Maternity Leave

[lmwarr]

When did you find was the best time to start mat leave. Did you start early enough or too early and got bored?

I was thinking of starting at 36 weeks but am so tired already think i might start earlier? What do you think?

 

[Kelly G]

I think it depends on how you feel and on your job! My job was getting too much, i was so tired and my back was really suffering!

I used up my holidays and left 2 weeks ago, its been great so far as the 1st week DF had a weeks holiday, then the 2nd week Brooke was off school for a week! But today i have been so lost, i took brooke to school which was fine, but when DF was getting ready for work i really didnt want him to go because i knew i was going to be on my own and that i was going to miss him and Brooke so much! All day i have been feeling really bored and emotional! Maybe its my hormones i dont know lol

Its a strange feeling really because im glad im off work because i was so tired and it was too much but at the same time i wish i was there as it passes the time!

 

[lmwarr]

Thank you, think i will see what my work people are like nearer the time. At the mo they still expect me to do everything including make them tea and take and tray full up a flight of stairs!!

 

[Urchin]

Thank you, think i will see what my work people are like nearer the time. At the mo they still expect me to do everything including make them tea and take and tray full up a flight of stairs!!

Have they not done you a risk assessment yet? Make sure they do one, they have to by law, and I'm sure carrying a tea tray upstairs will be crossed off you list of jobs straight away!

As for maternity, I worked until a week before my due date...I wanted all my time with the baby not sitting around at home. BUT my job was very easy, I cut down my hours towards the end then took some of my holiday too.
Now my maternity has just run out, I'm so glad I waited or it would have run out a month ago and I'd be back at work by now!

 

[Kelly G]

Yea, i forgot to mention that! It does depend on how long you want off with the baby too! If you take it to early then you will have less time with baby!

I agree with urchin about the risk assement, i have 1 every month untill i left!

 

[lmwarr]

Thanks girls i will tell them thats what i need done! They probably wont listern thou x

 

[Anna Marie]

Hi Lmwarr.. you may have seen from my posts in 3rd Tri I have been in a quandry over same question and now I have told my boss I want to leave on 6th July [I will be 34 weeks] I feel so relieved and looking forward to having the time to myself.

Risk assessment.. defo arrange for that.. very important.. hasn't made much difference to me as like you I am still doing all the same things but soon i will start to put my foot down and say NO.. I work with all men and they are just clueless and selfish at the end of the day.. about time they did their share of the work!!

 

[lmwarr]

Too right Annemarie. It must be a man thing i also work with all males and they are totally useless. They run out of milk today and expected me to go to the shop to get some more for them!! I told them i did not want a cuppa and if they did then they knew where the shop was. They were not happy but eventually went.

For some reason making tea is such a big thing for them i think it cos i am a woman they think its my job. It is one of the things that i am definately going to stop doing. I know it does not sound hard to make tea which it is not but dont think i should be going up and down stairs with trays of tea. By the time i get upstairs i am so out of breath its unbelieveable!

 

[Minxy]

Hi Imwarr, have you decided yet?

I told work today I'd like to go 14/7 when I'll be 34 weeks. Was gonna go closer but this heat wave is giving me a dose of reality!

My job (tutoring) is pretty sedentary, but I'm on public transport and the journey in birmingham rush hour tyraffic is killing me!

Good Luck, let us know what you decide xxx

 

[newbump]

I was going to work til 38 weeks, but Max decided he would be be 3 weeks and 2 days early, so I did reach that far!!! I was tired but luckly I work in an office and got to sit and rest a lot when i needed to!

I think it really depends on your job and how you feel

Natalie x

 

[lmwarr]

Think i will leave when 35 weeks which seems to be around about when everyone else is taking theirs. 5 Weeks off before birth i will be bored i think. Everyone i know works and i will have nothing to do.

 

[KatysMummy]

Hi Imwarr

I'm taking mine at 35 weeks even though I've cut down on my hours at work. Although I don't want to spend too much time hanging about theres always bits I can do such as wash the mountain of bedding & clothes we have bought for our little girl!!

I am lucky & get 6 months full pay, & 6 months no pay. I was only planning to take 6 months coz of the money, but I saw today that we might be able to take some payment holidays on our mortgage that may allow me to have a bit longer. Has anyone else done this?

 

[hayley]

i've decided to finish at week 37... use up 3 weeks holidays so maternity starts on my due date... i still have another week of holidays to take so i've decided to take this week off - when i go back i only have 3 more to do... hoping this week off will re-energize me!

but as the others have said it depends on your job and the travelling and basically how you feel in yourself...

You shouldn't be carrying cups of tea up and down stairs thou... what if you lost your balance... tell them that stops now! lazy B-------...

Anna Marie - how did your boss take it when you told him your leaving date? i've got this picture in my head of your boss being a big hairy, fat, heavily sweating, over bearing man.. who bullies women (or tries)

x

 

I took mine as asoon as I could, at 27 weeks, but Damien was threatening early arrival which is why I quit work so early. I knew I would not be returning though after he was born so the time at home was spent resting and trying to get him to a safe group for delivery. He was born at 34 weeks so I had 7 weeks off before he came, and 19 weeks afterwards with maternity pay.
But most seem to take it at about 35 weeks if all is going well

 

[fran_23]

i'm leaving in 2 weeks i'll be 36 weeks..i thought would have liked to work a bit longer coz i'm worried i'll be bored but i'm glad actually coz i'm starting to really feel it..my back hurts and i'm tired! plus its getting to work as littleminx said public transport is so hot and crowded plus apparently being 34 weeks pregnant is no reason to sit down..i've been offered a seat on a crowded bus once...once! what is the world coming to?!

i cant believe your job expect you to carry trays of tea up stairs...what world do they live in?? you should drop them on the floor..make out you burnt your feet and call claims direct!...lol just kidding.

 

[Nicky_Jones]

I am 34 weeks, and I have booked my maternity leave to start from the 23 July (due 02 Aug). This is mainly because HR insist on at least 28 days notice to change the date and wanted the start date given 15 weeks in advance of when you start maternity leave. My boss on the other had is great (she has had 4 kids and is really supportive), and is happy for me to take leave and finish when I need to. Thankfully, my job involves sitting around a lot (I am software engineer) and I work in an air conditioned office so if anything it is more pleasant than being at home.

Thankfully, although I work in a male dominated environment all the men I work with have been incredibly solicitous. One guy is giving me a lift whenever we need to work from a different site (which is just over 1hrs drive away), he even comes and picks me up. Another guy emailed me this morning to warn me that he son has Chicken Pox and wanted to check that I had it before I go down to the office he works in tomorrow. I can't believe the guys some of you have to work with.

Thankfully so far I am feeling fine - I am also lucky in that we work flexi time, so if I feel too tired one day, I can just leave early and go home and lie down. This has been the case the last few Mondays, but that is because I end up doing too much at the weekend with the house work, visiting in-laws etc.

 

[Jaidy]

Im a beauty therapist and my job is quite physical and im on my feet all day, thinking about leaving at 35 weeks, is this too early/late in your opinions???

 

[Minxy]

Jaidy, only you'll know if it's the right time!

I'm leaving a very officy based job at 34 weeks cause of the commute, if I was still in retail think I'd have quit by now!

Is it your first baby? If so, it's just so difficult to tell!

As much as we want the time off after the birth, it might be better to leave earlier than you'd like rather than later. I'm finding these last 3 weeks a struggle!

Good Luck with what you decide.

 

[katastrophic]

I'm going at 35 weeks, wanted to work longer but there is no way this baby is going to allow it, it's not giving me a choice, I'm knackered and soooo uncomfortable!!!

Imwarr you better get a date in soon as you are really meant to let them know by twenty five weeks, its normally part of your standard contractual agreement. Don't worry if you haven't, like Nicky you might have to give a date right near your due date but a doctor will immediately sign you off as soon as you start to struggle and if signed off after twenty nine weeks you automatically go on maternity leave and there is nothing HR can do about it!

Good luck and make sure you do what's best for you and that little one!

Kat x

 

[fran_23]

its my last day on saturday, got tomorrow off so i only have 1 day left, i work as a customer care manager in retail so i'm really tired and cant stay on my feet all day anymore or run up the 3 flights of stairs wheni need to wee every 15 mins..lol. i was going to stay another week or 2 but cant manage it and i'll be happy to have that 4 weeks to sort out washing the babies clothes and last minute bits like that.

you can go from 7 months though if you want..i just wanted more time with the baby.