Extending maternity leave

[theabear]

I am currently on 3 months maternity leave and am due to return to work in January. I was put under a lot of pressure by my employer to only take 3 months but now I really don't feel happy leaving such a young baby at a full time nursery. Can my employer refuse to allow me an extra 2 or 3 months maternity leave? Is it possible to extend your maternity leave like this once you have started? My other problem is that I work for a small company who do not employ any other parents so they are not very family friendly!! Any advise welcome!!

You have the legal right to take up to 52 weeks maternity leave.

Your employer should have told you the date of this 52 week period, when you notified them of your mat leave start date.

Yes you can extend your MAT leave but you must give your employer at least 8 weeks notice of a change to your maternity return to work date - however they can use discretion in agreeing to a RTW date of less than 8 weeks away.

This site is very good for advice:
www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?.s=sc&r.l1=1073858787&r.lc=en&r.l3=1080898273&r.l2=1080898061&r.i=1080902982&type=RESOURCES&itemId=1080903242&r.t=RESOURCES

Thanks MrToad that website gives really good advice!