Promotion before maternity

[AverageJoan]

The opportunity has come up for me to apply for promotion within my team. Super exciting, it's one of the goals I set myself for this year to get to the next level. But that was before I found out I was expecting a baby, due early Oct. That said, I haven't wound down and have continued to keep pushing towards building a good foundation to come back to next July.
I know my employer can't discriminate against me for being pregnant and if I deserve the promotion I should get it but WIBU to apply?! The closing date is 5 weeks before my maternity leave is due to start. I feel like I've got nothing to lose by applying and if I don't get it then I'll likely get some good feedback for the things I need to work on for next time/when I come back.
Has anyone got any experience of being promoted prior to or whilst on maternity leave?

I was promoted six weeks before taking mat leave, but won't step into the role properly til I get back.

I was promoted in the July as I had my baby in the November. It's definitely worth going for.

Ah thanks both! I definitely want to, I suppose my AIBU is because I know when I go off then I would still leave a gap (despite my own role being filled with mat cover). Definitely reassuring to know that other people have still been promoted in similar circumstances!

I got promoted during maternity leave with 6 months to go till my return.

Absolutely go for it.

We've had a few people in our org do this. If they were the top candidate they got the role and the 2nd best candidate got offered an FTC to cover the mat leave.

Go for it, but don't feel pressured to return early.

Whatever your plans are now, tell work you're taking the full 12 months. It will mean that they plan for that and it's a lot easier for them to shorten your leave than extend it.

It will give yourself some wriggle room in case you feel you want or need longer.

Go for it, worse case you don’t get it and they see how motivated and progressive you are!

YANBU

I got a promotion (big one as well) 3 weeks before I went off on Mat leave

I agreed on taking 10 months instead of 12 off but was able to return on full pay but a 3 day week for 3 months as a trade off.

No harm in trying

Go for it! Don’t delay your plans, you’ve worked hard for it by the sounds of it so don’t miss the opportunity.

I was promoted 2 weeks before my mat leave, they said they wanted to have the best person for the job even if that meant waiting several months. Good luck!

Thank you!
My current plan (probably won't change) is to take 9 months off and then DP will have 3 months of SPL at the end but it would be great to have a but of flexibility around working hours when I go back and the promotion would definitely allow for that if that's what we decided to do down the line ☺️