How early is too early to go on maternity leave?

[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!