Maternity Leave

RM- i really agree with you that moms to be shold take some time for them selves, when baby is there its mostly just baby!!!! even if you just sleep or sit and watch TV or you and hubby get some QUALITY time!!! its really important.

my maternity leave started 2weeks before my son was born. the 2 weeks was heaven, done some shopping(made sure there was enough food in the house)
had my hair done,facial and the rest of the time just relax and watch movies.

think the alone time was wonderful because we will not get it soon again.
my gynie book my off sick from 36-38 weeks and from 38weeks my m/leave started.
speak to your doctor if you dont want to shortern your time with baby at home.

I am entitled to 4 months full paid leave and can extend it to 6 months with paid and unpaid annual leave.

I took leave at 36 weeks. I was feeling exhausted. I travel from Pretoria to Sandton daily and just had enough of the traffic.

I am now feeling bored and restless. With the roads open and schools closed, I think I might pop back to work.

I'll be on ML from next week and LG is due 18July.
my work is stressful, standing the whole day and exposed to sick people (esp now during winter and worldcup).

see how you are coping with work and do take some time to relax before LO arrives.

My last day is the 16th July as baba might cum towards the end of July or beginning of August, perhaps even around my bday, the 2nd imagine that! So yes, I want sum me time before lil p arrives so that's basically from 36weeks onwards.

I'm due on 1st August and was initially planning on taking annual leave from 12th July 2010 and then go on maternity leave from 01 August to 31st January 2011 - we get 3 months paid at 1/3 of salary and 3 months unpaid.

However, at the rate I'm going, I'm finding it really difficult being at work and getting from one meeting to another. My company has agreed to my replacement starting on 21st June, so feel much better now.

Will see how it goes and if medically necessary will go over earlier than planned. I need all the rest i can get before Peyton arrives!

Thanks ladies for all your comments. I think I am going to take that 2.5 weeks and just relax, go get my hair done, go for a facial, etc.

Girly, just an idea, why don't you rather start your maternity leave in August and take your annual leave in December because there are a few holidays in December which obviously won't count as an annual leave day, so extra days for you whereas with maternity leave, a month is a month whether there were holidays or not.