Did you feel a lot worse at 36 weeks then 33+2??

[JamieJay]

I realise this is a bit of a 'how long is a piece of string' question but hoping for a few opinions.

I'm 33+2 and apart from a serious gaviscon habit and a bad time at 30 - 31 weeks with a UTI and high blood pressure (now normal again) I'm coping pretty well with pregnancy.

My maternity leave starts at 39+6 but I had planned to take annual leave from 36 weeks as I thought I'd be knackered by then.

I'm now wondering if I should stay on a bit longer (boss happy to be flexible) to save leave for afterwards.

As the main breadwinner I can't afford to take the full 12 months so am planning to add as much leave as possible to the end of the 9 months SMP.

So the question is, if you felt fine at 33 weeks how were you at 36 weeks?? Minimal commute, office is air conditioned and my replacement has started to I can take it a bit easier.

TIA

i would definitely stay on longer if I were you

I'm 36 weeks with my second and still feel pretty good - good enough to still be at work anyway, and if all continues well I won't be finishing until the very end of this month, at 38 weeks. But I do work part-time in quite a sedentary job.

Everyone's different but I'd want to be at work as long as possible - I was climbing the walls during my last pregnancy when, due to house move, I finished at 30 weeks - and went two weeks overdue!

I would stay on longer too. I'm 38+3 and have been feeling crap this week but up until now have been fine. If your boss is flexible and the work allows, would you be able to work from home for the last 2 weeks before going on leave?

Thanks guys - couldn't work from home full time but could probably do a couple of days at home and shorter days in the office.

Will mention it to boss tomorrow and go on a week by week basis, want to finish at 38 weeks at the latest anyhow so I can have a bit of a break before baby arrives

Definitely stay as long as you can, you'll want the time afterwards far more than you do now.