Normal/ average time to start ML?

[MorrisZapp]

I have a physically easy desk job, and so far a symptom free pregnancy. I feel fine. Am due in early October.

It's my first pregnancy so I have no idea when I should start ML. My employer has put the ball in my court so it's up to me by the looks of things.

I also have a few weeks annual leave to take, and was hoping to tack some of it on to start of ML.

When is the normal/ average time to begin ML if no health issues, and does anybody know if there's a maximum amount of days you can add on from your annual leave?

Thanks for reading!

I finished on Friday @ 37 weeks and am taking annual leave with ML starting on my due date.

I've had an easy pregnancy and my job is also physically easy (but mentally stressful).

Must say I was glad to finish on Friday as it was starting to get a little tiring, is there any scope to play it by ear a bit as you've got annual leave to play with or do work want a final answer straight away??

I finished at 38 but wish i'd gone to 39 as was totally bored waiting for the arrival.

Blimey those are quite late dates! I'd love to work as close to my DD as possible so I think I'll ask for a late finish rather than an early one. I didn't know this was normal.

If I do find it hard, I suppose I can always change it at the time.

Thanks for your input.

With ds1 i stopped at 35 weeks and ds2 37 weeks but that was because the bump got in the way when leaning over patients. Next time I am planning to work until 38 weeks as I now have an office role.

I'm stopping for leave at 31 but have had a rubbish pregnancy. But usual seems to be 36+

Check out whether you can carry leave over if baby is born early. Or use leave to go part time towards the end.

Do you have much travel? That gets hard work witha huge bump

I finished the day I had DS (35 weeks), and if he hadn't turned up early had planned to finish at 38 weeks - felt fine. My colleague was pg with twins at the same time, and went on ML 2 days before she had them at 38 weeks. We both felt that sitting in our nice air conditioned office where all one did was waddle from car to office and then people brought you coffee was preferable to sitting at home in the heat feeling guilty about the housework

DD - I went at 35 weeks
DS1 - I went at 37 weeks
DS2 - I went at 38 weeks.

Work as a primary school teacher. But with DS2 I was only part time. Full time with the other two. Also all my babies have been very late...

Started M/L 2 days before DS born but added 4 weeks holiday before.

Around 38/39 weeks both times, but with a bit of holiday first, a couple of full weeks off and I dropped a day a week too - that was nice, using one days holiday a week.

Went quite overdue with first, was a bit bored. No time to be bored second time and he arrived about a week after ML started.

both times, finished at 38 weeks, looking forward to 2 weeks rest. both times they were early. grrrr!

36-38 weeks is standard where I am, most usually 38.

I'm finishing this one at 37 but like you have a nice, sit-down air conditioned office job. Plan to do 4 days a week in the last month though to slow down a little.

Beware though - if you take annual leave at the start, if your baby is early your ML starts when the baby is born. You just need to make sure any holiday booked is carried over or you take it at the end of your ML. DS1 was born before I left work and I nearly lost a weeks paid holiday!

I finished at 32 weeks but had a physically demanding job. If I was sitting at a desk all day I think I'd still be comfortable working now (37 weeks).

I left at 37+ weeks, with 12 days A/L before going onto Mat leave. Except that she ended up being 6 days early.

A colleague left work last Thursday- baby due this Wednesday, had her Sunday

Most people hang on as late as poss, because that gives you longer with the baby afterwards.

When I had my first baby in 1986 most people didn't go back to work and it was normal to stop at 29 weeks

I finished work at 35 weeks as it was christmas/ new year so planned a long break (quite a difficult pregnancy and I could not have physically carried on). Good job I did as DD was premature and so only actually had a few days off. Labour/ birth was so fast there was every chance if I was at work she would had been born in the office!!.

3 weeks seems the norm so I would plan for that. You can always finish earlier on health grounds if you are struggling as you never know how tired you will be towards the end. I think it would be better finishing earlier and being bored than finishing too late iyswim (though I know a few people who worked up to the week before and were fine!)

This is brilliant, thanks for all the input.

I'm going to ask for a late ML, with two weeks holiday before it.

Maybe even have official ML starting on due date.

My mother always says 'first babies are always late!' but it could go either way.

I was due to finish this week at 37+4, but ended up being signed off at 34 wks with anaemia and low amniotic fluid. Despite being bored an impatient I must admit that I am now feeling huge, tired, uncomfortable etc and have done for a while. I was a teacher though, so quite an active job compared to my old desk job. I had a very easy pregnancy all of the way through till this point so I can't complain though!

I finished at 38 weeks, am now sat here at 2 days to due date, really bored. I could easily be working now, desk job like you.

I'm going to be just taking maternity leave, and have requested leftover holiday as payment in lieu. Because my work offer half pay up to 9 months, it means i can use it to fund taking 10 weeks of maternity leave, wheras if i'd just tacked it on the end as holiday leave, it would only have been 5 weeks, if that makes any sense.

I do realise this is just because my work have excellent maternity policy, but might be worth looking into.