When to start maternity leave?

[Jessica12345625]

I am a secondary school teacher and am 32 weeks pregnant with my second. I was going to start maternity at 38 weeks but am now contemplating starting a little earlier. How many weeks were you (or will you be) when you took maternity?

I’m finishing over a month early because I have so much leave to use. My friends have all said the final month is really uncomfortable and hard work so def finish early if you can.

I'm finishing at 37 weeks but mainly because it coincides with half term and felt convenient (also work in school) though I'm working from home now so I guess it's a bit irrelevant.

I finished last week, just before I got to 37 weeks.
I wanted to go as close to my due date as possible but I was so knackered I decided to finish earlier

I'm WFH for the foreseeable so finishing the week before my due date. I would have finished a few weeks earlier than that if I was still out and about though

Finishing at the end of this week at 33 weeks. Much earlier than I had originally planned, but my school weren't being great on the social distancing and I was worried Actually really happy about it now as I'm shattered and achy and looking forward to having time to chill and prepare! Was going back in July regardless, so don't feel I'm missing out time wise.

Officially I'm starting my mat leave at 39+6 weeks. However I have A/L to take so will be finishing at 38+3

29weeks...I couldn't wait to get out of work 🤣🤣

I was 39 weeks. Had my ELCS at 39+2. Didn't see the point in stopping work to sit around and twiddle my thumbs, but I'm aware I'm an outlier.

I’m finishing on Friday when I’ll be 37 weeks. I’m working from home and have been for 6 months but my job is mentally demanding and I’ve been getting more and more tired as the weeks go on so I’m looking forward to a few weeks of relaxing and finishing last minute prep before bubba arrives!

38 weeks then two weeks holiday that took me up to 40weeks. I don't regret it as I ended up being two weeks overdue. So kept me busy.

Jessica, what is your school's policy on teaching in your third trimester? My school don't have any other pregnant teachers and seem confused about what to do. My midwife seems less than impressed about the lack of provisions and alterations for me. Keen to know what other schools are up to.

36 weeks my commute to work is two hours per day and I'm also struggling to walk far or stand for long due to spd

Thank you for all your replies.
Like you @cheeseoncheese I will be returning in July so starting maternity earlier won't make a difference to how much time I will be spending with my baby. But, part of me wants to stay working for longer as it means slightly more money 🤷‍♀️
@icedteaplease my school have actually not put anything special in place for me. I am still teaching a full timetable, meaning that I am seeing up to 150 different students each day. I wear a mask when teaching, but so do many other teachers. I have not been put on duty as I said I didn't want to be standing in a hall full of hundreds of students. But yeh, it is really worrying :( especially when I hear of other schools allowing pregnant ladies in their final trimester to work from home.

I finished at 36 weeks with first (born 37+5) and 33 weeks with second (born 38 weeks). Couldn't have managed for longer, had originally planned to work till later but I quickly realised I needed the rest when firstborn was at nursery!

I'm starting my mat leave this Friday when I will be 38+4 days. I also work in a school as a 1-1 and I have to say I am struggling however I wanted to give my little charge a recognisable friendly face for the first 2 weeks back after 6 months off school. 3 days and counting lol.

35 weeks. With no 1 I started at 37 weeks but I needed more time to prepare this time around!

I finished work at 39 weeks. Took a weeks holiday and my mat leave started on my due date because I wanted to use as much of my leave with the baby as possible. I was induced at 40+4 and I swear that 1 week and 4 days was the longest of my life sat around waiting for the baby. I'm expecting number two and planning on doing exactly the same

My Mat leave started Monday when I was 38+4, I had wfh since March and then returned to do our 3 days of INSET before starting leave the same day students returned. I originally thought I could have pushed it back by a week, but due to Covid didn't want to take the risk of greater risk of transmission as I would teach 7 different year groups. I've now been booked in for induction on Monday so will only have 1 weeks leave before the labour process, so as bored as I am, I'm going to try to use it to rest up and sleep when I can x

Another (now ex) teacher here! DC1 33 weeks as was due in September so end of the previous school year made the most sense (as it turns out he was born 30 August early so wouldn’t have made it in for the first week of the year anyway).
DC2 35 weeks (has planned later but DC1) was so poorly I ended up going a couple of weeks early to look after him. The first time I could have happily worked later but it was the summer holidays, second time around it was a slog after 30 weeks to manage a toddler and work too!

That's really sad they are not making changes for you, if you want to you could say something as you have a lot of rights at this time being pregnant. I have just finished work at 34 weeks. I work customer facing and didnt feel comfortable, I had a back of house roll for my last month but when September came all the staff came back and there wasnt any room for me! So they are furloughing me until my holiday starts on the 22nd of September.. then my Mat leave starts when I'm 39+3 weeks. I feel really lucky as my DD is starting school and me being at home is going to be so great. Plus I'm anaemic this pregnancy and so tired! But I did have to push for what I wanted and put myself first, I emailed HR and spoke to my manager about my concerns and my rights. Luckily they agreed with my that this would be the best plan moving forward.

I’m 38+4 with DC2 and also a teacher. My mat leave starts next Friday when I’ll be 39+6. I’ve been at home for the last 6 months so I can manage two weeks of work. I also want as much time afterwards and we need the money.

I’m primary and haven’t been given a class. I’m supporting and doing some cover so can manage.

I’m starting mat leave 2 weeks before my due date but have 2 weeks of annual leave booked before that, so I’ll technically finish up a month before.

I’m 37+3 and a secondary teacher. My school have been really flexible saying I can work from home if I want as I don’t have a timetable. Initially I was really keen to go back but the number of students/staff already isolating scared me a bit - the last thing I want is for me or DH to have Covid when I go into labour, so decided to take them up on wfh from today and mat leave starts next Friday.

I'm a primary teacher. I've been working from home since March and have continued to do so this term. I'm 36 weeks now and plan to go off on my due date as I have it quite easy really. Had I been teaching I think I'd have started at the end of this week.

OP I'd suggest you speak to your SLT as you should be in a socially distanced role now you're on your third trimester if you can't work from home. My head agreed that the precedent had been set that I could work from home as I had been for so long anyway.

I’m officially starting at 39+6 but have two weeks A/L before that, and because I have loads of leave to use up, I’m only working 2 days per week for a few weeks and then 1 day per week for the last couple of weeks.