July 14, 2025

🩺 Preparing for Maternity Leave as a Nurse: Real Talk + Checklist

💬 Real Talk: Maternity Leave Hits Different When You’re a Nurse If you’re a nurse, health care professional or a working individual and expecting a baby, first of all- Congratulations!…

💬 Real Talk: Maternity Leave Hits Different When You’re a Nurse

If you’re a nurse, health care professional or a working individual and expecting a baby, first of all- Congratulations! 💛
Secondly…. wow, maternity leaves feels like a completely different foreign experience for us all especially healthcare workers. Especially when planning for maternity leave and creating a maternity leave checklist.

Long shifts, emotional labour, standing all day, and caring for others while growing a tiny human of your own? It’s a lot.

When I realised my own maternity leave was on the horizon, I didn’t just want to “get through it”- I wanted to prepare for it with calm, clarity, and care (for me and the baby).

Here’s how I have gone about approaching it- and a free checklist at the end to help you prepare you way.

📆 Step 1: Know Your Rights + Timeline

To begin with it is important to ensure you fully understand when you’re entitled to go off and what support you’re due. In the UK, nurses usually follow NHS or employer-specific maternity policies depending on your work setting and for non health care professionals it is important to receive a copy of your employers maternity policy so please ensure you receive a copy from your employer.

What to check:

When to officially notify your manager (usually before 25 weeks- please ensure to find this out early as you may need to inform you manager with your MATB1 form prior to when your midwife was going to give it to you, this is available to you following your 20 week scan so if needed earlier than when your midwife was going to give it to you give them a quick ring and they will happily post it to you or you can pop in and collect it).
How much statutory maternity leave you’re entitled to (up to 52 weeks in UK)
Your maternity pay breakdown (NHS maternity pay, SMP or if your employer has a different policy, also ask payroll about splitting your pay, can this be done over your entire maternity leave or will you have no pay check from 9 months onwards, this is handy to know to prepare your finances with this in mind).
Shared parental leave or keeping-in-touch (KIT) days (Do you want to do shared parental leave what is both your policies on this? and do you want to KIT days check when these are available most places will offer 10 days and will pay on top of your maternity pay, may be handy to think of this in advance so you can start planning these in)
📝 Tip: Don’t wait until your body tells you to stop. Start thinking early about when you’d like to leave.

🧠 Step 2: Prep Mentally and Emotionally

No one talks enough about the mental shift from nurse mode to mum mode.

Some days I feel relief I am finishing soon, other days guilt. Most days I feel tired.

These are all going to be healthy normal emotions and it is highly important we give ourselves permission to feel it all. You’re not “leaving your team behind”. You’re entering a new chapter- one that deserves just as much respect and planing.

📋 Step 3: Sort the Work Practicalities

The goal we all want to achieve; leave without chaos and come back (if you choose to) with calm.

✅ Write a handover for your manager (is there any information which individuals need to know this will vary depending on your role and responsibility)
✅ Note your return date (tentative is fine and can change during the maternity date)
✅ Use up holiday or TOIL before your start date (This can be both sides, use any annual leave prior to your maternity and don’t forget you will gather annual leave whilst on maternity so make sure you know how many days you have accumulated as you may wish to use these once your maternity has finished)
✅ Set up your email auto-responder (Making it clear who to contact in your place whilst your on leave)
✅ Organise your uniform returns or ID access if needed (This will vary on your workplace so just ask your manager if this is applicable for you and may be applicable to IT equipment also)
✅ Ask about Keeping in Touch (KIT) days (Ask when can you start doing these, how far in advance do you need to plan them, can you choose how many hours to complete or any questions which pop into your mind)
✅ Keep all HR letters and forms in one folder (This is for easy accessibility if you need to refer to them in the future, if online on your work computer you may want to have these printed off or email them to your own personal account as you may have accessibility issues on maternity leave).
✅ Organise paychecks (Check in with payroll can you access your paycheck the same way on maternity or do they close your IT access on maternity, if so get it organised that you start receiving paper paychecks so you can keep an eye on your pay whilst off)
✅ Save any important numbers (example payroll have these logged into your phone ready in case you need to contact them on maternity leave)

🧘‍♀️ Bonus: download a planner printable to track all these (check the Calm Living Pack for mine!)

👚 Step 4: Prep Your Body & Space

By the last month or even before (remember pregnancy is a personal experience we all feel different symptoms and different severity of this), shifts and work in general can feel impossible. If you can, start slowing down when the fatigue or aches become too much for you. Have open and frank conversations with your manager, request lighter duties or look at how they can support you. Also let your colleagues know your limits, don’t feel a pressure to push yourself.

And at home? Do the bits that feel good- Like:

Packing your hospital bag (Remember even if having a home birth it is best practice to have one prepared just in case)
Creating a cosy feeding corner
Having changing stations set up and ready to go
Freezing a few meals for later (or sweet treats don’t forget plenty of baked goods can be frozen for later consumption!)

But remember skip the pressure to have a “perfect” nursery- rest is more important than Pinterest boards!

💻 Step 5: Think About You-Time During Leave

You are allowed to have dreams, downtime and plans during maternity. That doesn’t mean pressure- it means permission.

Ask yourself:

Do I want to start a journal or blog?
Is there a new hobby or skill I would like to pick up (such as cooking or baking)
Would a side hustle give me purpose or overwhelm me?
Could I create something or complete something small during nap times (like printables, podcast log or complete some surveys)?
Do I want to just rest, read and be?

There is no wrong answer here, we are all individuals- the right answer is only what fits your energy and home life.

📎 Free Download: Maternity Leave Checklist (for Nurses)

To make it all a bit easier, I created a printable Maternity Leave Checklist based on everything above. It’s inside the Calm Living Deluxe Printable Pack (mainly aimed at nurses but non nurses could also use it some of the points may not apply to you).

🎁 Get the Free Printable Checklist Here

💛 Final Thoughts

Preparing for maternity leave as a nurse (or as a worker) isn’t just about the paperwork- it’s about preparing your mind, your heart and your home for this massive shift.

You’ve supported others for years. Now it’s your turn to feel supported, prepared and calm.

Remember you’ve got this.

Let me know in the comments or on Instagram (@quiethustlelife ) – when are you planning to start your leave? How are you feeling about it? Any tips or hints you have for others preparing for maternity leave?