Maternity Leave

I’d recommend going for as long as you can, I took my maternity with my first 4 weeks before my due date and then she was a week late so I felt like I’d wasted my leave 😅 with my second I stayed until the week before my due date he came only 4 days late but then I felt I hadn’t spent enough time with my eldest before her little brother came 😭 I also saved all my holiday to prolong my leave rather than using it at the beginning so keep that in mind! You might want to ease yourself in rather than wind down!

I’m due 30th Dec so plan to work all the way up to Xmas, have Xmas week as annual leave then start my maternity leave on my actual due date

My due date is 13th December, I am hoping to work right till end I do have holidays so plan on take them aswell xx

I’m due 24th December, I’m planning on taking my maternity leave from 23rd December but using my 9.5 days annual leave I have left before that. So I would work the morning of Monday 9th and then I’ll be off then. 9th PM - 20th would be annual leave and 23rd onwards would be maternity. (If all goes to plan as my first was a month early so I didn’t get a choice on maternity leave then!)

I’m due December 25th but having a planned c-section 1-2 weeks before. I’m working until 10th November - having a week annual leave so officially starting maternity leave on 18th November. I work in a hospital on an elderly ward - I work x3 12.5 hour nights (in a row, due to childcare reasons and cannot change this) it’s heavy going so I’ll be lucky to make it that far 🥲😅

Im due the 6th of December and ive decided to leave at my 36 week mark so the 14th of November, just to allow myself a few weeks to sort everything, also i know standing for long hours will probably be really uncomfortable by then 😅

I’m due on the 12th I’m taking annual leave from the 15th of November to the 12th of December and starting maternity on my due date😊

Where I work we aren't allowed to work 2 weeks before due date and I had a week of annual leave attached to that. Honestly those 3 weeks where bliss! By 28 weeks I was done!

Due date twin! My last working day is 22nd November. I’ll have 2 weeks annual leave then start my official mat leave on December 9th.

I’m due 11th Dec and planning to finish on the 29th Nov so same as you! I wfh so shouldn’t struggle with this but will see nearer the time. I did pretty much the same with my first who came on his due date and it worked fine ☺️

I’m going dead early this time! My first I planned to work til DD (office job) but Covid hit… I fell pregnant 3months PP so never went back to work… I only went back to work in September this year when my youngest was a little over 2! This time (again I work from home mainly) I’m finishing end of September, so I’ll be around 34 weeks.. I’m taking 2 weeks as holiday and then 4 weeks maternity before babies due. However my last 2 kids came early at 39 weeks and my midwife thinks this one will come early also! I just cba to work haha, if I could finish now I would 😂😂

I'm due the new Year's Eve but in discussion for a planned c section due to problems in last birth so I'm hoping to finish up the beginning of December, I work 4 shifts one week and 3 shifts the next in a care home nightshift 12.5 hours. I also have a weeks annual leave in Oct and Nov and a week left to take at beginning of maternity leave x

God you’re all organised 😂😂😂

My due date is the 3rd of December but I’m actually starting my annual leave the 13th of October. It may seem super early but I’ve been told I could be induced as early as 36 weeks so I want absolutely everything to be as organised as possible. I’m taking just shy two weeks annual leave before starting my proper maternity leave xx

Thanks everyone! I’m planning to use annual leave to have a phased return back to work aswell - we accrue all of our annual leave allowance while we’re off on maternity so planning to use some at both ends!

I'm due the 31st of December and I'm a teacher so I'm hoping to work up until the school holidays and then have mat leave kick in when baby arrives x

That sounds like a good plan! I worked till the week before my due date and feel like it was a little rushed as I went into labour 6 days after (thought id be late tbh). But taking those spaced out days off will be really good I think! Be sure to treat yourself to some nice dinners and quiet outings, spend time with your partner, go to the movies! We were still in covid times during my first pregnancy but thats one thing I wish I could have enjoyed before, you never really have that back where its just you two, or even just you.

It all depends on your occupation and how you're feeling in your body during your pregnancy. I was a care worker at the time and when I had my first, I requested my maternity leave to start a month and a half before I was due and I'm so glad that I did.

My due date is the 9th and I’m officially on maternity leave from the 2nd. But I’ve to use all my carrier over leave from my first, so I’m on annual leave from October 24th. Excited to take some extra one on one time with my oldest and just chill out a bit before the chaos starts!

My due date is the 31st, I’m starting mat leave on the 16th and using annual leave up before that to take all of December off. I’ll have accumulated annual leave whilst off so won’t need to go back until Jan 2026

I'm a teacher so will just get the 9 months, so going to start as late as possible.

@Lauren I'm planning to do the same - use my holiday for a phased return Oct-Dec. I should be able to give myself a short week for the last 3 months of the year and start full time again from Jan 2026. I think a phased return will be easier!

I’m a little different as I’ll have a planned c-section relatively early (T1D). If all goes to plan I’ll have a date secured and will use annual leave the week leading up to it and then maternity leave when baby is here. I’ll be winding down beforehand and doing more WFH and handing things over to my maternity cover so the last few weeks will be quieter for sure!

I’m due 23rd December and I’m gunna go on maternity leave mid November cause I don’t like my job but it’s about as early as I can feasibly go without the end of my maternity leave being miserable due to being broke 😂 if money were no object I think I’d go bang on the 7th October on the first day I’m allowed to!!

Oh to add I don’t have any holiday left because I found out I was pregnant on my second holiday of the year and my cousin who lives in another country is getting married this summer so I’m screwed.