NURSES!! when did you go on m/l??

When did you start maternity leave?? I need to give 10 weeks notice so I really need to get onto it. I don't know what the norm is and I hate feeling lazy lol

I left at 35 weeks with DD1, wasn't working with DD2. I didn't do a lot of heavy lifting but I did do 12 hour shifts and I was ready to leave. It was also the week before christmas so I got out of working christmas as well :) But I had colleagues that worked a lot longer as well. How much leave do you get? Because unfortunately you don't want to leave to early then use half of your mat leave still being preggers. :)

I get 10 weeks from work.

I went on mat leave at 38w with DS1 and 35w with DD. 24w with DS2 but for completely different reasons. 12 hour shifts. Rotating rosters. Lifting changed according to the stage of the pregnancy.

I fin about 34 weeks with DD my ward was a bit heavy though and i was full time so was a good time. Hoping to maybe work a bit longer this time as only part - time. Then again i might have had enough by then :redface:
I know quite a few nurses who have worked longer than me. What kind of nursing are you doing?

I'd be putting in for leave now then babe, if you get 10 weeks leave, and need to notify them 10 weeks in advance (have I read that all correctly?) If you're 20 weeks now, in the 10 after the notice you'll be 30, and then go on leave until the baby is born. DTMS?

I'm an AIN in a nursing home.. we also have to give 10 weeks notice before we intend to leave (and then another notice 4 weeks before we leave - to confirm dates). I'm 21 weeks now and haven't put it in yet. I can't decide when I want to go on leave. At the moment it's a toss up between 32, 34 or 36 weeks. I get 6 weeks paid maternity leave as well, so I'm not undecided because of funds... With DS I was working a desk job in a whole other industry and left at 36 weeks and was bored out of my brain! It's all different working in this industry...

DS1 I went on leave (annual leave 20 weeks then mat leave) started at 34 weeks I was working 4 days a week. DS2 I worked to 37 weeks but was working 1 or 2 days a week then.

:doh:

Just realised that if you're going back to work you'd need leave for after bub is born too, lol I don't think you'd want to be having all your leave and then going back once bub's out. Blah, ignore me, I'm confusing myself :rolleyes:

I wanted to finish up at 36 weeks possibly 37 but i had to finish at 34 weeks.

But then i didnt qualify for maternity leave as i hadnt worked there for 12 months. So i didnt have to put in for it but resign as a part timer and go to casual.

I had organised to leave at 38 weeks, but ended up going on sick leave at 36 weeks because it was all getting too much...Med rounds killed me mainly- being on my feet all day.
MAybe plan for 38 weeks and if you have enough sick leave go off early?

i planned and organised to work right up to 34 weeks as any time after that i needed an ob letter to say i was fit to continue to work. anyway with ALL of the complications i had (5 in total :shakehead:) my ob wouldnt let me work beyond 34 weeks. as it was i started spotting at 30 weeks, then at 32 and a half weeks couldnt finish my shift due to bad bh and crying at almost every shift (loooong story) i took the rest of that time off in sick leave. as it was DS was born a 2 weeks after that anyway! my boss said thank god i finished when i did. i ended up having 3 weeks annual leave then 28 weeks half pay which was great. i also work in a very busy emergency department so my boss made sure i worked in the "easier" part of the department itms. good luck xx :D

It all depends on you your body/pregnancy and the work you do ... my first i worked up to 28 weeks the second worked to 32 wks and 3rd stopped at 12 wks due to lower cramping and severe baby brain ... and i was working Ed so i decided best for me to leave work.

I worked up until 35.5weeks with DD2 and had her 6days later. This time I plan on working up until atleast 38weeks or until signs of labour start if all goes well. I don't get paid maternity leave this time as I resigned from my permanent position which affects my finance which is why I'll be working as long as I can. I want to keep my savings going as long as I can after bubs is born so I don't have to return to early.

I perhaps will request to not work on the PN ward or delivery suite as I find them more physical then the SCN so there is every chance I'll be staying in the nursery for the last fortnight. I guess because I work in a maternity hospital also if I do happen to go into labour at work I won't have far to go. If bub comes early I'm sure they can replace me at short notice.

I work on an aged care based ward so alot lifting, heavy patients.
DD1 I left at 34.5 weeks, DD2 I was booked to work til 36 weeks but had to cut short i just couldn't cope being on my feet for so long. And thats even with an easyish pregnancy.

i went until 30 weeks first time around but i had major complications with my pregnancy and second time i also stopped at 30 weeks from different complications !

With DD I worked until 38 weeks. It was hard going but I spent all my time off sleeping, resting and DH picked up the majority at home so I could. I wanted to save as much leave as I could for when the bubba came. To me it was more important to have the time with bubba than just sitting around waiting, but that was thought.
With DS I finished at 36 weeks just because I could and I regreted it. I had already used 6 weeks of leave before he came so I had less time with him. In hindsight, and in any future pregnancies, I'll keep working as long as I'm able.

Man I don't know how you guys have done it. I have 5 weeks to go and I'm in struggleville. Like my back is killing me, anaemia etc. I want to hibernate.

do u have any sick leave at all? i ended up taking almost 2 weeks in sick leave towards the end because i couldnt work anymore!

I finished up at 34 weeks. I was over work way before then though but thankfully my role is a manager so could sit around more than most :)

Are you taking the PPL for afterwards or?
Because that would also affect when you can start your leave, because you wouldn't have to go back til later?

I like the idea of planning for around 36-37 weeks, and if you're too sick or something then leave earlier? But if thats the case, perhaps ask to drop a couple days, or ensure your shift can be covered or youre on lighter duties etc. So if you have to finish suddenly, youre work isnt in trouble.

That way you're not too bored at home for too long either :)

Ooh just saw this. I have 3 weeks left of work! And 3 days sick leave. So I'm going to take one each week so 9 shifts left :) woo

I know this post been out a while now but still gonna comment ...

I'm gonna try to work upto 38 weeks if possible but im full time so if need to finish earlier hopefully they will let me take annual leave. Just want as much time off after with bub. :)