When are you going onto maternity leave?

[i.love]

I'm supposed to book my maternity leave soon, but I have no idea when to start it! It's so difficult to predict how well I'm going to feel in a few months! I want to work as long as I can, so I have more time left with the lil one before I need to send him to a nursery. But this is my first, so I really have no idea how long I can realistically keep working...

Was just wondering what you girls do? Do you know when is the average when girls start they mat. leaves?

 

[excited]

Everyone I know with little kids managed to work until a few weeks before their due date. I am due on 23 October and I am planning on finishing on 1st October, taking a weeks holiday before starting my mat leave.

I suppose a lot depends on how you have been so far and what type of work you do. It is also worth bearing in mind you can change your mind about when you start your maternity so long as you give your employer at least 28 days notice in writing.

Hope this helps a little x

 

[i.love]

thx excited! It's an IT job, so physically it's not too demanding. Shame I won't have any holiday leave to use up yet - I'm only starting this job next month.

 

[DW1978]

I don't get paid maternity leave so I'm staying right up until baby arrives. I only do a desk job anyway and last time I felt absolutely fine right up until labour.

 

[Lisa_85]

im taking 9months maternity but have no idea when to start it, im due December 5th, but if the weather was like last year ill find it difficult and dangerous to be driving in the snow to get to work and back, i have 2.5weeks holidays im trying to keep before using my MAT leave but not sure when to put it in... suppose i have plenty of time being only 16weeks now but i like to have things sorted ASAP.

xx

 

[positivity :)]

i work in HR and often have to work out the maternity leave for staff and confirm dates with them.

The most common times to leave is to take some annual leave, a week or two, and then start maternity leave about 2 weeks before due date.
xx

 

[suzzi]

i work in a school so i get 6 weeks off from end july then im going back for september having maternity leave from oct till july then i get 6 weeks again next july!! its great lol couldnt of timed it better.

Im taking about 5 weeks off before baby due as i worked up to a week before i had my son and feel i want time to relax and get myself ready for this one as it was all a rush and felt i went from work to motherhood in the blink of an eye so im going to have some me time x x x

 

[OzGirlNat]

I'm planning on finishing towards the end of October, so probably 3 weeks before my due date.

I've only got 5 days annual leave left as we went to Australia at the end of last year for 3 weeks (our leave runs October/October) so I'll take that the last week in October and then start mat leave in November.

It's hard because, like you say, you don't know how you're going to feel. But hopefully we'll all be blooming and raring to go and not at all huge and knackered

 

[Coco pops]

I am taking nearly 4 weeks holiday before then my mat leave will kick in I want to get out of work asap! I am having 11 months off including all accrued holidays and bank holidays

 

[Bella2]

Everyone I know with little kids managed to work until a few weeks before their due date. I am due on 23 October and I am planning on finishing on 1st October, taking a weeks holiday before starting my mat leave.

I suppose a lot depends on how you have been so far and what type of work you do. It is also worth bearing in mind you can change your mind about when you start your maternity so long as you give your employer at least 28 days notice in writing.

Hope this helps a little x

I'm doing exactly the same in that I'm due 23rd October and starting mat leave 1st October. As this is my first I have no idea how I'll feel and I wanted plenty of time for "nesting" and to get organised. That said I have a desk job so def not demanding x x

 

[littlemiss83]

My last day at work will be 30th of Sept and i'm due 20th Oct. With first I started leave 2 weeks before due date. Last time I only got 6 months off, this time i'll get 11 months on full pay!! Cant wait.

 

[Princess81]

Gawd, I'm wanting to work right up until the baby is born and take all the time off after baby is here, maybe I'm deluded lol!

 

[tinks77]

I'm finishing the week before and tagging a months annual leave on at the end.
I get 6 months full pay At my rate now but have to do 1 month service at usual hours to get it and since I'm going back part time my leave counts as normal service
Luckily my leave year runs august - july so that's handy lol

 

[LaurenMM]

I'm due Oct 31st so I'm gonna take a weeks hol and leave on maternity end of September. Although, a friend of mine left for her maternity 2 months before her due date, because we're on our feet all day she just said it got too much :S so I dunno what to do really lol. xx

 

[DW1978]

Gawd, I'm wanting to work right up until the baby is born and take all the time off after baby is here, maybe I'm deluded lol!

Don't worry hun, as long as you have a good pregnancy you should be fine. I'm going to be doing the same and I did that with Lennon too. I worked 7.30am-12pm on the Friday, had my hair cut, cleaned our flat and painted the kitchen wall and then went into labour at 8pm that night (I was 39+0 weeks).

 

[knopk@]

Jumping in from the other section, but do what you think is right, if the job isnt too stressful or demanding, you can work right up to the due date but I have decided to go at 33 weeks (well, oficially I stop at 31 weeks and then holiday), I am a recruitment consultant and I need to meet people all the time and the job is quite stressful plus I want time to myself and actually prepare for the arrival of lo, we are still settling in our new house as well.

 

[Hemera]

I'm planning on starting mat leave at 34 weeks, but have a week holiday off before. My job isn't all that demanding but its long hours on my feet all day and I'd also like a few weeks to myself before my world gets turned upside down
I'm also donig an OU course which has an exam 4 days before my due date so will use the spare time to get the final essay done and revise my arse off. fx baby is on time so I won't have to resit the exam in April.
Also theres so much to be done around the house, decorating etc that i'm sure those 6 weeks will fly by!

 

[Kelly281]

I'm planning on taking holiday leave from 36-39wks and then maternity leave at 39wks onwards. I have an office job, sitting at a desk all day so I'm hoping I'll cope. If not I can move my holidays about so I leave earlier.

Only 10wks to go!

 

[jomc]

Im due 14th Dec... my train ticket runs out 8th Nov so Im going to try and finish up then and take some holiday first.
Will have to see how I feel as I have a two hour commute to work each way so will have to see closer to the time.

 

[i.love]

thanks everyone for your replies. I booked my maternity leave from 3 Oct (Due 1 Nov). Hope it's not going to be too difficult to keep going to work at 8 months..