When did you start maternity leave?

[Stickytoffeepudding99]

I’m currently 26 weeks pregnant, and haven’t yet decided when to begin maternity leave. This is my first baby and I work two days a week in a nursery. When did you begin maternity leave? I’d like to maximise the time with my baby, but it’s not a sit down office type job! Any advice/experience is great

9 hour shifts 5 days a week standing and running around all day. ML started 36 wks, hoping for 4 weeks rest for my swollen oedematous legs. No such luck!

baby one arrived 38 weeks, baby 2 at 37 weeks!

I worked until my due date.

I’m a teacher. Baby 1 I started at 37 weeks and it was too early as he was 2 weeks late!

baby 2 I started at 39 + 3
baby 3 I started at 39 + 6

both were born at 42 weeks.

I teach in a secondary school. Due date was second week of Easter holidays so I opted to start mat leave from birth. In the end she was early so I finished the term and went into labour 4 days later.

First wanted to work to my due date but started that insane slow labour and couldn't risk a 45 mins drive down country lanes. I stopped and had her two weeks later
Second baby worked till 41 + 4 🤣 decided it was enough then went into labour that night.

I don't regret working till last minute both times as it ment more time with them after

I’m also a teacher. Started mat leave at 39 weeks and had him at 41.

DC1 was 37 weeks.

DC2 was officially 38 weeks but finished at 36 weeks as I finished work at Christmas and had two weeks of annual leave before maternity leave kicked in.

I officially started my mat leave on my due date with my dd but I had holiday to take so effectively finished around a week before. I do have an office job so its not as active as yours for sure so thats a consideration. I did continue taking my dog out twice a day and was still painting the nursery the night before!

Oh wow. I before being pregnant always said I would work until 38 weeks or so. Now Im pregnant, im breaking up for 3 weeks AL at 33 weeks with Nat leave at 36 weeks - im a nurse and already struggling. Everyone at my work said enjoy the rest prior as ill need it and I couldnt imagine working any later.

I worked in retail when pregnant started Mat leave at 39 weeks. I was kinda forced too lol my legs were like elephant trunks, and I kept getting lightening crotch and I worked until 10pm and didn’t drive at the time my ex worked nights so all in all it was a sensible decision. She was born at 42 weeks and I literally spent those 3 weeks in my bed sleeping for like 21 hours a day 😂 my body was clearly telling me to rest. X

29 weeks. I was pregnant with twins and by then was measuring the same size as a full term singleton pregnancy. I gave birth at 37 weeks to 2 babies weight 6lbs 7 and 6lbs 10 (when you add in the 2 placentas and amniotic fluid I was pretty big). I couldn’t walk across the room without being breathless and neither could I lie down without pain.

Massive respect to those who carry triplets or more.

I had 2 more pregnancies with single babies and they were so much easier! My bump was (obviously) only half the size as my first pregnancy so it felt tiny and lightweight compared to what I was used to with twins. I could never understand when anyone pregnant with just 1 baby moaned about being big - they really weren’t! I worked until 38 weeks with the singleton pregnancies.

It’s so hard if only we cld all know when baby wld be born! I stopped at 37wks with my first. I would have gone another week or 2 if I had a short drive to work. I had a 1hr commute each way which was combination of driving then train and a 10min walk. I don’t even know how I was able to that 5days a week plus work 37.5 hrs. She wasn’t born until 41wks, I was so bored!

I also finished at 37wks with second, same commute but I was part time so at least only doing it 3 days per week. Finished on a Friday and waters broke the Tuesday evening, she was born next morning so I laterally got a few days. Didn’t even have my bag packed 🙈

I stopped doing nights (midwife) at 30 weeks and went on mat leave at 38 weeks. The last few weeks were haaaaaard! But in some ways still felt like I'd stopped working too early as he was born at 41+6 - almost 3 weeks later!

With my son I went on maternity leave 37 weeks and a half weeks lucky because my son was born 5 days later.

this time we are running our own business working from home so I’m hoping I’ll be able to work until I’m pretty much in labour

38 weeks and he was born a full month later, but I enjoyed the time to rest and potter.

Not sure what I’ll do this time, will see how I feel with a toddler but I’ll be having an elective section so at least I’ll know when they’re coming!

33+1. Worked the Thursday, my waters went in the night. Hospital all day Friday and baby arrived via emergency section Saturday morning. I’d hoped to get to 37 weeks, though always knew there was a chance of prematurity. Was just hoping it wouldn’t be that early. It was a very sudden departure from work.

36 weeks. So many women in my office went untul 37/38 weeks and their babies arrived before they went on ML I wanted a little bit of time beforehand. DD born at 38 weeks so it was the right decision!

With my first, on my due date, was two weeks late. My second, two days before my due date. Rinse and repeat, 2 weeks late.

With DC1 I had a deadline on a Friday 3 days before my due date which was a bank holiday Monday, so I carried on until then. I was able to wfh so it was fine. Then DC was born at 40+3 so I had a few days off. Now I’m due DC2 in September, I’ve said I’ll work until 39 weeks but I’m in a different job now so I’ll be in the office more but it’s only a 20 min drive from home, I won’t be doing a longer commute to the other London office after 35 weeks probably depending on how hot it gets!

Baby no. 1 - started maternity leave 37+6 weeks and went into the labour the very next day!

Baby no. 2 - started at 36 weeks so I can have some time to myself, etc and fully expecting to go into labour earlier…baby didn’t arrive until 39 weeks!

With my eldest, five days before. I was standing for 12/13 hour shifts and would get in and sit down and my sciatica would make me unable to stand back up and would have to crawl to bed. It was supposed to be five weeks but she came four weeks early.

Second was three months before as had hyperemsis and could no longer work throwing up 40 times a day.

With my third, six weeks before as was still standing the whole shift and my spd, sciatica and hyperemsis got the better of me.

I was WFH 5 days a week (one day in the office a fortnight).

Planned to work to 37+2, then 2 weeks AL and start mat leave at 39+2.

My maternity cover started a few weeks before I planned to finish and immediately started to get on my nerves so in the end I finished 2 weeks earlier than originally planned.

I think if I have a second child, I will just hand over all responsibilities sooner and then take it easy “WFH” for 2 weeks 😂

35.5 weeks as I worked at Heathrow and I did not want to be dragging my swollen ankles and massive bump around when the schools broke up 😂 was induced at bang on 37 weeks so didn’t get too much time to enjoy it!!

Yes, same - worked in a warehouse overnight shifts, on my feet all shift, had to get DH to remove my boots from my massive swollen feet and ankles.ML started 12 days before DS was born, at least I got 12 days of rest 🙃

DC1, worked til 39+3, had him at 39+5. DC2, I was self employed so up until the day before then back in the office a week later to do an hour here and there 😂
Both planned c-sections so easier to plan!