do u think 10 weeks before baby due is ok to take maternity??? do u think it's a big gap??? due the…

I would say it's completely up to you. And also depends on circumstances. In my case I've had to leave work now and be on the sick until my maternity starts at 29 weeks. Luckily for me I won't be going back to that job so I'm not worried about the length of time I will have when baby is here xx

but will it effect your maternity pay being off sick

You can go on leave from 29 weeks, it just means you will have less time with the baby. It depends how capable you are to carry on. It's entirely up to you, its a really nice break to have before baby comes and you won't have much time to yourself after the birth x

@leanne2016, im only going on maternity 3 weeks before im due. i officially go on leave on 8th june & im due 29th june. i am taking 2 weeks holiday before my leave starts xx

My boss dropped my hours anyways so I wasn't entitled to smp. I will be getting maternity allowance. So being on the sick doesn't effect me. But like I say it's different for different people. Unfortunately I had no other choice but leave work now. X

awwww ok yeah I understand @stacey804 it's just coz I have high blood pressure and standing up and work for 9 hr shifts till I'm 30 weeks how is that possible my manager don't want to give me a chair @natroberts88 @lou

That's shocking. They should be doing risk assessments for you whilst at work. Xx

I have one but there saying I can't have a chair at first it was oh your only 2 months and now I'm 5 months it's ph it's health and safety on the check outs to have a chair @stacey804 but someone threatened to go home coz there foot was hurting and they got a chair what a piss take so I'm the one that has to ask if I can leave early for holiday and maternity leave because they can't accomodate my needs

That's shocking. They are not bothered when people are pregnant, I've noticed it everywhere. My friend had problems at her work too and she was pregnant with twins x

kmt it's really nasty @stacey804

i went off at 31 weeks. because even with that I know I still won't take the whole 39 weeks so thought why not

True makes sense @jem29

@leanne2016, what type of work do you do?

I work behind check out @jem29 it wouldn't be a issue to work till I'm 30 weeks but I'm not gonna strain my self because I'm standing for 9 hrs

I'm due 13th July and I'm leaving 4 weeks before think it works out just over 3 but I want to work as close to my date as possible as I will get bored lol I know it will get harder as I get bigger (I'm a hairdresser) but I couldn't stand having too long off. it's just a personal thing really up to you x

@leanne2016, why do they make you stand up on check out??? and do you know how much money you'll be getting on maternity yet?

well I should be getting about 90 a week or 80

@jem29,

and apparently it's health and safety @jem29

@leanne2016, you are entitled to request a stool or chair when pregnant!! if you take maternity early if affects you more because you will have to go back when your baby is younger than someone who works up till 36 weeks..... x

I know hun @mrsripper there saying they can transfer me but give me more hrs a week plus having to work week ends and travel further to work so there's no way around it coz they said they gave me another alternative but I refused there just horrible

@leanne2016, how come? I get maternity allowance as I'm self employed but it's £139 a week which is exactly the same as statutory maternity pay so I would've thought you should get that minimum! they sound bollocks with the health and safety, I couldn't stand 9 hours a day even if I wasn't pregnant!! maybe get yourself signed off sick until you're 30 weeks :)

They said if I get my self signed off I won't get any maternity pay or I won't get paid from my job @jem29 and tbh I'm not sure how much I'll be entitled too

@leanne2016, what a bunch of dicks. to be fair it's the doctor's decision to sign you off so I don't see how that works, and I'm pretty sure statutory maternity pay comes via the government. hmmmmm I think this needs looking into x

I just don't get it really coz that's what I was gonna do but manager said it'll effect me