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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

When do most people take mat leave?

47 replies

Gerdticker · 17/10/2020 17:56

Curious as to when most people take maternity leave?

As a self employed person, it’s all down to how I feel, until the last moment..! At that moment I’ll hand everything over to my biz partner, DH!

If I’d had to decide formally, I guess I would have gone for 36 or 37 weeks?

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PolarBearStrength · 17/10/2020 19:47

Went off just before 36 weeks last time although the first two or three weeks were annual leave. I got really bored and a bit miserable tbh as i didn’t have him until 41 weeks and had nothing to do.

My last day was at exactly 37 weeks this time because I had loads of annual leave to take but my maternity leave doesn’t actually start until my due date. Having a toddler at home, I’d be more relaxed if I was still at work tbh 😂

FatGirlShrinking · 17/10/2020 20:10

I finished a week before my planned induction, I thought a week before would be really useful for getting stuff ready but really didn't have anything to do and was bored so in hindsight should have just worked to the end.

IckleWicklePumperNickle · 17/10/2020 20:11

DS1 - went off on leave until due date. Went at 38w. He was born at 39+2

DS2 - went off on leave until due date. Went at 36w. He was born 37+4

Both maternity's started on the dates they were born. I added the leave on at the end that was left over.
Went off for a year with both too. I know how fortunate and privileged I am too have taken a year off with each. I can't imagine having to go back when baby is very little.

Oneandabean · 17/10/2020 20:30

With my first I went at 36 weeks but was left so bored for 4 weeks. This time I have 2 weeks holiday booked at 38 weeks and then mat leave starting the week I’m due.

Hatepickinganame · 17/10/2020 20:53

Im leaving in 2 weeks, ill be just over 34 weeks. Taking a weeks holiday and mat leave starts at 35 ish weeks. Then taking 3 weeks holiday the other end. My job is quite an active one with long hours and im just huge and struggle to even walk up my own stairs so sooner the better for me!

Macarena1980 · 17/10/2020 21:01

I’ve started at 35 weeks but technically the first week is annual leave. I teach and I’m on my feet all day so didn’t feel up to leaving it longer Physically and in the current climate. Also looking forward to a wee bit of me time selfishly before my 2nd arrives and it’ll be non stop.

Oct18mummy · 17/10/2020 21:17

Went on maternity leave at 38 weeks and had baby at 39 weeks ended up in hospital 38.5 weeks missed out on all the nice massage, haircut, nails etc I had planned hindsight I wish I had gone on leave at 37 weeks

MeadowHay · 17/10/2020 21:42

I worked til I was about 37 weeks but initially had 3 weeks annual leave. My mat leave then started the Mon after, which is when I went into labour, and DD was born the next day, on her due date!

We are planning to start TTC soon for number 2 now DD is 2.5 and I think I will do a similar thing again really although I'm considering going a week earlier because I think as a general rule second babies tend to come sooner than the first ones don't they? And I would definitely appreciate a few weeks to rest before they're born.

Superscientist · 18/10/2020 00:18

My maternity leave was due to start at 39 weeks, I gave birth the day before.
I have found it difficult to adjust to motherhood and have felt robbed of my last week to myself. I had a week of baking and mentally preparing myself to move from being pregnant to being a mum planned.
I wish I had used annual leave to finish at ~37 weeks instead.

SockQueen · 18/10/2020 00:33

Both times I finished at 37 weeks but I had some fairly physical aspects to my job that were becoming difficult by that point, and my BP was starting to misbehave if I overdid it, so it was the right time for me. First time I went to 42 weeks, by which point I was going a little crazy. Second time I got brought in for an earlier induction at 39 weeks so I felt like I missed out on some chill-out time!

grandmasterstitch · 18/10/2020 08:32

I went at 35 weeks with DS. I was nannying for 4 children and found it very stressful. When it was time to go back I wished I had longer at that end. This time I'm with a different family with older and much easier children so I'll work until the week of my c section and get as much time with baby as possible

Monkeyseesmonkeydoesnt · 18/10/2020 08:58

37 with my first and 39 with my second. WFH made it easier for me

Ohalrightthen · 18/10/2020 09:00

I was WFH, so i went to 39+6 - DD was born at 40+4. There hasn't been a single baby born early in my family in 86 years, i was confident she would be late.

Cam2020 · 18/10/2020 09:10

I went at 38 weeks as I felt fit and healthy and up to the commute. I felt awful for the first five months of my pregnancy, so I was relieved and delighted to feel so well during the latter stages and wanted as much time off with my daughter as possible. I didn't go into labour until 41 weeks + 4 so it worked welll for me.

I had the philosophy of see how I feel and don't overplan! I've had friends with big plans for three weeks at home to do x, y, z before baby arrives and it's not worked out that way!

FilthyforFirth · 18/10/2020 09:14

Going at 35 weeks but using 4 weeks AL so starting mat leave at 39 which is when I am having my section. When I had less AL I went at 38 and wouldnt want to leave it any later than that.

Elysi · 18/10/2020 09:21

With DS1 I planned to start maternity leave 4days before his due date. He arrived early though so it started the day after he was born.

With my second pregnancy, I planned to keep working as late as possible again, (job meant that role during pregnancy was reduced to the odd bit of photocopying and not much else!)
Another early arrival but I finished my shift before heading to the hospital!

peachypetite · 18/10/2020 10:20

Mine is scheduled to start on my due date but I work for an employer with very generous annual leave so I am finishing at 35 weeks and can’t wait.

EithneBlue · 18/10/2020 10:44

Technically my Mat leave starts at 37 weeks on the first day back after half term but being a teacher half term gives me an extra week and so I will finish work at 36 weeks. Not particularly worried about boredom here - I'll definitely be able to keep myself occupied :-)

MaverickDanger · 18/10/2020 14:37

I technically will start my mat leave at 39 weeks but have annual leave to use up so going off at 37+2.

I could put another four days before it and finish at 36+5, but instead I’m going to use it to have four day weeks from 34 weeks.

I’m nearly 32 weeks and definitely starting to need time to relax!

xxxemzyxxx · 18/10/2020 16:10

I'm not self employed so took 2 weeks annual leave off before maternity leave kicked in, so I finished at the end of week 35. if I didn't have annual leave personally I still would have gone at the same time as I was just exhausted and easily agitated.

So glad I went when I did, my DS came 2 weeks early so managed to get 2 weeks of rest before he came along!

FizzingWhizzbee123 · 18/10/2020 17:39

Both times I’ve been lucky enough to officially trigger my Mat leave on my due date, but to be able to stop work at 34/35 weeks by using up annual leave. I’ve been glad to go as I have hard pregnancies. Certainly couldn’t see me getting past 36 weeks at work max.

HavelockVetinari · 18/10/2020 19:21

I had HG but hated sitting at home with nothing to take my mind off the sickness, so I worked till the day I gave birth (36+6). In hindsight I feel sorry for my colleagues, who got used to me sprinting through the office puking into a bag or (worst case) chucking up all over myself, but at the time I felt like I couldn't bear being at home all alone and miserable.

I think it would've been kinder to my team if I'd stopped as early as possible, but I wanted to maximise my time with my baby since DH was taking the last 3 months off as shared parental leave. Going back when DS was 9 months old was tough but doable, earlier than that would've been torture (especially since he was still on 2 bf per night ).

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