Anybody thought about when to start maternity leave??

[Dee2009]

Hi, I'm new to all this! I am 22weeks pregnant and starting to think about when to start my maternity leave, I'm finding work hard at the moment as i'm a veterinary nurse and am on my feet quite alot I'm thinking of going at 29-30weeks and wonder what other people are thinking, I do a 10hour shift on a monday and i think this really tries me out for the rest of the week, there is no way i can cut my hours down before i go as we are already short staffed.
Sorry to sound like i'm moaning, but just want to put my feet up!!

Thanks for listening!!

Oh dear, you do sound tired! Sympathies.

I'm 22 weeks too. I've saved up lots of leave, so I can be off work from 34 weeks (just before Christmas), but not actually start official mat leave until 38 weeks.

I'll probably be dying to finish work long before 34 weeks, but the way I look at it, I'd rather have more time off after the baby is born.

Then again, my employer has been great about putting me on desk duties and regular hours(usually my job is fairly phsyical and involves long hours). The fact that you are on your feet all day changes things.

Do what feels right for you, I say.

ps I'm new to this too. Having got a blinking clue about any of it!

I took 6 weeks maternity leave before DD was due. Plus I added my 2 weeks annual leave so 8 weeks in total.

It actually ended up as 10 weeks as DD was 2 weeks late!

When telling my boss my choice she was abit funny saying that most people only take 3 weeks! Tough I want more! I worked in a nursery full of hyper under 5's. So on my feet all day working long hours which i found hard as I was HUGE!!!

You have to do what you feel is right for you

Thanks Joy27 + pigleychez for your advice.

Haven't got any annual leave left, as took 2weeks b4 finding out i was expecting!! My partner and mum want me to take mat leave asap as have suffered a mc before, not sure what i will do have got an appt with mw weds so will maybe discuss with her.

Thanks again for advice

I think this applies to all companies - your holiday accrues all the time you are on maternity leave so you can take [say 4] weeks off before your maternity leave officially starts. I'm not 100% sure on this so best to check first.

I'm self employed so it's a little different I guess. By 29 or 30 weeks (pregnancy brain makes me forget!) I was incapable of working any longer. I am a childminder and the physical work as well as having bad spd meant I had to stop. I figure I just have take less time off after baby is born but sometimes these things have to happen.

Good luck.

Think i will prob start Mat leave by 30 weeks and just have to go bak to work earlier after all, if you incur holiday when on mat leave i'll be entitled to some leave when i go back
and i only plan to back part time so it wont feel so bad then
i was hoping to make it till xmas but i don't think i stand any chance with the way i feel at the moment!

Hello fellow Vet Nurse!
I know how your feeling, I'm 27 weeks and know how the job is very hard work!! (kennel cleaning kills my back, I feel it for days afterwards!)

I had a chat with my employers and they were pretty good. I have given a date for 36 weeks (although will be 35 weeks with 1 weeks annual leave), but if I find it impossible to carry on until this date, I can go sooner.

My main issue with them, is that I still have to do on call and weekend duties (on my own). When I ask "what if a ceasarian comes in?" or "what if I have a huge dog to deal with alone?", they just say we will worry about that if it happens!

I work as a physio on busy medical wards so am on my feet and "handling" patients all day long.

I have worked until 36 weeks with both of my pregnancies.

You mention doing long shifts because you're short staffed. Are the shifts longer than usual for you or are you working more hours than you're contracted to? If so then you're perfectly within your rights just to work your contracted hours.

Hi everyone im wondering the same thing im 22 weeks and im struggling already with mild at the mo with SPD, i am awaiting physio and for the green or red light! i actually would prefer for my GP to sign me off for a while im stressed,tired and in a pain and with the other children 4 in total im shattered when i get home! i may have to combine all my A/L with Mat leave so it can bring me more sooner then later! im tired and just want to rest and enjoy this pregnancy this may be my last!( its a shame that how much life has changed forcing women to have to work for 1 income aint enough to live on! some are doing it alone and then its a real struggle, i love working but also feel that if you dont want to it should be made a little bit easier and so can return after a full year!) so we cant enjoy raising our children without putting our lives in debt! roll on Jan, can i just fast forwards!

I was also wondering when to take start my leave. I am a nurse on a very busy heavy ward and at only 19 wks already finding it tough but will have to go straight on mat leave as will have used all my a/l. Not sure what to do always thought I would go to 36 or so wks but don't know how I can physically!!!! Any other nurses out there with any advice?

Legally, you do accrue annual leave during your maternity leave but your employer's normal rules for carrying over leave apply, so if you can't normally carry over leave then make sure you take what you're due before you go. However, these days most employers (but not mine) allow women to carry over any leave accrued during maternity leave to the next leave year to take just before they come back, so check your employer's maternity policy.

I have to use up an entire year's leave entitlement in 3 months. Initially I was really annoyed about it, as could do with the money in the unpaid bit, but have been struggling to cope with work the whole way through - I have a desk job but my concentration has been rubbish and I get really uncomfortable. I'm using the leave to go down to a 4-day week at 27 weeks and stop work at 35 weeks and start offical mat leave at 39 weeks. Can't wait.

Whatever you choose to do, do not feel guilty for your choice! I decided with a common choice to finish at 36 weeks, as at the time it felt a bit lazy to finish earlier, but I am approaching 32 weeks this week and am bloody exhausted and totally ready for M/L! I have 5 weeks left, but can't finish earlier as I won't be returning so need to make money for as long as possible, and also have no leave due to stupid rules from my agency.

One option might be to say you are starting maternity leave later than 30 weeks (not suggesting working to 38 weeks but how about 34?) but then if you get to 30 and are really too exhausted to cope with the physical side of the job you could probably get signed off. If you take pregnancy related time off sick within the last few weeks (11 from memory, but that might be wrong?) your employer can actually force you to start maternity leave then anyway, but at least it leaves open the possiblity that by then you feel less knackered at work and don't "waste" too much leave before the baby arrives.

Only really suggesting this because at various points in 3 pgs I've thought about going on maternity leave as soon as possible, but have ended up working to 36 / 36 / 35 weeks (part time for this pg, admittedly) and been glad not to have been at home for any longer.

Finally as LifeofKate says it is entirely up to you, so don't let anyone at work pressurise you into doing something you aren't happy with.

alana - it's in the final 4 weeks that your employer can force you to start maternity leave and then only if you're off sick with a pregnancy-related illness. Before that any time off would be sick leave.

Hello! Poor you! I totally understand, I teach and my feet and back kill! I am 21 weeks.

My DS came 4 weeks early and I was still teaching. I too am wondering if I should just keep going this time. I hate waiting and I bet if I leave at 34 weeks, this baby will be late!

Its a tough one! Not sure what to suggest!

im leaving at 25 weeks as i have owed holiday and am taking mat leave from the easliest time possible, but then thats because im on my feet for 8 hours serving customers, cooking without a fan and no chance to rest my very weary feet. (literally can not sit down at all on a shift as im superviser)

May get bored but do what feels right to you.

Hi all i am going to finish work at 31 weeks and 2 days but my mat leave wont kick in till 37 weeks! i have hols that i have to take first which will cover all december and the first week in Jan 2010 - so im
will take the 40 weeks off then will use the hols i have accrued to make it longer! if i need to.

I left at 29 weeks this time because I was owed a lot of holiday and because it meant DD could come out of private nursery and go to pre-school.
It was a little bit too early but has saved us money and given us routine.
Finished with her at 32 weeks and gave birth at 36 weeks. Another reason for finishing early! Am now one day off when I gave birth in first pregnancy. Don't know whether baby about to arrive or potentially another month!
You have to balance how much time you want once baby has arrived too.. good luck!

left at 33 weeks and had 1 weeks signed off sick prior to this..

Hi, my last pregnancy I left at 36 weeks but with 2 weeks holiday and then was 10 days late. This time, (currently 24 weeks), I need the money....only allowed to carry over a week (saving accrued maternity annual leave to be tagged onto the end of maternity lave) - so will be leaving at 38/39 weeks and will take the 1 weeks holiday. (I haven't told them yet, can just give 28 days notice)

I'm in a lucky position though - I currently work mostly from home and from 32/33 weeks will be working all my hours from home. If I had to stand in my job though, I'd probably be thinking about leaving around 32 weeks and tagging the annual leave on the front of the maternity leave.

Something my sister did at her work.... she was allowed to use the acrrued annual leave BEFORE taking maternity leave - but working 4 days a week (using 1 annual leave day), then 3 days a week (using 2 annual leave days)in the weeks leading up to the birth - you can ask your company if they are willing to let you do this? This way you can take the Annual Leave day on that hideous Monday?

18 days working days left !!!!!!! im so happy and just cant wait to just chill and have days just me and DH who works from home!
this will also give us a chance to hit the shops for some christmas pressie without the other DC. and make a decision about the travel system buggy!

I am 30 weeks and have just left my job (because we're moving, not because of the baby).

I have known this would be my last week since I got pregnant, and felt a little frustrated that I wouldn't be able to carry on working until week 34, 35 or so.

BUT! Now I've quit I am soooo happy! I work with small kids and this last week or so it's done me in! Happy to be a lady of leisure for a few weeks!

I worked my last day on Sat at 38 weeks, I probably spent half my day on my feet and half at my desk and was so ready to finish. By 1pm Sat I was literally asleep on my feet, to the point a colleague gave me a lift home so I didnt have to do the 1hr30m commute

Im on annual leave this week and ML starts next week, if I ever have another I'll definately be finishing earlier (about 34/36 weeks probably would have been ideal). The last two days being able to slip off for an afternoon nap and not having huge swollen legs by the end of the day has made a massive difference to how Im feeling

16 days to go !!!!!!!!!!!!

Will try to work up the minute I give birth. But self-employed, so have to pay for my own mat leave and want to take as much time as possible and need every single penny I can make. Also, is very easy for me as am lucky and work at home, so can take laptop to bed if need be.