What to do with excess annual leave?

I went back to work off maternity leave last Monday and have managed to use all of my accrued annual leave from when I was off to book one day a week off from the middle of September 2024 to August 2025. This basically means I’ve gone down to 4 days a week but still on a full wage. I found out a few weeks ago that I’m pregnant (10 +3) and thought I’d tell my manager today as I felt bad that I’ve just come back but will be heading off again in April. She was happy for me but asked me to think about what I’m going to do with my annual leave as I’ll have my annual leave from this year, annual leave from when I’m on maternity again and also the cancelled one day a week annual leave. She said I can either use the one day a week leave I have booked from April-September next year and go down to 3 days a week from now until April, take a month or so off before I’m due or just sit on it all and sort it out when I get back in 2026. Obviously I don’t need to make a decision now but I’m just wondering what you guys would do in this position? I know it’s only my second week in work but I actually have enjoyed being back so I’m hesitant to cut my days down even more but I don’t know when I’ll get an opportunity again to have a 3 day work week whilst still being paid for 5. If it matters my daughter goes to nursery twice a week, is with my mum once a week, in laws once a week and with me the last day. With the 15 hours she’s entitled to this is stretched over the year so she goes in for free one day and then we pay for the other day (£150 a month with the VAT deduction).

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I would use it personally, especially if they change their policy and won’t let you carry it over! You don’t know how you’ll feel once having your second baby also! X

If you’re enjoying being back I’d take it off in a bulk before you go off on maternity. I took 5 weeks before my maternity then I’m taking 7 weeks at the end of my maternity to extend my leave. It’ll give you some more time with your October baby before their sibling arrives. I’d defo take it in some form before you go off though whatever you decide as as the above poster said they could change their policy and then you’d lose out. Congratulations btw 🫶🏽

Just a note that with your child being in nursery and it still being early days you're quite likely to experience them getting ill a lot over this first winter. It can be tough. You might need to take a fair bit of annual leave to be off with her when she can't attend nursery, so personally I would make sure I have enough to cover that

Use it not sure how much you can sell if that's an option but I would use it for babymoon nr2 and annual leave because due date so you an finish earlier

Can you not add it to the begining of your next lot of mat leave so finish earlier? I'd take the 1 day a week til you go off. Then mat extra holiday then the new mat leave. Would that work?

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