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Original poster

How long before due day should I start maternity leave?

67 replies

ClaireVictoria · 29/01/2010 10:52

Hi all. I am a secondary school teacher (design technology) so do quite a physical job. I am also a large bump babe due to 3 fibroids.

I have absolutely no idea how long before my due date that I should apply for maternity leave. Is three weeks a realistic option?

Needless to say this is my first baby!!
XCV

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MyNameIsInigoMontoya · 30/01/2010 11:42

This time round I am only starting my official ML 2 days before due date (was originally going to start it ON due date!) - but that is because I had holidays I needed to use or lose, so took 3 weeks' hol before that.

It depends a bit how long you want to be off as well - bear in mind if you start your ML very early but then the baby comes late, you might need to go back to work a few weeks earlier at the other end.

It IS very hard to predict the best time though, last time I think I was off a bit too long but another girl at work had her baby early so it came the day she had just finished work!

Original poster
ClaireVictoria · 30/01/2010 11:59

Some brilliant advice and posts - thanks loads.

MrsFooty I am loving your mindset!!!

I have realised if I take it at 36 weeks it falls just after Easter Holidays so in effect I have 3 weeks holidays then a weeks work before leave starts. This means the students still have Easter hols to improve their grades and they are a great bunch of kids so that is great.

Next year Easter is later so I start back at work then after a week it is Easter holidays so another three weeks off!

Bettybutterknife where you able to have a natural birth? Tom, Dick and Harry (my fibroids) are about 11 cm each!

I don't think I'll get bored as I have a whole house to renovate!!

Wow have to say wish I was a pilot ... !
XCV

OP posts:
Armi · 30/01/2010 12:35

Whilst there are some fellow teachers about....am I correct in thinking that we can't actually add any AL to our maternity leave?

Original poster
ClaireVictoria · 30/01/2010 14:14

I am not that sure.

My LEA said that I would have to have been back at and in work for at least a week in order to be eligible for pay during the Easter holidays and this could vary from LEA to LEA.

When I was considering returning after 6 months maternity leave it worked out that I was on ML during the summer holiday and therefor not full pay, yet would return to work shortly afterwards. This made little sense financially and a friend said that I could say I was returning to work the first day of the holiday and therefore be on full pay for the full 6 weeks. She said this is what she had done. Again there could be variations LEA to LEA.

Phone your LEA or union - I know mine have been really helpful.

Goodluck

XCV

OP posts:
FluffyCoo · 30/01/2010 15:29

Agree with morningpaper - how cool is pandora?!

Am finishing next Friday at 39 weeks (whoop whoop!) to maximise time off once LO arrives, BUT I have a desk job with a 30 minute commute and have been passing off all my work training my replacement since November. Plus I've had a pretty charmed pregnancy in comparison to others and I also quite enjoy making my male colleagues a bit nervous!

Definitely agree with other posters that it totally depends on how you feel - you'll know when you've had enough! And yes, you can always get signed off early if needs be.

PercyPigPie · 30/01/2010 15:31

Mrs Footy, mine for DC1 co-incided with Wimbledon too . It was a truly lovely time.

Enjoy OP - if there is a next time round you'll be working 'till the bitter end. Onset of labour with our third was a signal that I had to quickly do the week's ironing and clean the bathroom!

Heated · 30/01/2010 15:44

Teacher's maternity is, as far as I remember, always calculated from a Sunday so the last Sunday of the Easter hols as your final date would work out well.

Went to 36/37 weeks with dc1 and 37/38 with dc2 but the long commute, long after school hours and not being in one classroom were physically tiring. After having a few days rest I painted the garage and front door which was very relaxing out in the warm sunshine so shows how tiring the teaching malarkey can be. No idea how debilitating having fibroids is though so earlier could be wiser.

TotallyAndUtterlyPaninied · 31/01/2010 20:05

I'm a lecturer- baby is very big and has a lot of water so huge bump. Intended to start mat leave at 37 weeks but I've had problem after problem and finally gave up at 36 weeks. If you can manage financially, I'd say 32 or 33 weeks would be ideal TBH.]]

Depends on your pregnancy though I guess.

Neeko · 01/02/2010 13:54

Hi. those of you who are teachers have you seen this? I have contacted my personnel department about it but still waiting for a reply. It seems a done deal though and could lead to 13 more weeks pay!

Neeko · 01/02/2010 13:58

oops! That didn't work - unless you want to log into email. I'll try again this

Heated · 01/02/2010 17:58

Interesting but I think the door on this will be closed very quickly for teachers.

Neeko · 01/02/2010 18:14

Apparently it because years ago the teaching mat leave was above the norm but is now in line with the norm. Also in comparison to other professions that train as long we are paid less on account of the holidays. Therefore not to receive holiday pay is a double penalty. This is all according to my union rep. It seems a bit too good to be true to me (but I really hope it is )

Original poster
ClaireVictoria · 01/02/2010 22:16

Thanks for the info about maternity pay and teaching Neeko. I'll speak to my union and LEA. I really hope it is true too. I got a shock when I found out how little money I will be left with if I take 12 months maternity leave!!

OP posts:
Neeko · 02/02/2010 09:14

Hi ClaireVictoria. From what I can work out if you take 12 months you'll end up on full pay for 6 of them as 13 weeks are part of the maternity package and 13 weeks are the holiday entitlement. My personnel department are ignoring me at the moment (can't blame them as 2 weeks compared to 13 weeks is a huge jump)but I'll persevere. I think the holiday pay may be retrospective but I know we'd manage to muddle through if it meant getting it back. Let me know how you get on.

birdofthenorth · 02/02/2010 12:49

I work from home in a non-physical job and my baby's due in August, our quietest time of the year, so I was basically planning on working until 40 weeks, so I could spend as much of my mat leave with ym baby as possible.

Am a being unrealistic?! I am lucky that my job is quite flexible, ie so long as I get my work done, it doesn't matter if I'd need to take a little nap at lunchtime etc. I do have to do quite a lot of report writing etc so maybe mentally I won't be up to it by 40 weeks? PLus I'm abit worried about when I'll prepare myself and the house for the baby in this plan, but I figured that's what weekends and DH were for!!

Too optimistic?

Heated · 02/02/2010 22:10

Birdofthenorth, you could choose to work right up to the point of going in to labour if you wished, as is common in certain countries like HK. Often first babies don't turn up on time.

If the job isn't physically demanding and no commute, which is usually the key factor, and you can make yourself comfortable (what do you do?) then it's ideal. I'm guessing it's your first if you're mentioning napping in the day? (recalls that fondly)

Ricci2 · 03/02/2010 09:19

I am 25 weeks now and will be going on the 16th of april (11 weeks from now) then I will be 36 weeks, My doctor said he can do a c-section any time from 38 weeks.

Original poster
ClaireVictoria · 03/02/2010 10:59

Have to say that the way I feel at the moment I would start my ML tomorrow!! Oh if only I was a millionaire!!!

OP posts:
Elena67 · 07/02/2010 21:41

Hi Neeko I'd be really interested to hear any developments on this holiday pay for teachers... I'm going on mat leave on 7 June (ie straight after half term) at 39 weeks, so will have the whole summer on half pay when I would have been off anyway, which irks me! Being paid for the hols would make going back at December feel more bearable when a wad of holiday pay turned up in the Dec pay packet...

Elena67 · 07/02/2010 21:43

ps, ClaireVictoria I would also go on ML tomorrow if Littlewoods turned up with the giant cardboard cheque, however much I love (!) the kids!!

Neeko · 08/02/2010 11:48

Hi Elena I have had a response from personnel and it seems we are entitled to holidays back (yay!) but that we need to be back at work and take them as holidays?!? The lady at personnel suggested that I could return to work 3 days per week and be paid for 5 for about 19 weeks if that makes sense? I'm still looking into it.
Hope you're well. Try not to do too much. It's very hard when you're a control freak teacher. I have 8 teaching days to go and a mahoosive TTD list underway

kateyjane · 08/02/2010 12:35

Hi ClaireVictoria. I'm a secondary school teacher as well. I am now 25 weeks and wish I could stop now! Infact have had to have the day off today as am feeling so rough. I was going to go on to 38 weeks (I managed this fine with my 3 other DCs) but there is no way I could do that this time. Don't know why I am so much more tired this time? My DH is not happy because after a day at work that is basically it for me, can just about manage bath times then collapse!Have decided to stop at Easter, so will be 32 weeks, but because of the holidays don't have to start mat leave till 35 weeks - so that suits me fine!!! Don't forget that when/if you go back you can start just before the holidays and therefore get paid through them. That worked out nicely with two of my DCs, where I went back 2 days before the summer holidays

kateyjane · 08/02/2010 12:40

Sorry, just realised I've repeated a lot of what other people have said - serves me right for just reading the first 2 pages of the thread Plus I also blame baby brain - despite the media saying it doesn't exist!
Anyway - Good Luck with everything! Sounds like we are due at similar times.

Neeko · 08/02/2010 13:35

Lol at babybrain! Kateyjane

Have heard back from personnel (again) and all accrued holidays under the new mat laws for teachers have to be taken as holidays. Decision made!

Elena67 · 08/02/2010 17:55

Thanks Neeko if my babybrain doesn't deceive me, that means I could 'go back' to work (I'm going back three days hopefully) in Mid October but actually take all thirty days accrued holiday, giving 10 of my new school weeks, and not show my face until the new year! It's surely too good to be true..?!