Am I taking maternity leave too early?

[LolaLoo2]

Planning on my last day being 35+2 but using annual leave first, my official maternity leave will start at 37+2.
Struggling with sciatica and SPD this pregnancy.
Having ELCS at 39 weeks.
Second baby (DS 2.5) so plenty to keep me busy.
Taking 52 weeks leave with 3 weeks annual leave on the other end to ensure I cover baby's 1st year.

I get the feeling from my colleagues that they think I'm silly for going off 'so early' and I should be working longer. I know it's not for them to decide or debate but it's bringing my mood down and taking the excitement away.

Is this too early?

There seems to be this great push to work until really late and you are seen as strange if you don't want to. My first pregnancy I went of fat 34 weeks. I had a long commute that was making me feel ill.

I've never worked past 35 weeks with any of mine.

Add in that you are not well, and know you won't go past 39 weeks, there is nothing wrong with a 4 week break.

I think more women would actually benefit from going on mat leave at a similar time to what you have planned OP- I think you're sensible! Particularly given the sciatica/SPD.

It’s not up to them. I went at 36w with number 1 due to sciatica and spd and 30w with number 2 as I’d had enough of how I was being treated.

No sounds good to me.

Only you know how you feel and whether you will cope with working later. I wouldn't give 2 hoots what my colleagues thought.

I was 21 having my first and had a long commute at the time -I went off 2 weeks before.

Was 26 with my 2nd and had a local PT job, not strenuous. Intended to go off 2 weeks before due date again. Went into labour 3 weeks early and was due in work on the morning he was born.

Sounds good to me too - don't worry about what other people would do.

Especially if you have a toddler working and pregnancy is exhausting.

You do whatever suits you.

What they think is irrelevant

Ignore your colleagues. With DD, i went on mat leave at 38w with a week of AL beforehand. I went into labour at 37+5w! So had very little time beforehand and i feel a bit sad when i think about my rush to finish when compared with some of my friends lazy lunches and daytime cinema trips before baby came! Next time, I'm def going by 36w latest. I think with a toddler already on the scene, enjoy the extra time away from work. Good luck for the birth!

Honestly I think you’re fine - I did the same with my second (also ELCS). It’s utter madness with two (youngest is 4.5m) and I really needed that little bit of time to get things sorted, get some rest etc. Its not like you’re risking going to 42 weeks! I did finish later with my first but she was a pandemic baby and I was WFH so it was easier to ease into maternity leave, and lockdown meant I’d had plenty of time to get organised and rested.

No, I did 35 weeks with both of mine. With dd1 it was a particularly bad winter and I couldn't have crammed my feet into my walking boots for the icy mile walk from the bus stop to work so was glad I did!

I was nearly 42 weeks with both so was soooo bored by the end but wouldn't have wanted to struggle into work for those last few weeks either.

I know I will have my baby by 40w so I’m going off on Mat leave at 37 weeks to give myself sometime to relax and get ready as I also have a demanding 6 year old.

You do what you feel is best for you!

Depends what you do. I worked from home so I went up until due date. I'd only just sit around not getting paid for trying to clear my work anyway. I went over by 2 weeks with each DC in the end so it worked out. But do what works for you!

Nope, very sensible. I worked until 37 weeks (knowing I was having a c section at 39) with very bad SPD and I absolutely should have stopped sooner. I wasn't mentally there at all the last few weeks - I'd say 34 weeks would have been right for me.

Not too early if it feels right for you.

My employer was pushing me to start maternity leave on my due date as they said "people usually do that"!!
Needless to say I didn't listen (and absolutely no one I spoke to started mat leave that late!!), so I started mat leave at 37 weeks, but was off work from 36 weeks using annual leave. I'm now at 40 weeks and no sign of baby, but I'd rather that, than zero time off before baby comes.

Also to add, in a lot of countries legally you're not allowed to work past a certain stage eg. Certain European countries like Switzerland, Germany etc, I think you HAVE to stop work around 36 weeks...!!

Definitely not. I took 2 weeks annual leave before my due date and DD came 2 days early.
I was in my third trimester in summer and was so uncomfortable, my feet were huge and I had pretty bad SPD aswell although I worked from home but my mind also wasn't in it anymore.
It's nice to have a few weeks to yourself with no thinking about work before baby is born.
Enjoy the time relaxing or getting the last bits prepared for your little ones arrival.
Congratulations xx

Do what suits you. I worked to 40w as I felt fine physically and was pleased to have the distraction of work as I was terrified of childbirth. It’s what worked for me. Do what works for you 😶

I went off at 35+4 (using two weeks annual leave before mat kicked in at 37) and then my baby was 16 days late too so I'd been off work for nearly 7 weeks and you know what, I loved it! I relaxed, slept a lot, sorted out the house and went for lunch/coffee/walks with my nearest and dearest. I think I would have regretted not leaving earlier tbh, I'd been working pretty much solidly for 16 years and wouldn't get this chance again., I wanted some final do nothing days before the madness set in! Do what you feel is best!

Do they regularly critique when people take AL? You’re going on mat leave 12 days before giving birth, you could technically have started it at 29 weeks if you’d wanted...

I’m going off at 39+6, but with 3 weeks AL and 10 days Christmas break beforehand. Any remarks from my colleagues about my last working day pre baby will be met with raised eyebrow and a reminder that my mat leave is booked for the day before my due date.

I did exactly this, finished up at 35 weeks and used up annual leave until my maternity leave officially started at 38 weeks. DD kept us waiting until 41 weeks but I'd still do the same and will be finishing up at a similar time with this one too.
Only you know how your currently feeling so ignore what you think everyone else is thinking and do what's right for you.

I don't think that's early. I finished just a few days before 36 weeks and baby came at 38 weeks so I was very glad. Even with planned c section baby is gearing up for birth so you never know.

And, the last few weeks a precious in preparing mentally and physically.

Yes imo.

But it's your life do whatever makes you happy. People thought I was crazy leaving at 39weeks.

Baby ending up arriving two weeks late.

Went on Mat leave at 23 weeks with my daughter

It depends on your job.
With DS i worked in an office and finished on the Friday at 36 weeks. By the Monday I had choleastasis and ended up in hospital overnight followed by appointments every other day until I was induced at 38 weeks. I felt like I didn't have much of a mat leave before he was born.

This time I work on an intensive care ward. I was planning on going off at 34 weeks but I started having contractions at 31 weeks at work. I ended up being off sick until my mat leave started at 34 weeks. Im being induced at 39 weeks. I've found it really boring stuck at home but I couldn't risk a preterm labour so had no choice but to go off.
My colleagues who are pregnant all finished at 36 weeks.

Completely up to you and how you feel. I had a quite physical job and worked with people who could become aggressive so started mat leave at 36 weeks. If I was working in an office job though I’d have probably gone longer.