Maternity pay and mc prevention

[mummytopebs]

I have one dd 3.11 and i had 2 mc last year. I have finally plucked up the courage to try for another baby. 2 things really does anyone know of anything i can do before trying for this baby to help a mc from not re-accuring? And also i work on a casual contract so does anyone know where i stand on maternity pay?

[SheWillBeLoved]

I don't think there is anything you can do to be honest, if it's going to happen, it'll happen. Completely beyond anyone's control. Just make sure you're in good health and take pregnancy supplements before trying and hope for the best.

Maternity pay I'm not sure on, by casual contract do you mean that you're only called in when needed as in 'bank' staff? Or do you have a set amount of hours each month?

[mummytopebs]

I am bank staff but usually do about 20 hours a week, but sadly no contract

[Biccy]

I am not an expert, but have just been looking into this sort of stuff for someone at work:
You are entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay if you have been continuously employed for 26 weeks 'into' the 15th week before the baby is due (the qualifying week), and you have earned an average of £90 a week (2008/2009 figures) in the 8 weeks up to and including the last pay day before the end of the qualifying week.
Continuous employment normally means you have worked every week consecutively, but there are some cases where breaks are counted - it gets a bit difficult to judge, but the DWP website is very good: www.dwp.gov.uk/advisers/ni17a/smp/smp_2.asp
If you aren't eligible for SMP then you may be eligible for Maternity Allowance. You need to have worked for 26 weeks (any part of the week will do) of the 66 weeks before you baby is due, and have earned an average of £30 a week, calculated by averaging your pay in any 13 weeks in the 66 weeks before your baby is due, the amount is then the smaller of 90% of your average weekly earnings, or the current SMP rate (so you pick your 13 highest earning weeks).
Other really useful sites for this sort of stuff are: tiger.direct.gov.uk/cgi-bin/maternity.cgi
www.workingfamilies.org.uk
Good luck!