Should I take my Mat leave early?

[Ceebeebee87]

Hi everyone,

Apologies in advance but this is a bit of a
rant more than anything.
I’m almost 34 weeks pregnant I’ve been feeling like absolute shite but can’t really put my finger on what it is. I think it’s a combination of a few things. I’m coming to the end of a course of antibiotics for a uti but my home urine dipsticks still show blood in my urine. I can barely get out of bed and feel like the baby is sitting in my chest which is making me feel a bit nauseous. I had a week off work last week due to it being half term. I’ve been back for 2 days and feel absolutely floored.
I’ve asked work to cut down my responsibilities but not much can be done for another 2 weeks. If I speak to my gp
do you think they’ll sign me off early or is this all normal and I have to suck it up? I’m also on iron tablets for anaemia so perhaps they’re making me feel lousy. I have mild backache and tightenings throughout the day. Any advice would be great and again sorry for the rant.

can you not take any remaining annual leave before maternity leave kicks in ? what week does your ML kick in

for me i have 2 weeks annual leave weeks weeks 36 -37 and then M/L kicks in at week 38

however , i work for nhs and if i have any sick time pregnnacy related from week 36 , even if its a sick note, they will start your M/L from that point, so even if you do get signed off from gp, you employers may start ML from then

I took my maternity leave around 37-38 weeks both pregnancies (second pregnancy was induced so mat leave actually started on baby's birthday). The major benefit of this is that you can have more time off with baby so I would personally hang on as long as possible if I were you. plus, you don't know if baby will be late so you could potentially have another 8 weeks of pregnancy, which will be taken off you at the other end.

If you're struggling please don't force your way through it. I left with DS1 at 34 weeks and a lot of people say that's early but I needed it. I was so unwell and my body was telling me to rest.

I wish you all the best with your baby

I’m starting my leave when I’m 36+5 weeks just because I’ve got so much leave to use. As others have said, see if you can use holiday instead. If you get signed off now I think your maternity will automatically start so it means less time at the end of your leave.

I’m guessing because you mentioned being off for half term that you work in a school and therefore don’t get an annual leave allowance to use when you like.

As others have said, if you go off sick within a certain number of weeks of the expected due date (I can’t remember how many) your maternity leave will start automatically and that’s time you then lose at the end. Maybe try to get through but if you really can’t, then you’ll have to make that choice.

Yes I would go on mat leave now if you can. Would be surprised what even the basic rest and ability to just sleep when you want and not think about work will help quite a lot!

Anecdotally, hearing more and more workplaces aren't being that accommodating to women, which is crazy given the amount of work that has been done on family friendly policies. Individual managers are just more selfish. Prioritise your health and your baby health.

Yes go on mat leave.

Many companies have a policy that any pregnancy-related leave near the end automatically starts your mat leave anyway.

I finished around 35/36 weeks with mine and needed it. I did use 2 weeks of holiday to start the leave though. Do you have any annual leave?

I was on sick leave from 31 weeks with my son. Like yourself, I had some complications that left me floored. I also had GD and was really struggling to manage my sugars. Once I was signed off work, this improved massively. It was actually a really nice time to just take care of myself and get ready for my baby.

There will be women who worked up until they were overdue and never had an issue, but each pregnancy is unique and if you need to go off on sick leave, take it. Most GPs will be happy to sign you off at this stage.

Thanks everyone. I know everyone says to hold out as long as possible but I’m not sure if I can take much more work related stress and physical exertion. I do indeed work in a school and I spend three hours a day commuting. I asked for my responsibilities to be reduced and in the last two days, if anything, I’ve accumulated more, including sorting a replacement teacher for me, which is the job of hr. I’ve been vomiting all morning and contacted my gp who has asked me to come in later. My baby has to be delivered by 39 weeks and I’m working up until 37. I might see if I can make it to 36 but I’m frustrated that work are telling me they’re happy to support me and then doing the opposite 😢

op i would say that 2 weeks extra of your child going to childcare won’t make much difference, you not torturing yourself at this point is more important.

I’d just go on leave. I finished around 36 weeks with DS and he was then two weeks late… I did get a bit bored and fed up waiting for him at the end (with hindsight I should have made the most of it!) BUT at the time I had no option to wfh and simply couldn’t manage the commute, so I don’t regret it.

@Ceebeebee87, which union are you with? As a fellow teacher, I can completely relate to
how stressful those last few weeks can be. They certainly shouldn't be asking you to find a mat cover teacher - contact your union.

I would start it early, or take annual leave if that's an option. You'll have plenty of challenging times ahead, be kind to yourself now and take it easy (as much as you can!) x

Teachers don't get annual leave.

I think it will trigger your mat leave if you're within four weeks of due date. So you can get signed off on sick if it's before that.

I'm a teacher and it's really hard to say no sometimes but you're gonna have to for the sake of you and your baby.

Also, definitely speak to union. Have your school done a risk assessment? Sounds like it needs updating.

Ummm no you shouldn't suck it up. That sounds like quiet a difficult situation. UTI and all the normal pregnancy stuff and vomiting. No get the sick note today and go off on Mat leave and look after yourself.

Late pregnancy is just exhausting even without any complications. If you can take the opportunity to rest then you should.

Mat leave shouldn't trigger from related sickness absence until 36 weeks, get signed off for a week or two, go back for a week, then start your mat leave as planned at 37 weeks

I kept going stoically with high blood pressure, a horrendous commute and a stressful job. Because I was adamant I would work as long as possible. With hindsight I actually risked my babies health and should have got signed off. I also ended up with a stressful labour.
Baby 2 when I didn't work or commute was an absolute breeze as was the labour..... I am sure because I wasn't stressed or over tired and looked after me more.

Start MAT leave if you need to. Get signed off. You and baby come first.

If your gp will sign you off for a couple of weeks. Take that then start mat leave at 36 weeks.

Yes I would go on mat leave that's what it is for don't feel bad about it at all you're not well.

Check out the conditions of leave which actually apply to teachers, they may be different to other employers.
it’s fine people saying ooh keep on because it’s good to have the time off after baby is born, but this is ignoring the fact that OP is unwell and it may be better to try and reduce any risks to herself and the baby now.
If possible get signed off for a week or two, go in for a day then start maternity leave but you need to find out whether this does trigger maternity leave anyway.
OP put your wellbeing and your baby as top priority. Get to the doctor and if you don’t feel better after a few days rest ask to be checked out properly.

OP, please get signed off. It’s very clear you need this time to rest. You’re not well with this pregnancy. I know it will automatically trigger your maternity leave to start at 36 weeks but you’re already planning to go off at 37 weeks. In the grand scheme of things, loosing a single week at the other end is not much at all and you need that week now more than you’re going to need it in just over a years time.
As a thought, if your sick note could sign you off with “work related stress” would that still automatically kick start your maternity leave at 36 weeks or not because it’s then not technically pregnancy related sickness leave? Does anyone know the answer to this?

Thanks so much for your responses. I saw the gp yesterday who checked my vitals and it pretty much all looked normal except for being slightly dehydrated. I took today off and still feel absolutely horrendous, I’m still vomiting and can barely walk a few steps without feeling like I’m gonna pass out. I think I’m due to get my bloods done again to check if my iron levels have improved. My midwife said listen to your body and my body is telling me to rest so I’m going to take tomorrow off too and see how I feel on Monday. GP said I can self certify for the first 7 days but happy to sign me off if I need more time. I tried to explain this in a nutshell to a senior colleague and the response I got was “ok”. 🙄

You can get signed off sick, but at 35 weeks your work can start your mat leave early so it would start at 35 weeks instead of 37 weeks. If you’re struggling then just do that.

FGS you are unwell, stop trying to carry on! Sick leave is there for a reason. A week of proper rest might see you feeling much better. If not then get signed off.