Coping on SMP - Er, How, Exactly?!

[Eadwacer]

I would be so grateful for any views on coping financially with motherhood. My husband and I are trying for our first child, and rather naively I thought Maternity Pay was quite generous. I am horrified to discover how little SMP amounts to on a monthly basis, compared to my current wage. Since it is my monthly earnings that pay our rent, I am genuinely puzzled as to how we can keep a roof over our heads, unless I return to work after 6 weeks. Leaving aside the fact that this would presumably be a terrible emotional wrench, wouldn't this also be enormously expensive in terms of childcare?

I am new to Mumsnet (obviously, as I'm not a Mum!), and appreciate that this question must have been asked before. But advice/experience would be enormously appreciated.

Thanks!

"If you breastfeed, it's free."

Not when you factor in the cost of all the extra cake you'll be eating (or perhaps that's just me )

i only work part time, therefore my smp was roughly the same or a bit less than normal wage, its definetly worth checking tax credits entitlment though

Thanks so much for all this advice everyone: can't tell you how much it's appreciated. You're right morris: it does seem an utter mystery, and yet the streets are not full of families on the street because they cannot keep a roof over their heads!

My only comfort is that some time back I had to find nearly £400 for a university admin fee, and since we had no savings I just paid out of my current account and was painfully frugal the rest of the month - by the end of the month oddly I had more in my pocket than I normally do, which obviously means I am spunking hundreds a month on vintage clothes, books and wine without realising it!

Violet that doesn't sound negative or depressing, just realistic - no sense persuading myself it's all going to be easy. ..

From this page I can't view the name of the kind soul that told me amounts for child benefit and child tax credit but God bless you, I had been wondering and couldn't find a simple way of getting the info.

Strikes me I should stop fretting as I'm only TTC and not expecting, and one ought not to tempt the fates

Oh - PS - I work part time & my husband does 12 hour shift work that results in stretches of 5 days at a time off, so we reckon we should be able to juggle things so that we don't need to spend TOO much on childcare...

If you are planning then you have time to save up. I only got SMP, fell pregnant by accident and had just spent all my savings on building work. I could afford to take 6 months without too much hardship but had to take 10 months because of ds's needs. I got a bank loan (apparently to fund a new car!).