Due date / enhanced mat pay - should I risk it?

[adogisforlife91]

Firstly I know its unlikely to happen on the first try but you never know, and I am desperate to start TTC.

In order to be eligible for enhanced maternity pay at my work, I need a due date of 30th May next year or later.

CD1 today 20th August and 30 day cycle so according to NHS calculator, if we did conceive this month the due date would be 29th May!! argh!

I could use ovulation sticks so I know exactly when ovulation happens, if early we can hold off, if later then we can go for it but will an NHS nurse take an ovulation date or will they only use date of last period?

At the 20week scan if baby is big could they bring the due date forward regardless of ovulation day, and that's what goes on MATB1?

It's the difference between stat, or 14 weeks full pay and 14 weeks half. In fact just typing this makes me think I should just grit my teeth and wait another month but interested to hear what others think anyway.

I think you'd spend the whole pregnancy a bit stressed about the financial implications of your dates and it would be better to wait another month to avoid that.

IME they will just use LMP date unless something makes them think that is way off.

Sorry - just read that they do the due date by measurement at the 12 week scan. So what is the likelihood they would bring the due date earlier even if i know exactly when I ovulated?

My due date for both pregnancies was brought forward by 5 days on both and then I had a c section so that brought it forward by another week. I'm now pregnant with twins and likely due date will be brought forward by at least 2 weeks so even though I did IVF and am 100% certain on conception date my babies will be born at least 3 weeks earlier than "planned"

I can absolutely see why you want to Plan this therefore I would make sure that you allow at least a month between when your enhanced maternity duty cut off is and potential due date to give you some leeway

But obviously baby could also be premature.......

@beautifulxdisasters that's a good point I hadnt thought of, thank you! Just want to get on with it, but have waited this long so another month wont hurt :)

They could quite easily bring the due date forward even if you know when you ovulated. They are measuring a tiny thing through a layer of skin and muscle, and it's not always spot on.
I'd wait another month, or you are going to spend the next 12 weeks worrying about what due date they will give you, and the (fairly large) financial implications.

Thanks @ivfdreaming

They go by date on the matb1 form even if the baby is born early. Good luck with your twins!

@adogisforlife91

Thanks *@ivfdreaming*

They go by date on the matb1 form even if the baby is born early. Good luck with your twins!

That's not too bad then - but they will change the due date on your mat1b form based on what the baby measures at the 12 week scan

I had mine last week and because one twin is bigger they have changed my due date by 5 days purely on that basis

They will do the dating by the 12 week scan. They won’t care when you think you ovulated.

All my babies measured behind what I thought they should be based on ovulation. I wouldn’t risk it.

Personally for the sake of a month I wouldn’t risk it, that said I’m on cycle 5 now! However 3 of my closest friends all conceived first month so you really never know x

They’ll use LMP until your 12 week scan when they revise the date based on the measurements.

Wait a month so you’re not stressing. It would be absolutely stupid to miss out on good maternity pay for the sake of a month or two.

My due date changed three times and I have a longer cycle so it changed by quite a few days (NHS initially worked it out on standard 28 day cycle).

Hi OP. Your entitlement to SMP is based on your qualifying week which is the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth which will be on your MATB1. What exactly does the enhanced mat policy say?

On the one hand if it were me, I would be minded to wait just so I wasn't stressing, however much could change between now and then and it could be helpful to be pregnant earlier for other reasons (protection from discrimination, redundancy etc)