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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 to start maternity leave?

38 replies

Sparkles512 · 12/05/2021 18:20

Hi Ladies,

I'm looking for some advice on when I should finish work ready for babys arrival?

I am an employed dog groomer so I do a physical job so think I will take a couple of weeks holiday and then start maternity?

How many weeks did you have off before babys arrival?

Appreciate any advice!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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Toomanymuslins · 12/05/2021 18:24

I moved mine forwards slightly. I was due to start at 37 weeks but I started at 34 weeks - we were moving house and work wasn’t very nice! I have to say I don’t regret it - get all the me time in you can before your baby’s arrival!

MonkeyPuddle · 12/05/2021 18:25

I was due to go on leave at 40 weeks (wishful thinking!) but brought it forward to 37w.

Popskipiekin · 12/05/2021 18:27

Most people I know with office jobs - ie sedentary which doesn’t sound like your typical day! - work to 38 weeks or later in order to maximise time with the baby. Perhaps you’d be better trying to stop by 36/37, depending if you’re getting any swelling when you stand up? (I got this really badly but everyone is different and I’m sure plenty people in physical jobs feel great and work up to birth)

With for DC1 I worked to 38 weeks and moved to working from home in the 38th week as my mobility was bad by then (I had SPD and walking with a stick). Good thing I was wfh as waters went day before I was due to go on mat leave!
So I decided to stop after 36 weeks with DC2 and low and behold he arrived at 41 weeks .... there’s no planning babies!

ihatemycarseat · 12/05/2021 18:33

I'm a nanny so always on the go with the kids and will be taking mine at 35 weeks! I think a few weeks of me time to try and relax and prepare for birth and baby before hand is so precious then a few extra weeks on the other end. I will be able to return to work with my baby though so I guess that impacts my decision.

Lou98 · 12/05/2021 18:42

I'm a dog groomer and I'm due next week! I had planned on working until I was 37 weeks which would have taken me to the end of April but I ended up having to stop at the end of March when I was 32 weeks. I have SPD and I was just in far too much pain that it wasn't worth it for me.

I would say it depends on how your employer is aswell and how accommodating- are you able to take breaks between dogs? Sit down while doing some of the groom maybe? Lower the amount of dogs you do per day?

It would have helped me massively doing less dogs per day and I may have stayed working longer but I'm a self employed groomer and rent a salon so for me it wasn't really worth having the shop open for less dogs as I'd have been working at a loss after my outgoings so I decided just to finish up early. Honestly, I'm so glad I did! If it wasn't for the SPD I'd have finished at 36 weeks I think, it is a hard job physically and I'm really glad I took this time to rest before baby comes!

Moominmiss · 12/05/2021 18:49

I work in a secondary school and my job as a science technician involves me being on my feet nearly all of the day.

I start my maternity leave at the start of September when I will be 37 weeks (although I will be having a c section at 39 weeks), so 2 weeks before baby arrives.

However, I’m lucky that I actually start my time off on 16th July when the school break up for the summer holidays. So I will actually be 30, nearly 31 weeks when I stop working.

User0ne · 12/05/2021 18:54

Dc1 I worked till 38w - I'm a teacher and on my feet all day. I had dc1 at 38+4.
Dc2 came at 37+3, dc3 at 41+3.

If having time off before the birth is important to you I'd say go by 37 weeks. BUT there's a chance you'll feel like you're waiting for ages

notanothercovidquestion · 12/05/2021 18:54

DD1 - day before elective c section
Twins - day of emergency c section 🤣

It really depends on your personal circumstances. My maternity leave is awful and I don't get any full pay (I'm the main earner) so finishing too early would have meant less time with the babies afterwards

4amWitchingHour · 12/05/2021 19:02

I'm in an office job and stopped at 37 weeks, although tbh that last couple of weeks was really tough. We're planning on a second, and bar any other reasons I'll stop at 36 weeks for that pregnancy - just too knackered otherwise

Original poster

Sparkles512 · 12/05/2021 19:21

Thank you for all your replies!

I think I will aim for 36 weeks and see how I feel closer to the time.

@lou98 my manager isn't the most supportive, she has the attitude you are pregnant not ill get on with it.
Last year one of the ladies was pregnant and got told she wasn't allowed to sit down grooming as it was unsafe and she didn't really get any support or sympathy from our manager so us groomers helped her as much as we could.
The manager may be different with me once I tell her but I highly doubt it.

OP posts:

SW100 · 12/05/2021 19:27

I’m a dog groomer too! I’m self employed and hoping to make it to 36/37 weeks but will hopefully be working part time by then and only doing small dogs. It’s really hard to guess as everyone seems to cope differently.

Lou98 · 12/05/2021 19:36

@Sparkles512 that was like my manager at the groomers I was employed at before going self employed. It was one of the main reasons I left, she was like this with pregnancy but also anything she didn't deem as a "good enough" illness.

In that case I would play it by ear and see how you're feeling nearer the time, have an idea of when you would like to finish up but if you feel you need to go off sooner then don't be afraid to do that, as I say it's a tough job on your back etc anyway and pregnancy just makes it even harder, you need to be well rested for baby coming!

India999 · 12/05/2021 19:45

With my first I took 4 weeks holiday and 2 weeks mat leave before my due date. Everyone said it was too long but when else will you get to chill on your own and not work ever again?!

With my second I'm taking 5 weeks holiday (I have alot that needs using!) And one week mat leave before my due date.

tigerbread20 · 12/05/2021 19:51

I'm a nurse and stopping at 35. Although with dd2 my waters went at 34+6 so we will see!

Kollamoolitumarellipawkyrollo · 12/05/2021 19:56

With both, I didn’t have any mat leave before they were born as one was born early and the other slightly so at 37 weeks. It was nice as then had longer with them once here.

ElmtreeMama · 12/05/2021 19:59

If all is well I plan to take 5 weeks holiday and 2 weeks mat leave before due date! But I don't like my job so that might be part of it

MeadowHay · 12/05/2021 20:08

I went off at 37 weeks last time from my office job, had 3 weeks holiday, mat leave started the day before my due date which was also the day I went into labour and DC was born the next day on their due date. It was good to have the three weeks rest and prep before they were born, bliss. I used some holiday to work 4 day weeks for the month leading up to it as well.

This time I am planning to go a bit earlier - last time I could only afford to take the 9 months paid leave, but this time I will take the full 12 months or thereabouts, so I don't feel the need to try and stretch every last week of mat leave out for this baby. I feel I will be more tired and need more time to prep and rest as I'm busier now with my toddler. I'm thinking of starting mat leave about 38 weeks and having 3 weeks holiday before then, so going off at 35 weeks.

In my first pregnancy I started to really feel the physical strain of carrying the pregnancy from about 34 weeks and don't think I could have managed a physical job beyond that time. I had a small bump as well although admittedly was in a poor state physically pre-pregnancy and then had HG for the first half as well so wasn't physically fit or active.

FoxtrotSkarloey · 12/05/2021 20:12

For both of mine, I finished my office job two weeks before they were due (planned sections so I knew the date). I wish I'd had a bit more time off to myself and to put my feet up, but everyone said I'd want the time with the baby afterwards so not to start too early. Actually I don't think a week or two would have made that much difference after almost a year off, but two more weeks to put my feet up, sleep and relax would have been amazing. As it was, work meant I'd do every little home prep before I'd finished and the two weeks I did have were busy as hell getting organised (and obviously I'd forgotten this before no 2 arrived and history repeated itself).

zebrapig · 12/05/2021 20:21

First pregnancy I had planned to start it at 38 weeks, taking 3 weeks annual leave first. I was only 5 days into my leave when DD arrived at 35+5.

Second time around had planned to finish at approx 34 weeks (21st Dec, as it was my last working day before Christmas), thinking DS would come at the start of Jan. he had the other ideas, I never finished work, went for a routine check up at 33 weeks on 18th Dec, was admitted for monitoring and DS was born at 33+3 on the day I'd planned to finish!

Aozora13 · 12/05/2021 21:22

I’m planning to finish at 35 weeks. I’m in an office (although still mostly WFH), have to use up annual leave plus want some time to decompress before the baby comes. I know she’ll be at least on time and possibly early - am 40 and have low lying placenta. But it’s such a personal thing, there’s no right or wrong answer.

Newmumtobeee · 12/05/2021 21:50

I’m currently 39 weeks pregnant and I went off work at 38 weeks. I work in retail and found that I was exhausted being on my feet all day and the stress was too much. My manager didn’t care that I was pregnant and expected me to do the same things I did pre pregnancy! I don’t regret going off at 38 weeks but maybe a little earlier would’ve prevented so much unnecessary stress. However, baby still isn’t here now and I’m bored, haha!

raeya · 12/05/2021 21:51

I'm 5 days overdue and still working at present...self employed, physically job. When I drop I'll stop! Taking it easier than normal though PGP has made it tricky. With first I stopped at 39 weeks, was bliss as employed and got SMP! Different story this time!!

shivawn · 12/05/2021 22:22

I work in a physical job (nurse), colleagues usually start maternity leave between 36-38 weeks, a few go out on sick leave before then though if they're struggling.

Chanel05 · 13/05/2021 07:03

Teacher here: started mat leave at 38+6 and went into labour at 40+1. Plenty of time to relax and not enough time to get bored and think of every twinge being "it".

Lockdownbear · 13/05/2021 07:08

Instead of taking you holidays as a full week, you might be better to take a couple of Wednesdays off so you get a rest midweek.

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