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Maternity Leave. (Also posted in pregnancy)

Hi Ladies,



I am after some advice please - I am in my second year of university and I have recently handed my notice in at my part time job (long story as to why)



Anyway I am due in May which is perfect timing for the summer holidays, however in September I am due to go back and start my third and final placement which means working full time till January, while doing academic work etc...



So when I first got my BFP I in my wisdom thought the summer holidays would be plenty of time off (this is my first) but as the time gets nearer i'm starting to think that maybe it won't be? I have two options really, one is that I defer the whole year and go back to uni Sept 2012, however this will mean I wont receive any student finance, OR I can defer the placement, to the end of the year as opposed to the start, this would mean that i wouldnt return to uni till Jan 2012 when I go for lectures and that my placement will take place in the summer of 2012, I wont graduate with my class, but I will still be entitled to all the student finance as I will have enrol in September as normal.



Im thinking the second option is the best but wanted some other peoples perspective on it.



Thanks xxx

Replies

  • Yur second option sounds like a good compromise. With my first baby I only took 20 weeks mat leave for various reasons which I thought would be fine while I was pregnant but really didn't feel like enough at the time! My DD was due in April and I went back to work in mid august. As I finished work 2 weeks before my EDD and then she was a week late she was just 17 weeks old when I went back to work (full time). It wasn't ideal but I'm not sure going back to work after mat leave is ever easy and you have to do what you hav to do. And once you're actually back at work you adjust pretty quickly. So if you decide to stick to plan a it will be ok.



    Xxx
  • i would also go with your second option.

    i was a student nurse when i fell pregnant (planned) and my baby was due in jan last year-she came a week early in december 2009.

    i had the choice of rejoining my class in eatser or starting my next year in the september or defrring until jan2011 as my class was a january intake anyway.

    firstly i chose to go back in the september 2010 but then they changed all the work patterns for my placements meaning i would have to do 12 hour shifts 7am-7:30pm 3/4 days a week. there was no way i was going to leave the house before my baby was awake and get home after she has fallen asleep and after a lot of thought and taking with my hubby and many other people i chose to give up uni. i was seconded from my local nhs trust and i now have to pay back my maternity leave money minus smp but its been the best thing i have ever done!

    i am now in a job where the stress is zero. i start no earlier than 8 and finish no later than 6pm and do 8 hours inbetween these hours.

    i could have still chosen to go back this month but i am the least stressed and happiest i have ever been and i get paid the same now for serving coffee as i did for doing some of the not nice jobs in nursing (commode emptying anyone?!)

    do whatever you feel is best for you and your family. i would go with your sencond option-its not set in stone and can always change your mind. but as my mum told me-ypour children are only young once xx
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