Maternity leave

[Beckie2021]

Hi I'm new here so a tad unsure how this all works but I am trying to find out the average maternity leave. I'm pregnant with my first so rather lost about what to do for the best. My sister has children but she was never working whilst pregnant.
I know that I can take a full year but I suffer with mental health issues and work is my saviour, it always has been. So I don't really want to take a full year off, plus I don't return to work after furlough until the end of August and the earliest I can take my maternity is early October. I'm not due until New Years Day but was hoping to hold out until early December. I know that it all depends on how I'm feeling but I have to give my Boss 8 weeks notice for when I want to start maternity leave.
Also I don't really know when the best time to return would be, I'm a supervisor in a hotel so I work split shifts (only 3 hours per shift) My partner would be home for my morning shift and my parents have already offered to babysit for my evening shift so childcare wouldn't be an issue.
I just don't want to go back to soon or go back and have to take time getting used to my work again.
Any help would be much appreciated.
Thank you

It really depends, you are right to see how it goes. Many people work until right up near their due date, but for others it's just too much (depending on their job and how they feel during pregnancy etc), and they take it as early as possible. You need to take at least a few weeks off after giving birth, but can return when you like other than that, check with your employer though as many will state how many weeks notice you need to give them of your return date. I was going to take a year off, but ended up taking 10 months and just let them know the month beforehand that I was intending to return early. Personally I would take the year provisionally, and see how you get on and return earlier if you decide to, same with letting them know when you intend to start mat leave, give a rough date and you can change it (just check how much notice you need to give).

I have this same quandary. I'm wfh currently so I'm not starting my mat leave until 39 weeks. I don't want too much time off before she arrives because being home alone for too long isn't good for my mental health.

My work starts with the assumption you will take the full year until I update them to say otherwise. I also have to give 8 weeks notice. At the moment I am think of taking around 8-9 months leave. I want to spend a good chunk of time with my baby but at the same time I know for my sanity I will need it get back into work. I think for me a year would be too long to be away from work but I would like to still be off for the introduction of food. It is definitely a balancing act. I need to consider nursery waiting times too as that is my only child care option.
Do what feels right up for you.

I'm due 27th September and finishing 4th September and the two weeks after I'm taking as annual leave days, so my official start date is 24th September for my mat leave.
I'm taking 9 months as the last 3 months your employer doesn't have to pay you and mine won't be, so I'll be going back after 9 months regardless.
Like you my job is my saviour so I may even go back after 6 months but I'm going to see how it goes first.

I would suggest you think about your age and the kind of work you do. If you are on your feet all day you may want to finish earlier than others.

With my first I worked until 39 weeks. Ended up going into labour the next day. Took 9 months off. With my second I was significantly older but still in an office job so I worked until 39 weeks and had a c-section 3 days later. I took 14 months off by using leave I had saved up. I am now expecting again. My plan is to work until 39 weeks again and take 9 months.

I think you need to do what feels right for you. For me, 14 months was way too long. I was bored out of my mind. 9 seemed to be perfect.

I was due NYE this year, and worked up till Christmas. But that was in a desk job with an understanding boss and an easy pregnancy.

Whatever you do, good luck!

You can change the end date of your maternity leave if you change your mind while on leave.

This link gives the legal amount of notice you need to give:
www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/rights-at-work/parental-rights/maternity-leave-what-youre-entitled-to-and-how-to-get-it/

I’m starting my leave the day before I’m due. I’m planning to take just over the amount I’ll be paid for which will be like 40ish weeks.

It really depends on your individual circumstances - I'd put your maternity leave in to start as late as possible (perhaps 2 weeks before birth). You can always finish earlier than this date if your not managing but you can't suddenly carry on working past the date you've said you'll finish on. You also may want to work as long as possible for your mental health and to get as much time as you want off with your baby. Find out how much notice you need to give work for returning and keep that in mind for when you want to return. Don't commit to anything. You may find you want longer off than you thought or you might find you want to go back sooner.
You also acrue annual leave when on maternity leave so you could use that before or after maternity leave to extend it or you could take a few hours every week to gradually get you and baby used to being apart.
For what it's worth I had 6 months maternity leave plus 1 months annual leave with first (it was less maternity leave in those days) we both coped well with me going back to work. With dtwins I took 12 months maternity leave plus one month's annual leave and went back as they turned 13 months - partly because I wanted to spend more time with them and also to reduce the cost of childcare.
The first thing I'd do is request the appropriate policies and then communicate only what they need to know don't commit to anything till you have to.

When to finish only you can decide, but if youre on your feet a lot I would suggest you'll find it tough after 36 week or so. Your employer should presume that you'll take the full 12 months unless notified otherwise. You need to give 8 weeks written notice if you want to return 'early' so I would wait until baby is here and see how you feel. You may love being off and want the full year or you may be desperate to go back after 3 months, you just wont know yet.