When did you start maternity leave?

[TreeTops]

I was expecting to see at least one post like this in this area, but can only find one about going on leave with your second. Maybe it's been asked a hundred times in the third trimester area?

Anyway, my question is

"How many weeks pregnant were you when you started maternity leave?"

Did you feel that you left too early, too late, or was it just right?

TIA

[PinkPalace]

Treetops

#1 - 37 weeks
#2 - 32 weeks (i was only part time though and DD was 13 months old).

i think go unti lyou get tired - i was in a physical job and it just got too hard to do the lifting and bending etc.

[jmmum]

Tree Tops,
I went on Mat leave 2 weeks before due date. DD was a few days late and it was very very hot and I did get a little bored. This probably because I had pretty much done nothing but work for the past 20 years.
One thing I would suggest to any one going on leave is look at what public holidays are coming up. With most employers Mat leave is paid as weeks so if just as an example say for you Easter is taken as Holiday Rec Leave the Public Hols would not be debited from leave therefore extending the time you can spend with bub on paid leave. I found the time after bub was born was far more important and precious to me than the weeks before her birth but that's me. Just be sure not to rush back to work if you can help it.

[jmmum]

treetops,

I worked up to two weeks before bub was due. DD was a few days late and it was very very hot. I got bored. Possibly because all I had done for the last 20 years was work.
One thing I would suggest is check out when public hols are. Reason is depending on employer most Mat leave is paid as weeks so even public holidays are counted. So just say you begin your leave just before Easter if you take Rec or holiday leave all you use is the actual work days therefore extending your leave. You need to check limits around when Mat leave needs to be taken my employer states must commence within six month after birth. I found the time spent after DD was born was far more precious than the time before DD but that's me. I would not be rushing back to work unless you have too.

[Tinsel]

I was 36 weeks when I went on mat leave.

Our work enterprise agreement says that we have to go on mat leave 6 weeks before the due date unless we can get a letter from a Dr saying that we are fit to work. I got a letter signed saying I could work up to 4 weeks before my due date but they were reluctant to sign anything. I found the 4 weeks went really fast and bubs arrived 9 days 'late' anyway.

Hope that helps.

[Lulu2]

It was the same in my workplace - had to finish at 36 weeks. I actually found it boring too, but I finished then because I couldn't wait to leave work behind for awhile!

With no 3, I planned to finish 3 weeks early but she decided to come the very night I finished - yep, went into labour at my last team meeting!

I think 3 -4 weeks before you are due is optimal, but the best thing to do is leave some of the planning for those weeks. Most of the time we go nuts and have everything ready by the time we finish work, leaving nothing else to do.

The weeks before baby comes can drag on a little, but its also wonderful time to really slow down, enjoy the anticipation, wash and fold those tiny baby clothes and finish off the nursery. Try not to get everything done too soon ifkwim? Enjoy the pre baby rituals.

[MrsC_Aussie]

is really weird, I found out the other day we can't take maternity leave until baby is born..so if we want to stop work before baby comes we have to take annual leave or unpaid leave..how weird is that?

[MrsC_Aussie]

is really weird, I found out the other day we can't take maternity leave until baby is born..so if we want to stop work before baby comes we have to take annual leave or unpaid leave..how weird is that?

[puppies]

I am lucky as I have a very flexible company that I work for. Plus bump is due in early January. I will stop coming into the office in just 6 weeks, I will be 33 weeks by then, but I will work right up until we break for Christmas but I will do those last 2 weeks from home. So I am on annual leave as per normal and that will take me up until the baby is born (aprox). Then I will be on unpaid maternity leave for 3 months and we will see how we go after that. But the plan is t come back to work after 3 months PT but from home. Then after another 3 months I plan to be back at work FT but a mix of the office and at home. Will see how that plan actually works though!

[Shoegal]

I went on mat leave at 33 weeks. At 38 weeks I went to Perth to have bubs, so had around 5 weeks at home, it was the hottest March ever so I laid under the AC a lot!

[danniellabella]

I went on Mat leave 6 weeks before my due date. DD came 4 days early. I feel it was just right for me. I got to have a break before I had DD. I ended up quitting my job a week before DD was born coz I didn't want to travel all the way to the city for work when I had a baby at home. Now DD is 7 months and I work 10mins from home and have been full time ever since DD was 4 months old. I love it!

[satya]

I went on mat leave when I was 37 weeks. I gave birth at 38 4 so I got a week and a half off work before bubs was born.

The last couple of weeks were a little hard, particularly the last week. I had swollen feet and it got really uncomfortable walking around and I had to go bare foot around the office sometimes as my shoes wouldn't fit.

[Kafer_Girl]

I will be finishing when I am 38 weeks - so 2 weeks b4 bub is due! I am tiered now but I have a desk job and I would rather have the leave after bub than b4. I am looking fwd to finishing now tho!
I work for a pirvate company so I am taking all the AL that I have accrued (7 weeks) and having it part pay for 14 weeks then the reminder of the 6 months off at no pay. Then back to work 3 days a week - thats the plan now - but who knows!!

[fionas]

Two weeks before DD was due - I would have finished a couple of weeks before that though because I was really tired but I had pelvic instability so it was actually easier going to work (they paid for taxis woohoo) rather than sitting at home unable to do any nesting because I couldn't bend or lift anything. I found I was virtually comatose at work until about 11am though so I wasn't super productive!!!

[Tonydayl]

I was supposed to leave at 34 weeks (I worked for Qld Govt) but went into pre-term labour at 31 weeks so had to go on immediate maternity leave and on bed rest. I thought at the time "woo hoo, TV and sleeping and lazing around the pool for 9 weeks". That thought lasted two days, there is only a certain amount of lazing and watching TV a girl can do (IMO anyway, feel free to disagree). I think 34 weeks would have been good.

I'm still on maternity at the moment and am 20 weeks pregnant again so not going back to work.

[Cassius2]

I finished up at 35 weeks on the dot (it was a friday so good timing LOL!). i absolutely enjoyed the time off. it gave me a chance to organise the baby shower at 36 weeks and prepare the invites for our wedding etc. i also used the time to just chill and do some relaxed and indulgent baby stuff shopping.

DD arrived at 38+2 weeks, so i was quite shocked! (being my 1st i just assumed i would be over ). so next time i might go off a bit earlier, especially as i will have DD tiring me out as well as work.

[AliBaby]

I will be finishing at 38weeks but will be having 6 weeks off between 32 and 38weeks for holidays! YAY!

[phoenixml]

I worked from home 1 week before my due date and worked until i was 3 days to my due date.

Depends on how you feel really. I went bowling on the night before i was due.