Maternity Leave - when did you start it?

[MissGobby]

i have just been in to the HR manager to discuss my maternity leave, as i have no idea when you take it etc, she said i can take it anytime, but im only having 9 months off until i come back to work so want to work the longest i can, obviously IF i can, what did you girls do, when did you work till?? im due on 23rd October so what would you say is a good time to start it??

 

[daftscotslass]

I started mine at 37 weeks to coincide with the easter weekend. Wanted as long off as possible when baby arrived. I wanted to go to the Spring holiday (2 weeks later) but my boss persuaded me out of it .

 

[Kylie1007]

I started it about a month before my due date - fortunately it fell nicely in half term so I could finish my job as a teacher then. As it turned out, I only had about 2 weeks maternity leave before the baby arrived!!!

 

[Becky]

I was also 37 weeks when I started mine.

I'm hoping to do the same this time but I'm also saving up my hols as at my place (not sure if its the same everywhere) say you have to take all accrued hols before starting Mat leave. So if you tag your hols onto your mat leave you can finish earlier/later.

 

[andreag]

I wnet to just over 38 weeks in the mistaken belief that first babies are always late. Finsihed on Friday, went into labour Tuesday and LO was born on Wednesday. Although a couple more days off would have been nice, I wasn't that bothered - I think if I was sitting at home waiting she might have been late. I was only planning to clear out the cupboards anyway! If you set your date late and find its all a bit much, you could always amend it nearer the time - one of my collegues had to do that.

Good luck!

 

[Mrs_Jay]

i finished at 36 weeks and am finishing about the same with this one

 

[mary70]

i didnt lol i was due to leave at the start of the summer holidays but was admitted to hospital before as hannah arrived a month early , best laid plans and all that

 

[kalia]

It depends what your job is and how you pregnancy is going. If you are on your feet and moving around a lot you'd probably want to stop working sooner than someone who has a desk job and the opportunity to move.

I was signed off work week 28 and 29, went back week 30 and 31 then signed off from week 32. I had holiday time too so technically I didn't start maternity leave until 36 weeks.

OH's sister has had an easy pregnancy and worked up to 39 weeks.

 

[leckershell]

I had a years worth of holiday leave to take (20 days) as well as my maternity as I was going to be away for the holiday year end (April) so I took 1 month holiday, 4 weeks mat leave (as we thought he would be early) and I also went back to work after 9 months, so he was about 7 and a half months when I went back.

 

[Sarah&Braydon]

i was 36 weeks but i wasnt allowed to work more, due to my job,
it really depends on wot job you have

 

[Princess_Puddles]

I started mine at 35 weeks because I was on my feet all day, would have waited a bit longer if could have.

 

[Snuggle]

I started mine at 31 weeks due to having Fibromyalgia and having terrible back pain. I would have really regretted this if I was returning to work. Work as late into pregnancy as you can hun then you will have much more time with LO

 

[LaineyG]

I was lucky!

I managed to work most of my pregnancy. I used three weeks holiday to start with, and officially started my maternity leave 2 days before Mhairi was born!

If you can save holidays, and use them for maybe a week or two then that'll all add up!

The legal bit is, if you have your baby while you are on holiday, then your maternity leave starts the day your baby is born.....but you can add any holiday you had left over on at the other end! At least that is the way the ambulance service did it!

xxx

 

[Gene]

I officially went at 36 weeks but I saved 2 weeks annual leave to take immediately before so I really finished at 34 weeks. I dont think I could have managed to work any longer - I was exhausted by that point! Waddling up and down long hospital corridors is not pleasant!

Gene
xx

 

[Tina & Gabs]

I finished on a Friday; just over 3 weeks before she was due and I gave birth on the Monday So I only had a weekend off

 

[charlie84]

I finished at 37 weeks. Took two weeks annual leave and started my maternity leave a week before she was born.

 

[Full of hope!]

I started mine at 35 weeks, Jacob was a week late so I had 6 weeks off before he arrived. I'm due back at work in Oct when he will be 7.5 months old.

I agree that it depends on what job you do.

 

[happy-chick]

I started my mat leave at about 5 weeks pregnant Im self employed and had really bad sickness all of the way through my pregnancy therefore was lucky enough to be able give myself the day of if i needed to... which was most days

 

[trixipaws]

i took the 9 months paid like u.
i started maternity leave when i was 36 weeks but i also took 3 weeks holiday so i finished at 33 weeks. some said that was too early, but melissa was my first baby, so i saw it as my "last 7 weeks of freedom"! and OMG thats exactly what it was! i wouldnt change her for the world, but wow i had no idea til the day she was born just how ur life is no longer ur own! im so glad i took those 7 weeks, they flew by and i'll never get time like that all to myself ever again. i'd say have plenty before u pop!
not just that but i went massive in late pregnancy and it was getting hard to drive anyway.

 

[debecca]

I was 29 weeks, i.e. as early as possible but I'd started fainting in the classroom

I will be taking the full 12 months - and then possibly not going back at all? Not sure yet! I'll see how much Connie winds me up