To TTC whilst on Mat leave?

[Pumpertrumper]

Im on mat leave with DS (6 months)
I was really sick during pregnancy, signed off work the whole time. I’m likely to experience these complications again but want another child.

Rather than going back, getting pregnant again, 7 months off sick, then a year of mat leave Im considering TTC again now. The idea being I could get the first 4/5 months out of the way whilst I’m already on mat leave, go back PT for a few months then off on mat leave. This would reduce the amount of sickness leave I’d take.

The issue is, my company offer great sick/mat pay packages. Just like every other woman in the company I’m entitled to these but Im not sure I’ll qualify for it if I go back from mat leave pregnant.

I have no way to check the mat/sick policies currently so would have to ask HR/my manager directly but I feel weird doing that.

AIBU?

OP, do you plan to return to work to the same company after your second maternity leave? What I am trying to say is legally you are likely to get the same maternity entitlement for your second pregnancy even if you return for 3 or 4 months only, however your colleagues most probably won't be very understanding or sympathetic. It might not be a particularly pleasant working environment after.

I know with my employer that I had to work so many weeks of pregnancy to qualify for full maternity package. If I'd gone back pregnant I would have only been entitled to smp not the enhanced package.

And I'm not sure how it would stand if you went from maternity leave to sick pay - if you are unable to return to work. You may find package pay amount greatly reduced

Personally I’d go back full time, even for a few months. Do what gets you in the best position. Quite frankly, unless you work for a one in a billion company they would hesitate to fuck you over if it suited them so don’t feel guilty about time taken off you’re entitled to.

I will be checking all of these things tomorrow with HR.
I think I’m trying to be too considerate given some of these comments. I figured getting the first 4/5 months out of the way whilst on mat leave already then dropping to PT hours anyway would mean

A- less overall time off
B- less cost to the company
C- less disturbance (they would no doubt keep my mat cover on)

Maybe I should think more about how I can put myself in the best position but I just don’t want my work mates to think I’m totally taking the piss. I actually like my job and my team and my company.

@Ditheringdooley

You’re on mat leave at the moment, it wouldn’t be that weird to ask HR for a copy of the current policy and they should have no hesitation in providing it.

Do what works for you. Don’t worry about perceptions. No one thanks you for sacrifices made that they don’t expect or aren’t aware of. Just do what you need/ want to. And don’t screw your self out of entitlements.

This exactly

@MadameBlobby
@Ditheringdooley

Copy of Mat policy obtained
No mention of whether it’s impacted by becoming pregnant whilst already on mat leave

Emailed HR (confidentially) asking what impact becoming pregnant would have on mat/sick pay specifically the enhanced pay.
Got a pretty generic email back saying I’d still be entitled to 52 weeks mat leave (no mention of the enhanced pay for either sick or Mat leave).

Have emailed again asking for specific financial clarification- I work for a large multi nat but everyone is WFH due to CV

Feel cheeky asking but end of the day I work with lots of women who have come back for a year then gone off to have number 2. It’s no different if anything it’s much easier for them as less overall time off and they can keep my current mat cover on in the role.

You will be entitled to exactly the same conditions as you were the first time round. Anything else would be maternity/pregnancy discrimination.

Obviously that may not translate you being entitled to the same amount of actual maternity pay if you drop your hours to part time in the qualifying weeks or are still on maternity pay during them.

@pastabest

There’s a good chance I’d be on unpaid maternity leave during the qualifying weeks. That’s the issue.

Whatever you decide, make the right decision for you and your family, not for your employer. It may be true that you'd be saving the company money if you don't take any sick leave second time round but that's really not a reason to have a small age gap. You're being way too considerate, IMO.

The career reasons you mention sound more valid but make sure you've considered the costs of childcare as a PP mentioned.

my first two were ten months apart. i actually don’t recommend having them close together. i ended up with three under two, no twins.

i was pregnant on my second when i went for my six week check up.

[quote Pumpertrumper]@pastabest

There’s a good chance I’d be on unpaid maternity leave during the qualifying weeks. That’s the issue.[/quote]
Yes, I was in the same position, got pregnant again at 7 months into mat leave no 1.

A thread just like this on mumsnet made me realise around week 14 that if I didn't get my arse back into work sharpish I was going to miss out on maternity pay for no 2.

Luckily my work were very understanding and waived the 8 weeks notice I was supposed to give and also kept my maternity cover on during the few weeks I was back.

Yes it meant having to finish maternity leave number 1 earlier than planned but with a combination of leave and bank holidays owed and due I worked part time hours on full time pay in my qualifying weeks and finished for maternity leave slightly earlier than I had with DC1.

There's also no guarantee you will be as sick as last time, I really suffered until well into the twenties with DC1 and lost a lot of weight (I was lighter at 20 weeks than I was at my booking appointment) but with DC2 I had no sickness at all.