Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask anyone with 2+ kids & working…

40 replies

FrenchSquirrel · 13/08/2025 19:33

How did you afford a second mat leave?
Coming near the end of my first maternity leave, and I’ve realised just how expensive it is. I know there is talk of a review of maternity pay in the UK but who knows how long that will take. I am going back to work part time. Did you wait to TTC until you had enough in the pot, or did you just go for it and make it work and aim for the age gap you wanted anyway? I’m not quite having a year off this time and next time would definitely like at least 12 months.

OP posts:
Covidwoes · 13/08/2025 21:02

We had an age gap that meant DD1 got 30 free hours at nursery (she was term time only as well, so this was a big money saver). Some people I know waited til DC1 was nearer school age, so didn’t have to worry about ridiculous nursery fees.

Lancrelady80 · 13/08/2025 21:06

Coincided with remortgaging time when interest rates were much lower. Because we happened to have dropped down to the next level of LTV, we got silly low interest rates so it turned out we could borrow a slightly larger amount than needed but also keep monthly payments pretty much the same.

We got VERY lucky.

Overthebow · 13/08/2025 21:09

We were lucky that we could afford to cover the essentials with just DHs salary, including nursery costs, so we just made sure we had enough saved to supplement my maternity pay for the extras we wanted like spending money each, a holiday, some treats. I was also lucky my company maternity pay was pretty good.

CarrotVan · 13/08/2025 21:09

I worked in an industry that gave me 6 months full pay then 3 months SMP. I did the same with my first mat leave but my husband took the 3 months SMP as shared parental leave

SantiagoShaming · 13/08/2025 21:10

My folks waited till each of us was 4 (and in school) before having the next. I was one and done but the people I know who had them close together were all in public service jobs, so got full pay maternity. That’s what many people do those jobs for, the pay is lower but the benefits make it worth it at certain life stages.

MuggleMe · 13/08/2025 21:11

We had 3.5 year gap so free hours had kicked in. I was able to use a year round preschool as I was on mat leave then eldest started school.

Zanatdy · 13/08/2025 21:13

Mine have grown up now but we waited until we had a 3.5yr (just under in the end) so I pulled DS out of nursery when DD was a couple of months old, ahead of him starting school, so had a good 6 months of no childcare costs. I was fortunate to get 6 months full pay, and 3 months stat at that time. I took 6 months no pay for DS as it was only 6 months then, no mat leave. But with DD i went back at 9 months as I felt 12 months was harder to settle into nursery.

SunshineAndFizz · 13/08/2025 21:14

It’s shit. It’s expensive. Double nursery fees are a killer. We just went with the age gap we wanted and made it work - but it meant no holidays, extras or home improvements for a couple of years.

justanotherdrama · 13/08/2025 21:16

I had a 3 year gap so got the 30 hours otherwise we’d have struggled to pay for it all but we did cut back dramatically and had saved up beforehand both times.

maternity pay needs a shake up statutory maternity pay needs to be at least equivalent to a minimum wage job, as does state pension it’s really difficult for people

Trophy136 · 13/08/2025 21:18

A 10 year age gap.

mindutopia · 13/08/2025 21:18

We planned an age gap such that we had no childcare expenses (eldest was in reception, obviously now there is 3 year funding) and we kept our expenses low. Honestly, we didn’t save or do anything special. I think we were just earning enough that me earning less for a bit relative to our expenses wasn’t a big deal.

Mrsttcno1 · 13/08/2025 21:18

Currently pregnant with baby number 2, only went back to work in March after baby number 1 who is now 16 months, will have a 19 month age gap. Both planned pregnancies, my husband & I planned and saved to allow for a year off both times with no real financial worries but we bought a house we could comfortably afford on one income rather than the max we could afford, and although we aren’t particularly careful with money we also aren’t massive spender’s with expensive lifestyles, both have good jobs & I get a good maternity package.

Bushmillsbabe · 13/08/2025 21:21

Same as several others, we had a 3 ish year age gap so oldest was on the funded 30 hours when I was on mat leave and then in school by time mat leave finished.
We saved about 3k per mat leave. Luckily I got 80% pay for first 6 months, then SMP, so the 3k was used 1k per month for months 10-12, then month 13-14 was paid annual leave and kit days, and I went back when they were about 14 months old each time.
We also benefitted from cost of living being lower - they are 5 and 8 now. Would struggle nuch more now

Odellio · 13/08/2025 21:45

DS has 30 free hours funding kicking in for September (term-time only contract which helps as hours aren’t spread out) means he’s in for 3 days a week whilst I’m on my second maternity leave with little cost. Without this we would not be able to afford a second maternity leave!

BrunchBarBandit · 13/08/2025 21:53

I had a good maternity package (NHS) and also my workplace had an onsite nursery that both my kids went to from the age of 1 after my mat leave. It wasn’t subsidised, but it was affordable given our earnings. During my second mat leave my DH cashed in an ISA so we didn’t change our standard of living for those last few months.

This is all well over a decade ago and it was in London but I reckon we benefitted from a manageable mortgage and low interest rates. Also it helped that we were older parents and had good careers and savings behind us. I think it is much harder these days

CoffeeCakeAndALattePlease · 13/08/2025 22:00

Age gap of almost 4 years to allow a bit of financial recovery time and nursery funding to kick in. Ran up a big overdraft and credit card which we then repaid once I went back to work again.

legalseagull · 13/08/2025 22:04

We just went for it but moved to an interest only mortgage for 5 years. Only just moved back to repayment now that they’re in school

doodleschnoodle · 13/08/2025 22:06

Another one with the 3-year gap! DD1 got her 30 hours funding a couple of months before DD2 arrived.

OlympicProcrastinator · 13/08/2025 22:10

I had an accidental pregnancy when I was 39, had one fallopian tube and on the depo shot. Therefore I did not even remotely expect a pregnancy and only found out when I began showing at 4.5 months, too late to do anything.

We couldn’t afford maternity leave so I put baby in full time nursery and cried my eyes out every day torturing myself about what a terrible mother I am and how I had fucked up my child.

Turns out she was fine and is now a happy, delightful nearly 8 year old who is very loving, balanced and doing great at school.

UhhhhhhhOK · 13/08/2025 22:13

Yeh age gap so there is one child at nursery at a time. Also factor in when they get to university age. A friend has kids 1 year apart and is anticipating having to cover the financial shortfall for both kids now that next one gets results tomorrow.

Hankunamatata · 13/08/2025 22:16

Saved like mad, budgeted for lower income, removed oldest dc from childcare for the year.

Trishyb10 · 14/08/2025 18:29

Everyone has different circumstances k after first child we struggled massively financially then had to move and took on an expensive mortgage where i had to work around the clock, so a second child was never afforded… theres the sacrifice, work out whats more important ♥️

Hollybelle83 · 14/08/2025 18:59

I saved hard whilst pregnant and we lived pretty frugally during my second mat leave. Helped a fair bit that it was still COVID times so not loads of socialising.

tangobravo · 14/08/2025 19:01

6 months full pay, then I did six weeks SMP and 6 weeks annual leave. Saved enough to cover six weeks salary, just!

Fangisnotacoward · 14/08/2025 19:03

I got 6 months full pay with my employer then 3 months SMP. During my pregnancy and for the first 6 months of mat leave I saved like a MF to afford those additional three months. I then had accrued holidays and B hols to use on top of that