When do you go on maternity leave??

[Cracker]

I work for my family business so it is quite hard to just leave for maternity leave and I'll still be doing the odd day here and there, I originally planned on working til week 39 - but have been struggling a bit the last week or so as I am getting so uncomfortable and tired!

So am thinking of stopping at 37 weeks instead? Just wondering when you are all stopping work....

 

[2nd&Last]

I too work for my family business, I stopped work at 36 weeks because I was struggling. But to honest with you I usually pop in a couple times of week for a couple of hours because I'm soo bored at home.

 

[Vicks]

I stopped at 36 weeks and to be honest, have been a little bored at home since. But I had a 90 minute journey to work each way, so am glad not to be doing that anymore and grateful to have a few weeks of relaxing before the LO arrives.

 

[Rebaby]

I have four weeks holiday saved up, so i finish work when i am 31+3 but my maternity leave doesn't officially start until i am 35+3

I have a pretty demanding job (both physically and mentally) and i know i will be more than ready to finish when it comes to leaving this time next month

Plus we have PLENTY to do before LO gets here, so i doubt i'll be getting bored!

 

[bloodbinds]

I started my maternity leave last week!! Lol.
Not too bored yet though luckily!

 

[K477uk]

I started mine at 33 weeks, but only because I teach and it fitted with the hols... But then I would have only gone on a couple more weeks.

 

[purpledaisy2]

I'm leaving at 37 weeks.

 

[Nickij]

I have 3 weeks holiday, so I am leaving work at 37 weeks, but my official mat leave does not start until 40 weeks (my due date).

 

[Anna1982]

start on thursday woohoo!!

 

[florabean1981]

I had 22 days of annual leave to use up, so technically I started mine on wednesday at 32+5 weeks, but officially my maternity leave starts mid september, 3 1/2 weeks before baby is due.
Regardless of the leave, I would've stopped at 36 weeks because my job is very physically & mentally demanding & each day I'm there, I'm technically at risk due to the nature of my job & the nature of the service users (autism, learning difficulties, challenging & sometimes violent behaviour) I support, so I wouldn't have wanted to put myself & my baby at risk.
4 days in I am bored to tears & have written myself a nice long list of everythning I want done to do/have done around the house before bubs arrives, so I'm hoping that keeps the boredom at bay over the next 6 weeks, lol!!!
If you're struggling, rather than go on leave, have you tried cutting back your hours? I dropped mine from 40 hrs a week to 30 hrs a week at 20weeks because I was so tired all the time & it really helped.

 

[Pumpkinb]

I have one week left to work so will finish at 38 +1, to be honest wish I could have made last week my last, finding it hard to sleep at night now and getting up in the morning is tough and day feels like its dragging in.....only 5 days left to work though and at least it give me more time at home when the baby is here.

 

[JShaw]

I'm leaving at 37 weeks too.

 

[lindak]

Im leaving at 37 weeks. But il still be doing a day or two here and there.

 

[Maffie]

I started maternity leave 2 weeks ago but had been off sick since I was 16 weeks. I haven't been too bored as alot of the sick time I was either on hospital visits or too rough to notice the boredom. I do have days now where I feel like I have cabin fever as im not always up to going out. I am trying to do things though so im not bored and my family visit and take me out and oh is trying to do stuff to keep me occupied too.

 

[loulabell84]

im starting mine at 36+2 and i cant wait, however i do beleive i will get bored until LO arrives.

i will sit worrying for 3 weeks i just know it....lol xx

 

[stargazer]

Started mine on fri at 35+2. Was just the right time for me coz I was starting to struggle-and it means i can chill out a bit b4 baby arrives and turns our lives upside down-all for the better of course xx

 

[cloud9mummy]

My plan is to start at 36+1. At work I've been told by different people that I am being 'lazy finishing so early' and also that I should finish closer to due date to spend longer with baby even though I'm hoping to take 12 months maternity leave! My manager was the opposite and was trying to push me into finishing earlier than I wanted!

At my last midwife appointment the midwife sounded shocked that I was leaving it so 'late'! And she said that she thinks I need to reconsider. I was a bit taken aback as I have been feeling well and I don't have a demanding job! Seems everybody has an opinion and they are conflicting!

 

[Maffie]

I think it all depends on the work you do as jobs which are high in pysical labour, or demanding mentally or causes great stress its better to leave earlier.

 

[Kte]

I will be finishing work at 37 weeks, but this will be annual leave / holiday. My actual maternity leave starts on the EDD of 24th October.

I doubt I will get bored as I only have 5 months off and my OH works night shift patterns as he is a HGV driver so he will be home at lunch times every day.

 

[Loubylou]

I am finishing at the end of the week thank goodness as travelling to work is about to finish me off, especially in this heat! I will be 36 weeks then.

I have three weeks leave, then start mat leave the week of my due date. I still have so much to do that I am hoping LO doesn't choose to arrive early!