Maternity leave questions

[Biooilandcarbs]

So I've just had my Maternity call with my HR team, feeling so real!!! This is my first baby, it's all very new but I need to let them know when I'm wanting to finish within the next month.

A few questions for the already Mamas out there;

How soon before due date did you finish for mat leave?
How long did you take off for your mat leave?

Thank you x

It depends on the type of job you have.

With our eldest I had a desk job doing accounts. I took 2.5 weeks holidays before my due date and started maternity leave on my due date. I only got 6 months paid leave and couldn't afford to take any more. I only went back part time though and became a sahm after having our 2nd.

I have booked mat leave from my due date. Rationale:

• Don't want to be sitting around in COVID
• Have some A/L I could use if I needed. Can make that decision later as just need line manager signoff.
• If baby comes early mat leave starts automatically but I can't delay it if they don't arrive
• I can change it with 28 days notice if I find 3rd trimester hard

I've been pretty open with my boss and will play by ear.

I worked in a supermarket bakery - slicing bread and putting it on shelves mainly. Pretty demanding and I left for maternity 10 days before I was due, baby came on due date! I needed time to relax, prepare, clean ect...

Each person is different - you just have to make a decision you think will work! Congratulations 💐

Congratulations on your pregnancy. How many weeks are you? I'm 16+3 and haven't told work yet. I know I have few more weeks until legally have to tell them but I'm nervous to tell them yet.

@Chelyanne when you say you started maternity leave on your due date, did you give birth on your due date or while you were on annual leave? I want to take two weeks annual leave before due date but wonder what happens if baby arrives while I'm annual leave as I've heard maternity leave starts when the baby is born? if so do know if you lose the (let's say) one week unused annual leave you had if the baby comes one week early?

Hi, I'm 32 weeks now. I am due 15th March, starting Mat leave 2 weeks before. But I have almost 3 weeks of holidays to use up so I'll be finishing at 35 weeks

I'm planning on starting maternity leave on my due date but taking the week before as annual leave and the 2 weeks prior to that will work 4 days instead of 5. Hoping that I can cope with this as have a fairly physical job but have a few spare days holiday that I could take if not. I'm taking 9 months with a phased return after that.

I asked my HR what happens if I give birth early and would I end up losing annual leave but they said if this happened they could carry it over to the end of the maternity leave instead.

I took mat leave from 31 weeks, I didn't want the risk of being asked to go back into the office during covid as I m asthmatic also. My joints were a mess by that point so sitting down for 8 hours at a desk was a bit much.

Book it in as late as you can (you can always go off early but can't stay on later). I was a ward nurse and managed to work up to 38 weeks with dc1 - I think I'd have managed longer if I'd had a desk job.
With dt I booked to go off at 38 weeks (knew this would be longest they left me) but ended up hospitalised so put on sick leave and then converted to mat leave when I had dt.
With first pregnancy I went back at 7 months (6 months mat, 1 months annual leave) taking a day's annual leave for 3 months. Mat leave wasn't as generous then. This was to early for me but didn't have a choice.
With dt I saved like mad and lived frugally and took 12 months mat leave, plus 4 weeks annual leave.
I'd say book the full year off its easier to shorten than lengthen mat leave. I don't think you'll really know till you've settled into a routine if you'll want lots of time off or not.
The best thing I did when I returned to work was used my annual leave from mat leave to take a day off each week so that it eased me and dc back into work life.

I was due at the end of January with both mine.

I saved all my holiday during pregnancy and took 3 weeks annual leave up to Xmas. I then worked from home for 2 weeks before leaving for mat leave 2 weeks before my due date.

I was a management consultant so that plan made me unstaffable for those 2 weeks at home so I basically cleared out my laptop and chilled out.

I was still commuting at that point and was finding it hard. I was exhausted as well and wanted to nap a lot in the day.

My first came 8 days early and second was 2 days late so it worked out that way too.

I took all 52 weeks and then my earned annual leave at the end. I was off for about 14 months with my first with the holiday and maternity leave. Bit less with second but I didn't go back.

I'd always say to tell work you're taking the full 52 weeks. It's much easier to come back early if you want / need to than to extend it if you've told them you're only taking 6 months say. Keep all options only abs remember you can add your earned leave onto the end of you maternity leave.

I finished 2 weeks before but I'm NHS and was cream cracker Ed from working super long stressful days during lockdown 1.0
And having 11 months off completely with slow phased RTW

Congratulations!

I went on maternity leave 18 days before due date. But baby arrived 11 days late so was pretty bored. I did plan to leave 11 days before but changed it as I knew I was ready. My head wasn't in it anymore and wanted to chill before baby arrived. And I was working from home! I originally said I'll work until due date cause working from home but I think you get to a point of cba haha. I'm glad I finished when I did.

I'm returning after the 39 weeks of SMP is up but I've got annual leave saved up so not actually returning until couple of months after (my contract will change to part time so annual leave stretches further)

Sorry for going on, I hope this makes sense!