Anyone changed dates on Mat B form ? Or is it set from first NHS scan ?

[fussytodd]

I know I'll get slaughtered for this.. but here it goes.

I had a couple of private scans before my nhs scan and they predicted a estimate delivery date, which just about lines me up to get the full maternity pay from my company.

I had the nhs scan and they've estimated the date a good week earlier than my last scan at 10 weeks.

This puts me out of the mat leave pay. We are talking a huge chunk..

Has anyone ever been in this situation ? I'm genuinely surprised at the dating difference. I was supposed to be just 12 weeks based on my period and last private scan, now suddenly, I'm a week ahead and it throws up all sorts of problems.

Any advice?

Can the date change ? I feel like the sonographer made a mistake, it doesn't even line up with my period.. or the last two scans..

If I remember correctly, it is based on a development or length basis, so you could ask for a second opinion as with any other test or opinion in the NHS. However, private early scans could be less reliable. Someone else may know better, but I thought dating was more difficult with a transvaginal scan which is why the NHS wait till 10-12 weeks.

Thank you ! I had an abdominal private scan at 10 and a half weeks. Which lined up with my period etc..

I don't think you can. Also when you say period are you taking it account when your fertile period is ect ect? Doing estimated due date off your period is known to be inaccurate hence why it is done via ultrasound.

Also even if the NHS put it different of on your matb1 form mat pay is either your estimated due date or date of delivery which ever is earliest (or pick an earlier date if you want but those are the latest dates).
So unfortunately even if MHS put a later date if baby arrived then mat leave/pay begins. Remember a pregnancy is full term at 37 weeks although due date is quoted at 40 weeks.

@3cats4poniesandababy

I don't think you can. Also when you say period are you taking it account when your fertile period is ect ect? Doing estimated due date off your period is known to be inaccurate hence why it is done via ultrasound.

Also even if the NHS put it different of on your matb1 form mat pay is either your estimated due date or date of delivery which ever is earliest (or pick an earlier date if you want but those are the latest dates).
So unfortunately even if MHS put a later date if baby arrived then mat leave/pay begins. Remember a pregnancy is full term at 37 weeks although due date is quoted at 40 weeks.

I was tracking ovulation, so it all lines up.

@3cats4poniesandababy

I don't think you can. Also when you say period are you taking it account when your fertile period is ect ect? Doing estimated due date off your period is known to be inaccurate hence why it is done via ultrasound.

Also even if the NHS put it different of on your matb1 form mat pay is either your estimated due date or date of delivery which ever is earliest (or pick an earlier date if you want but those are the latest dates).
So unfortunately even if MHS put a later date if baby arrived then mat leave/pay begins. Remember a pregnancy is full term at 37 weeks although due date is quoted at 40 weeks.

The thing my company is interested in, is the estimated due date. When the baby is actually born, isn't relevant.

From memory the NHS like to stick with the date at your 12 week scan. But given your circumstances, definitely talk to your midwife at your next appt and explain that it makes a huge difference to your income on mat leave. See if there's anything they can do - they don't normally give out the MATB1 until around 20-24 weeks so worth asking if they can check dates etc at your 20 week scan if not before?

Talk to your midwife, they’re normally so bloody nice and will do anything they can do to help you.

You're right. No harm in trying.

Yes your actual date of delivery will be relevant. Speaking as someone who hadn't started mat leave when baby arrived...my mat leave was brought forward to the day baby arrived.
The matb1 is also a legal document filled out by your midwife and including her NMC registration pin number. You absolutely should not alter this as the midwife could be in serious trouble.
Don't do it.

@fussytodd They won’t change it from the 12 week scan, they use that date for your EDD even if all the other data changes. From LMP, ovulation date, and two early scans; I’m due two weeks before the date from my 12 week scan. They “made a note” at my 12 week scan that baby was hard to measure and so they’d gone with the smallest measurement, but there is a measurement that lines up with everything else. I measured two weeks ahead at 20 weeks, and am now measuring five weeks ahead based on bump measurements, and they won’t change the EDD. It is NHS policy, allegedly.

I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news

@MrsJVJ

Yes your actual date of delivery will be relevant. Speaking as someone who hadn't started mat leave when baby arrived...my mat leave was brought forward to the day baby arrived. The matb1 is also a legal document filled out by your midwife and including her NMC registration pin number. You absolutely should not alter this as the midwife could be in serious trouble. Don't do it.

I would never alter it myself.

I would just talk to the midwife about my situation, to understand if she can alter it, as I believe the scan date is wrong.

I'm having a scheduled c section anyway. So I should know towards the end of my pregnancy, when baby will actually be born. But on the mat leave policy, to quality for enhanced Mat pay, it talks about estimated due date only. You could have the baby 3 months early and it would still apply and you'd get enhanced pay if the estimated date fitted into the category.

Yes your actual date of delivery will be relevant

No it’s not when calculating Mat leave entitlement. All that matters is the due date, not when the baby arrived.

In my experience the NHS consider the 12 week scan EDD to be set in stone. Both of mine have dated the pregnancy as 5 days more advanced than it could have been based on my ovulation tracking. It’s been a right pain as I’ve then come under pressure to induce and also had to take mat leave earlier than I’d have liked.

@TakeYourFinalPosition I had a similar experience.

My first baby measured ahead by 2/3 weeks at every scan and they wouldn’t change it. Despite this though my dd was actually 2 weeks late so regardless of what you think the correct date is, your baby might have other ideas

I'm not joking, when she did the length measurement, I saw that she overshot the head by a good bit. So annoying !

Gosh what a tricky situation. I would definitely talk to your mw. My NHS hospital allow you to pay for private scans so that could be one was to see if you can get remeasured.

But to add, please don't say things like she overshot the head. She knows what she's looking at on the screen and I'll assume you're not a sonographer. I think the way to go is to ask if there's any way of getting a second opinion for the reasons you explain.

You'll need to slice fast though. By 20 weeks the baby is too big to get a full measurement but I think I got one at 16 weeks IIRC.

@FoxtrotSkarloey

But to add, please don't say things like she overshot the head. She knows what she's looking at on the screen and I'll assume you're not a sonographer. I think the way to go is to ask if there's any way of getting a second opinion for the reasons you explain.

You'll need to slice fast though. By 20 weeks the baby is too big to get a full measurement but I think I got one at 16 weeks IIRC.

There is no way I would say that...

I’ve never known the Mat B1 date be changed and this is always the date used for SMP and the top up occupational pay. I’ve known people be caught out by not waiting a month to be 100% sure they qualify for occupational.

Also even if the NHS put it different of on your matb1 form mat pay is either your estimated due date or date of delivery which ever is earliest (or pick an earlier date if you want but those are the latest dates).
So unfortunately even if MHS put a later date if baby arrived then mat leave/pay begins. Remember a pregnancy is full term at 37 weeks although due date is quoted at 40 weeks.

That’s when mat leave starts but eligibility for statutory maternity pay is based on the due date (actually the “expected week of delivery). Otherwise you could end up being penalised for having a premature baby if it meant that if you went by delivery date you didn’t qualify for SMP.

"There is no way I would say that" re overshot the head measurement.. that is exactly what you said!!

I don't mean to sound harsh here op but you were obviously planning this baby so it was risky to try knowing you may not quite be in the window of your enhanced maternity pay package..

I know a woman who had IVF and even though she tried to argue with the sonographer that there was no way she was pregnant a week before her embryo transfer that was the date on her matb1 form. So by all means try but you might be stuck, sadly.

@Mammyloveswine

"There is no way I would say that" re overshot the head measurement.. that is exactly what you said!!

I don't mean to sound harsh here op but you were obviously planning this baby so it was risky to try knowing you may not quite be in the window of your enhanced maternity pay package..

Not TO THEM !!!!! OMG!! Saying it here is completely different.

@Mammyloveswine

"There is no way I would say that" re overshot the head measurement.. that is exactly what you said!!

I don't mean to sound harsh here op but you were obviously planning this baby so it was risky to try knowing you may not quite be in the window of your enhanced maternity pay package..

I'm also of a certain age, where every month counts. That's more important than the enhanced pay for us. It's not the end of the world at all that I won't get it.

But it seems unfair as the dates are very clearly completely off. So was just wondering if others had experience of that.

My private scans at the start estimated a later due date than the NHS. A later private scan then aligned with the NHS and they both estimated the same due date.

Although just to add, I was also booked in for a c section but my waters broke beforehand so I didn’t have the baby on the planned date.