When to start mat leave?

[Elle989898]

I am due 20th Feb, and my office closes for 10 days over Xmas and new year. I wonder if that would be a good time to start my mat leave, ie from early Jan, so I wouldn’t return after Christmas. Or does that seem a bit early? Obviously I might go overdue. Interested to know what others have done?

(Also, I know this is very in advance, but I’ve had two years of TTC and loss, and now trying to enjoy planning for and thinking about this new pregnancy!)

If you can take the 12 months maternity leave rather than 9 months, I'd do this. I didn't give myself enough time to rest in first pregnancy. But like others have said, you don't want to have to settle baby at nursery or childcare when too young on the other end. But it's ok to want rest and downtime.

I was due 28th jan with my first, I went off on 14th December as had 4 weeks leave to take. He ended up being born on 15th jan so my mat leave started then.

My second was due 14th April and I went off on 14th March, had 2 weeks leave, started mat leave on 29th March and he was born 8th April.

Both seemed plenty of time but this time round (baby is 3 months now) I was ready to leave work by end of Feb 😂

I planned to have 3 weeks off before my first baby, but he was a week late so it ended up being nearly a month, which was a bit long tbh.

Seems a bit early, but depends on your job - if it's physical in any way (such as being on your feet for much of the day) or you have a long commute then it might not be too early. For DC1, I had local desk job and left just under 4 weeks from due date, then DC1 was 10 days early and I wished I'd stopped a bit earlier, as I didn't get time to do everything I had planned to do, knowing that I wouldn't as easily be able to go out once DC arrived. By DC2, I was commuting into London for work so given that and experience with DC1, I left 5 weeks before due date. Of course DC2 was late and I wished I'd worked another week as I was getting a bit bored!

As others have said it'll eat into your maternity leave to spend when your baby is here.

Whether it's too early not really depends on how you are feeling and whether you're on your feet all day.

I WFH and didn't have any complications so worked until 37+2. I logged my first contraction that afternoon so built the next-to-me crib as soon as I logged off (wasn't sure if it was just braxton hicks at that stage!). Welcomed my DD 36 hours later!