How early is too early to go on maternity leave?

[misty]

Ok this may seem like a strange question. But how early is too early to go on maternity leave? I am a little fed up with my job atm, and am tempted to quit outright, but would rather keep my options open. I intend on taking the full 12 months maternity leave and then make up my mind later about returning. I am thinking of putting in for leave in may (three months before EDD) - but am so tempted to take it even earilier. I am wondering are there any legal issues as to how early you can take maternity leave?

[kelebek]

I am not sure about how early is too early (could you check with HR?) but if you are only going to have 12 months off the earlier you leave then the younger your bub will be when you go back. For instance bub will be 9 months if you leave at 6 months pregnant.

I left with 1 month to go and am now going back and DS is 11 months and it is such a fine line.

[queenbee]

I went on maternity leave when I was 5 months PG, it was awesome, haven't returned and won't be anytime soon

[misty]

Thanks for replying. It doesn't bother me about how old bubs is after, because the job is quite flexible and I only work when my DH isn't, which gives him time to spend with the kids. Last time I only stopped working 5 weeks prior to EDD and only had 4 months off overall, which I really regretted. I thought this way if i take the full 12 months I can always go back earlier if I want to (if I go back at all).

[Captain]

Check with your HR policies. When I did it I used up my annual leave first so while I left at 22wks I didn't start my maternity leave until I was 34wks. But I'd planned for that and had being saving my annual leave for a couple of years. For me it was the best thing I did. My morning sickness almost disappeared overnight and I felt sooo much better.

[Romy73]

I too would like to leave around 30 weeks. This is No3, so I am older, wiser, and feeling more tired too!

My understanding of using your annual leave is that your employer only has to give you a total of 12 months off. You can try to negotiate more time though. There may be variations across states.

I would like to enjoy my two school aged children before our new family member arrives, and I would like to look after myself.

I too have a very flexible workplace, and my job can be done easily from home for the most part. Not sure when I want to go back, but I think I will be taking the whole 12 months!

Talk to your employer, and negotiate your terms.

Good luck and enjoy those last three months before your life is transformed! I will be too!

Romy
DS - 11
DD - 6
ETA - 8/8/09

[echidna]

I just want to say something funny.

How early is too early to go on maternity leave? When you get your BFP?

[LaDeeDa]

Gotta be careful of going too early though....

I went at 34 weeks and I am about to go insane with boredom ....LOL

[paradise lost]

I went off at 33 weeks (never went back and didn't think i would either!) and DD came at 41+4 so i had over 2 months off. I loved it! I swam, i walked, i practiced breathing techniques, i filled the freezer with food for after the birth, i knitted little clothes and finished DD's shawl - i had a GREAT time!

Ironically at 41+3 i was told i'd have to come in for an induction at 42weeks and the ONLY thing i still hadn't done (as we were planning, and in the end got, a home birth) was pack a bag for hospital! I had to go out on the Friday and buy non-scabby pajamas in case i did indeed have to go into hospital. I half-heartedly packed some things for me, but not for the baby and went to bed, and at 3am my waters broke.

Bx

[Maybebabie]

You'll need to check your work's policy. Mine said I had to give 10weeks notice of when i intend to go on leave. Not sure if that's standard, i think the bit that said you needed a doctors note to continue working after 34weeks is fairly standard as the ob office had even mentioned this to me before my work had mat leave policy. Even if your fed up it would be best to follow policy so that should you wish to return it's an option.

This time round i've been even more casual with leave and return dates to a degree. They want me back so they are being flexiable about the return to work conditions which they don'y have to be. I am basically on a i'll come back when i am ready and for as many hours as i am ready. But for financial reasons i'll need to come back at least a couple of days a week relatively soon unless we whittle away at our renovation money which is always an option.

I would have liked to actually have some leave before baby arrived. i was meant to the first time round but she had other ideas. So this time I am struggling to decide whether i just go earlier since i'll have one child at home anyway or try to continue working so i'll have more leave after the baby is born. I'll probably leave at 36weeks, since i have a desk job it's not actually uncommon for people to leave a few days before edd or two weeks before hand.

[mybabylove]

I am thinking of leaving at 8 months but to be honest if I am feeling well at that stage might continue... My work is flexible like that.

I think I might get bored if I have nothing to do at home & would rather be working & around work colleagues. (We all get a long really well)

[Kitt3n]

hee hee the only too early time is before you are yet pregnant!!

but even that isnt too early for some who need to rest to assist conception etc.

if you can do it financially then go for it!

[sarah85]

I'm nearing 30 weeks, and I would give almost anything to be going on leave now. I'm so over work - am sick of being made to feel guilty about the fact that I'll be going in 7 weeks...but it's not like they didn't know! I told my boss when I was only 8 weeks pregnant, so they've had plenty of time to organise an alternative, and THEY STILL HAVEN'T.

I know that at my work place I can start maternity leave from 6 weeks out from my due date...but if i had any annual leave etc I could take that earlier. I don't know if that's the case everywhere?

[misty]

OMG sarah, you don't work where I do do you?? That was exactly how it was for me last time and one of the reasons I am stressing this time.

The worst of it all is I have to put in for my leave, and I will be having at least 3months off before my EDD, but my DH is now telling me that he is going away a fair bit before my leave starts - and that means I will have to find someone to fill in for me alot before I even leave, so now I am feeling guilty about that! GRRR at DH, I don't want to go to work, but I don't want to feel guilty about leaving them in the lurch either - particularly as I am going on maternity leave soon enough anyway.

[TreeTops]

I'm nearing 30 weeks, and I would give almost anything to be going on leave now. I'm so over work - am sick of being made to feel guilty about the fact that I'll be going in 7 weeks...but it's not like they didn't know! I told my boss when I was only 8 weeks pregnant, so they've had plenty of time to organise an alternative, and THEY STILL HAVEN'T.

I'm leaving next Thursday, and my boss hasn't organised a replacement yet!!! I told him at 9 weeks.

misty - it's probably something that's best discussed with your HR department. We had someone here who went on maternity leave when she was 10 weeks pregnant. Long story I won't go into, but yep, 10 weeks!