Maternity Leave - when did you start yours?

I will be needing to submit my letter for maternity leave within the next few weeks as we have to give 4 months notice.

I am contemplating leaving at 30 weeks and take my 4 weeks accrued leave first then follow this on with the maternity leave (if I can do it like that). I guess because making it to 30 weeks will be a huge thing I will be wanting to take it really easy once I make the 3rd tri.

Is that unreasonable do you think?

I am already not wanting to drive to one of our offices because its 2 hours from my hospital but won't make a big deal about it until I get further in if I am not comfortable with the distance.

How far did you work into the 3rd tri?

Nae x

Nae do what is best for YOU hun - if you think you need to take it easy from 30 weeks, do it. being 2 hours from your hospital will be rather scary for you later in the piece given the circs with Nikita's birth, so if you want to be closer and/or more relaxed, do it!

ooh, meant to ask - are you going to be birthing locally or heading to Melbourne again? i seen something you posted about spending some time in LRH recently and honestly thought WGH would be closer for you so i was a bit confuzzled!

I started my mat leave at 35 and a half weeks thinking I'd have about 4 weeks off before DS was born but he had other ideas and I only had a week and a half.

I don't think your plan sounds unreasonable. Do what you feel is comfortable and give yourself time to relax and take it easy.

BG - yeah I get around don't I :lol:
Hossy of choice is Warragul its the closest to home and close to DH's work as well. I was sent to LRH because I couldn't get into Warragul for my anti D injection. As for Melb - I never want to go back there unless I have another pretermer (which I am hoping I won't). It is the ghosts of what happened with Nikita that makes me nervous about being so far from Warragul and work know that as well so I am sure when time comes they will be obliging in keeping me closer to Warragul. - fingers crossed anyway ;)

Laranna - hehehehehe yeah I reckon that'll happen with me too :lol:

With DD I worked until 36 weeks, and she was born at 37+3wks. I was planning on doing the big cleaning stuff etc, but DD was born a few weeks earlier than I expected! I was working full time with her pg. With DS I finished at 34wks. I was finding being pg so close to my previous one (DD was only 7mths when I fell pg again) was taking a toll on my body and I was just so much more tired and my body (hips, back, tummy, knees) was just sore! Plus my DD didn't sleep well and I was exhausted and over working. It was hard enough to look after a toddler let alone go to work 3 days a week too.

Nae - in your circumstances, I would do whatever you think is best for you - not what other people do ;)

But since you asked - I work up to 38 weeks usually. Think I worked to 37 weeks with DS but that was only cos the office was closed for the xmas period anyway and he was born in early Jan :)

I'm thinking that since I haven't actually told my boss when I'm due with this one - I'll work up to my due date if my pelvis lets me!! :) Sucker for punishment I am ;)

from my convo's with WGH, if you make 34 weeks they'll let you birth there, and if there are complications with bubba needing SCN and they're busy at the time (so no extra middie on call to look after bub) they'll bring in a paed and arrange transfer you. provided nothing is needing major attention, you can transfer to LRH cos they have the level 2 nursery (WGH have the facilities but not the funding for the staff which sucks sooooooooooo badly!)

we finally got to take a tour there the other week (nice to make 37 weeks almost before you see the inside of a birthing suite!) - it's really surprisingly nice given the age of the hospital! DH was impressed and i was too - i thought LRH birthing suites were nice but WGH are much better set up... am thinking the bath might get a fair workout for pain relief!

the middies there have been fantastic too - no "worry" is too small for them to talk to you which helps heaps when you're anxious...

i'm under Dr McLennan - are you under him or Dr Simon?

I stopped work at 34 weeks and think i will probably do the same next time (maybe a bit longer as wont be working as many days a week as I was doing before DS)

I think 30weeks sounds just perfect. I started mine at 32 weeks and i really enjoyed it. Yes, i got a bit over the waiting for bub to arrive but it was so nice to be able to relax and enjoy those last few weeks of being pregnant. I had to take it easy due to PE but i watched loads of trashy tv and had a few friends on mat leave too whom i caught up with.
Do what feels right for you but i personally think that starting at 30 weeks if you can is a great idea.

do whats right for you nae, but 30 weeks sounds good..plenty of time to take it easy and enjoy your last few weeks.
love rach xxx

I started at 35wks 4days and had DD at 36wks3days so 6days later. I think 30weeks would be good even earlier if you could and want. One of the ladies I work with went of at 26weeks (she is a midwife) didn't know you could go that early so next baby I have I will be looking at going early probably between 28-32weeks. I think in the public health sector where I work under 34weeks you need a dr's certificate which generally isn't hard to get to commence mat leave.

i keep working until I felt like I could not did not want to anymore as I was temping at the time their was no notice period required

I worked up until 2 weeks before due date as I was feeling fine

Nae I finished up at 36 weeks and ended up with 3 weeks off. But what the others have said is right do what feels right for YOU!

I had school holidays for 6 weeks when I reached 31 weeks and then I went back to work for 3 days at 37weeks and it was too hot so I took sick leave for 1 week and then maternity leave at 38weeks. Then DD was born at 42weeks so I already had used up 4 weeks mat leave before she was born :(

Sorry that was a bit long!

I am starting my leave in a couple of weeks when I'll be 30 weeks. People told me that this was too early, they managed to work longer etc, but it's a personal choice.
I actually wish I'd started leave earlier than 30 weeks as my job is very physical & I underestimated how tired & uncomfortable I would be at this stage. But I only have 7 more shifts so there is light at the end of the tunnel!!
Do what you are comfortable with. If you're not willing to drive 2 hours from your hospital then don't - yours & bub's health is more important.

If you can leave at 30 weeks, then go for it! It is absolutely a personal choice.
DH is happy for me to go at 28 weeks, which we discussed before TTC, but now that I'm at a desk job I could probably stretch it out. I'll be 36 weeks at the start of our Christmas break, so that's when work will want me to go. I get the feeling I'll want to go a bit earlier, but we'll just see what happens.
My predecessor worked up til 37 weeks, and did a really bad job of the last 4 or so, and was stressed out of her pants. I don't want that to be me.

I'm going this time at 34 weeks.

With Daniel I left at 28 weeks. I wish I hadn't. It was too early and I spent two months just eating and generally missing out on the social aspect of work.

This time I have three weeks of leave - then I take my mat leave at half pay. This will get me to Feb' paid. Then I can apply for any leave I've accumulated during that mat leave (you still accumulate leave). Then I plan on taking my pro rata at half pay. That will get me to June with money.

Confused?? So am I!!

I am leaving this Friday, at 38 weeks. I wish I could have afforded to leave 4 weeks ago as I have slowly and steadily become more and more uncomfortable. My work doesnt have any paid maternity so it was mainly a financial decision, although I did also think that I would be bored leaving any earlier. Little did I know that by now all I'd want to do is lie on the couch and watch Scrubs re-runs :)

Do whatever works well for you. Good luck

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Little did I know that by now all I'd want to do is lie on the couch and watch Scrubs re-runs :)

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Yay!!! I want to do that when I get pg!!! :lol:

I worked 16 hours a day until I was almost 8 months.
I worked an hour and half from work, and my hours were such that I would get home at about 1am and be up again for work at 7am...
DH was telling me to stop from about 6 months, but I was just happier working, gave me something to do and I LOVED my job...There were also other factors, like the leaving my boss hanging - finding someone to fill my position in a 5-star restaurant is not easy, so that made me stay on aswell.

You need to do what you are comfortable with in the end. And only you know what that is!

Good luck - it is a really complicated decision - I wasnt expecting that ;)

I stopped work at 37 weeks so had 3 weeks off but it was "easier" to go to work than stay home because I had bad SPD so couldn't do anything productive at home (wasn't meant to bend, stand for too long, no walking etc. etc.) Work agreed to pay for a taxi to and from work and I have an office job so that was better for me than sitting at home and looking at all the things that needed to be done but not being able to do them. I was exhausted though. Without the SPD, I probably would have left earlier at around the 35-36 week mark.

So yep, just do what's right for you to be rested, comfortable and not stressing about making it to the hospital.

I have started my leave with both my children as of the first day of the school year (I am a high school teacher). The first time my leave officially started at 36 weeks, this time at 30 weeks. Ed QLD policy says you start leave at 34 weeks unless you have a doctors certificate saying you are still fit. I didn't see the point in going back for 4 weeks before starting leave, especially since I had PE the first time and thought I may need to take it easy again. So since I also had 6 weeks off before my leave I have really been off work since 24 weeks this time. What a slacker! :lol:

30 weeks is definitely not unreasonable. You have to think about your wellbeing and that of your baby. If you will feel more comfortable at home from 30 weeks, completely understandable given your history, then take that time off. I would definitely want to be closer to the hospital too. Peace of mind is very important.

Thanks so much for your replies ladies and as always your wonderful support.
Its interesting seeing the different times at which people had left work.
When I was preggers with NIki I was planning on working to about 36 weeks - she had other ideas for me ;)
Dh has said he doesn't care so much when I stop so I am going to ring the office today and chat with the HR ladies and see if I can take my accrued leave first then follow on with the maternity leave (taken at half pay over 26 weeks).

Evie76 - actually that makes perfect sense to me :lol:. I guess thats the advantage when you're being paid you still accure time.

Thanks again everyone :D

I'm finishing up at 36 weeks. I'm taking 4 weeks annual leave first then 12 months of maternity leave to follow. I think I'm going to struggle working till 36 weeks because I am already wishing I could leave now (at 27 weeks)

If you can finish up at 30 weeks I say go for it! I'm finishing up work at the end of next week, but right now am wishing I had of chosen to finish up at 34 weeks (leave would have started this week). I've taken yesterday and today off sick because I'm absolutely exhausted and have been kept awake for most of the last couple of nights with BH and toilet runs.

BG - I am under Dr Simon, DH teaches his daughter and said that if she was anything to go by then David would be pretty good. We had him last time with Nikita and he was just wonderful with me. The MW are awesome and its amazing that they actually remember you later on as well. I have a few favourites Wilma, Bernadette, Leanne, Jennifer, Ellenor, Lisa actually all of the ones that looked after me (except one pm me if you want her name) they are all soo good.
I love the rooms too, I didn't see the birth suites (thankfully) but the rooms when you recover are great - I told Leanne the MW that when I give birth I want to go back to room 11 :lol: I spent 2 weeks in there I just love it.

Yes they do look after bubs from 34 weeks depending on the bubs needs thats one of my goals is 34 weeks. 30 weeks and I will be happy it feels like a milestone to be out of the 20's. 34 and I get to birth in my hossy of choice. Anything past that is a bonus!!

i haven't met too many of the middies yet - have met Pat (she works with Dr McLennan at his clinic on Tuesdays) and three or four others - the one i seen last week was a bit ditzy but apart from that, i've been happy with all of them! they all seem quite good at what they do - there is no shrugging off your concerns or negating your own thoughts. well, apart from arguing with me last week that i have a UTI and i WOULD get a call from Ob to go on ab's on monday - still waiting... lol

looks like you're halfway to your 30 week goal already - that's a huge milestone hun!

have a friend how birthed two of her three kidlets under Dr Simon and loved him. i'm under McLennan cos he has a particular interest in PCOS and it's impacts during pregnancy so i'm with him. he's been pretty good - have also met one of the GP's that does Ob rotation, and have heard good reports about the other, so i am confident that WGH will be a positive birthing place for us. now i just have to convince gremlin that it's time to come out!

BG - was one of the Gp's Andy Linton?? OMG that man is gorgeous, I use to blush when ever he came into see me on the morning rounds he is so damn fine!!

Thats MW you were talking about - her name didn't start with an H and end with an I ??

nah, don't think it did Nae - i think she was just a bit swamped last week!

haven't dealt with Dr Lindon at all - i've been dealing with McLennan and Sterling out of Traf - but have heard good reports about all the others from friends that have birthed over there...

how bad is it that i can't remember names anymore! damn pg brain

OK - so I rang HR yesterday and foruntately I got one of the girls in there who is pregnant also.
We had a bit of a chat and I found out that yes I can be paid my annual leave then follow that on with my paid maternity leave at a half pay over 26 weeks. BUT the 4 weeks of annual come into the 52 weeks of Maternity leave rather than being an additional 4 weeks off.

Thats ok I s'pose.

BUT I did find out that there are provisions in our award which state that I can take an extra 52 weeks off unpaid maternity leave and still have work keep my job which I didn'y know about SO in affect that equeates to 104 weeks leave.

I had no idea.

Apparently it is subject to approval, but I am sure I could make a case for it. She is going to post me the details as well as the EBA which has the details in laymens terms also.

Its amazing what you find out once you start digging.

Nae x

Yep, that came in a few years ago Nae. You can apply for it, and your employer has to have really good reason if they don't approve it, like it would send them broke or something. Go for it!!!

Janie - I had never heard of it, even when I applied for leave last year it was not mentioned then either.

Is it called something special? What choices do you have if the employer refuses to grant it?

I was just thinking because I plan on starting my leave 10 weeks before my due date I doubt very much that I will be wanting to go back before my bub is less than 12 months old this would be a perfect option to cover that additional time.

I can see why people don't know about this as easily as they know about the normal 52 weeks.

I don't know much at all about it hun, just that my boss made a point of mentioning it to me (and all other employees, small business) when it was introduced. I finished work at 32 weeks, and thought that I wouldn't go back before bub was 12 months, but as it turned out I went back one day a week when he was 9 months, so I never had to worry about it.

nae i finished up at 34 weeks only because dr recommend i did due to having small baby i was on my feet all day and needed to rest, DD1 came at 38+4. she wasnt assmall as they thought shed be!
i took 2 weeks sick pay id been saving

Hi Nae

I say GO FOR IT!! Providing all goes well, I'm finishing up at 33+4 to be exact as that is the Friday and the end of the month. I'd happily finish earlier (am so over work already!) but the pay is far too nice to let go of too early! I've actually resigned so I know I only have 6 pays left. Yikes!