Early maternity leave - opinions please!

[Rachel12551]

Hi everyone

I am thinking about starting my maternity leave early at 29 weeks. Reasons for this are because of the ongoing affects of the virus (I work as a retail manager so am customer facing every day) and also to ensure I don't get too tired as I am on my feet 9 hours a day. It also gives me chance to get organised and plan a baby shower etc which is hard as I am working most weekends at the moment.

I was just wondering if you could share your experiences, when you chose to go on maternity leave and would you have chosen to if/when pregnant again.

I know every pregnancy is different I just wanted to get a bit of advice

Thank you

[Shelby30]

That's far too early for me. That cld be three months before baby arrives. Unless you can afford to take a year off I wouldn't consider that. If you can get to 33/34 wks and then take some holidays it's not so bad.

With my first I worked till I was 37wks, I had an hour commute on train each way and it was hard getting to that point. Baby was overdue so I had 4 wks moping about and she was my first. I was soooo soooo sooo bored! Second time I finished just before 37wks but I was really struggling with the commute so worked last few days from home. I went in to labour a few days after I finished up 🙈 did not even have my bag ready. I wld have liked another week before she arrived but they come when they want to!