Maternity Leave

[MelBear]

Hello ladies .. just wondering when you are all thinking of going on your maternity leave. I'm only 20+3 but i'm already so tired!! Work on my feet in a VERY busy shop, if we're really busy there are days i don't sit down for a whole shift (6+ hours). There isn't any room behind our counter for me to have a stool or anything and i'm normally put on till now because it's the only thing i can really do (we only have 1 member of staff on till at once). I feel guilty asking to go and sit down when we're so busy, i am allowed, but i always feel so awkward and i'm the first lady at our store to ever have a baby so even the manager doesn't really know how to act sometimes. Nearly fainted at work the other morning and i'd only been on my feet for an hour! I really want to go on maternity leave as soon as i can, which is .. the beginning of June i think, is 20 weeks too early though?? I don't want people at work to think i'm being a wuss, after all a women is made to carry a child, but i'm so freaking tired!!

Sorry for the long post

 

[Eleanor ace]

20 weeks is super early, but if you're unwell there's not much you can do! Have you had your iron levels and blood pressure checked recently? At 20 weeks your baby is still small so if you're feeling really tired being on your feet it might be your bodies way of telling you you need more iron or something?
How much maternity leave do you get? That was my main consideration when I was pregnant last time, I worked up to my due date as I wanted as much time off as possible with my baby. This time I'm working up to my due date again but I'm a WAHM so its no where near as tiring!

 

[MelBear]

Sorry i obviously didn't word it very well .. i'm not going to stop now, i'm thinking about 30 weeks, just looking ahead i can only imagine how knackered i'm going to be if i'm like this now. Had blood taken at the beginning of the week and everythings fine on the iron front, just think i'm struggling to get used to resting which obviously needs to be done when you're growing a child!!

 

[JessicaM123]

I worked in a shop on the shop floor (a shoe shop so constant moving) and planned on working till 36 but left at 34. i was ready and thought that was a good time

 

[beachgal]

I've just been put on modified duties at work and only allowed to work 4 hours a day. I'm thinking that my dr may put me off work completely by time I'm 30 weeks. I originally planned to work till 34 weeks or so but my Body has other plans!

 

[littlesteph]

i had planned on going on mat leave at 37 weeks but i had to be induced early so ended up going on it a week early so 36 weeks. i left work 5 days before i had my lo

 

[fionar]

I wish I was going right now. The shortest week I've worked in the last month and a half was 58 hours (and I'm in school and I have a 3 year old) and it's getting harder and harder and harder to drag my butt out of bed every morning.

 

[Cherry Bow]

I'm due September so plan on working upto mid Aug then taking annual leave before starting Mat leave as I want to be off with wee one as long as pos xx

 

[missjennakate]

I think I am going to go through the same thing as you as I also work in a busy shop. I'm one of the people they rely on for doing a lot of the physical tasks too and I am already worried about going up 7ft ladders!!!

I haven't told them yet as I am worried about how they will take it. I have told a few of my work mates who are more friends than anything and I know I can trust them but haven't told any of the management. My manager is a mother of two but now in her 60's and she isn't very understanding with the other parents who work at the shop hence why I am worried! A man who works with us wanted a morning off to go to the scan with his wife and she had the cheek to say to him "Do you have to go?!"

I am also on my feet all day and constantly heavy lifting, going up flights of stairs and up ladders.

By law you should be able to have more breaks and sit downs. No matter how they make you feel that is a pregnant woman's rights.

I am also worried about when to start my maternity as when I am heavily pregnant is when it is our busiest and most stressful time. I am worried the stress won't do me any good.

Lots of worries!

 

[missjennakate]

Also I am due 15th november. I booked a week off the beginning on Nov and was going to have my maternity follow that week off but that would mean I would be working up until the 38th week of pregnancy which I don't think will be manageable.

I have two weeks holiday remaining at work and want to use them before my maternity begins. My boss also has issues with us changing holiday dates and always kicks off when we do so that is another issue I'm going to have to deal with! That's before she knows I'm pregnant and not going to be working for a whole year. Then I only intend to work 3 days a week due to child care. Don't think she is going to be happy. But they can either accept it or I will find a new job after maternity leave!

 

[MumMumMum]

With DD1 I planned to work until 38 weeks. I changed it to 36 weeks quite late on and it turned out it was the right thing. I was in hospital at 36+2 with severe pre-e. I was induced at 36+5 and again at 36+6 and had DD at exactly 37 weeks.

This time I thought I'd go to 36 weeks again. But, I've been tired working full time and looking after a toddler. My DH starts work earlier and finishes later than he did last time too so I changed it to 34 weeks.

If you are tired I learnt the hard way that it's not worth pushing it. Finish when you feel you can't go on but won't be worried about the time off after.

For me the time isn't wasted as I'll get some valuable one on one time with my DD1 before baby arrives.

 

[Sarahdisco]

I'm intending on working till 38 weeks. My mat leave start date is my due date and I've got 2 weeks annual leave to take before then.

I also have another 2 weeks annual levae so if I get too tired I can go at 36 weeks but work have said they'll pay me for any days I dont use so I'm trying not to use them (the money will get paid just before Christmas so will be pretty handy!)

The main problem I have right no is that I have ZERO levels of concentration. The slightest little thing has me distracted!

 

[jellybean87]

I am starting mat leave at 36 weeks. And using all my annual leave before that so will finish at 32 weeks (can't wait!!)I was going to take it all 2 weeks later because I only work 12 hrs a week but I have severe SPD and am on the go constantly at work and cannot physically manage much longer.

 

[RaisinKane13]

I planned on working until the second that I gave birth. However, overdue and woke up today feeling horrible. I called work and told them that for the rest of the week I was taking personal time. I am getting induced on Saturday, so my official start day for maternity leave will be on monday. I only get 6 weeks though

 

[ch3l]

Hiya,

I work in a shop too and I'm 14+3 and already struggling. I am due 1st October and I am starting mat leave September but having the whole of August off as holidays.

I work 9 hour days so only get to sit down on my hour lunch. I can feel my hips aching and my ankles are sore. I will be about 30 weeks when I finish too.

Can you add holidays onto the start of your mat leave? So you don't start maternity pay straight away?

 

[MelBear]

Yeah i'm thinking about adding all of my holiday on, think i've got quite a bit left over from last year which work said they would transfer over rather than me losing it. Just waiting to hear from HR so i can actually sort it all out!! Even if they don't i'm going to finish at the beginning of june, so i'll be 30 weeks .. if they let me use my holiday then maternity leave shouldn't start until at least 34/35 weeks.

Me and my partner have our own business and hopefully we'll be able to be at a point where i can join the day to day running after my maternity leave is up, i'd be working from home, so really finishing early from my current work won't stop me having time with baby.

I think thats what i'm going to do, i just want it all sorted for definite so i can relax and look forward to finishing so i can prepare for my little one