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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

When did everyone go off on maternity leave?

27 replies

jendave · 03/04/2008 11:04

I am due on May 12th and will be finishing work on 25th April. The problem is I am really struggling to get into work every day. I have a half hour commute and just feel like crying in the mornings. I am not getting much sleep as bump is so huge now. I think baby has also engaged as bump is now much lower down and I am sure am having BH as bump keeps going tight and uncomfortable. Problem is we have limited budget for Mat.leave and am worried if I go off any earlier I will have to come bak to work earlier after baby is born. Should I just try and persevere?

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dizzydixies · 03/04/2008 11:05

do you not have any annual leave or time owed to you that you can put on the front of it?

walkingwomb · 03/04/2008 11:12

Hi jendave,

I am due on the 6th of May and tomorrow is my last day at work (so will be going off just before I am 36 weeks). I am REALLY slowing down and have struggled over the last few weeks. I was originally intending to work for another week but had a bad patch a while ago and moved it closer.

I have hte most basic maternity leave in the whole world so was intending to work as long as possible (and DH was keen for that) but as I got bigger we both revised that idea.

I think it very much depends on how you are coping - but it sounds like you aren't. are you like me and have good days and bad days (yesterday wanted to curl up in a ball, today happy to be at work)?

WW xx

moopymoo · 03/04/2008 11:13

With both mine i left the earliest possible date. I was a hippo though, and did not intend to return to my job.

hopefully · 03/04/2008 11:13

If you don't have any annual leave, is there any way you can do some work from home, or work some shorter days for the next couple of weeks? On the bright side, if you can drag yourself on for another week, you'll only be taking two weeks more before the birth than you planned for, which isn't too horrendous to have to budget for afterwards...

CantSleepWontSleep · 03/04/2008 11:15

It doesn't matter what other people did - you have to do what is right for you. If you've had enough now, then finish, or see if you can work from home for a bit instead.

FWIW, I worked until about 4 days before my due date, but I didn't have to commute.

sophiewd · 03/04/2008 11:15

I have 3 days before and 1 week after, baby due at our busiest time, bothe self employed running a B&B, if due in December would have had a lot longer and an easier time.

sophiebbb · 03/04/2008 11:18

I am waiting for my second and left at the end of 35 weeks (just before Good Friday). I am due on 26th April (although my dates are earlier so I think I left at end of 36 weeks). I did this also with DS1. I was absolutely exhausted by the time I left and couldn't concentrate after about 2pm.

I think it depends on your work flexibility and how busy/stressed you are. If they let you work from home, or leave early then perservere because you will get more time afterwards with your baby. But then you have to balance that against your own wellbeing at the moment eg if your job is very busy, stressful and/or long hours then it may be worth looking after yourself now...

bellavita · 03/04/2008 11:19

With DS1 I left 8 weeks before - on the advice of my mw.

I had an hours drive each way, but I was huge and my bump got in the way of the steering wheel. I am only 5ft and have to have the seat as far forward as possible. (I did have 9lb+ babies) .

My boss at the time was also a complete twonk who didn't do children so I was glad to go as early as possible.

PuppyDogTails · 03/04/2008 11:20

I saved up my holiday and took it before my mat leave started, so I stopped at 32 weeks. I had 3 hours commuting a day which was just more than I could cope with.

hanaflower · 03/04/2008 11:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

sitdownpleasegeorge · 03/04/2008 11:32

hanaflower

self-employed are not subject to such legalities as they are intended to protect employees and in some cases employers.

firsttimeever · 03/04/2008 11:44

I am due on the 15th of May and plan to go on leave on the 5th of May .....my office is an hour's commute from home.

I can understand what you are going through, I feel very tired to get out of bed but I have decided to try and make it a point to get into office atleast till the end of my 36th week.

I am in a classic situation - I joined my new workplace 7 weeks pregnant (I didn't even now I was nearly two months gone)...so I don't have any backlog of leave days to fall back on...I am due to get confirmed on the 30th of April which means I have to sustain and manage because I don't want to use up any of my maternity leave before the baby gets here...

I do saunter into office late and I don't feel too guilty about it...I take a break after lunch and snooze for atleast 10 minutes ....on my desk....

I carry several small portions of fruits and juice to keep up energy levels...I carry lunch from home

Try and sleep slightly earlier than usual - take a warm shower before that and prop your feet up on pillows - you'll be surprised how much the water retention and swelling of the ankles go down by just this simple thing. My leg cramps and aches seem to have vanished..

what I am trying to say it - it takes will to get through this phase and I wish you luck...just don't get to hard on yourself ...

looneytune · 03/04/2008 12:27

Due 23rd June, last day will be 6th June. I'm a childminder a have lots of carrying of heavy babies/extra school runs etc. so I decided not to work any closer to the due date. I also only get Maternity Allowance as self-employed so having a total of 12 weeks off. Would LOVE to stop now as a big struggle but no way could I afford to. But, if you can afford to and you're really struggling then I'd leave early! I know that feeling of being in tears, I was in a bit of a state last night wondering how on earth I'll manage the next 9 weeks of work. I really think if you can then it's best to leave as the commute will only get harder. xx

pooka · 03/04/2008 12:34

With dd I took 4 weeks maternity leave and 2 weeks annual leave before her due date. Was born on her due date, so that worked well.
My midwife was pretty keen for me to give up asap as she felt that dd seemed pretty small and was concerned that I wasn't resting enough.
With ds, I knew that I would not be returning to my former job afterwards so I took 11 weeks maternity leave and 6 weeks annual leave (my full leave entitlement) and my last day of work was the day after my 23wk scan. He was a week late. It meant that I got to spend the whole summer, from June until September, with dd. My mother still had dd once or twice a week to let me rest.
I have to say though that in my workplace there was a tendency for people to leave at least a month before the due date, often tacking on leave before hand too.

7monthsplus · 03/04/2008 12:45

I go tomorrow I will be due tuesday., I have been fine so thought I would leave the time nearest to the birth to be here for her longer..I will be off for nine months and will return on condensed hours to work 4 days DH will work 2 days less to be with her too..

vicsta · 03/04/2008 17:03

Due 3rd June, leave work 2 wks before using annual leave entitlement, so ML officially starting June 2nd. Can't complain as I walk literally 2 minutes (well perhaps 4 these days) around the corner to work. That said, I am finding it harder just getting myself ready as the weeks pass and a fair few blind eyes have been turned to me creeping in 1/2 hr late. You must be exhausted, can you talk to your employer re more flexible hours? Late starts on my bad days have been made up for with earlier starts on my good days, but again, I only live around the corner, so this may not help you. Ideally we'd all like to spend as much ML with out new babe, but you must take care of yourself beforehand.

vicsta · 03/04/2008 17:04

Sorry, that should say WITH OUR new babe, not Without

finallypregnant · 03/04/2008 17:07

I am due on 17 June and leaving work on 16 May which is 5 weeks beforehand. Can't wait.

BITCAT · 03/04/2008 17:08

I was 8mths with my last when i went on maternity leave and have to say it was really hard, especially as i had 3 children to look after already! I would walk kids to school, do nursery drop offs then bus it to work, finish at 6pm get home bath kids, get them into bed and then i would just collaspe! Very tiring, i certainly wouldnt do it again, i would def finish earlier, but i'm not planning on having another baby so hopefully i wont have to do it again!! but i did say that after number 2

PregnantPenguin · 03/04/2008 20:16

30 weeks today and wish I could go on mat leave now!!! Due on 12th June and mat leave starts 3rd June. Have two weeks annual leave before then as well.

Trying to arrange as many working from home days as possible as the commute is really getting to me (tube). And it's only going to get worse...gutted tube strike has been cancelled, combined with antenatal appointment I'd only have had to go into the office Friday next week.

biglips · 03/04/2008 20:18

38 weeks. i was struggling from 36 weeks and ended up with a 9lb 1oz baby.

jammi · 03/04/2008 20:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

ChutneyMary · 03/04/2008 20:22

DD1 - a week. DD2 - a day (planned section and I was fine in the run up to it, so I kept going as long as possible.)

However, you need to listen to your body. I think everyone wants as long as possible paid after the baby is here, but you can't put your health at risk or just get really tired for the sake of saving it up. Take it easy and all the best.

mazzystar · 03/04/2008 20:32

oh blimey, I am going to appear like a right lazy boot

I left 8 weeks before due date, [though ds arrived two weeks early]. would have left as soon as became eligible at 11 weeks but was too embarrassed.

For me it was really important to completely forget about work and get away from its stresses before dealing with labour/birth/newborn. other people seem to keep going to the last minute, but I couldn't have coped.

If its just a matter of 3 weeks can you find a way to make ends meet the other end?

sweetkitty · 03/04/2008 20:32

36 and a half weeks, took 2 weeks annual leave before maternity leave started officially so 38 and a half weeks. Had a 3 hour daily commute as well through London.

However, DD1 was born at 37+5 so only had a few days off which wasn't that great as I had loads planned and never got to do any of it.

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