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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Maternity leave advice please!

10 replies

Anifersgirl · 15/03/2010 14:27

Just after some advice from people who have been there and done it..

I've just been asked to commit to my maternity leave date. I've got a nice sit down job that I enjoy and isn't particularly stressful, I also have a reasonably nice drive into work in the morning and the team here probably won't mind me being a bit flexible with working hours/working from home in the last few weeks.

Also, as I changed job when pregnant, I'm not getting full SMP, just maternity allowance, so there are financial implications to staying on at work too.

Am I crazy to give my due date as the date I want to go on leave, bearing in mind this is my first and will probably be late? (the late thing runs in the family..)

Advice please!

OP posts:

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cinnamongreyhound · 15/03/2010 14:36

If you are feeling happy at work and don't feel you need time at home to prepare for the baby then I'd say go for it!

I left work at 38 weeks and my son was 2 weeks late, wished I'd stayed longer. I didn't enjoy being at home alone all day thinking about when my baby would come!

Baby may not be late so bear that in mind

glastochick · 15/03/2010 14:41

I've given my due date as the start of my maternity leave, and this is my first too. However, my daily commute adds up to nearly 3 hours each day and I'm starting to feel tired in the evenings, so I'm taking some of my annual holiday entitlement before maternity leave starts.

Is this something you can do?

Also, I don't know how organised you are but have you got everything you need ready for the baby? We still haven't got the baby's room decorated (am 30 weeks) and although the baby will sleep in our room to start with I'm sure our hands will be full looking after him and we won't want to decorate once he's arrived. I'm hoping to use those weeks of holiday to finish everything off, get all his clothes washed, and generally give in to my nesting instincts.

MumNWLondon · 15/03/2010 14:53

I'm in a smilar positon - sit down job, only get SMP rather than any enhanced maternity pay as haven't worked long enough, and am working up to EDD (which is a Monday) working until end of week before - although I only work 3 days per week. I'm now 35 weeks so still have 4 weeks left. I do have to face the London underground for my commute but its ok so far - people now standing for me!

If its all getting a bit much you can take a couple of days of annual leave in last couple of weeks so you only do 4 day weeks - I did this in my first pregnancy - wednesdays are best as its a break in the middle of the week!

Not mad but you do need to be organised with sorting out all your baby stuff and cooking for freezer incase the baby comes early/on-time. DH helping me with this in evenings and weekends and we are very nearly there, although its easier as its DC3 so we have most stuff, and have only had to buy very little. Both DS and DD were around 2/3 days late.

NumptyMum · 15/03/2010 15:00

I'm taking mat leave from my due date, but taking AL in the run up to it (I've also got a family history of late babies). I think with DS I took AL from around 37wks, and it was fine (he finally turned up around 42wks... sigh). If you ARE early, your mat leave starts from then (ie date baby is born). Check whether you can carry forward holiday until the end of your mat leave, just in case this happens!

roary · 15/03/2010 15:12

You're not mad at all. I'm doing this for the second time around. My dd was 2 weeks late and I would have gone bonkers sitting around at home for any longer than that! You do need to be organized, but really, newborns don't need THAT much stuff and you can order it all online during your lunch break (or, as I did, while breastfeeding the baby when we realized that we needed a different set of stuff entirely!)

You can also change your mind at any stage so if it does all become too much you can go early.

CMOTdibbler · 15/03/2010 15:18

My colleague worked until the day before her twins were induced (38 weeks) - she said that it was much more relaxing being in her air conditioned office with people bringing her coffee and water than being in her hot house feeling compelled to do things. I was still travelling for work the week I had DS, but he arrived at 35 weeks.

I didn't really have anything for DS, and it just meant DH popped to Mothercare and did some online shopping - it took 2 hours, so I wouldn't finish early for that

elkiedee · 15/03/2010 15:22

I did this with both babies but I did take annual leave from 3 weeks before in each case.

growingweeble · 15/03/2010 16:01

I felt really ill at the beginning of my pregnancy so when I was asked about when I wanted to start my mat leave I said 4 weeks before. Nearer the time when I was feeling totally fine I changed it to 3 weeks before.

Now I'm twiddling my thumbs waiting for baby to arrive--she's late! But, I am so glad I had those three weeks. Physically I could have gone to work... although loads of people told me that I'd be feeling really tired etc. It really depends person to person and you can't know that in advance which is difficult.

But, having time at home to prepare things for the baby, sort out the house, then just have a week cooking for the freezer, taking it easy, etc was invaluable. I don't know as my baby hasn't arrived yet, but I get the feeling that learning to slow down is really important. With a newborn I won't be able to get the same number of things done in a day and it took me a while to get used to not achieving much. Leaving work was also fairly traumatic and the concept of being a stay at home Mum for a while has taken some getting used to.

I have to admit now though that waiting is driving me mad. But, there is no way of knowing whether your baby will decide to arrive early, on time, or late.

allibaba · 15/03/2010 16:24

I live next door to where I work which is lucky in some repsects but not in others!

Anyway I am going to leave the day after my due date (as that is a Friday) as I don't see the point in sitting at home when I could just as easily sit next door in the office and not be bored.

Also having a homebirth so if the spud decides to come early I don't have too far to go to give birth!!

MumNWLondon · 15/03/2010 19:15

Allibaba - never thought of setting leaving work date after EDD! But I guess I have 45 commute on tube into central london to contend with, and EDD is a Monday, and I'm already wondering whether should make up lightweight version of hospital bag with real essentials incase end up taking taxi straight from work to hospital (same distance from work to hospital as home to hopsital) so maybe its good to stop slightly before EDD. Colleagues already joking that I'm not to give birth in office!

I'm not worried though this is DC3 and had very long early labours with both DD and DS (like 8+ hours of contractions 10 mins apart) loads of time to get taxi home, faff around and then go to hospital.

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