Paternity rights during pregnancy

[mumblemumhome4lunch]

Can anyone shed any light for us on what rights a prospective father has for attending antenatal check-ups/scans/consultations ??

My partner has asked at work as wants to clarify but they have been very woolly - says they are happy for him to have some time but might have to review if there is an impact on his work. They haven't been clear as to what he is legally entitled to.

Have found some useful websites for maternity rights but not paternity!

I don't think they have any right to time off for AN appointments; only time off after the birth.

which is only right I think as the AN checks are to check that mum and baby are doing OK.

Most employers are flexible about the time off though; my DH has come to the scans with me and has just made up his time to suit.

There is no legal right to paid time off for antenatal appointments.

From Direct.gov.uk

"Time off for antenatal appointments

Fathers do not have a legal right to time off to accompany their partners to antenatal appointments as the right to paid time off only applies to pregnant employees. However, many companies recognise how important a time this is and let their employees either take paid time off or make up the time later."

mine got time off but had to make it up later.

unfortunately, he had to use it to look after our other children.

but he's a shift worker, too, so we could usually schedule around his shifts.

hey expat; how you doing? no baby yet I presume?

i'm still preggo, daisy!

and it's so not fun. heartburn (ranitidine+gaviscon), dreadful piles, leg cramps, him sitting on the nerve that runs down the front of my left thigh, he's still so high up i can hardly eat much and basically i move around like an old woman.

he's due Halloween and i have a feeling he's in there for the long haul.

i had both of my girls by this time.

now i get to hear everyone's tales of late little boys.

how's you?

still preggo too, but only just 38 weeks. Getting lots of nasty BHs though and had a couple of "am I, aren't I?" moments...but no...he is content with the occasional chew on my cervix.

thinking that if I have to put up with another four weeks of this I will want to shoot myself....SPD, heartburn, stress and urge incontinence.....it's just sooooo glamourous this pregnancy lark

are boys generally late?

i've had random, actual contractions for hte past week.

but of course, they go away.

the other night i had a few every 20 mins. or so, took two paracetemol and then didn't have another.

yuk, SPD! you poor soul. OUCH.

these piles are killing me and i wake up pretty much every other hour gagging on my own stomach acid despite the ranitidine .

he's ZERO engaged. his head is on the brim of my pelvis, what ever that means.

my boobs are leaking like sieves already, too.

who talked us into this?

Expatinscotland is right. There is no real rights for the Husband to have time off work for AN classes, checks etc. The only real right he has is 2 weeks paternity pay, this came into affect in Jan 2008 along with the new maternity leave etc. DH is eligible for £117 pounds from the government per week for two weeks, which is shite. What I am doing is taking off the two weeks as holiday, yes I loose time off valuable time off with the new family, however, it is not financially viable to get the £232.

What you could ask and being sneaky and all, is have the 2 weeks holiday and apply for the paternity leave as well! As it does not come out of the company?s pocket and you get some extra money at the same time. All you need to do is ask the company if this is an option. I am lucky as the finance director is doing it for me as he did it for himself.