May 2015 - thread 4 - the one where it all gets real!

[Titsalinabumsquash]

Here we are. If someone could link to the stats that would be fab.

I am a hormonal wreck today.
Absolutely breaking my heart at Toy Story 3! haha

Me too Lina! I've shut myself in my room and sobbed all day.
I'm am NOT going out tonight, I'm feeling entirely overwhelmed with everything.
doesn't help I didn't sleep a wink, have a nasty headache and have been throwing up all day

Hello everyone!

Havent posted for ages but glad to see so many updates!
I am now facing a anxious 2-3 week wait for test results following an amnio I had on thursday. Im now 16 weeks and im certain I have felt this little pip moving around, seems to be on my left side that I feel it.

Looking outside my window to a gloomy day! Typical england!

Lina - I always break my heart at Toy Story 3! Pregnant or not!

Smiley-been going through my maternity pack and get:
OML: weeks 1-4 at full pay, weeks 5-6 90% of full pay, weeks 7-18 50% of full pay
SMP:weeks 19-32 standard flat rate of SMP, weeks 33-52 No pay

Been having a chat with DH and decided not to spread it monthly over the year. However, if we were to, I would just have a chat with Finance about what those montly payments would be.

Oh, and I've also signed up to the childcare voucher scheme for when I return to work.

Sorry you have to wait solom for amino results winnie but we will keep you company!

I always cry at Toy Story 3

Oh - I usually cry Kitty and Scottish but this was a whole different kind of crying. Think puddle on the floor actually sobbing haha! My DD didn't know what on earth was going on hahah!

Kitty that can't be right. SMP is payable to everyone for nine months. Irrespective of what contractual arrangements you have. They can't pay you more at the outset and then nothing from 33- 45

Ah actually I see what they've done. You get SMP at flat rate for 33 weeks AFTER the initial 6 weeks when it's paid at 90%. So yours is right but communicated weirdly. You will get something up to 39 weeks which is nine months. Not 45 weeks like I unhelpfullu said

Thanks -I'm so happy you agree it is hard to interpret bean !
DH and I spent ages trying to understand what it meant!

In summary, for the first 4 months, I get full or pretty close to full pay then, SMP only, up to 9 months.

I'm assuming all of us fellow teachers will be roughly the same but what with Academies etc. it could now be wildly different

Think mine is basically the same Kitty, (think it's from the burgandy book or something?):
First 4 weeks of absence, full pay, inclusive of SMP
Next 2 weeks 90% of a week’s salary, inclusive of SMP
Next 12 weeks, half pay plus SMP
Next 21 weeks, SMP
Next 13 weeks no pay

Now does inclusive of SMP mean the same as plus SMP? Think I'll need to speak to finance dept to help me work out what I will get (I'm no good at that stuff, once I have the numbers I'll do a good old spreadsheet and get that to do the maths for me!!)

Fellow teachers I too am finding the maternity pay all a little confusing!! Smiley what you have stated is the same as what I have read too and am also wondering about 'inclusive'.....same as plus? Kitty I am going to sign up for the childcare vouchers through work too, lady at work told me if they will be going to nursery its beneficial to do.

I don't know how much teachers get paid but if you are into higher rate tax then you start getting tax refunds when full pay stops as you won't earn enough over the year to pay higher rate

You don't get SMP on top, so if they pay you 50pc inclusive of SMP you get 50pc. They can reclaim the SMP amount from the government but it's all the same to you.

On the childcare vouchers thing note they are replacing it with the new scheme in October 2015. This will pay 20pc of your childcare costs per child up to 10k. There are various calculators online to work out if you are better off in new or old schemes. One thing is suggest that we didn't do is to buy vouchers now! They don't expire and you can use them in the future.

Hi everyone!
I was part of the first thread but took a bit of time away. So lovely to see how everyone is getting on. Can't believe it's second trimester time!
Had my 12 week scan back in Oct half term and baby was measuring at 11w6d so EDD is earlier than I thought at May 15th! It was so incredible to see a wiggly little baby with a strong heart beat! Just wondrous. My 20 week scan is on the 29th December so sounds like lots of us have something post-Christmas to get excited about! Are any of you finding out the gender? I will, just can't wait until May!

Oh and as a teacher I still don't have the foggiest about Mat pay or when is the norm to go off on leave!

ow, my hip is in agony. I am only 15 weeks, isnt this supposed to start when I'm huge?

Jenni go and see a physio about it just incase it's to do with the ligaments! (I thought I had normal pain and turns out my pelvis has dropped 2Cms and tilted - I'm on crutches till they get it back in) I'm only 14Weeks2days so I guess can start at any time!

Thanks purpleshoes, I will do. I walk a five mile round trip to work and back each day so I need to get it sorted ASAP. It keeps twinging, I have some lovely muscle relaxers in my medicine cabinet that would sort it (and knock me out) but can't take them

Thanks Bean so so helpful! I'll hold off on getting the vouchers for now then

Great to hear all is well Blondie!

Sorry you are in pain Jenni

Think I annoyed a cocktail barman tonight as kept asking "off menu" for non-alcoholic concoctions

Exhausted now though, but still can't seem to fall asleep yet!

Hello everyone!! Welcome to the newbies

kitty and smiley you get pretty much the same pay as me (nhs nurse). Inclusive of SMP means you just get your 90% pay no extra. Plus SMP means 50% pay plus your SMP on top. So it's a generous package compared to some. Last time I had it equalled out over 9 months and then took 4 months unpaid leave. This time will have it spread over 10 and might not be able to afford unpaid leave

And I'm taking all of my annual leave for the 2015-2016 year plus the bit I have left from this year, so I'm finishing at 30 weeks!! Can't wait.

Thanks for the confirmation of inclusive/ plus ladies :) still feels like a minefield and we've got so much to do to house, replacement car as nearly dead as well as somehow saving for a baby too/saving for when have less money etc!

Another quick question, have got 16w appointment tomorrow, what does midwife do in that one?

Kitty I also had mocktails the other night and they are not the same as proper ones ....gonna be a long time before I can have a nice alcoholic beverage as as one of my friends said that whilst breast feeding shouldn't drink either grrrr

smiley. you can drink whilst breastfeeding if you express the milk before having a drink

smiley at my 16 weeks appointment the midwife took my blood pressure, tested urine sample and listened to baby's heart beat - a fairly quick appointment.

smiley-mine did the same as bradders plus just went through my blood results. Did find out that I used to teach her daughter

Haven't really got out of my PJs today-just keep falling asleep!!