Mums when did you go on maternity leave?

chickaroonee

I’m a first time mum to be and had planned to work til quite close to my due date (approx 3-4 weeks), mainly for financial reasons. We can get by on one wage, but obviously two is better, even for a few weeks or so more. However, the last couple of weeks I’ve started to feel incredibly tired and my family and DH have been suggesting I leave work a bit earlier (around 33 weeks, taking 3 weeks holiday then starting mat leave). It’s so tempting but I can’t help but think it’s too early, particularly as I’m just tired not ill as such(although I do have a medical condition that’s being monitored, it’s not causing any probs as yet and may never do). And as baby might not even come til week 42 it seems a bit early – I earn more than DH and feel I should keep working a few weeks more.

I wondered when others went on mat leave, and if they wished they’d stayed later or gone earlier? I know it depends a lot on when the baby comes, but I’d be really interested to hear others’ experiences.

Money_maker

I started mine quite early, around 5 weeks for No.1 and 7 weeks or so for No.3. Spent most of the time waiting for no. 3 sleeping! Would get about 3 hours in the afternoons. Glad I did it.

I know some leave it til the last minute - perhaps not very demanding physically jobs or the feeling that they are unreplaceable.

If you're getting tired, give yourself a break and take the time. It'll be all go once the little one arrives.

Good luck.

flis21

I planned to only have 2 weeks before hand, but was so ill and tired I took 8 weeks first time and 6 weeks second time. It really depends on how your pregnancy is going. I'm so glad I did take the extra time though, gave me time to sort stuff out and be more relaxed by the time baby arrived.

Chakani

I worked til 39 1/2 weeks, then moved house:eek: Can't say I recommend either.

DS showed up 10 days later.

To be honest, I was dying to leave by the end, and probably wasn't much use really, but money was a concern at the time.

mums_got_no_pennies

I statred my leave with my daughter 3 weeks before due date and then went over 2 weeks,so had around 5 weeks of being very bored,with my son i was asked nicely to leave about 3 weeks before i was due,i was rather large and my boss was worried for me,think they were all just sick of having to squeeze past me all the time.lol.Think taking the holidays may be a good idea,i didnt take my holidays,foolishly thinking i would be able to carry them through when i returned or be paid for them,but i wasnt and lost 3 weeks holiday.If you feel you can cope i would stay as long as possible,but dont over do it as you will need all your strength for when baby has arrived,Good luck

redsquarelady

i planned to work right up till due date... But i ended up not being able to walk due to spd. So i was signed off sick for the last 3 weeks. Like you it was finacial. I wanted as much time off after the birth to spend with my daughter, as my company only paid 90% for 6 weeks then straight to smp. I was lucky that they let me go off sick and not use my maternity leave which they are within their rights to do so as it was a pregnacy related illness.

maysmummy

Finished at 34 weeks with DS(you had to in those days) and 37 weeks with DD.
Glad to finish both times.
With DD my employer asked me to stay on another 2 weeks until locum in place but I said no. I'm glad I did as if i'd stayed, she would have been born the day after I finished work.
Sounds like a recipe for PND to me.

DaisyFlower

I worked until 38 weeks (would have liked to have gone to 39 but my boss was getting nervous lol) and was 2 weeks over. That month really dragged and I would have loved those 4 weeks with LO rather than before.

Happynewmum

I worked pretty much up to the last minute.Finished work on the Fri, gave birth the following Wednesday. Baby was 6days early.

fernliebee

I worked up until 39 weeks as I knew I wasn't going back and wanted to earn as much as poss before DD was born. We managed to overpay on all of our bills to give us some breathing space for a few months after DD was born.

My job was really physical which I didn't mind, but had I had to do a lot of paper work or computer work I don't think I could have stayed so long as my brain was like cotton wool, I don't know how I coped!

DD was then 2.5 weeks late though so got nearly 4 weeks off and I found it really boring. I can't sleep in the day, all my friends were at work, and I had already cooked freezer meals and cleaned the house. I used to try and fill my time so I wasn't waiting around!!!

Curious_George_2

I had to finish at 36 weeks as my job was quite physically tiring and i just wasnt up to it, i had been counting the days and really enjoyed my time off before the baby... (i dont get bored)

luckily for me i didnt work at all through my 2nd pregnancy but if i had of been employed i think i would have left a lot earlier, i felt terrible through the whole thing and was sick day and night every day...