When are you finishing for Mat Leave?

[Ritchie30]

Wondering when everyone is thinking of finishing up for Mat Leave? Or if youve had a baby...when did you finish up and was it the right time in hindsight?!

I’m a FTM and need to hand in my dates to work within the next few weeks but just not really sure what to plan for 🙈
I work in retail so am on my feet for 9/10 hours a day. When TTC I had always planned on saving my annual leave and finishing up at 36 weeks on annual leave then rolling into my mat leave and hopefully having a nice 4-6 weeks off to nest/see friends etc before baby arrives. But I’ve been furloughed since March (although am going back to work soon) and at the moment I can’t think of anything worse than more time alone in the house 🙈😂

I worked in Retail when I had DS so exactly the same situation as you OP. I kept as much annual leave back as a could, so may leave started when I was 40wks but has 4 weeks annual leave so actually went off at 36wks. Really glad I did though, felt fine all the way through but at 35wks I definitely hit a wall!

@TeamRocket Nice to hear from someone that’s been in the same kind of role! I think I’ll only have about 2 weeks annual leave left to use as it all had to be booked in January (before I was pregnant) and work haven’t let us make any adjustments to annual leave while on furlough 🙄 so any annual leave I had booked during this furlough period is still being used up unfortunately. They’ve also been paying us each month for any other holiday days we would have been entitled to up until this point in the year so that not everyone is left with full holiday allowance to use when we go back. So I’ll maybe schedule mat from 38 weeks and 2 weeks annual leave from 36 weeks 😊

34 weeks. 5 weeks accrued annual leave + 1 week maternity leave (assuming he doesn’t arrive early!).

First DS I was due to go at 38 weeks but wasn't feeling great so took leave from 37 weeks and he was born 37+4. This time with DD I'm currently wfh and plan on going at 35 weeks and I have a lot of leave so possibly earlier. I'll exhausted being pregnant and looking after a toddler so that's my reasoning

@sassysoul Oh definitely earlier if you have another little one at home 😊 I can only imagine how tiring that is!! Plus, it’ll give you some nice time to spend with DS before his little sister arrives 😊

My first started at 38 weeks with 2 weeks holiday prior... I was nearly 2 weeks late so v bored by time arrived.

2nd I was more tired so took more odd days holiday in weeks before... Started maternity leave at 38 weeks... Baby born 40 minutes into first days mat. leave... So no hanging around!

I gave myself 4 weeks and had to be induced 2 weeks early. Wish I had taken longer as was HUGE and exhausted!

I work in retail, store reopening tomorrow after being on furlough. I'm not going back though, I have four weeks of annual leave to take before my maternity starts at 36+5

This time I'm starting my maternity leave on my due date. I'm going to take 2 weeks annual leave before so I'll finish at 38 weeks. DS came 12 days late and I was so bored. I wish I'd had a couple of extra weeks with him at the end of maternity leave.

Retail here, going on leave at around 36 weeks. One weeks annual leave then mat leave from 37 weeks. Thats the current plan. I know ill get huge and struggle past 36 weeks, just not sure ill manage until then. However i may be induced/section early as have very large babies, so if thats the plan then ill happily take leave earlier!

38 weeks with my first, she cane a week later which was perfect. Will work until 38 weeks again time too.

If you take you much time before baby, you miss it with baby...

@1990shopefulftm why haven’t you asked your employer to make adjustments for you rather than leave so early? It’s a legal requirement. That’s extremely early to take maternity leave...

@TwinkleStars15 I m working from home currently but normally work in a office, there's nothing I could ask for that would make much of a difference.

Annual leave at 33weeks for three weeks and maternity at 36 weeks. Last pregnancy had maternity planned for due date and baby was induced earlier so had to bring my date forward and ended up with 1 day off work before baby came- trying to avoid that as much as possible and think the more time with my toddler the better x

I planned to go off two weeks prior to due date but now I'm working from home changed it to 2 days prior! I know eeeek!! Obviously that will change if I go early but I just want every single last day possible with my baby once it arrives, I'm carrying all my leave over as well so will end up with somewhere between 10-11 months off with the baby. If I get too knackered at the end I'll take some leave but hoping to string it out as long as poss! X

My mat leave starts on my due date, and I'm taking 1 week annual leave prior to that so will finish at 39 weeks. I'm WFH and can carry over unused leave for more time at with the baby at the end of mat leave so it makes sense to do it this way, but I am starting to count the days now and wish I was finishing a bit earlier!

I'm leaving at 29 weeks but taking three weeks annual leave, so will be leaving at 26. This is just because I have been so under the weather with my pregnancy, I work a very physical, very risky job which entails 3-4 12.5 hour night shifts a week and I am absolutely done in. Looking forward to putting my swollen disgusting feet up in six weeks time!

Mine starts tomorrow and I'll be exactly 35 weeks. I'm not worried about being bored as I'm really uncomfortable now. Me and OH both WFH so it just means I'll be able to nest and get the house ready instead of sitting on calls all day. Couldn't be more excited and plus I'm EXHAUSTED now so working is a chore!

My last day’s Friday I’m actually going on ML at 39 weeks but using 5 weeks of A/L first (if baby holds on that long!) so last day I’ll be 34+2.

Currently WFH and tbh could have gone on a lot longer as I’m not having to deal with the commute, but needed to use leave up somehow.

I am going on official mat leave 2 weeks before my due date, but I’m also using 2 weeks of annual leave immediately before that so I will be off almost exactly a month before the baby is due.

Official mat leave from 38 weeks, but annual leave starts today at 36 weeks and I’m so pleased!

Even though I’ve been working from home, in a very different role due to COVID, I’m exhausted. I’m just manning a phone and emails and doing zoom meetings, instead of my usual very busy and physical job as a hospital doctor. No idea how women manage to work normally through pregnancy, it’s been HARD. Much admiration and awe to those on their feet all day!

i'll be 34 weeks as i start Mat leave on my due date but i have 4 weeks of AL to use up first

I started mine at 35 weeks because I was in retail and on my feet a lot which was agony! My son was 2 weeks late though so I ended up at home for 7 weeks before he arrived!

I’m off at 38+3 which is exciting!
I’m NHS and was ward staff, working nights and on overtime taking me to my 48 hours a week without fail when I submitted my dates pre covid. I’m taking 1 months but will have lots of AL to carry. & I wanted some time off to sort. In hindsight I would’ve pushed to 39+3 if I’d known I would be WFH

I worked til 39 weeks. Desk job, currently from home. Struggled with tiredness but only in the very last week. Now overdue and have done as much nesting as I need over the past few months stuck at home so I'm personally pleased I stuck it out as long as I did from the point of view of getting paid longer and more paid time off with the baby when he / she eventually makes an appearance! Might be different considerations in retail though but I think your worry about more time in the house alone and bored is very valid!