Maternity leave

[1990fran]

Hi all

Im 33 wks this friday, due on 29th feb, I am just wondering about maternity leave. I originally was going to finish 22nd Jan which would leave 3 wks till due date, my friend told me finishing a week earlier would be better more time for me however i am already working from home so dont need to commute etc, I like to be kept busy I will go oit of my mind bouncing around home all day for weeks but then thought what happens if I am late like up to 42 weeks, I know its personal preference, I have 2 weeks leave to use before the mat leave starts I just want more time after the arrival than before, all new to me so I apoligize if this post is a bit silly but I just wanted to see what other people have done or suggest x

With Ds1 I went on mat leave 2 weeks prior to my due date and he was 10days early.

Ds2 was 18 days early (can't remember when I went on mat leave).

Due dc3 on 13/03 and am finishing work on 09/02 but I'm a teacher and that's the end of a half term so makes sense to finish then.

I'm not the sort of person who would ever have nothing to do so I didn't "sit around waiting" - I had a list of jobs I wanted to get done before my DC arrived. If I'd be sitting doing nothing I'd stay at work

I have a question about mat leave. I'm due 15th March. I plan to start my Mat leave 2 weeks before my due date, which would be 1st March. I've still got lots of annual leave remaining, I'm taking this before my maternity starts so finishing on 9th Feb. - this is the concerning bit... my employer has said that if I go early while I'm in my annual leave that my maternity kicks in(which I understand) but then I won't get paid my annual leave and it's wasted. Is this wrong? Surely I've worked all year for that and they can pay me it before the annual leave cut off ends 31st March ??

If you feel well then work as late as possible. I finished two weeks before DD and I was so bored. Baby came at 40+5.

Hi OP, I'm playing the game....
I have planned to start leave 2 weeks before BUT remember:
if you are off sick in the 4 weeks before with a maternity related illness then your maternity leave will automatically start. It's a get out of jail free card- keep your leave as it is and use a sick day to trigger it early if that's what you need.
Obviously get your work in order and use this as a last resort, but it is a safety net.

I worked up to 38 weeks with my 1st, I’m working up to 37 weeks with my second mainly because I’m in a new job now and if baby comes early it’ll mess lots up if I haven’t handed over fully to someone as it’s currently just me doing it. I also have a toddler so looking forward to no work and LO being at nursery for a bit before absolute chaos.

I would take the annual leave you have left and then start maternity leave just after it so you go a bit earlier. Any leave you accrue whilst on maternity could then be added on to the end of your maternity leave. It does depend on your individual circumstances though as you work from home.

I'm starting my leave 2 weeks before baby is due. I also WFH. If I need to go off earlier I'll start it as a period of sick leave and it automatically triggers the start of your mat leave anyway if its within 4 weeks of the due date.
I want to use my annual leave when I return to work to do one day less per week for 12 weeks or so.