When did you finish up working?

[coffeewithmilk]

What week did you go in maternity leave?

I'm feeling super stressed at work at the moment, I'm 22 weeks and really considering trying to get through the next few weeks and going off at 30 weeks if my doctor can sign me off

What did you do?

I waited until 40 weeks with my first 2 and 38 weeks with 3&4. Would much rather have the time off with the baby than waste the leave before they're here. But I had easy pregnancies and a desk job which I think makes a difference.

Worked until I was 38 weeks. I wanted to work very late so I could have an exact year off before I returned
Was very tired towards the end as I'm in my 40's

34 weeks but I was doing a job that involved a lot of running around and putting myself in risky situations and I'd had enough by that point of no one giving a shit.

39 weeks with dc1. 38 with dc2.

38 weeks with all 3 of mine. Well, no. 3 was meant to be 38 weeks but he arrived at 37. Good job I'd booked a week's holiday before starting actual mat leave.

Used my annual leave to work part time. I was lucky when I fell pregnant though as had used no leave, wasn’t sick, so had 32 days plus to use. I was working around 2/3 days a week, pretty much walked my dog, ate and slept the rest of the time! DH didn’t see me in the evenings.

After having DD I took a year off, three months unpaid.

If you feel stressed then ask your GP to sign you off. There’s a difference between being tired and being stressed out.

I worked until my due date, so 40 weeks? They all came late so it worked out for me.

40 weeks with my second. Literally wanted to work until I dropped so I would have as much maternity as possible with DS. Didn't end up going back anyway so wish I had gone off at around 36 weeks!

37 and few days with number 1 he was born at 38 weeks
31 weeks with my current pregnancy as had my whole years annual leave to take. My actual mat leave starts on the 23rd when I will be 39 weeks

With my 1st I was supposed to work till 38 wks but he came 37.5wks! Really regretted not having Time off prior to rest.
My 2nd I am stopping at 36wks, I have plenty of holidays to use and then have maternity kick in at 38wks

36 weeks, took a month annual leave firat then started maternity leave thr werk before dd was born at 40 weeks

30 weeks (4 weeks annual leave) the mat leave at 34 weeks. I really struggle in last trimester. Have an active job. I was too tired, vomiting and in pain

I was really stressed in my second pregnancy with work and I went out at 33 weeks with my second . I knew I wasn’t going back to work there , myself and my partner agreed that we could afford the ‘loss’ of 1 months salary to save my sanity . This time around I will try use some sick leave to go earlier as I get 30 days sick paid in my job per year so can take 6 weeks sick and get paid so might try go again around same time if I can get signed off .

39 weeks with both dc1 and dc2. Am a secondary teacher.

I finished at around 35 weeks and I’m so glad I did.

My job was fast paced and very stressful. The hours were shit and I spent far too much time stuck at my desk.

I really wanted to make sure I had time to decompressed from work and time to move around a bit more.

It was a really lovely time and tbh I wish I had finished earlier.

DS was about 8 days late but I didn’t mind the extra time. I didn’t get bored.

I finished at 37 weeks and planned to have 3 weeks off before the baby arrived. But he was a week late so it was nearly a month in the end!

38 weeks. This was almost 8 years ago. I worked in central London but my employer agreed to wfh most days (I was also very unwell throughout most of my pregnancy). If I'd have had to do the commute every day I would have had to stop earlier.

38 weeks with DS , currently 34 weeks pregnant with DD and planning to continue working other few weeks...I have an office work and fells like a break compared to running after my toddler

37 weeks with my first, was working a 5 day a week office job a 20 min walk from home. Had coccyxdynia so sitting at work was causing permanent pain.

36 weeks with my second (am now 38 weeks). Was working a 4 day week and looking after 3yr old on the fifth day, desk based job entirely WFH. Although since going on mat leave I now have sole care of 3yr old 3 days a week, so doesn't feel like that much of a mat leave really as my work is easier than taking care of the toddler anyway! I have PGP this time and it's aggravated more since I've gone on mat leave because of looking after my toddler on my own more than when I was on mat leave. So in some ways I'm getting less of a rest tbh since finishing work which doesn't seem like it's meant to be that way hah.

Thought I’d add to this & in contrast say, I’ll be finishing in two weeks - just before I am 28 weeks!

For me, this felt like the right thing to do and I feel lucky that I’m in a position to financially finish earlier than most do. I’m only putting a few days paid holiday in front of my date I’m “allowed” to leave (11 weeks before due date).

It’s my first pregnancy so all I want to do is enjoy it a bit more - currently a restaurant manager so it’s been quite stressful / lack of staff / hard recruiting so more to my workload / lack of structure / on my feet a lot etc.

Do whatever you feel is right for you 😊 xxx

I worked til just over 37 weeks with my first. Used annual leave so started maternity leave at due date.

This time I'll work til just over 36 weeks again using annual leave to take me to due date. Will be WFH from 28 weeks.

I worked until 21 days before DD was born. Was only on statutory Mat pay so was trying to get in as many pay cheques as possible!

I think mine is 37.5 weeks, but I've got holiday to use so going to finish work at about 35 weeks.

38 weeks - had section booked for 39

I'm a teacher so will work until half term which is 37 weeks, be paid for half term then start mat leave at 38+3, section at 39.