When did everyone take maternity leave?

[El77]

I'm due in Feb 2022, and I'm in a office role. I know I legally have to tell my work by end of October and I could start my maternity leave end of Nov but that seems too early to me!

When did everyone begin their maternity leave?

37 weeks both times (office-based job).

37 weeks first pregnancy and 30 weeks for second (but had health complications).

I would plan to leave it as late as poss as you can always bring it earlier if you need to for health reasons. Depends on your situation including how to travel to work.

My maternity leave started the day DD was born, she was a few days early, I'd planned to start my ML at 40 weeks and took 2 weeks of leave before that.

I stopped working a fortnight before my due date (my baby was born five days early so I didn't actually get a fourteen day break); I returned to work part time about nine months after giving birth.

I'm going at 35 weeks and taking 4 weeks AL beforehand so leaving at 31 weeks. I struggled with sickness in my last pregnancy at the end and needed a lot of rest. I have a very active job so need to chill!

I work in an office job but took leave at 29 weeks due to how unwell I was, had a c section at 39 weeks so it was a lovely 10 weeks but I took 9 months off.

My employer had really good maternity leave provision. We had to go on maternity leave between 11 weeks and 6 weeks before the due date, weren't allowedto work later. We got six months paid leave then could stay off until the baby was a year old. I went 6 weeks before with DC1, then as soon as I could with DC2 as I was finding my long commute very tough. Took the full year both times.

I work in a care home and I'm struggling at 18 weeks
I'm exhausted all the time and hurt
Everywhere
Been off sick 3 times in the last month
So going on maternity at 28 weeks

First told work at 12 weeks. Planned to stop at 36 weeks but was exhausted and stopped at 34 weeks. He arrived 41 +5.

Second told work at 25 weeks. Planned to stop at 36 weeks but developed hypertension so had to stop at 29 weeks, then got got pre-eclampsia and she came at 34 weeks.

My advice is make a plan but be relaxed if it needs to change.

38 weeks.

I was due 31st Jan both times.

I saved all my holiday and took 3 weeks leave in December until after the new year.

Then I wfh for 2 weeks and went on may leave at 37 weeks. DS was born a week later, but DD kept me going to 40 weeks

(But I work for myself and at home, plus had an easy pregnancy)

Are you early or late Feb? Does your company have a date by which you must be off work? At my former workplace we couldn't work the week we were due... Does the work get harder up to Christmas or in January or is it no different? What's your comute like in winter... All these factors as well as the unknown of your health in later pregnancy effect what's the best date...
Don't forget you have holiday too to think about... Does it run per year or till April?
I started my maternity 2 weeks before due, took 2 weeks holiday prior but baby was nearly 2 weeks late... I was very bored...

2nd baby was nearly 2 weeks earlyand I'd only took one weeks holiday prior.. So was born a few hours into my first day of mat leave!

First 39+5 baby came the next day, went into labour same day.
2nd 37+3 and again labour that night baby the next day.
My 2nd I had intended to work till 39+3 but I needed an induction as baby was small, so had a sweep in the am at 37+3 and went back to work.

Honestly I’d work as late as you can so that you have more maternity leave with baby. What’s the point of finishing super early unless you can afford it?

I'm due end of Jan. Plan to take maternity from mid Jan (38 weeks) but plan to book in leave from Christmas eve (35 I think). I am currently working from home but if they do make me return to the office I will ask to WFH again from 32 weeks for safety

Oh and some company's have a policy that if go off after certain stage with pregnancy related sickness your maternity leave automatically kicks in... So could always go late and move forward if needed

Office based job also, 36 weeks, used 2 weeks AL before mat kicked in

Maternity started at 40 weeks with DD1 and 39 with DD2 but I had 2 weeks of annual leave before both. Also in an office role. I thought it would be a waste to take too much before the baby arrived as I would want the extra time off with them

39 weeks with mine which worked out well as I take about 42 weeks to grow babies. I very nearly started much much earlier with my second because I had a difficult pregnancy but luckily work put in place adjustments to minimise the effort needed even in my office based job.

36 weeks with my first - it was too early as she was 10 days late and I was bored!

37 weeks with my second and he was 8 days early. It was about right. I think if I had a 3rd I'd go to 38 weeks.

Both times I was office based so work wasn't particularly tiring in itself and the time off really just gave me some time to sleep and organise some things.

39 weeks. Overdue by 2w so still had a nice break

36 weeks (had dd at 37 weeks). Back when dd 6 months as that was the maximum then

I was also due in early February and worked in an office which had a Christmas break. Most people expected me to finish before Christmas but that felt way too early. I had an easy pregnancy though, it would be different for someone who was struggling with pregnancy-related conditions or who had a more manual job.

Posted too early. I finished two weeks before due date and went 4 days over, so had a bit of time to rest and sort things out.

I stopped at 36 weeks (used 2 weeks of annual leave and started mat leave at 38 weeks).

DD was a week late so at the time I was pretty bored, although in hindsight it was good to have the down time before the chaos of having a newborn! If I had my time again I'd probably start at around 37/38 weeks - if your job's not too taxing physically then might be nice to have extra time with baby rather than extra time on leave!