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Nurses - when are you starting maternity leave?

just wondered when you are intending to go on leave, i am finding it hard already and as the winter draws it will only get heavier, i was planning to stay till 34 weeks and take 2 weeks leave starting maternity at 36 weeks but i am not sure i could get to that even

any ideas?

becca
20+5

Replies

  • Hi! Im going on leave at 33 weeks and taking 2 weeks a/l, so basically on mat leave from 35 weeks. It is quite early, but there is no way im risking going into labour at work! Im off nights at the moment and weekends soon. How are you doing?

    Em x
    27+5
  • I'm stopping at 36 weeks. Two weeks a/l and then mat leave at 38 weeks. Need the money too much. It is heavy and we do long days but coping so far. (28 + 2) Not got nights from next week tho so that should help x
  • i am really struggling with the 12 and a half hour shifts, 3 or 4 days a week, still on nights and there either 3 or 4 nights in a row, how did you go about stoping the night shifts?
  • im a student nurse but have placement from being 32 weeks til 38 weeks and i was hoping to finsh that tbh but am also struggling now with being thrown from not working into full time shifts. I hope i make it to do at least half of last placement so i can leave when im 35 weeks x
  • God, i dont know how you guys keep going! I asked my consultant to write a letter to my boss saying that nights were too much for me. Ive never liked nights, so it was great! Miss the money a bit but it really was a struggle and my baba comes first!

    Em x
  • PP,

    I'm hoping to start mat leave at beginning of december (35 going to 36 weeks), following 2 weeks annual leave, although am going to be cheeky and ask if I can use some of next year's leave to add to this...

    Understand and sympathise completely what you mean about struggling with a heavy work-load, and I'm doing short days!

    If you begin to find nights difficult, and you've talked to your boss with no joy, try speaking with occupational health and explaining to them your situation.

    They may be able to write to your boss on your behalf advising them that you do not do nights. They would have to listen to them...Also may work for long days, but then you're stuck doing 5 short days (if full time) which is just as tiring.

    Good luck xx
  • Hey
    I wanted to go untill 34 weeks with 2 weeks anual leave with mat leave starting at 36 but ended up going at 33 weeks due to high BP. Was struggling quite a bit by then anyway.

    xxx
  • PP,

    I'm hoping to start mat leave at beginning of december (35 going to 36 weeks), following 2 weeks annual leave, although am going to be cheeky and ask if I can use some of next year's leave to add to this...

    Understand and sympathise completely what you mean about struggling with a heavy work-load, and I'm doing short days!

    If you begin to find nights difficult, and you've talked to your boss with no joy, try speaking with occupational health and explaining to them your situation.

    They may be able to write to your boss on your behalf advising them that you do not do nights. They would have to listen to them...Also may work for long days, but then you're stuck doing 5 short days (if full time) which is just as tiring.

    Good luck xx
  • Im doing 3-4 nights a week and same as you PP i do 12 1/2 hour shifts, i prefer nights to days because when i was on days while preggers with Ellie i nearly lost her a few times, too ehavy, at least at night its a bit lighter and easier [i think so anyway] i am not even going to try and go beyond 30 weeks, i know i wont be fit to do it so i am taking early maternity at 30 weeks and i have 3 weeks holidays to take before that so hopefully i can work up to that, saying that i was signed off with heavy bleeding at 17 weeks with Ellie adn i wasnt alowed back at all due to being too high risk, this left me with shit maternity pay as they work it out over the 25-27 weeks you work! so be careful ladies when you take off. xxxx
  • thanx ladies,

    i am going to see OH today about the nights, there is more staff in the day so i am not left to get on with it like on nights. i have thought about short shifts but its over a half hour drive to work and i couldnt manage getting up at half 5, 5 days a week or 10 in a row like some lots of off duty, i think i might opt to have leave from 32 weeks and start maternity leave from 34 mmmm or 30 what a decision???

    becca
    20+6
  • hey hun, im in theatres and very lucky i dont have to do nights!! i know exactly how u feel tho its really hard work. im pretty much thinking ill go on mat leave in november as like u the winter mornings are a killer and i have a 2 yr old to get up also!!! wish i could leave now im so tired of it!!! roll on maternity leave for us all!!!!
    Nat 20+3 xxxxxx
  • I'm starting mat leave from 36 weeks, with 2 weeks annual leave (and a bit) before that. I'll just get signed off by my dr if it gets too much before annual leave starts.

    I don't really have a very sympathetic boss, she's more concerned how I'll be down on hours if she changes too many nights around! The max I have to do in a row is 3. But she was giving me 3 weeks worth of 2, 2, then 3!

    I will go to Occupational Health in the future if she doesn't change the off duty, if it gets to hard for me. Luckily I'm not expected to move and handle, or go into infected rooms (I just refuse anyway)! But if I go to move a patient, I get told I'm not going to. lol xx

    20+5
  • Hiya,
    G/C from baby! Just wanted to add that I work (although currently on mat leave) on an MAU and left at 35 weeks - 2 weeks of which were annual leave so officially started mat leave at 37 weeks. You definately feel it by then (of course!!!) and although my midwife would have like me to go at 34 at the latest, she was happy with it as she knew how determined I was by then!!!

    All I would say is that if you get further along and you really are struggling, then perhaps look into leaving earlier, they are normally pretty flexible with changing the dates else people will only get signed off sick! The earliest you can leave at is about 29 weeks isn't it? Have you got any more annual leave that you could add onto it?

    x
  • Hi girls,

    I'm planning on leaving at 36 weeks. I'm gonna see how i feel and have also been told that i can change my date if needed. Tbh though, if i feel rubbish, i'm gonna get myself signed off sick rather than start my mat leave early, i feel its owed to me as i've propped the team up for so long and am not prepared to make myself work when i physically can't!!!

    xxx
  • also g/c from baby, i work on a children's ward (on mat leave at mo) and planned on starting my mat leave at 35 weeks with weeks annual leave before so finishing at 33 weeks, but i was signed of at 31 weeks due to spd (i was on crutches). I was really struggiling then but think if it wasn't for the spd i would have made it to 33 weeks but not further. If you normally work nights you can refuse to do them whilst pregnant. I know a few people who started mat leave earlier then they planned as they found it to hard, at the end of te day you and your baby are more important
    xx
  • I work on a trauma ward and wanted to work to 35 weeks however it just got to much and was so heavy so ended up leaving last week at 32 weeks, i will be taking four weeks annual leave and starting mat leave at 36 weeks. Its the best decison i made as feeling so much happier and now starting to enjoy pregnancy.
    I struggled with nights and was told there was no medical reason why you cant do them even went to occ health who said the same, for me that was the last straw!!
    Mic
    xx
  • If you get a note from ur gp/midwife saying you can't do nights they shouldn't put you on them sometimes just he threat of this to boss works! I was to start a/l at 34 weeks take 4 weeks leave then start mat leave at 38 weeks. Struggled with exhaustion, back pain and low iron, dr signed me off sick from32 weeks I then said I would b fit for my a/l so they couldn't start my maternity leave early. Nightshifts are harder at 24 weeks plus as it gets harder to sleep. But I would recommend speakin to you gp about a letter regards night shift affecting your pregnancy health. Xxxx
  • Hello 

    I've been in to chat with my boss today about my shifts and found she was very un helpful I'm 23 weeks pregnant and nearing the end of my working time she has me down to work 13 hr shifts I'm classed as a high risk pregnancy anyway and feel I'm being treated unfairly. My boss made a comment to me that just because I'm pregnant does not mean I can't do night shifts or long days I'm just wanting some advice really on what I can do I know another member of staff refused to do these shifts when she was pregnant and that was fine. If anyone has any advice on what I can do would be helpful. Thanks

  • Hi Tiger21,

    I am a nurse but work as a sister in a gp practice so slightly different. However,  I do know that any responsible employer should carry out an initial risk assessment at the earliest opportunity with regular reviews as your pregnancy progresses and your needs change. This should identify any changes to your working day /shift pattern to allow you to continue working while keeping your baby and you safe and comfortable.  Ward work is physically demanding when doing long days let alone when you are carrying a baby!

    I'm not aware of all the legalities but maybe you could ask unison for advice. I think you need to be firm and put yourself and baby as priority - but understand that you probably don't want to make a scene as it were.  

    Take care and let me know how things go x

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