working when pregnant...

[xPinkAngelx]

im 3 months pregnant and work full time in retail-therefore on my feet 8 hours a day. what i'd like to know is, am i entitled to regular breaks now or later on in pregnancy as i have read that it is not good to be on your feet for long periods of time when pregnant?

Also, when do you usualy start maternity leave - how long before baby arrives?

Thankyou x

[k8bailey]

Congratulations! I can't help with the breaks, but maternity leave can be taken from 11 weeks before the baby is due, so 29 weeks pregnant or you can work up until your due date, or beyond if you go overdue.
You have to take minimum of 14 days off from work, starting from the day that the baby is born, but you can obviously take much longer (I think its 39 weeks, paid leave) up to 52 weeks.

Everyone has a different opinion on when to take maternity leave, you just have to do whats best for you and your bump, based on how you're feeling later on in the pregnancy. - I had two weeks holiday, then 8 weeks maternity leave, before my daughter was born. She was a week late so I had 11 weeks off in total before she was born, and I was sooooo bored!!!

[xPinkAngelx]

thanks k8bailey. i know id like to take the full 52weeks off, i'd love not to have to go back to work but unfortunately im going to have to due to money. plusi think id go crazy staying at home all the time!!! i was thinking leaving a month before my due date providing all is ok with me and bump but will probably have to cut down my hours before that as we have to do some crazy hours where i work over xmas!!!