How many weeks before your due date did you go on maternity?

[Jamie_lee_c_]

Hi ladies just wondering how many weeks you started maternity?
I was planning to work as far as I could and use the 3 weeks holiday I've saved up to run just before my due date comes round,
Problem is a girl I know works in an office and is saying she is taking 5 weeks before DD.
I work in a busy kitchen and I'm on my feet constantly through the day apart from 2 short breaks of 10 mins if I can squeeze them in,
I'm okish for now but I'm only 13 weeks and I'm starting to get really crabby and achey!
Any way I was thinking of taking 6 weeks 3 bring my holiday, 3 maternity, it just sounds a lot? My first pregnancy so I'm not sure if the norm

 

[babyhopes2010]

im a sahm now. but b4 i worked until 34weeks

 

[Pansy]

I'd like to know this too. I have a meeting with my boss on Fri about my "plans" - trouble is I don't have any!! This is my first & I've no clue when I'll be too big to work/drive. I'm thinking maybe 35 weeks??? But this is mainly because I work in education-based job & that takes me to the beginning of the new school year.

 

[Jamie_lee_c_]

I'd like to know this too. I have a meeting with my boss on Fri about my "plans" - trouble is I don't have any!! This is my first & I've no clue when I'll be too big to work/drive. I'm thinking maybe 35 weeks??? But this is mainly because I work in education-based job & that takes me to the beginning of the new school year.

Yea that's my problem, I work in a busy kitchen and to be fair I think it's going to get hard, have you even seen a waddling chef? Ha

 

[bekkie]

1 week and a day before my due date (due date was a saturday, stopped work the previous friday). this time I might take 2, but it really depends on how I'm feeling and what the weather is like, it'd be nice to spend some time at home just with my little guy before #2 arrives

 

[Jamie_lee_c_]

One week? Wow don't think I can do that ha, your like a superwoman

 

[Eleanor ace]

I stopped work on my due date both times. I think play it by ear, see how you feel closer to the time. I imagine working in a kitchen must be so hot and tiring, I don't think I'd last till my due date doing your job!

 

[hels08]

with my first 2 i left a week before my due date as i was in a job where i was sat down all day. this time though i work in a kitchen also, i work 7 hour shifts stood up constantly, we dont really have time for a break but if we do we still dont sit down, just stand and have a coffee. im thinking of going at 34-35 weeks this time, just couldnt do it for as long as i did the first two times in this job xxx

 

[jinglebear]

im finishing up at 36weeks. i work as a nurse and im on my feet all the time so super shattered now. 2 weeks to go til mat leave starts

 

[misshastings]

I'm finishing at 32 weeks and this is my first pregnancy... But i have 4 weeks holiday that i've saved up so my actual maternity leave doesn't start until i'm 36 weeks which is about normal where i work (day nursery looking after 0-5 year olds).

I'm knackered as it is now but you know... 3 more weeks tomorrow x

 

[Jamie_lee_c_]

with my first 2 i left a week before my due date as i was in a job where i was sat down all day. this time though i work in a kitchen also, i work 7 hour shifts stood up constantly, we dont really have time for a break but if we do we still dont sit down, just stand and have a coffee. im thinking of going at 34-35 weeks this time, just couldnt do it for as long as i did the first two times in this job xxx

Well you sound like the woman who knows ha, yes I think I'm going to go around 34 weeks but use 3 as holidays,

im finishing up at 36weeks. i work as a nurse and im on my feet all the time so super shattered now. 2 weeks to go til mat leave starts

I'm soooooo jealous! I'm shattered now, im going to be the worst pregnant person ever, my poor poor fiance ha, Congratulations and good luck

I'm finishing at 32 weeks and this is my first pregnancy... But i have 4 weeks holiday that i've saved up so my actual maternity leave doesn't start until i'm 36 weeks which is about normal where i work (day nursery looking after 0-5 year olds).

I'm knackered as it is now but you know... 3 more weeks tomorrow x

I had 4 weeks but I've booked a week off for my birthday week, my first non alcohol birthday since I could drink haha,
Ah I hope your 3 weeks flys by x

 

[MumMumMum]

I stopped at 36 weeks last time. This time I have all of May as annual leave and my mat leave starts at 38 + 5. I only have three more days in the office and I really can't wait!

 

[Jamie_lee_c_]

Ah I hope it's speedy for you congratulations and good luck and have a nice relaxed few weeks off x

 

[youngy]

Hey Hun I am also a chef, I wanted to use 3 weeks holiday then start my maternity on my due date too.... But OMG I was exhausted! My feet were so sore I could hardly walk, I finished at 34+3 and I'm so glad I changed it! Also with how hot kitchens get in summer, you will feel the heat a lot more, also I kept burning my whites from leaning over the cooker with my big belly! I suppose you got to do what you need ie money wise but maybe keep a open mind? Xx

 

[Jamie_lee_c_]

Ah thanks youngy, I have booked the 3 weeks holiday to run 3 weeks before I'm due so that will give me 6 weeks, and only using 3 maternity weeks up.
I'm getting a little tired standing over stove already, looking forward to the burny bump stage.... Ha

 

[youngy]

That's sounds great
Also I got a little stool to rest on in the kitchen, even if I only had 5 mins on it it helped, my boss joked it was the birthing stool hehe.
Just don't lean over too much..... I've burnt my tops, tea towels & plastic spice jars! I think they were glad to get rid of me in the end ;-) xxx

 

[MindUtopia]

I started about 3 weeks before....it was a good thing because my daughter arrived naturally at 37+5. I was really looking forward to a few weeks off to get organized, but instead I had about 3 days! Go off when your gut tells you to. I was actually originally supposed to have my last day on the day my daughter was born, but decided a few weeks before that that I needed to stop about a week earlier.

 

[Jamie_lee_c_]

That's sounds great
Also I got a little stool to rest on in the kitchen, even if I only had 5 mins on it it helped, my boss joked it was the birthing stool hehe.
Just don't lean over too much..... I've burnt my tops, tea towels & plastic spice jars! I think they were glad to get rid of me in the end ;-) xxx

I think my co-worker Is sick of me already, I got some quite bad MS at around 9 weeks and its only just dying of, I think it's a mix of the food and heat. I keep running of every now and then and he just has to take over ha

I started about 3 weeks before....it was a good thing because my daughter arrived naturally at 37+5. I was really looking forward to a few weeks off to get organized, but instead I had about 3 days! Go off when your gut tells you to. I was actually originally supposed to have my last day on the day my daughter was born, but decided a few weeks before that that I needed to stop about a week earlier.

Well I am using all my holidays and not supposed to book that many together but under the circumstances I was told to give advance warning as we are a small company and its hard to get cover, agency staff are useless!
Good call on leaving early

 

[SurpriseMom2B]

I am finishing work the end of July and ill be about 27 weeks pregnant but won't officially take maternity til the first or second week of August when I am roughly 32 weeks along, I'm lucky to have the flexibility to take the extra 5 weeks off before my maternity kicks in. I was going to work right up to my due date but I work in a restaurant and it's just going to be too warm for me to make it all summer. I'm already starting to have dizzy spells from the heat!

 

[Louise88]

I went at 28 weeks not through choice though I kept getting ill and having week long hospital stays and when my baby was nearly born 12 weeks early when I had a severe blood infection the doctors told me not to go back to work. Before that though I'd planned on staying on at work until 37 weeks