If you work for a good company then ask if you can start your maternity leave early. Legally you have to give 28 days notice but they may well accomodate you if you explain that you're starting to struggle & that your doctor recommends you go on leave ASAP (even if he/she didn't!). Could you work reduced hours until you go on maternity leave? SSP is next to nothing so you may well benefit from that and it shows compromise on your behalf.

Alternately you can get signed off til you go on maternity leave. If all else fails do this then tell your employer that your doctor insisted that you now need rest, so has signed you off anyway!

HTH

You are right in what you are saying.  I am in the same position.  If you are off sick and it is 4wks before your EDD your employer can automatically put you on maternity leave.  I am having to take mine earlier than planned due to sick leave.   In my work you can self cert yourself for the 1st week then a doctors line would be required.

G/C from DIO. 

Sorry to hear you've not been feeling good.  I think your company have a right to start your maternity leave autmatically 4 weeks prior to your due date if you are off with a pregnancy related illness.  I'm in a similar situation.  I'm due in 6 weeks but am not suposed to finish work for another 3 and half weeks but am having tests for pre-eclampsia and the Dr has basically told me i'm unlikely to return to work now.  I will be given a sick note but my works will prbably start my mat leave in 2 weeks time

Hope this helps xxx

I am not due to start my maternity leave until the end of August so have just over a week left.  Have had a couple of days over the last week where I haven't felt too good and although I haven't missed any working days yet I am just wondering what would happen if I needed to finish work earlier than planned.  Do I need to get a sick note to cover any days up until then or can I just say I need to start maternity leave earlier?  I am lucky enough to work for a company that are pretty reasonable about these kinds of things but just wanted to know where I stand.  Hopefully I will be ok and can last until the end of next week but like I say I am starting to suffer a bit now.