The March-ers 2019 - #7

[Angelmiracle]

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Thread 6

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/3379197-The-March-ers-2019-6

I've got a question in regards to my holiday pay/maternity leave. Just wondering if anyone is in the know. Sorry if it doesn't make any sense!

My company pays people 100% of their daily wage for any days holiday not taken throughout the year. I'm thinking of keeping my holiday days and use maternity leave in order to get another 2 weeks full pay paid at the end of the year. However, my 33 week stat pay runs out at the end of Nov so I'd have returned to work on a part time basis and will earn 25% of what I currently earn. So my question is, will I be entitled to my holiday pay at my current salary or the new lower wage?
I don't really want to ask work at the moment as they've been very accommodating and I don't want to look like I'm taking everything I can get.... even though I am!

@AssumeItWasSomethingClever I can't be sure, but it should go based on how many working days' leave you've accrued in total, rather than how many days you are working on your return? The one thing I'd check policies for/with your company is if they allow you to roll over leave/what your leave year is. (Some places it's Jan/Dec, my old place it was Apr/March.) I guess the other option is that you may be able to take your remaining leave tacked onto your mat leave to use it up? (ie return a bit later but at full pay?)

@assumeitwassomethingclever I would expect it would be full pay for days accrued during Mat leave as they can't adjust your contract until the end of your leave (or at least only move you onto an equivalent contract). Obviously double check with your HR department if you aren't sure by reading the policies.
Are you getting SMP? Or is your 33 weeks a company extra as you should get 39 weeks SMP as it is 6 weeks at 90% pay then the 33 weeks at standard rate.

Hi everyone - I've been a bit off radar atm but things are going well here. Reflux has kicked in though which sucks. Maternity leave is such a minefield and such a personal thing! I told my boss that I would be working til my due date and they've subtly hinted that I should go sooner lol. I pointed out that I did it last time with no issues and they couldn't really argue lol. Taking 5 months mat leave then 1 month annual leave tagged on the end. I only get statutory unfortunately as they binned the enhanced mat package a few years after I started. I get good sick pay though!

I'm another struggling to know what to do with regards to mat leave. At the moment I'm contemplating leaving at 37 weeks, using 2 weeks of annual leave and then my mat leave starting at 39 weeks. I only get statutory maternity pay so things are going to be very tight. I'd like to take the full 39 weeks of paid leave if I can, so at the moment am expecting to go back at the end of November, but we shall see if that's possible financially. Work seem pretty happy to be flexible at the moment with regards to start and finish dates, so that's good. I'm going back full-time but have spoken to my boss and plan to use my accrued annual leave to essentially work part-time hours and have one or two days a week off so that I'm not going back to work full-time straight away but am still getting full pay. I'll have a lot of holiday to use in a short time and this way I think will suit me better than using it all as a block at the end of my leave and then feeling like I'm being chucked in at the deep end by going straight back in full-time.

@HidCat speaking of reflux, I'm suffering the same thing. Picked up some Gaviscon today. Keep waking up at 2am with a burning gullet.

How's everyone else doing in themselves? Today is the first time I've felt physically exhausted just from doing things I'm normally very used to. I cooked a roast dinner for me and the other half and by the time I'd sat down to eat it I felt so hot and bothered and just very odd! Took myself to bed at 8:45 and then was carving cheesecake. I can't keep up with myself these days!

@ballanj I have developed a waddle and I have a pain in my bum/top of my legs today I think I have done to much this weekend.

Pregnancy is so much fun

@Wineandchoccy I'm trying my hardest not to waddle 😂 although I've definitely noticed my center of gravity has shifted as I nearly fell over getting out of bed to go to the loo in the middle of the night over the weekend.

That and laying in bed drinking gaviscon to avoid the deadly acid reflux.....it's soooooooo glamorous 🤣

@wineandchoccy @ballanj We went sofa shopping last weekend - on more than one occasion I sat on a sofa that was lower than it looked and then needed a fair amount of help from my partner to get back up! He found it hilarious......me not so much.

The last 2 weeks I have definitely begun to feel "like a pregnant woman", especially when i'm trying to get dressed and I'm struggling to put socks and shoes on. I'm also adamant that i got "more pregnant" this weekend, i'm sure i'm visibly bigger, partner thinks it's the Dominoes we got last night but I think it's more than that ha

@WhatALearningCurve that's exactly how I'd describe how I've felt this weekend... definitely 'more pregnant'! And all I keep thinking is I really should just settle in and deal with it because I'm only going to get bigger!

Another one here who feels more pregnant this week. We got a new sofa in October that's quite soft and cosy but oh god, getting up off it these days. I look like a turtle that's turned over onto it's shell and can't get up. OH has to push me by my bum to get me up. So glamourous!

Almost rang triage on Friday evening. Realised I hadn't felt baby all day, or didn't think I had. I drank some cold water about half 7pm and lay down and told myself I'd give him til my step son went to bed at 9 then call them. Bang on 9 I got a huge kick and all weekend he's been kicking away. Typical.

Also have a weird feeling when I lie on my left side sometimes that I'm squishing him. I can feel something digging in my side as if I'm pushing his feet into me but surely that right..

Speaking of feeling more pregnant, looked down in the shower this morning and can't see a thing of 'down there'. No idea what it all looks like

Thanks all on the advice reg mat leave (sorry, I didn't mean to post on run)
I'm with you all on feeling more pregnant. My belly feels really tight and uncomfortable some days. I struggled on Saturday as baby was really low down and by the end of the day my hips were quite painful! I also bent down to look at some PJ's in Primark and struggled to get up again!
Got knows what I'm going to be like when I'm massive!!

I'm with you all on feeling more pregnant. I'm fairly certain baby has flipped and has its head right under my rib on the right, I'm pretty sure I can feel the head. It is SO uncomfortable. My legs and hips are aching too and my kicks have changed so that they are very low again - the same as a few weeks ago which is a bit unnerving...

Also, has anyone got any stretchmarks yet. I'm not sure if I'm getting a few on my left hip bone. I feel like I've put myself on a boil wash and shrunk my skin by two sizes. I'm so itchy!!!

Yep, also feeling more pregnant! Nearly 26 weeks now and I have been finding it hard to turn over in bed the last few nights. Had a little bit of pregnancy insomnia as well.

I saw my midwife today for an extra bloods appointment, so we shall see whether or not I need more iron. I almost hope that I do because then there will be a reason why I feel so unfit!

I've been working really hard on my 2 year old's behaviour this last week. We are making strides but it is exhausting and has had me in tears once or twice! He has been fighting naptimes despite being clearly exhausted. We are talking hour long tantrums about not wanting to go to bed! Anyway, the last two days he has hopped into bed and gone down for a nap without protest. Thank goodness!

I'm feeling a bit preoccupied by the genetic testing I need to have done for the cancer gene fault. I really want the results well ahead of having the baby so I have time to process it before I get massively overwhelmed / hormonal / sleep-deprived. Unfortunately the appointment they have scheduled for me at the moment would have me receiving results either just before or just after the birth. They are seeing whether they can move my appointment earlier, so fingers crossed. I am pretty anxious about it - understandably, as having the fault would, for me, mean electing to have all the major preventative surgery - and I feel it is distracting a bit from my enjoyment of the pregnancy. I am looking at it in a positive light - if I have got it then it will be brilliant to know so that I can do something about it - but it is weighing on my mind somewhat!

I'm definitely feeling much more pregnant in general this time round!
Finding bending over really difficult and getting up from talking to DS is really tough! Poor little thing is being talked down to, which I hate, but I can't get down to him half the time now! Thankfully I can still pick him up at the moment for short times.

I have laryngitis too so my body is definitely telling me to stop. I am ready for a couple of weeks of support at Christmas, not that DH isn't doing more than his fair share at the moment.

Can't explain how much I'm enjoying the fact that "more pregnant" had caught on as a descriptive term ha.

In terms of stretch marks I've got a couple that were already there pre pregnancy due to weight gain and loss. They look a bit more obvious now but I'm bio-oiling every day and as long as they stay below my belly button then I'm considering it a win.

@badbadbeans sorry to hear you're struggling with the 'not knowing' aspect. It really really is the worst time as you simply think about every eventually even though you know it won't be all of them at once. When you get the results (either way) then you'll be able to plan which may make you feel more in control regardless of the actual outcome. Are you speaking to anyone (counsellor, friend, whoever) about your feelings right now? Have you got a Macmillan nurse? You may not have if you're still "in the system" rather than fully "someone who happens to have cancer" but I certainly found having someone to talk to during the waiting period a real relief.

Been struggling to get up from the sofa for a few weeks now. I have to rock back and forwards before I can. I got a cheap pregnancy/gym ball at the weekend so will try sitting on that instead as it's supposed to be better for your posture. Tried it whilst watching TV last night and was fine. I feel like bump has definitely got bigger this last fortnight or so as I've had the "oooh I didn't know you were pregnant!!" chat from lots of colleagues and various people have also commented. My yoga teacher compared it to a little football today... Is that a complement?!

I think that is a compliment @cardboard33!

Had 24 week check with midwife all was great. Lovely loud heartbeat 😁 I was a bit concerned since last week movements were very different but she agreed baby has moved and of course today I've been kicked and poked loads.

She has put a referral in for physio for the pelvic pain and said they come back quickly which is good.

The dietician was looking an update on my weight due to high BMI but as I don't keep scales I asked midwife to weigh me and I'm down 2.5kg from booking appointment. Very relieved- they don't want to see any more than a 5-9kg gain by the end and I worried I'd 5kg on already!

@Angelmiracle glad your appointment went well. Isn't the heartbeat just the best sound in the world?! I could listen to it all day. Fingers crossed you get the physio sorted ASAP.

I've spoken to work in regards to my leave and holiday pay. I'm going to take it as a lump payment at the end of the year instead of using the days.

Me and DH have had a bit of a to-do about my mat leave. I'm taking 6-8 weeks off entirely then starting my very part time position working from home. I'll get paid £500 a month in addition to stat mat pay and it would only take me about 2 hours a week- something I could fit in during the weekend when DH is at home. It works out at £67 per hour so I honestly have no idea why he's stropping about it. The £500 on top of my mat pay will cover the mortgage every month but he's told me I'm "not doing it and that's final". who knew I have two babies and not just the one on the way?!

Sorry to rant but I have no where else to vent.

Is your part time job with someone different @assumeitwassomethingclever? As I thought as soon as you returned to work that was the end of SMP.
It's a confusing thing!

@SquirtlesMumAgain well, they're adding to my SMP, so technically I'm not "back at work" but I'll only get the £500 if I actually complete some of my duties. DH thinks they're conning me into working but I asked them if that's what I could do as we'd need the extra money.

You have your 10 KIT days (or any part of day) but I would double check with someone external if you are going to be doing more than that as you could find yourself having to pay the money back even if it's their error.
I have only researched from a Mat Allowance perspective but I can teach 10 days (or parts thereof) any more than that the money stops and if I don't tell them I am liable.
Don't want you to be hit by a nasty surprise if they are the ones trying to trick the system!

Thanks @SquirtlesMumAgain I'll look into it!

Hope it all works out, sounds like a good plan if it can all slot in for you.

I am really starting to look forward to Christmas, though still nowhere near ready. Not sure I am ready to cook dinner though! Going to be a case of everyone having to muck in I think.