Question for working mums

liney

I was supposed to work until 4 weeks before, but had to finish 6 weeks before due to illness. I was induced 2 weeks after due date, then went back to work 6 months later plus 2 weeks holiday tagged on. I now work 2.5 days per week.

I know many women find seatbelts very uncomfortable as time goes by.

tru

Counting_Pennies wrote:

Not wanting to sound picky, but it is illegal to work until two weeks after the birth.

I didn't know that :eek:

I couldn't find any info about it, but I did find this -

You are allowed to do another job during your maternity leave, providing you follow any rules at your workplace about doing a second job. However, if you are still receiving maternity pay you may not be entitled to receive it during any week that you work.

I was paid wages and maternity pay, I had no idea. My son's 16 now, maybe the rules are different now

clairec79

I worked in an office, first baby I worked till 36 weeks, had two weeks annual leave then started my maternity leave at 38 weeks (and had baby 6 days later)
Second baby fnished at 36 weeks (started maternity leave then, think this baby would come early too - she came at 41+1) - I could have done with staying a little longer - it meant I went back at 3 months and for me that was too soon (the 4 months I coped with), it also meant I gave up breastfeeding earlier than I wanted to as I didn't want to carry on breastfeeding and expressing at work
Third baby - worked till 36 weeks - but leave had gone up to 6 months so had 5 months off - that time I carried on feeding him and expressing, it was hard work at times but can be done.

What I did was from about 33/34 weeks was take Wednesdays off on annual leave so did two days in a day off, my final week I booked off Tuesday and Thursday so was doing every other day - I think I could have carried on longer if I wasn't walking 2 miles to work

Janepig

I'm not sure if it's strictly "illegal" to work for two weeks after giving birth, for instance if you're self-employed, or working off the books or something, but certainly where I work that is stipulated in the maternity policy. It is definitely worth checking your insurance though because something like that may be contained in it, and also having had two c-sections myself I know you're not allowed to drive for six weeks.

liney

Extract from 'Yourpeoplemanager.com'

It is unlawful for a woman to return to work within 2 weeks of giving birth (4 weeks for factory employees). A woman who wants to return to work before the end of her maternity leave period (either OML or AML) must give her employer at least 28 days' notice previously this notice period was 21 days.

abbecer

I think it depends entirely on how you feel and what your circumstances are. With my first pregnancy i finished work at 30 weeks and 27 weeks with my second. I would have rather worked till a lot later but was unable to. I worked in a nursing home for the elderly which was very short staffed. I was continually having to compromise my safety as the home was fairly ill equipped for moving and handling. In the end i felt so ill that my midwife insisted i went on the sick. I still felt as if i was letting the residents and my collegues down but understood that my baby was most important. I returned to work when my eldest was 1 year old and went back when my youngest was 5 months old. However due to childcare issues i finished work and have stayed at home since. Money has been very,very tight but i am glad i have time with my boys and it's no-one else seeing their milestones. I now have my own business working from home and it fits in well. It's early days and my income is far from huge but it does mean i don't have to go out to work. My eldest is in nursery and so far i have been able to attend all nativities, fund raisers etc and to me that has been worth the financial hardship.

Please, please don't think i am critisising anyone who needs or chooses to work, i'm not. Everyone and their circumstances are different and you need to do what is right for you.

Rebecca x

crispeater

with both of mine i left a week before they arrived and took a full year off.. im due to go back in september i also reduced my hours after both children as there was no way i could cope with fulltime work, travelling 1hr each way and looking after 2 kids on my own! lol

Motherof1

Congratulations on your pregnancy....with me I became very tired towards the end although my goal was to stay at work as long as possible so that I could have more time off afterwards. I worked up until 3 weeks before but my daughter was born 1 week late. Most people say they will go back to work afterwards but its a very difficult decision....can you afford to be off for longer than say 6 months? I think I found a balance by working part time only. The money isnt that good but once you have paid childcare costs it isnt always worth it in some cases. You mentioned that your'e self employed...is it relatively safe to be out and about with learners? say in 6 or 8 months?

Wish you all the best whatever you decide.

inkie

With baby no 1 - I had to leave at week 29 as I was on sick with sciatica - and went back when she was 10 months old.

Baby no 2 - I worked up until 37 weeks (infact the last shift that I worked was a night shift on labour ward delivering a baby in the room where I gave birth myself 1 week later!) I went back to work when she was a year old.


When I returned the second time - I returned on 3 days/2 nights per week, and used up hols which I had accrued during mat leave - therefore, I in effect went back on 2 dya/1 night per week for quite some time after!
HTH

rainbowrisin

Like most other posters have said - it depends how you feel. I left work a fortnight before first baby was due, then had six months maternity but went self employed at the end of it. With baby 2 I had a home birth, so worked until I went into labour and was taking a work related phone call an hour after the birth - that said, the nature of my work is that it doesn't involve much "out and about" and is mainly e-based.
I was fine driving the day after both of mine - but they were normal labours. If you can, I would try and have a complete break for at least 2 months after the baby, incase you have a c-section and also because the sleep deprivation takes it out of you and i'm not sure how safe it would be to be teaching driving after a few broken nights:eek:
It may well be that after a couple of months you feel able to gradually begin to build business up again - depending on childcare arrangements, breast feeding or otherwise, your health, and how badly you need the money!
Sorry if that's a vague answer, but every woman, birth and baby is different - some of my friends were champing at the bit to get back to work within 3 months of giving birth, other people (like me), had a baby and never went back!
Best wishes for a healthy remainder of pregnancy and a healthy baby at the end of it all.;)
PS It is illegal to work if your employer is paying you maternity benefit and / or if you are in receipt of SMP, but, as far as i know it is not illegal to work per se