Hi to you all, hope you and babies are all ok. I'm nearly 29 weeks. I am due to start my maternity on the 2nd July so my last day of work is the 29th June. I have got four weeks holiday to take and i can have this paid. I don't know whether to take the four weeks off beforehand and finish at the end of May or work it and get paid. I'm really struggling not with my job but i have to walk to and from work each day and notice that as i sit down all the time i'm really sore down below (sorry tmi!!!). Do you think i shoud sit it out and finish when i originally said i would or finish earlier. My oh suggested that i finish two weeks beforehand and get paid the other two weeks. Someone at work suggested i speak to the midwife when i see her in a couple of weeks to see what she would suggest. I just feel bloody tired all the time. What would any of you suggest? or when are you taking your maternity leave? Thanks Michelle xxx

i went into work weekend before last and they've decided for me that im now on maternity leave. which i wasnt gonna start til this saturday. not too happy bout that..
where do you work?

I work at a solicitors as a legal secretary. My boss doesn't really want me to finish but i never ever put me first always everyone else. When is baby due?

17th june. they've just completely f**ked me over at work. except when they need extra staff like xmas i went from 25 hours a week to 10. so they dont have to give me maternity pay

I'm self employed and work from home so I started mine at 26 weeks I'm now 34+2. The only thing that is really annoying is that I filed my date and sent all the paper work off and then they tell me that they are running 8 WEEKS behind!!!!! so we are going to be a bit short until the backlog of that comes in

oh no nightmare. In my heart i want to finish at the end of may. I have had enough of work and my oh is behind me one hundred percent. I think if i'm struggling now how am i going to cope at the end of June. My oh said that if anyone had the opportunity to give up work early they would. I just don't want to be bored as if i leave at the end of may i'll have at least 6 weeks before baby's due. If i leave it until i intended to leave i'd be 38 weeks. God i don't know.

hi guys i have started my mat leave already.But my work havent wrote to me stating when i should come back.Is this normal?x

how long have you been on mat leave?

It's up to you when you decide when to return from mat leave so I think you need to get in touch with them. All the regulations changed in April, so I think if baby is born after 1 April you have to give two months notice of when you have to go back.

If you have a search on directgov.uk on maternity it'll give you all the latest facts and figures.

Hi ya, if u've been feeling anything like me then i'd suggest leaving work early because u will feel so much better for it. im the same as u worrying that i will get bored... i plan to take my mat leave in second week of june but i dont know if im going to be able to last thst long as i feel soooooooooo tired and drained plus im on my feet all day and its gettin so hot! my baby is due on 11th july so i after i leave work i will have about 4 weeks and a bit left if i can wait till then!! good luck with whatever u decide (maybe we should both just leave early! sounds like a plan to me!!) take care, hannah xx

Jaynie88, if you have documented evidence, which you should have by way of your pay slips, you may have a case for discrimination. Did they reduce your hours after you told them you were pregnant - that is what I have assumed. If they have, they are breaking the law in that they have reduced your hours to avoid paying you mat. pay (they could have claimed it back anyway!!) If you can draw up some info i.e hours you normally worked, date you informed your employer of your pregnancy and the dates your hours started to reduce then I am sure any solicitor worth his/her salt will take your case. What job do you do and are you part of a Union. If you are a member of a Union, I would speak to them in the first instance or if you are not in a Union, perhaps speak to CAB and they will be able to advise you further. I work for a local authority and HR is part of my role so I know "a bit". Let me know if I can help you any further or answer any questions. K.xx

Personally I wouldn't bother bringing the date forward if work are shitty. If you're suffering, go to the GP and get signed off - if it's within 4 weeks of your due date your employer can, and usually will, start your maternity leave at that point. You're employer must not discipline you for taking time off for pregnancy related illness, even if there is a disciplinary policy for absence...

sorry Michelle, I took over there for a minute replying to Jaynie88. I would do what feels right for you and bubs, maybe your oh suggestion would suit you better that way you start mat. leave two weeks earlier than you thought and you get two weeks extra pay. k.xx

i'll try and sort it out somehow. they only offered me more hours when they needed the staff like at xmas when i had 1 days off between xmas n new years and when people rung in sick. other than that stupid hours. them just decidin for me when im on maternity leave has really pissed me off tho.
i really wish this washin machine would hurry up so i could go to bed with a slight chance of havin clean clothes for college in the mornin.

Hi Michelle, personally if it was me , i would add my holiday to the start of my maternity leave( which i have done) and take the extra time off, you are entitled to the full years holiday and i would assume you will be taking 9 months off as it's paid which means you wouldn't go back this year. i ende up getting signed off by the dr and haven't been to work since i was 32 weeks, but they can only start your maternity leave in the 4 weeks before the baby is due. i didn't want them to start mine early, which due to my holiday they couldn't anyway, as i want more time with baby after he is born. my maternity leave starts on monday just under 2 weeks before he is due. i felt awful at work due to really bad backache, and feel much better for just being at home and relaxing i can't believe i've been off for 6 weeks already!! it would have only been 5 before baby was due, but due to being poorly and the backache was 3 weeks extra! have had loads of time to get nursery ready etc!! Just do what's best for you and baby and don't worry about work, especially if your not appreciated! that's how i felt about my work so didn't care about leaving earlier, just want what's best for me and baby. Em xx

Hi Michelle, I did the same as Em, although I got signed off in the new year, so they haven't been able to start my mat leave earlier either. I reckon the longer you give yourself after the birth the better. Don't let them bully you, do what you want. Take care Kelly

Hi to all, thanks for all your advice. I think i'm going to finish at the end of May. Just need the courage to tell my boss at some point. I was in so much pain last night to be honest i don't think i'm going to last until the end of June. Han21 do the same finish early!!!! For once in my life i'm going to put me first. Thanks to you all. And i hope Jaynie88 you sort your work place out they cannot do that to you. Michelle xxx

Good on you!! you can put it in writing and just hand it to your boss without speaking to them about it, tbh that's what i did, my boss is a bit odd and doesn't always speak to me(or anyone else, not much of a people person, not a great choice of manager tbh !!!!) so i just put my notice and holiday form in an envelope and left it on her desk!!there is no reason for them to refuse it to you Em xx

Have you spoken with the mw/GP about the pain? If you haven't please do. I think in theory you have to give your employer a month's notice to change the date you start ML, but if you get signed off there's sod all they can do about it!

No haven't spoken to midwife about the pain as to be honest it's only really this week that i've noticed it. I got an appointment to see her in a couple of weeks so if i manage to put up with it i will until then. I'm not going to be changing my ML just going to have holiday beforehand.

hi Shell, just a thought if the walking is making it difficult rather than the work could you get a taxi. That way you could work a few more weeks and get holiday pay (which would cover taxi and more?) I wanted to work as long as possible and saved hols so I actually finished at 36 wks. Also if work want you to continue could you negotiate better break times or reduced work load perhaps (maybe they'll pay the taxi for you !!!!!) Good Luck x