Views on TTC and new job?

[Ells0204]

Posting this for pregnant ladies and new mums!

Did anyone TTC/fall pregnant when they started a new job?

I posted a this on the employment topic but I don’t think as many of you check that as on here...

I’ve been offered a brilliant opportunity with a new company but slap bang in the middle of TTC. 2 MCs this year already. Been at my current place 5 years.

I am preventing right now because I have only verbally accepted and don’t even have a start date, but I know as each month goes by I will be more and more desperate to start trying again. Even preventing right now is me going against every desire I have for a baby and it’s making me quite upset. I currently have no children.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, I am seriously lost! X

Do you need a full maternity package/smp to make having a baby financially possible? That would be my only concern. If you don’t qualify in your new job, it might make things more difficult for you, but you would still be eligible for maternity allowance probably.

Personally, I got pregnant 4 months into a new job (very much planned). I had a mc but got pregnant again the next month (so about 7 months after I started). I didn’t qualify for smp unfortunately (not for that reason, my contract ended a couple weeks before I would have qualified), but we are comfortable enough that MA is fine. I saved a bit for maternity leave and we have a business that can support us while I’m off.

Unless you have financial concerns, I personally wouldn’t put off ttc just because of a new job as you never know what might happen.

@MindUtopia Thanks for your reply - and sorry for your loss! I guess if I have had 2 MCs already there’s nothing to say I won’t have any more and you’re right anything can happen.

I don’t think I want to risk not qualifying for SMP so I will definitely prevent until I am past that. How did your company react when you told them?

Ells0204 have you checked out what your current employer gives as maternity benefits? Some only give statutory.

Have you talked to your OH about how you will manage if you take the new job, as remember it's his child too?

I have friends' who put their lives on hold trying to conceive and they were damn miserable for up to two years. As long as your new job doesn't mean you will be away for days at a time then I would take it.

Thanks @BlueBug45 my currently employer don’t actually have anything in place, which sounds silly I know, so it was always going to be a risk “negotiating” with them anyway! However they do look out for their own and I’m sure would support me fairly - they do actually also know about the previous MCs and have been very supportive indeed.

I am talking to OH tonight, to be honest he’s been quite cut up about the previous losses and has been kind of putting off PG talks since then. Although I know he does still want to try, he doesn’t seem to like talking about his feelings about it much at the moment. This whole process has been a very emotional journey for both of us. He’s amazing at supporting me, but he’s not great at opening up himself.

The new job is working from home so quite suitable, which I’m pleased about!

If the new job is working for home then I would accept it like a shot.

Even though you will need childcare during the day when you are working you will very easily be able to do the child care drop offs and pick ups. Plus maybe able to make up some hours if the child is sick one day.

Btw I've seen various friends' and acquaintances over the years screwed by employers maternity policies.

Initially loads of employers gave staff generous maternity packages but when they realised that they had more than 20% female staff they ensured they disappeared. Those employers who have had nothing, when they have eventually worked out the cost have give statutory.