Mums when did you go on maternity leave?

chickaroonee

I think I'd rather take the leave together, either before mat leave or after (or probably a bit of both) than work a reduced week to be honest. Work would let me do it, but I'd be bored as I'm sure they'd have given the vast majority of my work to others if I did that, and I'd have so little to do..not that I blame them, but I just don't think I'd feel much better for it, IYKWIM?

Evansangel

OH i forgot to add on mine, the first 4 weeks i loved being off, but the last 7/8 weeks i've been going crazy.

I've even started calling OH at work when he was on break and crying down the phone cause im lonely and bored lol.

x

peachyprice

I worked right up to my due dates, first time unexpectedly, in was due to work another 2 weeks but they arrived early. Second time I finished on the Friday before by planned c-section the following Tuesday.

I think as long as you are fit and well during your pg it's better to have the time after with baby rather than before to sit and twiddle your fingers waiting for it to happen.

mummy_Jay

I was planning to work up to the due date, but ended up finishing early as my DS arrived 5 wks early but I did only finish work 1 and a half days before he arrived. I don't think I'd have coped being at home just waiting for baby to arrive, at least if your at work you can keep your mind busy and your not just waiting.

fernliebee

Curious_George wrote: »

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...

If I had been working during this pregnancy I would have wanted to give up ooooooh about 4 weeks into my pregnancy! First pregnancy I was very fit, not too sick (just every morning, but then felt fine) didn't suffer too much with tiredness etc) This time I feel sick and tired and grumpy all the time, I don't think I physically could have dragged myself to work somedays. Even dragging myself up to take DD out to groups etc has been a struggle. Like someone else mentioned every pregnancy is different and if you feel too tired to carry on it is not giving up. It is hard work growing a baby and just because some people have relatively easy pregnancies doesn't mean you have to downplay how tired you are, give yourself a break. Don't feel bad, a few weeks won't make too much difference when it comes to having to leave LO to return to work.

Guinea_2

I started my maternity leave when I was 38 weeks and 1 day. :cool: This is mainly because this coincided with half term as I am a teacher and also because I have been very healthy throughout my pregnancy. :j I have now been off for just over a week and felt fine last week as it was half term but today I feel pretty weird as all my colleagues have gone back to work and I am at home on the computer!! :eek: I have done all of the housework and am now making up jobs to do!! :rotfl:Hopefully this baby will be on time! :rotfl:

skylight

For 2 I wasn't working, for 2 I was working full-time and ended at 36 weeks. For 1 I was working part-time so finished at 37 weeks. The older I got though, the worse it was for working whilst pregnangt, even part-time.

Glamazon

I planned to work until the week before my due date. Howevr, I developed Gestational Diabetes and was due to be induced at 38 weeks so finished at the end of my 34th week, Jack came at 37 weeks so had just over 2wks off

atwitsend_2

I suffered with my last pregnancy (third child), i left work on mat leave at 27 weeks, took two weeks holiday then mat leave. Not ideal, but I work in sales on commission and the stress of that and some other things was too much to cope with personally. My boss was very understanding but I did feel guilty leaving all my customers. I havent regretted it once, I havent found myself bored at any point ok i do have two other children though so that might be whats kept me occupied :rotfl:

tiamai_d

29 weeks with DS2, but I had been on sick from about 8 weeks. He arrived at 33 weeks though.

It depends on how tired you are, what your job is and what condition you have (is it something that may get worse or may mean baby will have to arrive on time/early?)