What week did you start your maternity leave?

[MRSDoos]

I’m filling in my maternity forms soon. I’m currently thinking of working until I’m 38 weeks (obviously on the basis that baby isn’t here by then)

I work at a desk job that I drive 30-40 mins to and from

When did you finish work?

With my last pregnancy I requested to go on maternity leave at 37 weeks. I was working from home from week 28 due to the previous Nhs guidelines. My son ended up being born at 35 weeks so my maternity started the day after he was born.

I have asked for my current pregnancy to go on maternity leave from week 36. In the hope that I can make it to week 37 for an induction. And get a week before to spent time with my other child.

The day I gave birth!

36 weeks I wanted the extra time to spend with my other child before the new addition arrived.

I asked this question on MN under a different username with my first pregnancy. Everyone told me first babies come late, work as long as possible etc etc. So i went off at 38w. Which ended up being the day after i gave birth 🫤 I really resented having no time to destress before the birth so for baby number 2, I will probably go at 36w and would recommend no later than 37w really to anyone now.

My maternity leave started at 39+2, but I had annual leave so my last day was at 38+5.

My daughter was born at 41 weeks after a 3 day induction, so I had a couple of weeks to myself beforehand. Got a bit bored in all honesty, I was massive so doing anything was a struggle and ended up spending most of it on the sofa!

Should caveat I have a desk based job though, if I was more active I can imagine the time off would be invaluable.

38 weeks. I would put it and then you can go earlier if you need to.

It's so hard to decide. I used annual leave to stop working at 37 weeks, thinking baby might arrive in that time or near due date. She was two weeks late so I was off for five weeks which dragged in the end!

My maternity leave started on my due date but I had annual leave to use so I finished at 38 weeks. Wish I had saved it as felt like I could have gone longer as had a desk job.

This time I will be having a planned c section after what happened with that birth and maternity will start on the day I’m meant to have that (I’m guessing 39 weeks but not had a planned section before and I’m only 7+6 weeks so not had midwife appointment yet) but I’ll book a weeks annual leave before as will be the summer holidays so I can spend some time with my daughter before the baby is here and she has to go back to school. She will also get at least a week with the baby before going back to school too so hopefully won’t feel pushed out

Due date. Took A/L for 3 weeks before.

First baby 5 weeks before
Second 3 weeks before
Third baby I finished on the Friday for a planned c-section on the Monday.

I just found it quite boring the first couple of times. But like others say, it's nice to have time to unwind a bit and rest.

Due date for all of mine, with a week or two of annual leave before each of them. Desk job, easy parking, 20-30 minutes drive each way.

38 weeks although it was during Covid so I was wfh throughout my pregnancy.

I did use annual leave to reduce to 4 days pw from 34 weeks.

I also have a desk job with a 30 min drive. Both pregnancies I planned for 37 weeks and then ended up going at 36 weeks (using holiday). I'm glad I did as I couldn't manage the drive near the end and was so uncomfortable sitting at my desk. My last week or so I was basically useless for my workplace.

Hi @MRSDoos my maternity started on my due date, two weeks before my due date i took annual leave.
Hope the above helps x

Just booked mine for 38 weeks as i too didnt know when to book it and ended up being pressured by work to pick a date.

With my first I stopped working 37 weeks Al first then maternity started when she was born at 39 weeks. This time I'm going as early as I can 29 weeks. Physical job that I'm struggling with now at 15 weeks can't imagine doing it much longer. Looking forward to hanging out with dd for a bit before baby comes too.

I will be 38+1 when I start mine

Thank you everyone! It’s so hard isn’t it because you never know how you’re going to feel closer to the time or when baby actually comes
I’m coming up to 24 weeks
I think I’m going to go for 2 weeks annual leave at 36 weeks and then start my actual maternity leave at 38 weeks xx

My maternity leave kicked in the day or the day after (I forget quite which now) I had my elective c-section, but I had a load of holiday to use up so had two weeks off before that. That being said, I was working from home (mid pandemic) and I absolutely would’ve struggled if I’d have had to go into the office as I had HG.

I'm having a week of annual leave when I'm 37 weeks and then officially going on MAT leave at 38 weeks.
I'm managing OK and I have a desk job so I'm happy with this but I know many who have taken their MAT leave earlier.

Currently 36 weeks and I finish next week! Having a week and a bit of annual leave then mat leave will start when I'm 38+4

I moved house at 34 weeks with my first, so I started then rather than deal with unpacking and a longer commute.
Second time I worked to 37 weeks which felt right, but those last few weeks at work really dragged. I’d had enough.

29 weeks, I was hospitalised at 26 weeks for sickness bug, from then on there were concerns about growth, so many growth scans and after suffering with HG from 5 weeks I was exhausted. I would have liked to have made it longer but it just wasn't possible. I don't regret it, even though it means going back earlier.

32
I felt that I had enough. It was a pretty basic job anyways so they were done without me

*they were fine without me