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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

Maternity Leave, when did you start yours and why?

67 replies

Tilly18101 · 08/06/2021 21:44

Just that really!

I’m 19 weeks, and need to let my employer know by 25 weeks my start date of Mat leave.

I’m taking a 6 month enhanced package which avoids such a drop in wages to SMP, so I get full pay for 3 months, and half pay + SMP for 3 months upon the condition I return to work for 12 months after. I’ll then take 3 weeks annual leave at the end of Mat leave essentially making it 7.5 months Mat leave in total.

I was planning on taking annual leave of 3 weeks before Mat leave, basically meaning I’ll start Mat leave 3 days before my ‘due date’ and would finish work at 37 weeks? (I work from home, no reason to back to the office unless I want to and have been given confirmation of home working being here to stay permanently) So I feel like I can work quite close to my due date without struggling as I can take lots of breaks from my PC.

Did you got later? Early? Any reason why? I’m a FTM so have no previous experience!

Thank you!

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Dahlia5 · 08/06/2021 21:58

Similar here. Due date 5th August, starting mat leave 1st August. Taking 1.5 week holiday before mat. leave starts, so around week 38.
Planning to take 9 months plus tag onto it about a month of accrued holiday
Good topic, I was wondering the same what others are arranging for their leave

PurpleFlower1983 · 08/06/2021 21:58

Officially I was going off at 39 weeks as I’m a teacher and there was a half term just before, DD came at 38 weeks though, I went off 2 days before. With DS (coming in July) I’m going off at 36 weeks to spend more time with my DD.

Worriesome · 08/06/2021 22:03

I’m taking mines a whole 6 weeks before due date. I struggle in third trimester, in fact I’ve actually struggled this whole pregnancy with severe nausea and now I’m sore, swollen and achey all over and I’m 23ish weeks. I imagine it’s only going to get worse so I’m ready to start earlier x

happytoday73 · 08/06/2021 22:04

So to help with that answer we just need to know when baby will actually arrive! 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Seriously though that's the dilemma... First baby I had two weeks holiday and mat leave started a week and a half before due.... Baby was nearly 2 weeks late... I was bored and fed up and back at work when baby was 5 1/2 months as lost time at beginning...
2nd baby.... 5 days leave and started maternity leave Sunday as turned 38 weeks... My baby was born in first hour of mat leave... No time wasted!

DownToTheSeaAgain · 08/06/2021 22:07

I planned to start at 36 weeks (expected twins). In the end started at 31 on the day they were born.

Things don't always work out the way you plan

Mummytomylittlegirl · 08/06/2021 22:08

Expecting twins so adding some annual leave and I’ll be finished just before 33 weeks. I also work from home, it’s very low stress but I want some chill time.

I finished early with DD too. I wanted the time to myself to relax, I think that’s just as important as the time on the other side with the baby.

4amWitchingHour · 08/06/2021 22:11

I stopped at 37 weeks - similar to you with three weeks leave to take me up to due date when my mat leave started (although DS ended up being 10 days over). I found my last week of work really tough, so if we have a second child I'm definitely going to stop at 36 weeks if not before.

37 is a good point to stop though, it (hopefully) gives you some breathing space before baby arrives, but not so long that you're bored out of your mind. I was fine having nearly five weeks to myself, and though I was so sick of being pregnant I didn't once wish I had work as a distraction - plenty of Netflix for that!

Moonshine11 · 08/06/2021 22:11

2 weeks AL before, 9 months mat leave on SMP added 8 weeks AL onto the end.
My mat leave started a week before due date.

This was before COVID times so before my 2 week AL before mat leave I worked from home for 2 weeks as I had enough of getting ready and going into the office 😂

Strokethefurrywall · 08/06/2021 22:14

Baby was pretty much hanging out of me when I went on mat leave!
Went into the office, was having contractions (BH like), was 4cm apparently. Got told to go home, waters broke in car, baby came 4 hours later at 371/2 weeks or so.

DisgruntledPelican · 08/06/2021 22:15

I finished at 37 weeks - mostly because I wanted to see out a project, and also Christmas fell awkwardly (was due in early February but felt finishing before Christmas would be too soon). It was perfect as I had just under three weeks off before the birth.

Went back after six months, and took the accumulated annual leave by having one day a week off for the first few months back. Worked nicely for us all.

Mammyofasuperbaby · 08/06/2021 22:17

Mine was originally 38 weeks but it was moved forward to 33 +2 weeks due to me having bad mobility issues which were worsening the further on I got.
I missed my last shift at work as I was admitted to hospital with severe pre eclampsia and my son was born at 33+2 coincidentally enough.

motogogo · 08/06/2021 22:34

I finished 7 weeks prior on Christmas Eve, first 2 weeks were annual leave (could carry 5 days over max). But I was commuting an hour each way by train and tube, I'd had it standing up

lorisparkle · 08/06/2021 22:42

I decided to finish at 38 weeks. I was lucky to have a student teaching in my class so was more office based. However DS1 ended up being delivered 2 weeks early by planned c-section so I finished on the Friday and was booked in for the Monday - I ended up being bumped off the list so had him on the Tuesday but I definitely wish I had had a week at least at home before I had him!

ChocOrange1 · 08/06/2021 22:44

I finished at 37 weeks, because that fitted in nicely with the holiday times at the school where I worked, and also because I felt very much able to work as long as I could within reason.

You can move the date depending on how you're getting on, but you do have to give some notice.

Spanglebangle · 08/06/2021 22:48

39 weeks officially. But there was 2 weeks school christmas holiday in there.

I wasn't struggling and my job was pretty easy. I finished at 37 weeks and didnt go back to work after the holiday. I got one whole day of maternity after the holidays before labour started. If it was two weeks I may have gone mad but I was hoping for a few more days before baby arrived.

JackieWeaversAuthorityHere · 08/06/2021 22:58

37 weeks exactly.. I left on the Friday, DS was born on the Monday

emeraldcity2000 · 08/06/2021 23:16

I meant to finish at 38 with dc1 - she was born at 37. I was doing a work handover as I waited for a csection 😬. Swore I would finish earlier with dc2 but work was v busy so I went to 38. He came at 41 and I was pretty bored waiting tbh.

IDontDrinkTea · 08/06/2021 23:19

I saved six weeks AL… so left at 32 weeks, took my AL then went on maternity at 38 weeks. Have planned to do the same again this time too. In my defence, it’s 12.5 hours on my feet with no break and I just found I wasn’t physically up to the task for much longer

8dpwoah · 08/06/2021 23:24

First one I went up to 38.5 weeks, I had planned 38 weeks but had a couple of things unfinished and felt well, was in an office so not too physically taxing, carried on to get them done. She arrived a couple of days after due date and that fortnight felt about right, I had time to get bits and bobs done but I wasn't sat round waiting for ages either.
With this one it'll be about 30 weeks because it's the summer holidays then I'm redundant but that's pretty extreme 😂 no chance of a rest with a toddler to keep me company but I'm not complaining!

qualitygirl · 08/06/2021 23:25

29 weeks...because it was the earliest I could go. 🤣

TheGriffle · 08/06/2021 23:33

Dd1 I planned on finishing at 38 weeks but brought it forward to 37 as I was shattered. Dd was 2 weeks late so I had a month at home with no baby and was bored!

Dd2 I planned on finishing on 39 and a bit weeks (I worked part time by then, 2.5 days a week) expecting dd2 to be late like her sister, finished work for the week Wednesday afternoon (I was due to start mat leave the next Wednesday), had a scan due to low volume of waters on the Friday, had a sweep to make me favourable for induction and dd was born on Monday 2 days before I was due to start my leave. Sod’s law!

didireallysaythat · 08/06/2021 23:33

DS1: 41 weeks (induced at 42+5)
DS2: 39+1 weeks (ECS at 39+4)

Poor maternity package meant I needed my holiday for leave.

bumhug · 08/06/2021 23:38

DS1 - 39 weeks then back to work 8 weeks post EMCS
Dd1 - 38 weeks, planned CS at 39+3. Back to work 10 weeks post birth.

Self employed so pretty much bugger all mat pay/allowance.

Other than for medical Reasons, I literally have no idea why people finish work weeks and weeks before the baby arrives. Surely you'd prefer to work as long as possible and have more time with your baby?

Luckyelephant1 · 08/06/2021 23:40

I'm finishing at 36+2 using up a couple of weeks of annual leave as well. Obv can't plan when she comes but I think 4ish weeks before due date is a nice amount of time to get really organised, decompress, fully switch off from work mode etc.

JewelGarden · 08/06/2021 23:45

33 weeks for a few reasons. I have difficult pregnancies with gestational diabetes and find the third trimester a struggle. I know I won't be allowed to go past 38 weeks so there's no chance of me ending up sitting about til 42 weeks. I have annual leave to use when I go back. I wanted some time to prepare and to spend with DS before having the baby. And the main reason - I just couldn't be arsed with work AND being pregnant!

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