How long before due day should I start maternity leave?

[ClaireVictoria]

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

Hi Elena67 apparently you have to actually be back so you might need to work one day a week for 15 weeks. Speak to your HR department and let me know what they say.

Hi everyone.
I feel rather like Spike Milligan's epitaph "I told you I was ill" Turns out one of my fibroids decided to undergo red degeneration so I have spent the last week in hospital on morphine ... so much for being the organic mama!! My poor baby has most probably just had more drugs pumped into her than a 60's wild child!

Good news she is absolutely fine and will have been totally unaware of what her incubator was going through!! I am now managing pain on codine (and constipation!!) At least I a home and can manage a modicum of normal life.

So now I am off sick and cannot really see how on earth I am to go back to work when I can hardly move! Doctors suggest I will not be able to return and may be in and out of hospital - nothing to worry about just bloody painful!

Does anyone know if bosses can still force you to take early maternity leave?

Also Neeko am I understanding you right. I can accrue holidays and take then as days off when I return? However this would have to be done on a part time basis - for example work 2 days a week, taking the other three as holiday?

Babybrain + morphine = very fuzzy

Thanks for all the comments - really helpful and nice to communicate to people when I have felt so shoddy all week!

XCV

Hi ClaireVictoria according to my my mat info you cannot be forced into mat leave until 4 weeks before your EDD or the day the baby is born, whichever comes first, but phone your HR department and ask them to clarify. So sorry you are in so much pain.
Yes you did read right about the hols but agian I'd check with your HR dept. I'm also beng paid for 19.5 days accrued hols in my next wage in addition to the 38 days I'll take when I go back. Feels like a lottery win TBH.
Hope you're better soon.

hi Neeko - sorry to resurrect this after so long, but my local Union (NUT) office have just told me that this accrued holiday pay thing only applies to Scotland, not England... This seems a bit odd, for a European Court ruling - do you happen to know if this is the case or where I can get a definitive judgement?
Thanks in advance
El

Everyone copes with the final stages of pregnancy differently. I really struggled at the beginning and felt terrible for the first 20 or so weeks, but the last bit has been quite a breeze.

I started my maternity leave 3 weeks before my due date. While I could have worked longer, I am so grateful for the time to sort things out before the baby arrives and clean the house from the top to bottom!!

I worked until 38 weeks with my son and wish I waited! He was 2 weeks late and I had to go back to work full time which I really didn't want to do so I wanted to have the most time with him and not at home waiting!

It was nice to have a bit of time to myself and lay-in but all you are thinking about is when your baby will be born and it focuses your mind on that when you're home alone!

As you never know whether your baby will appear on time so it's difficult to judge but just go with how you feel.

I am now a childminder so I can be at home with my little man and am planning to work until I go into labour and take two weeks off as I don't want to loose my customers and can't afford anymore time off! So enjoy your maternity leave, the weeks before and after the baby's born

Elena that IS strange. The only link I have is the (2nd) one I posted on this thread. I can't see how it could only apply up here. That would seem really unfair. Hope you get it sorted. I've kept a watch on this thread so let me know how you get on.

FYI I'm now off and plan to be until Dec 13th. This accrued me 19.5days holiday pay with my last wage and probably 38 days when I go back.
HTH

Elena Checked my stuff again and it said all uk workers are entitled to missed holidays back so either that's accounted for in your package or you're being fobbed off!

how long in advance do you have to decide when you're going off on maternity leave?

My due date's october so its early days still for me but I'm contemplating finishing as early as 30 weeks. My job involves a fair bit of standing on my feet etc, and a 40 minute commute. Just not sure I can face this when heavily pregnant in August. Also August is the busiest month for my husband's work, so I would be stuck with all the housework etc that month anyway. I'm a bit worried about being bored / lonely, but we live by the sea so I'm hoping to entice lots of friends down. Not sure if I'm being a total wimp leaving that early, I've no idea what to expect as this is my first, but I struggle with the heat at the best of times.

However, I only work part time (10 hours a week) due to illness before I got pregnant, and DH should hopefully be able to manage some of the child care when I do go back to work, so I'm not so worried about losing some maternity leave after the birth

thanks Neeko - I'm chasing it up thro the national NUT as well so when I hear from them I'll take on the LEA... I'll keep people posted as there's a lot of teachers on here who will be breathing a financial sigh of relief if this works out!

Elena Good luck!

tiredfeet Think you need to notify your employer of your pregnancy by 24 weeks. As for intention to start maternity leave, I think that depends on your job and contract. Remember the earlier you let your work know the earlier they have a duty to do a risk assessment on your job.

Ive said Im going off from 37 weeks but its not set in stone and Im actually taking 2/3 weeks of AL and letting my ML kick in whenever they call the 'expected week of pregnancy' - am now wondering if actually I should do it a bit sooner seing this post. If baby did come early Id not only be stuck for the rest and preparation time Id hoped for but also lose holiday - now thats bad !

I have an office job with a short commute and its usually stressful but Im planning to spend the last month winding down and doing nothing but surfing mumsnet!!!! I figured Id need all the time I could when baby arrived as I dont get good maternity leave provisions.

Haven?t read the whole thread so this might have been answered. Is there not some sort of regulation about the latest you can leave? I have just done all my forms, and it states that I have to leave ?not later? than 28 days before the estimated week of delivery. I just assumed that was a standard?

It is entirely up to you. Some people work until their due date. I left early with DS1 11 weeks before but that was mainly due to other work issues, but it was a nice time just going for (extremely) slow walks, having baths, reading etc. Second time DS2 was due 31st Dec so when we broke for Xmas break I just didnt go back. This time (not yet preg)I do intend to do it again 11 weeks before but that is because I dont intend to go back and want to have some time to get into the swing of being home and spending time with DS1 (who will be starting primary school) and DS2.

Hi, Neeko and any other teachers... Boo sucks re the maternity-leave-holiday-pay issue - NUT have told me that it doesn't apply to teachers in England and Wales, only in Scotland. Seems crazy to me - surely the European Court ruling referred to UK? - so I've asked them if the Union intend to pursue this matter but haven't heard back yet, which suggests not! Maybe things will improve eventually but unlikely that it'll be in time for me.
Boo again.
e

Hi Elena I wouldn't give up quite yet. It does say all UK workers and you'll be backdated back to OCtober 2008 so there's a good chance you'll get it.

Hope your pregnancy is going well. I'm 2 days overdue and fed-up

I'm taking leave at 38+2, but fortunately, exams start from when I'm 30 weeks (I'm a university lecturer), and I will only have to go in to invigilate and pick up exam scripts and essays, and can do all my marking at home. Thank goodness -- because I'm dreading the commute, and am already planning to take taxis from the train station at the work end. . . why does that make me feel guilty?