When are you starting maternity leave?

[Nazz10]

When are you starting maternity leave?
I have 10 weeks left before I start mine (2weeks annual leave then starting Mat leave)
But I really want to stop working sooner than that but worried that it will have an impact later on down the line.

Just wanting to know what others plans are with working/finances etc.

Today is my first day of m/l - already don’t know what to do with myself! I am 39 weeks and due next weekend.
I have taken 10 months leave and then my 6 weeks of annual leave entitlement, so going back at the end of November - basically going back as soon the the money stops, we can’t afford to have any unpaid time off but I would take the full amount if we could afford it. I really struggled to make it 39 weeks and was exhausted. I spent the last few weeks at work just wishing I could have finished earlier, but I’ve got there now and I don’t regret it, I know I will far prefer having the extra time with baby at the other side. I work in social services so my work has been chaotic and stressful throughout the pandemic, but my employers were really good and intentionally reduced my workload from October - so I think having a good employer is a must the further on you get.
Sounds like taking 2 weeks a/l before mat leave starts is a great way to give yourself a break and get organised

I'm currently on mat leave and my first day was at 38+6. I went into labour at 40+1. I'll be taking a full 12 months off, 3 of those will be unpaid.

I'm on my first day of mat leave too, @Yesterday22! I'm 36+4, and I'm actually on annual leave for the next two weeks before starting mat leave at 38 weeks. I started mat leave at 38.5 weeks with no. 1 and regretted it a bit, especially as he came at 39+1, and I've found this pregnancy much harder and more tiring (probably due to running around after a toddler! But also my SPD has been worse) so decided to stop work a bit earlier this time round.

I'm planning to go back in November, so 9 months after I start mat leave. I had six months the first time around which was fine but I think just a little longer would have made life a lot easier, which is why I'm having longer this time.

My mat leave is starting on my due date, with almost 2 weeks of leave before so I finish on 38+1 (a Friday). My boss is practically having kittens in case I'm early, but I'm working from home. I might have finished earlier if I was still having to commute and sit in an office all day.

I've booked mat leave from my due date and no annual leave beforehand. I don't want to be sat around with nothing to do in COVID and want to maximise time with my baby so have 12 months mat leave then 8 weeks of A/L and bank holidays to take so will be off for about 14 months in total. I'm WFH so relatively easy to just sit at my desk. I was late, my sister was late, my Mum was late, my Dad was late... all of us big babies as well. I think I'm just assuming this baby isn't coming until 41 weeks+ and could be in for a shock!

If it wasn't COVID I'd take a week or two off before DD and if it starts getting unbearable I might revisit my annual leave plans.

I went on mat leave at 37+3 - this was annual leave until 39+3. I gave birth at 42 weeks.

I’m taking the full 12 months & have saved the difference from my full salary to my mat pay.

When we had our 1st they only gave you 6 month paid leave so I took 2.5 weeks holidays before my due date then maternity started on my due date. I had a desk job so easy to keep going late on. She was born less than an hour before hed due date so I got the full 6 months with her.
I was made redundant with our 2nd so was off work much earlier then expected, I've been a sahm since then.

I'll probably be induced at 38 weeks again due to severe SPD so my due date will be around 1st July. I intend to work until then. I will sadly only be entitled to maternity allowance as I haven't been in this job for very long - intending to take six months off.

I am planning to stop work two weeks before my due date, perhaps taking a week of that as leave, then take the full 12 months off and add on any leave entitlement to the end. If I was having to go into the office every day I would perhaps be considering finishing earlier, I honestly don’t know how people manage commuting and having to sit at a desk all day with all the horrible symptoms!! I have spent a lot of time propped up in bed / on the sofa with my laptop in recent months!

I have booked to start my annual leave at 35 weeks .... I really wanted to work up to my due date as I did with my DD but I'm frontline NHS and have been reassigned to a different ( boring ) job role and I have very little motivation to work in this role any longer than I have to.

I am worried about being bored in the led up to the birth though and it's going to be difficult being at home with not a lot to do with my husband working from home.

I'm taking 9 months mat leave plus my annual leave so it works out at about 11 months off. I can't afford the no pay this time round.

I am expecting baby number 2 and plan to start my mat leave on my due date but taking exactly a months annual leave before hand.

Last time I unexpectedly finished at 33 weeks as I had IUGR and was admitted to hospital. Baby then arrived on his own accord at 36 +4

I think I want to go off at 37 weeks this time, I did 38 weeks last time and DD was born at 39+6 so an extra week would allow more of a break from her (her nursery breaks up the week I'm due!) and also accommodate a slightly earlier birth while still giving me time. Will use annual leave and take the full year off, saving hard atm to afford to keep DD in nursery

Annual leave 37-39 weeks and baby will be here at 39 weeks (c section) having 12 months off plus annual leave so around and extra 3 months off on top. I have a very high pressure and stressful job so need to finish a couple of weeks early to wind down.

36 weeks so I have a long way to go. I work standing on my feet all day and am customer facing. Due to covid and staffing issues, work is intense. The baby is most likely to arrive via csection at 40 weeks all being well so I will have a few weeks to bung my freezer with extra meals, rest and spend time with my older children before lo arrives. I have had severe fluid retention the last two times and my feet and hands swells so much it is difficult to do my job. If I was wfh I would work till longer. I will take the full year and the last 3 months will be unpaid.

I plan on starting my actual maternity leave the same week I’m due, I’m taking 3 weeks holiday prior to that so I’ll be 36 weeks when I finish. Can’t bloody wait!

My mat leave will start from.due date. I am working from home so can start wrapping up projects the month before.

I’ve got 2 and a half weeks a/l then my m/l starts 10 days before due date

I'm due in March and have decided to work up until the week I'm due, around 3 days before I'll finish up. The only reason I've decided to work so close to due date is because I'm working from home, and they've decreased my work load quite a bit the week before as well which will help me relax a bit more. I really wanted more time after birth, and working pretty much up to due date gives me that. Also going back after 10 months off + using annual leave so I don't have any months without pay.

I booked to start my maternity leave at 39 weeks with my last day at work on 38+4 due to the weekend baby arrived on 38+6. I had a week of cooking and baking planned with a food delivery ok the Monday evening. I was editing my order at 4 am on the Sunday to swap all the baking ingredients for more practical options.
If I have a second I will try to finish earlier!

Mine officially starts 39+4 but took two weeks previous as holidays. The last few weeks before I finished were tough but was in quite a physical job

I was the same as Superscientist, baby early and regretted not having any time to get things ready or even get my head into baby mode. Didn't find working til 39 weeks a problem at all though (active job).

I finished at 32wks as Christmas was just a natural time to finish up for me.
High risk pregnancy, busy job in Children's Safeguarding, toddler at home.
I took 4wks Annual Leave then started Mat Leave at weekend at 36+2. I have my final growth scan today and will get an induction date for the next 1-2wks.

I plan on taking off 2 weeks before my due date as long as long as im able to work purely just to have more time off with baby after.

I have a section booked for 39 weeks and am planning to go off at 35 weeks (using one week’s AL first). I wfh currently but in a very stressful job with long hours. I’m not finding that I have much downtime at present, never mind time to organise the house etc. I can’t wait to have some time to relax and focus on getting ready for baby.

I finish when I am 35 + 4 then on annual leave until 39 weeks when my maternity leave starts.

I finished a week before my due date last time and was 8 days late. I was organised with baby stuff and enjoyed the days that I had off. I was knackered by the end though and this pregnancy is so much harder so decided to save up and use all my annual leave to give me a good chunk of time to start focusing on baby's arrival, resting and enjoying myself by going on walks etc. (probably doing nothing exciting though due to lockdown!)

I will be going back when the 39 weeks is up as can't afford to take unpaid leave. I will be able to use my next allocation of annual leave to have a phased return so it will work out nicely.