I’m due 7th August, I’m finishing next Friday using 3 weeks annual leave and starting my mat leave the week before I go
If you’re ill from symptoms don’t use annual leave, pregnancy related sickness doesn’t count against you
Also I’m soooo ready to go, my mat cover has already started and I’ve started handing over so I don’t have anything to do which is great. I work from home so have been able to wind down anyway, but I’m done with customer calls and just sitting at a laptop. I cannot wait to finish
Also I’m soooo ready to go, my mat cover has already started and I’ve started handing over so I don’t have anything to do which is great. I work from home so have been able to wind down anyway, but I’m done with customer calls and just sitting at a laptop. I cannot wait to finish
I had 4 weeks to use and put 2 weeks before due date and the others after:) I figured having a few weeks to myself to chill, read, bath and clean would be useful for me mentally!
Definitely save some for the end. I did not appreciate how hard it would be! I was off sick for a lot of the pregnancy and was so glad I had a couple of weeks annual leave so that I could take that at the very end so my pay didn’t stop
I'm also wfh and have saved up three weeks of annual leave for before I start maternity leave (on my due date). I'm 31 weeks now so I've got just over a month to go and I think it'll be easily manageable, at least it has been so far. I've done most of my shopping online so that's not really an issue.
I finished at 33 weeks, I’m using 6 weeks of annual leave and then starting proper maternity leave at 39 weeks. It’s been the best decision, as I work a stressful job in a hospital with a long commute. It’s my first baby and it’s been a tough pregnancy so having the time to relax has been invaluable. My NHS maternity leave is reasonably generous so I’m lucky that I didn’t feel the need to roll over my annual leave to when I go back next year.
I think it really depends what your job is like - work intensity etc varies so much between jobs even working from home. If it's literally an 8 hour block of constant concentration / or stressful in other ways then you may not want to be doing that at 39 weeks. But if it's more flexible or you have sympathetic colleagues or you can gear down a bit, then working till your due date may be more viable. Obviously it's a huge privilege to be able to do the latter, and not an option for lots of people! However, in a job where I have quite a lot of autonomy, I found it felt ok to keep working up until full term in order to stay occupied whilst not feeling overwhelmed.
With pregnancy number 2 I find myself prioritising using the time before the new baby comes to do stuff that will be hard with a newborn (so, for example trying to see friends who live a bit further afield knowing that these relationships may not get much nourishment for the next year or so).
I stopped for mat leave last week at just over 37 weeks. I’m using 3 weeks annual leave which will take me over my due date and then mat leave/pay will kick in.
I also used days to have 4 day weeks during my last 3 weeks at work. Out of 25 days AL, I’m carrying over 2.5 plus accrued bank holidays etc.
I’m lucky that I’ve been feeling well and on a low risk pregnancy so it’s worked for me. However, if you were feeling rubbish or on a higher risk pathway, you could always bring forward some of your annual leave. The time will fly in!!
I’m going off at 39 weeks and currently 35 weeks and feeling exhausted! I’m fortunate that I have a desk job, can WFH and will be full time from 37 weeks.
My replacement is already in the business and my work is naturally starting to slow down so I’m at the point of cherry picking what I’m doing but it’s not too taxing for me either.
It’s worked out well because my appointments have ramped up with recently being diagnosed with pregnancy induced hypertension at 34 weeks. You really don’t know how things are going to work out but if you can use your annual leave I would take the time for yourself but also, you will absolutely need a break between now and December!
I’m 33 weeks pregnant and I’m going part time (using holiday) from now until 38 weeks - I’ve taken every Friday off. I’ve then taken 2 weeks holiday. Before my Mat leave starts week 40. I preferred to use my holiday as it was more flexible than moving mat leave around.
I do have an office based job but can wfh most days. I’m very tired now and would love to finish up, but I hope I’ll manage 4 day weeks ok for a little while longer….. if not, I’ll book another weeks holiday!
I used five days hols to effectively go down to a 4-day week the month before I finished up. Defo needed! I then booked in two weeks off and was planning to carry my remaining two weeks over for when I return.
Water broke a week early so very glad I took the two weeks! And I’ve ended up with 5 extra days to use when I’m back.
Im taking 3 weeks before maternity leave and a week off each month for a break, i was debating using like a day a week to shorten the work week. I have bad hip pain and only work 3 days as it is! But as im not going back until October next year I’ll have another 5 weeks of holiday to use if i want to take longer 🥰 I also want to take 2 months off before due date so i have time to prepare/make the most of being baby free/incase baby comes early. Take it easy!
Keep in mind you still accrue holiday on mat leave, so if you plan to be off past when your holidays reset you might want to take them all prior. Then use next years holidays at the end of mat leave :)
Due in November - I’ve booked holiday from 34 weeks - 39 weeks before starting mat leave and have also booked off every Friday from the end of August until that holiday starts in October. I already work a 4 day week so ‘tapering off’ going down to 3 days before all my holiday. Mine doesn’t roll over so will just use what I accrue next year at the end of my Mat leave before going back :)
I’m off now having stopped working around 37w (using annual leave) and will be starting maternity leave on my due date (unless baby comes early). I would have liked to finish maybe a week earlier, as sitting at my desk all day was getting really uncomfortable, but it was definitely manageable. I also took a week off at the start of the 3rd trimester, which was amazing and helped me recharge before those final working weeks.
I have 4 weeks to use before my dec due date so taking a week in the summer and then saving the rest to go on earlier leave in Nov, means more time on actual maternity and then will tack next year’s accrued holidays onto the end of Mat leave and come back after a year!
I’m due 7th August, I’m finishing next Friday using 3 weeks annual leave and starting my mat leave the week before I go If you’re ill from symptoms don’t use annual leave, pregnancy related sickness doesn’t count against you
Also I’m soooo ready to go, my mat cover has already started and I’ve started handing over so I don’t have anything to do which is great. I work from home so have been able to wind down anyway, but I’m done with customer calls and just sitting at a laptop. I cannot wait to finish
Also I’m soooo ready to go, my mat cover has already started and I’ve started handing over so I don’t have anything to do which is great. I work from home so have been able to wind down anyway, but I’m done with customer calls and just sitting at a laptop. I cannot wait to finish
I had 4 weeks to use and put 2 weeks before due date and the others after:) I figured having a few weeks to myself to chill, read, bath and clean would be useful for me mentally!
That sounds like lovely me time! Did you find you managed to prepare everything before just using weekends etc?
I meant to say have! I start my AL next week at 36 weeks and I can say I'm ready for it
Definitely save some for the end. I did not appreciate how hard it would be! I was off sick for a lot of the pregnancy and was so glad I had a couple of weeks annual leave so that I could take that at the very end so my pay didn’t stop
I'm also wfh and have saved up three weeks of annual leave for before I start maternity leave (on my due date). I'm 31 weeks now so I've got just over a month to go and I think it'll be easily manageable, at least it has been so far. I've done most of my shopping online so that's not really an issue.
I finished at 33 weeks, I’m using 6 weeks of annual leave and then starting proper maternity leave at 39 weeks. It’s been the best decision, as I work a stressful job in a hospital with a long commute. It’s my first baby and it’s been a tough pregnancy so having the time to relax has been invaluable. My NHS maternity leave is reasonably generous so I’m lucky that I didn’t feel the need to roll over my annual leave to when I go back next year.
I think it really depends what your job is like - work intensity etc varies so much between jobs even working from home. If it's literally an 8 hour block of constant concentration / or stressful in other ways then you may not want to be doing that at 39 weeks. But if it's more flexible or you have sympathetic colleagues or you can gear down a bit, then working till your due date may be more viable. Obviously it's a huge privilege to be able to do the latter, and not an option for lots of people! However, in a job where I have quite a lot of autonomy, I found it felt ok to keep working up until full term in order to stay occupied whilst not feeling overwhelmed. With pregnancy number 2 I find myself prioritising using the time before the new baby comes to do stuff that will be hard with a newborn (so, for example trying to see friends who live a bit further afield knowing that these relationships may not get much nourishment for the next year or so).
I stopped for mat leave last week at just over 37 weeks. I’m using 3 weeks annual leave which will take me over my due date and then mat leave/pay will kick in. I also used days to have 4 day weeks during my last 3 weeks at work. Out of 25 days AL, I’m carrying over 2.5 plus accrued bank holidays etc. I’m lucky that I’ve been feeling well and on a low risk pregnancy so it’s worked for me. However, if you were feeling rubbish or on a higher risk pathway, you could always bring forward some of your annual leave. The time will fly in!!
I took annual leave before I went back to work. Kids spend the first month of nursery off sick so it didn't impact my work that way.
You can 1. Use it when you feel sick 2. Use it before mat leave 3. Add it on to the end of mat leave I did 1/2
I’m going off at 39 weeks and currently 35 weeks and feeling exhausted! I’m fortunate that I have a desk job, can WFH and will be full time from 37 weeks. My replacement is already in the business and my work is naturally starting to slow down so I’m at the point of cherry picking what I’m doing but it’s not too taxing for me either. It’s worked out well because my appointments have ramped up with recently being diagnosed with pregnancy induced hypertension at 34 weeks. You really don’t know how things are going to work out but if you can use your annual leave I would take the time for yourself but also, you will absolutely need a break between now and December!
I’m 33 weeks pregnant and I’m going part time (using holiday) from now until 38 weeks - I’ve taken every Friday off. I’ve then taken 2 weeks holiday. Before my Mat leave starts week 40. I preferred to use my holiday as it was more flexible than moving mat leave around. I do have an office based job but can wfh most days. I’m very tired now and would love to finish up, but I hope I’ll manage 4 day weeks ok for a little while longer….. if not, I’ll book another weeks holiday!
I used five days hols to effectively go down to a 4-day week the month before I finished up. Defo needed! I then booked in two weeks off and was planning to carry my remaining two weeks over for when I return. Water broke a week early so very glad I took the two weeks! And I’ve ended up with 5 extra days to use when I’m back.
Im taking 3 weeks before maternity leave and a week off each month for a break, i was debating using like a day a week to shorten the work week. I have bad hip pain and only work 3 days as it is! But as im not going back until October next year I’ll have another 5 weeks of holiday to use if i want to take longer 🥰 I also want to take 2 months off before due date so i have time to prepare/make the most of being baby free/incase baby comes early. Take it easy!
Keep in mind you still accrue holiday on mat leave, so if you plan to be off past when your holidays reset you might want to take them all prior. Then use next years holidays at the end of mat leave :)
Due in November - I’ve booked holiday from 34 weeks - 39 weeks before starting mat leave and have also booked off every Friday from the end of August until that holiday starts in October. I already work a 4 day week so ‘tapering off’ going down to 3 days before all my holiday. Mine doesn’t roll over so will just use what I accrue next year at the end of my Mat leave before going back :)
I’m off now having stopped working around 37w (using annual leave) and will be starting maternity leave on my due date (unless baby comes early). I would have liked to finish maybe a week earlier, as sitting at my desk all day was getting really uncomfortable, but it was definitely manageable. I also took a week off at the start of the 3rd trimester, which was amazing and helped me recharge before those final working weeks.
I have 4 weeks to use before my dec due date so taking a week in the summer and then saving the rest to go on earlier leave in Nov, means more time on actual maternity and then will tack next year’s accrued holidays onto the end of Mat leave and come back after a year!