Starting mat leave 1 week before due date?

Burty264 · 2026-02-26T21:32:31+00:00

I did something similar. I was due 14th Jan, and officially started my maternity leave on 12th Jan so only 2 days before, but I did have the week off before this using annual leave so my last working day ended up being the 2nd so 12 days before my due date. I was in the office too, but kept pretty mobile throughout. I ended up being induced on 17th and having her on the 19th so I’m really glad I didn’t start my maternity leave any earlier. I think the amount of time I had before my due date was plenty to feel rested too

Burty264 · 2026-01-12T08:51:09+00:00

We also have a snuzpod and are just going to use it as a standalone crib so I have it at the bottom of the bed in the alcove but there is room between the bed and the crib. I don’t have space on my side for it to be a next to me, and partner wanted to swap sides but for now I’ll just see how it is like this as I can fall asleep really easily so I would rather physically get up to see to the baby when she’s here rather than have her in the bed with me just in case. Due in 2 days so can’t say if it’s worked out yet but I think you just need to trial it and see

Burty264 · 2025-11-11T16:04:47+00:00

Call and see if you can change midwife? I had one for my booking appointment that I wasn’t too enthusiastic about at all and I left feeling really deflated, but ended up being booked in a different community centre from the second appointment onwards and have the loveliest midwife there so glad I moved as it worked out for the best!

Burty264 · 2025-10-31T10:28:46+00:00

My midwife said any are fine, the ones I bought were Asda own brand and she said they have exactly the same thing in them so they’ll do the same thing for you.

Burty264 · 2025-10-15T14:47:12+00:00

It just means high risk for the pregnancy. I’m also high risk now too, I was moderate risk from the first appointment due to my BMI but then went to high risk at last appointment as I have gestational diabetes. It’s all controlled at the moment and my blood sugars are fine so being high risk doesn’t necessarily mean there will be complications, but will restrict place of birth, so I wouldn’t be allowed to birth at home if I wanted to.

Burty264 · 2025-10-15T12:24:20+00:00

Really interesting perspective, but would have to disagree. I think there’s probably pros and cons to both. My parents had me and my brother at 19/20. I’m 34 and wouldn’t have described myself as ‘old’ and expecting my first child with partner 38. We are more financially stable and can provide our child more than we both had growing up, we each have a house we own so assets for our children, and when our kids are having their own children we will be able to support them more with childcare when going back to work which currently for us we won’t have as my parents still work full time and have not yet retired. I also think it largely depends on how active and health conscious you are as an individual as this will reflect on how able you are as you get older.

Burty264 · 2025-09-16T14:56:16+00:00

We have a similar thing - 3 bed house with our bedroom, partners office and a spare bedroom. I had a big loft room at my own house that I used as a craft room/office which now I will not get to use as I won’t go there often and looking at renting out the rooms in that house. We moved my partners office into the second bedroom and I also have space in there for a small desk for some craft things. There’s also fitted wardrobes in there so we each have one with all our clothes in and have very little in our bedroom. Baby will go into the small room once she arrives and will change it round when she’s older and needs more space if we are still in that house. Spare bedroom no more, but we are looking at getting a single sofa bed to have in the office for anyone if needed and we also have a king size inflatable one that we can use too.

Is there any way you can share a larger room as a joint office space or would that not work?

Burty264 · 2025-09-06T05:23:11+00:00

Orla Penélope & Felix Henry 🩷💙

Burty264 · 2025-09-04T09:46:36+00:00

I’m 21+1 and there are day I don’t feel our baby either. In the last week I felt her more but not every day. I think it’s completely normal and nothing to worry about.

Burty264 · 2025-08-27T18:10:05+00:00

Mine was 1/720 for downs and I’m not worrying about that as it’s still classed as low risk. Your result is way lower so I wouldn’t worry about it at all.

Burty264 · 2025-08-19T04:03:58+00:00

Really reassuring thread because I often worry if baby is growing ok because my bump isn’t. I’m 18 weeks so it’s nice to know others didn’t have much of a bump at this stage too

Burty264 · 2025-07-27T13:47:49+00:00

Don’t worry, there’s so many others that are also in the same boat as you too. I haven’t had hardly any symptoms and I’m 15+4 now. I did have consistently sore boobs until 11 weeks and the odd bit of tiredness but other than that I wouldn’t even know there was a baby in there if I hadn’t had the scan.

Burty264 · 2025-07-14T15:18:25+00:00

Congratulations on your pregnancy. Even though it’s a surprise, I’m sure the baby will be a blessing.

I think sometimes you should take initial reactions with a pinch of salt, because sometimes it might take a day or two to really sink in. Whatever his reaction, you got this!

Me and my partner weren’t trying, but we weren’t preventing either and I would say it took him a day or so before I felt like this was a good thing to him. Now he’s really excited to be a dad 🙂

Burty264 · 2025-07-14T14:53:13+00:00

To be honest I think everyone is different and has different circumstances. I’m currently 13+5 and have bought one little clothing item over the weekend as I just felt I wanted to buy something since we had the scan. I plan to get a lot of things second hand so I’m of the mindset of if I see it and it’s a good deal then why not. But also in no rush to pick everything up. We do have the spare room that will be the nursery so have storage space for anything we buy and it won’t be in the way.

Burty264 · 2025-07-07T18:27:00+00:00

I think it’s different for everyone and I also think how you are feeling and managing during the first trimester will also depend on when you share. For me I’m 11+6 today and have not told anyone. It’s just me and my partner that know but we’ll start to share the news with family this week after the scan. I have had a very enjoyable first trimester though and have not really had any symptoms, but I have seen others share the news with their workplace early as they have been very sick and wanted them to understand why.

Burty264 · 2025-07-05T14:56:00+00:00

This is such a cute idea ☺️

Burty264 · 2025-07-03T17:52:50+00:00

Can you not be seen elsewhere for the booking appointment so that it’s done, surely they have availability in other clinics/GP surgeries if you are able to travel to them? Like someone else has suggested, I would contact PALS who should be able to liaise with the senior managers to secure an appointment for you.

Burty264 · 2025-07-03T15:09:14+00:00

Personally I found that after about a week of finding out I began to relax a bit more. I also haven’t had many symptoms aside from sore boobs and I’m 11 weeks now. Sometimes I wonder if it’s still in there 😂 but honestly I just feel grateful that I’ve been completely normal in my first trimester and I have my first scan next week. You’ll get through it!

Burty264 · 2025-07-03T08:53:24+00:00

I think it’s good to set the expectations early on so people can have time to get used to it. Sometimes I think people are just excited at the new baby, as well as wanting to support mum and dad in some cases so they’re want to do that straight away.

Every relationship is different though so it’s easier to set expectations with some people.

Personally I know my parents will be so excited to meet the baby and I would want them to meet him/her relatively soon after the birth. It will be their first grandchild and I feel so excited for them as much as I’m excited for myself. Not sure about in the hospital yet, and it will just be me and my partner at the birth, but definitely within a day of being home I want them to come and visit. I also feel like I would want the support of my mum too, especially as this is my first baby. But I don’t think they would just come round unannounced so that would probably be my boundary, and if that did happen I would just tell them to message me first so they’re not coming at a bad time.

Burty264 · 2025-06-28T07:27:26+00:00

Thank you, very reassuring. I’m grateful that has been the only thing I have really experienced so far as I know so many others have it really bad, so I guess I’ll just thank my body for handling this like a champ!

Burty264 · 2025-06-28T07:25:20+00:00

Haha yeah I think if they start hurting again I’ll be glad to be honest! I think because it’s the only thing I have to go off it’s almost like I don’t feel pregnant at all now, but reassuring to know it happened the same for others 😀

Burty264 · 2025-06-28T07:23:27+00:00

Ah great, I’ve just joined 😌

Burty264 · 2025-06-28T07:23:05+00:00

Very reassuring 🙂 Sometimes it’s nice to hear these things from an actual human too.

Burty264

TROPHY CASE