hi, im a sahm to a 5yo,really want another baby, would i be able to claim ma? or would i have to get a job 1st?

[broodymummy]

hi dd is now 5 and i miss her so much since she started school, i feel really broody for another baby, although money is a bit tight and i need to convice dh.

what i wondered if any of you mums knew was, even as a sahm would i be entitled to claim anything like maternity allowence?
as that would make my dream possible?

or if i returned to work, how long would i need to work for, before trying for a baby
to either get employers materanity leave or maternity allowence

or what about if i did some sort of self employed work, how long would i need to do that for before being able to claim maternaty allowence

please,please help me make my dreams come true

What's more you give women of child bearing age a bad name amongst employers. They're already obliged by law to treat us equally, supposedly, but I can't imagine an employer being too thrilled at the treatment you're cooking up.

Tsk!

I would like to think that this was a half term troll, but I don't think it is.

Has she ever posted before?

She doesn't seem to have much sense actually. She can't spell either.

Dear love her employers.

I'm also really puzzled by this!! You have been able to afford to stay at home for the last 5 years, but say you need to get a job before trying to conceive another baby..... how weird. is this a wind up?

Message withdrawn

OP How Rude

ive just read this thread, am now im feeling very guilty.
im still on maternity leave until 30th june 2008, my dd is nearly 8 months old and im pregnant again, think im about 8 weeks gone so i think im due.around mid nov
think ill be 20 weeks ish when i return to work, oh bloody hell.
ive worked for the same company for 10 years prior to going on mat leave in the first place.

does anyone have any idea where i stand. they are gonna hate me at work.
last time i had a really horrendeous pregnancy and had to have an emergency operation after the birth, i could of died.
don't know how im gonna to cope tbh

Hi Maternity Allowance goes by what you have earnt over a 13 week period of your choice which can be chosen out of the 66weeks before your due date (sorry im on maternity allowance atm)

also you have to have earnt on average more than £30 a week over these 13weeks. So yes you need to have been working. The maximum you can get atm for Maternity Allowance is £112.75 per week. They add up your 13 weeks earnings (so you want to chose the highest) and then divide by 13, giving u ur average. then they pay 90% of that average. if the 90% is above the £112.75 then you only get that. Their maximum. So yes if you want that, then I suggest you do 13 weeks worth of work. You would probably have to work 25hrs a week to get the maximum.

If you don't decide to work whilst pregnant, I don't know whether you would be entitled to 'incapacity benefit' through the job centre also. I know it is paid if you earn an average of less than £30 a week. I want another child and have decided to stay at my job 4 hrs a week (earning £24 a week) and then to do more hours over xmas. So that I can still get a decent amount on maternity allowance. Probably end up with £40 a week from them. Btu yes if you want it then you need to work for 13weeks

pregnantbabyelephant - you can still take maternity leave with them again. You may not get as much money for maternity, but you will get something. As long as you tell your employer that your preg by time you reach 24weeks your fine. I want another one, but gonna wait til our DD is 1yr, so that i can get better pay whilst on maternity leave.

sorry bout horrendous time during pregnancy and after you delivered. good luck with this pregnancy!

Pregnantbabyelephant. Don't feel guilty. Your situation is far removed from the Op's who has a very odd attitude.
Congratulations on your pregnancy. I hope you have a better time of it this time round.

I think that Pregnantbabyelephant and TheFallenMadonna situations would put as much strain on Employers and colour their view of women in general just as much as broodymummy regardless of the attitudes differences they are approaching the situation from.

Not getting at Pbe or TFM by the way. Just can't see how it's seen as okay for them but not bm.

juuule, i agree i can't see why its ok for pbe and tfm

i mean come on,how many mums that return to work state in the interview that they would like another child in the next couple of years? not many!

and shes probably got a fair point about the people that post in here during working hours, maybe shes actually more upfront and honest than most ?
just like to point out my dd is having her nap and im eatting my lunch before anyone tries to flame me.

and if shes going to be self employed shes not filling a vacancy someone else needs or messing her employers about.
and if you pay your taxes which sounds like she has, wheres the problem in claiming what is yours?

can't see why eveyones got there knickers in a twist really

I agree that it isn't really different for me either!

Which is why I posted.

Or for women who have two or more maternity leaves in quick succession.

I'm at work. I've been on MN for hours!!!

Crikey -- given the OP's intentions , is it any wonder Alan Sugar thinks twice about employing woman of child bearing age? Grrr, gives us all a bad name.

fair comment TWD

I am not responding to the OP anymore as I see it is BroodyMummy's first thread and judging by her swift change of tone mid way through I smell a troll.......

so how do you feel about women that take maternity leave 2,3 or 4 or really however many times from the same employer then ?

its a bit harsh on that employer really tbh

So what should women of a child-bearing age do? Not get jobs? Or be limited to temp jobs because it's fairer on the employer?
Or once they are in a job should they decide not to have children?

Maternity laws and the provision of SMP is there for a reason - because women are the ones who bear children, and generally get a raw deal in the job market because of it.

I really don't believe women who use the provision and are legally entitled to do so are fleecing anybody or giving women a bad name.

Me neither, meemar.

I got pregnant in a fairly new job but as the job was unsuitable during pregnancy and they weren't flexible I left and worked for a temp agency - you still get MA as you have been employed. Surely a temp job would be better as you don't intend to stay for long?

As an aside - I love the way people just assume they will get pregnant straight away, it doesn't always happen that way so you could be stuck in the job for longer than you think.

sorry meemar i wasnt saying they should not take mat pay or leave, i was trying to point out what the op wants to do,is not really different to what a hell of alot of women do

fwiw i totally agree
women who use the provision and are legally entitled to do so are fleecing anybody or giving women a bad name

but i do know several people from work
that have taken mat pay/leave 4 times so i dont understand way anyone thinks the op is wrong but thats ok iykwim

brock think the op is planing on going self employed but i agree that i think its crazy people always think they will get pregnant straight away