 weeks before that though to take some of the strain and pressure off.

Thank you so much for your replies! It does sound like I'm starting it a bit early which is what I thought! Especially if she comes late then I'm definitely just sitting about and will definitely get bored. My annual leave reset in January to I've got all my leave to use as I haven't used any yet, maybe I'll schedule a meeting with my manager and discuss using some of the annual leave then start the maternity later. Then the leave I don't use just get paid for it

Don’t forget that you can ask for adjustments to your role to make it easier for you to continue longer into your pregnancy.

I worked till 38 weeks, took a week of A/L and now on mat leave at 39 weeks. My job was quite sit down but I have to walk a bit between bases. I was struggling towards the end just with travelling and not sleeping so being shattered at work. However, now I am on mat leave I am also quite bored because I don't have much to do and am still shattered but just don't have any routine or distraction! So, it is very hard to say what is for the best! Is it worth talking to work and seeing if there is any flexibility in case you set a later date but need to go off earlier?

I had my daughter on 7th July last year and finished work on the 30th June. She was born at 37+4. You'll be bored if you finish too early. I'd see how you feel you can always bring it forward.

I’m 31+2 and I started maternity at 30 weeks and I was off on sick leave before that so I’ve technically been off for 7 weeks already. Some people say it’s early but I’m a journalist and was struggling with concentration so my quality of work was worsening. I have low iron so I’m sleepy all the time & gestational diabetes and SPD so I just want to rest all the time! But I took it early because I could, and I’m not bored! I’ve been sleeping as much as poss, doing activity books, cleaning, shopping for baby, watching Netflix and Amazon, going to family parties, and I’ve booked a spa stay for this weekend with my DP! I’m having a C-Section around 38/39 weeks, haven’t got my date yet, so got just under 8 weeks to go, and I plan on sleeping more, washing all his clothes, setting up the crib and spring cleaning my house & stocking up on freezer food! I found work more boring than my maternity leave!