Preparing for maternity leave: Your helpful guide

Preparing for maternity leave can feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Bear in mind that this is designed to give you the time you need to focus on your wellbeing and that of your baby. Planning ahead gives you the best chance of enjoying precious moments with your newborn without having to worry about work or finances.

In this article, we’ve outlined the necessary steps to prepare for maternity leave and communicate effectively, ensuring a smooth transition for yourself and your team.

Deciding how much maternity leave to take

Statutory maternity leave gives you the right to take up to 52 weeks off work. You can choose to start it any time in, or after, the 11th week before your baby is due. You can decide to return to work as soon as two weeks after birth (four weeks if you’re a factory worker). It depends entirely on you, your birth, your health and your baby’s health. Do what feels right for you and your family, to support both your home and working life.

Familiarise yourself with your company's maternity leave policies and benefits. Review the employee handbook or speak with the HR department to ensure you have a clear understanding of your entitlements, such as the duration of leave, pay structure, and any other relevant details.

How to financially prepare for maternity leave

Early planning and open communication about finances can help alleviate financial stress, allowing you to focus on staying as healthy and happy as possible before and during maternity leave.

Assessing your current financial situation will allow you to make informed decisions about managing finances. This may also be a factor in the amount of maternity leave you decide to take. Start by reviewing your income, expenses, and savings. Determine how much you'll need to cover essential costs during your leave.

Create a detailed budget that accounts for reduced income and increased expenses. Identify areas where you can cut back and prioritise necessary expenses. To support this, start saving for maternity leave as early as possible, if you’re in a position to. Set aside a portion of your income each month leading up to your leave, reserving some savings for emergencies.

If your work allows it, you could explore options for supplemental income, such as part-time work or freelancing, if this is feasible for you. If you’re in a relationship, discussing finances with your partner and developing a joint plan can assuage any worries. This also keeps you both involved in bearing the financial burden and ensures shared understanding and support.

If you need further advice, you could consult with a financial advisor who specialises in family planning, for personalised guidance on managing your finances around your pregnancy.

Telling your employer

Letting your employer know with plenty of time allows them to start making preparations for your maternity cover. You legally have to tell your employer about your pregnancy by the end of the 15th week before your baby is due. You can do this over email, by handing them a written letter or telling them in person. If you like, you can request a meeting to do this.

You’ll need to let them know the date you want your maternity leave to start. Your boss is going to need as much time as possible to make provisions for your absence, particularly finding the right person to undertake your role.

Share your maternity leave plans with your other immediate team members and colleagues as soon as possible too. By keeping everyone in the loop, you’ll enable the necessary teamwork that will support your transition and make your own life easier, as well as everyone else’s.

Start preparing in advance

Preparing for maternity leave as early as possible gives you one less thing to worry about as your priorities inevitably start to build, with plenty of other demands on your time.

Work with your supervisor to identify a temporary point of contact during your absence. This person will handle your responsibilities and act as the main liaison for your team. It may be that a new employee will be recruited on a maternity contract. Ensure that they are adequately trained and have access to the necessary information to fulfil their role effectively.

Start keeping detailed notes for whoever will take up your duties. Take the time to document your current projects, tasks, and any ongoing work processes. This will assist your temporary point of contact and other team members in understanding your responsibilities and completing tasks smoothly in your absence. That should also reduce the chances of returning to a backlog of work, avoidable mistakes or strained relationships with colleagues.

The final stages before your maternity leave

Discuss the handover process and any pending tasks or deadlines that need to be addressed before your departure. Open lines of communication will help to maintain a collaborative work environment.

Review your workload and delegate responsibilities where appropriate. Prioritise tasks that need to be completed during your absence and ensure clear instructions are provided to your temporary point of contact and other team members involved.

Tie up loose ends accordingly. If you work until late into your pregnancy, it’s probably a good idea to start leaving every evening as if you might not be back in the morning. You could send out daily emails to keep everyone informed, and attach post-it notes to your screen to let your boss, colleagues or replacement know where you’re up to.

Planning for what will happen during your maternity leave

Make it clear how much contact you’d like from your workplace while you’re away; whether that’s none at all, occasional emails, or as much correspondence as possible. If you wish to stay informed about important updates or developments during your maternity leave, discuss remote access or periodic check-ins with your supervisor. Determine a realistic level of involvement according to your personal circumstances; taking on more than you can manage will defeat the objective of taking maternity leave.

Before your leave begins, set up out-of-office messages on your email and other communication platforms. Provide the contact details of your temporary point of contact and include the duration of your maternity leave. This will inform colleagues and clients of your absence and direct them to the appropriate person for assistance.

Once you’ve figured out how to prepare for maternity leave, you can enjoy your last few days and prepare for your departure.

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